Tool magazines of mechanical arrangements and methods for administering tools

• US 10,245,693 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2013
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trumpf Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH + Company KG (Trumpf GmbH + Company KG)
• Original Assignee: Trumpf Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH + Company KG (Trumpf GmbH + Company KG)
• Inventors: Klinkhammer, Marc, Kerscher, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Cadugan, Erica E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vitale, Michael
• Application Number:
  US14/060,865
• Publication Number:
  US 20140121084A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,987 Days
• Field of Search: 483 28, 483 29, 483 63, 483 64
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 28/00 Shaping by press-cutting; Perforating
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 37/145 Die storage magazines
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 43/003 Positioning devices B21D28/04 and B21D28/265 take precedence; stops B21D43/26; centering moving strips B21D43/023
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 2003/15537 Linearly moving storage devices
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 3/15526 Storage devices; Drive mechanisms therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 3/15539 Plural magazines, e.g. involving tool transfer from one magazine to another involving manual operation B23Q3/15533
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 483/10 Process
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 483/16 with means to transfer work
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 483/17 including machine tool or component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 483/1731 including matrix
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 483/1845 Plural matrices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 483/1855 including tool replenishing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 483/1891 Chain or belt

Abstract

A tool magazine for tools of a machine tool for processing workpieces includes a first magazine unit that is close to a processing station of the machine tool and a second magazine unit that is remote from the processing station of the machine tool. The second magazine unit includes a permanent tool carrier and a temporary tool carrier. The permanent tool carrier is permanently accessible to a tool handling device. The temporary tool carrier is temporarily accessible to the tool handling device.

Claims

1. A tool magazine providing a plurality of punching tools for a machine tool for processing a metal sheet, the tool magazine comprising:

a first magazine unit that comprises multiple first storage locations and that is provided for one or more punching tools of the plurality of punching tools that are transferred between the first magazine unit and a processing station of the machine tool, wherein the processing station is arranged at a first end of a machine frame of the machine tool, and wherein the first magazine unit is configured to store one or more punching tools of the plurality of punching tools while one or more punching tools of the plurality of punching tools are operated to process the metal sheet at the processing station;

a second magazine unit that comprises a permanent tool carrier and a temporary tool carrier and that is provided for one or more punching tools of the plurality of punching tools that are transferred from the second magazine unit to the first magazine unit for subsequent transfer to the processing station and/or for one or more punching tools of the plurality of punching tools that are transferred from the first magazine unit to the second magazine unit after being transferred to the first magazine unit from the processing station; and

a tool handling device spaced apart from the processing station and positioned at a second end of the machine frame of the machine tool, the second end of the machine frame being disposed opposite the first end,

wherein the permanent tool carrier and the temporary tool carrier of the second magazine unit comprise multiple second storage locations for the one or more punching tools of the plurality of punching tools that are transferred from the second magazine unit to the first magazine unit and/or for the one or more punching tools of the plurality of punching tools that are transferred from the first magazine unit to the second magazine unit,

wherein the temporary tool carrier of the second magazine unit can be moved into an operating position and into a non-operating position, wherein the temporary tool carrier is not fixedly attached to the machine frame when disposed in either the operating position or the non-operating position,

wherein the permanent tool carrier of the second magazine unit is fixedly attached to the machine frame, and is permanently accessible to the tool handling device,

wherein the temporary tool carrier of the second magazine unit is temporarily accessible to the tool handling device such that the temporary tool carrier of the second magazine unit, when in the operating position, is accessible to the tool handling device for removing one or more punching tools of the plurality of punching tools from the temporary tool carrier and/or transferring one or more punching tools of the plurality of punching tools to the temporary tool carrier, and, when in the non-operating position, is inaccessible to the tool handling device for removing one or more punching tools of the plurality of punching tools from the temporary tool carrier and/or transferring one or more punching tools of the plurality of punching tools to the temporary tool carrier,

wherein the tool handling device is configured to transfer one or more punching tools of the plurality of punching tools between the first magazine unit and the permanent tool carrier of the second magazine unit, between the first magazine unit and the temporary tool carrier of the second magazine unit when in the operating position, and between the temporary tool carrier of the second magazine unit when in the operating position and the permanent tool carrier of the second magazine unit,

wherein the first magazine unit, the permanent tool carrier of the second magazine unit, and the temporary tool carrier of the second magazine unit, when in the operating position, are spaced apart from the processing station at the second end of the machine frame of the machine tool for accessibility to the tool handling device,

wherein the first magazine unit comprises a plurality of fixation devices for gripping the metal sheet, and

wherein the first magazine unit comprises a linear rail that is oriented parallel to the metal sheet.

2. The tool magazine according to claim 1, wherein the second magazine unit comprises a plurality of temporary tool carriers that are selectively accessible to the tool handling device for removing and/or transferring one or more punching tools of the plurality of punching tools.

3. The tool magazine according to claim 1, wherein the temporary tool carrier of the second magazine unit can be moved in a vertical direction from the non-operating position into the operating position and/or moved in the vertical direction from the operating position into the non-operating position.

4. The tool magazine according to claim 1, wherein, in the operating position, the temporary tool carrier of the second magazine unit is positioned adjacent to the permanent tool carrier of the second magazine unit, such that the temporary tool carrier is located at a particular position with respect to the permanent tool carrier and/or with respect to the tool handling device.

5. The tool magazine according to claim 4, further comprising an activatable and deactivatable positioning device for positioning the temporary tool carrier of the second magazine unit in the particular position with respect to the permanent tool carrier and/or with respect to the tool handling device.

6. The tool magazine according to claim 1, further comprising a conveying system that is driven in a movement direction so as to carry the temporary tool carrier into the operating position and/or into the nonoperating position.

7. The tool magazine according to claim 6, wherein the conveying system comprises a continuously rotating conveying device to which the temporary tool carrier is connected.

8. The tool magazine according to claim 7, wherein the conveying device comprises a continuously rotating conveyor chain or a continuously rotating conveyor belt.

9. The tool magazine according to claim 6, wherein the second magazine unit comprises a rotating magazine to which the temporary tool carrier is connected via a conveying system of the rotating magazine, the conveying system rotating in the movement direction and guided on a carrier structure of the rotating magazine during movement of the at least one temporary tool carrier into the operating position and into the non-operating position.

10. The tool magazine according to claim 9, wherein the rotating magazine of the second magazine unit is at least partially constructed as a paternoster.

11. The tool magazine according to claim 6, wherein the conveying system is driven in a motorized manner.

12. The tool magazine according to claim 1, wherein the first magazine unit is spaced laterally from the processing station.

13. The tool magazine according to claim 1, wherein the tool handling device is spaced laterally from the processing station.

14. The tool magazine according to claim 1, further comprising a mobile tool carriage that is movable to carry the temporary tool carrier into the operating position and/or into the non-operating position.

15. A mechanical arrangement for processing metal sheets, the mechanical arrangement comprising a machine tool that has a processing station to and from which a plurality of punching tools can be transferred for a metal sheet processing operation and a tool magazine, the tool magazine comprising:

a first magazine unit that comprises multiple first storage locations and that is provided for one or more punching tools of the plurality of punching tools that are transferred between the first magazine unit and the processing station of the machine tool, wherein the processing station is arranged at a first end of a machine frame of the machine tool, and wherein the first magazine unit is configured to store one or more punching tools of the plurality of punching tools while one or more punching tools of the plurality of punching tools are operated to process the metal sheet at the processing station;

a second magazine unit that comprises a permanent tool carrier and a temporary tool carrier and that is provided for one or more punching tools of the plurality of punching tools that are transferred from the second magazine unit to the first magazine unit for subsequent transfer to the processing station and/or for one or more punching tools of the plurality of punching tools that are transferred from the first magazine unit to the second magazine unit after being transferred to the first magazine unit from the processing station; and

a tool handling device spaced apart from the processing station and positioned at a second end of the machine frame of the machine tool, the second end of the machine frame being disposed opposite the first end,

wherein the permanent tool carrier and the temporary tool carrier of the second magazine unit comprise multiple second storage locations for the one or more punching tools of the plurality of punching tools that are transferred from the second magazine unit to the first magazine unit and/or for the one or more punching tools of the plurality of punching tools that are transferred from the first magazine unit to the second magazine unit,

wherein the temporary tool carrier of the second magazine unit can be moved into an operating position and into a non-operating position, wherein the temporary tool carrier is not fixedly attached to the machine frame when disposed in either the operating position or the non-operating position,

wherein the permanent tool carrier of the second magazine unit is fixedly attached to the machine frame, and is permanently accessible to the tool handling device,

wherein the temporary tool carrier of the second magazine unit is temporarily accessible to the tool handling device such that the temporary tool carrier of the second magazine unit, when in the operating position, is accessible to the tool handling device for removing one or more punching tools of the plurality of punching tools from the temporary tool carrier and/or transferring one or more punching tools of the plurality of punching tools to the temporary tool carrier, and, when in the non-operating position, is inaccessible to the tool handling device for removing one or more punching tools of the plurality of punching tools from the temporary tool carrier and/or transferring one or more punching tools of the plurality of punching tools to the temporary tool carrier,

wherein the tool handling device is configured to transfer one or more punching tools of the plurality of punching tools between the first magazine unit and the permanent tool carrier of the second magazine unit, between the first magazine unit and the temporary tool carrier of the second magazine unit when in the operating position, and between the temporary tool carrier of the second magazine unit when in the operating position and the permanent tool carrier of the second magazine unit,

wherein the first magazine unit, the permanent tool carrier of the second magazine unit, and the temporary tool carrier of the second magazine unit, when in the operating position, are spaced apart from the processing station at the second end of the machine frame of the machine tool for accessibility to the tool handling device,

wherein the first magazine unit comprises a plurality of fixation devices for gripping the metal sheet, and

wherein the first magazine unit comprises a linear rail that is oriented parallel to the metal sheet.

16. The mechanical arrangement according to claim 15,

wherein the processing station is provided on the machine frame of the machine tool, the machine frame comprising an upper frame leg, a lower frame leg, and an intermediate leg space that is formed between the upper frame leg and the lower frame leg,

wherein the first magazine unit of the tool magazine is arranged at least partially in the intermediate leg space of the machine frame,

wherein the second magazine unit of the tool magazine is spaced from the first magazine unit and outside of the intermediate leg space of the machine frame, and

wherein the second magazine unit of the tool magazine has as the permanent tool carrier a magazine platform relative to which the temporary tool carrier of the second magazine unit can be moved into the operating position and into the non-operating position.

17. The mechanical arrangement according to claim 15, wherein the first magazine unit is spaced laterally from the processing station.

18. The mechanical arrangement according to claim 15, wherein the tool handling device is spaced laterally from the processing station.