WORKPIECE PART DISCHARGE SYSTEM

• US 20090010731A1
• Filed: 06/30/2008
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2007
• 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: Heusel, Joerg
• Granted Patent: US 8,618,433 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 409/199
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 45/003 in punching machines or punching tools
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/30756 Machining arcuate surface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/04 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/0448 With subsequent handling [i.e., of product]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/0453 By fluid application
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/0467 By separating products from each other
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/207 By suction means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/9423 Punching tool

Abstract

A machine tool for separative machining of preferably plate-like workpieces, for example, metal sheets, has a workpiece support and a discharge device on the workpiece support. The discharge device discharges workpiece parts produced as products of the separative machining. The discharge device includes two opening sections are adjustable relative to one another in the horizontal Y direction to form a through-opening for discharge of workpiece parts. The opening sections are adjustable into different positions relative to one another in the horizontal Y direction, to form through-openings of different widths for discharge of workpiece parts.

Claims

1. A machine tool for separative machining of workpieces, the machine tool comprising:

a workpiece support; and

a discharge device provided on the workpiece support for discharging workpiece parts produced as products of the separative machining,

wherein the discharge device comprises two opening sections that are adjustable relative to one another in a horizontal Y direction that lies in an X-Y plane to form a through-opening for discharge of workpiece parts along a vertical direction Z that is perpendicular to the surface of the X-Y plane, the opening sections are adjustable relative to one another in the horizontal Y direction, to form through-openings of different widths for discharge of workpiece parts;

wherein at least one opening section comprises a support that is mounted to widen the through-opening by being pivoted downwardly about a pivot axle that lies in the X-Y plane.

2. The machine tool of claim 1, further comprising a control unit for controlling the position of the opening sections produced during separative machining of the workpiece as a function of a maximum dimension in the horizontal Y direction of the workpiece part.

3. The machine tool of claim 1, further comprising a movement unit that is configured to continuously move at least one of the opening sections in the horizontal Y direction.

4. The machine tool of claim 3, wherein the movement unit comprises a spindle drive.

5. The machine tool of claim 1, further comprising a measuring device that determines the distance traveled by the opening sections in the horizontal Y direction.

6. The machine tool of claim 1, wherein the pivot axle extends at a right angle to the horizontal Y direction.

7. The machine tool of claim 6, wherein at least one support is rotatably mounted to a supporting table that is displaceable in the horizontal Y direction.

8. The machine tool of claim 1, wherein the supports are lowerable, under acceleration, with a linear movement in the Z direction.

9. The machine tool of claim 8, wherein the supports are lowerable with a linear movement a distance of less than or equal to about 10 mm.

10. The machine tool of claim 1, wherein at least one opening section comprises a supporting table that is displaceable in the horizontal Y direction.

11. The machine tool of claim 10, wherein at least one end of the supporting table nearest the through opening is lowerable under acceleration in the direction of gravity.

12. The machine tool of claim 1, wherein the opening sections are movable relative to one another in the horizontal Y direction into a closed position in which the opening sections close an opening in the workpiece support.

13. The machine tool of claim 12, wherein the supports in a downwardly pivoted state have upper surfaces that lie at least partially adjacent to one another when the opening sections are in the closed position.

14. The machine tool of claim 1, wherein one of the two opening sections is in a fixed position in the horizontal Y direction.

15. The machine tool of claim 14, further comprising a fixing device that fixes the workpiece part in position at the fixed-position opening section during relative movement of the opening sections in the horizontal Y direction.

16. The machine tool of claim 1, further comprising a rigid chute arranged in the through-opening beneath the opening sections and configured to discharge the workpiece part.

17. A method for discharging workpiece parts produced on a machine tool as products of the separative machining, using a discharge device that comprises two opening sections that are adjusted relative to one another in a horizontal Y direction to form a through-opening for discharge of workpiece parts, the method comprising:

moving the opening sections relative to one another in the horizontal Y direction to form through-openings of different widths for discharge of workpiece parts; and

widening the through-openings by pivoting downwardly about a pivot axle that lies in the X-Y plane a support of the opening section.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising controlling the position of the opening sections as a function of a maximum dimension in the horizontal Y direction of the workpiece part.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein moving the opening sections includes continuously displacing at least one of the opening sections with continuous displacement control in the horizontal Y direction.

20. A machine tool for separative machining of workpieces, the machine tool comprising:

a workpiece support; and

a discharge device provided on the workpiece support for discharging workpiece parts produced as products of the separative machining,

wherein the discharge device comprises two opening sections that are adjustable relative to one another in a horizontal Y direction that lies in an X-Y plane to form a through-opening for discharge of workpiece parts along a vertical direction Z that is perpendicular to the surface of the X-Y plane, the opening sections are adjustable relative to one another in the horizontal Y direction, to form through-openings of different widths for discharge of workpiece parts;

wherein at least one opening section comprises a supporting table that is displaceable in the horizontal Y direction.

21. A machine tool for separative machining of workpieces, the machine tool comprising:

a workpiece support;

a discharge device on the workpiece support and configured for discharging workpiece parts produced as products of the separative machining, wherein the discharge device comprises two opening sections that are adjustable relative to one another in a horizontal Y direction that lies in an X-Y plane to form a through-opening for discharge of workpiece parts along a vertical Z direction that is perpendicular to the surface of the X-Y plane, the opening sections are adjustable relative to one another in the horizontal Y direction, to form through-openings of different widths for discharge of workpiece parts; and

a fixing device that fixes the workpiece part in position at the fixed-position opening section during relative movement of the opening sections in the horizontal Y direction.

22. The machine tool of claim 21, wherein the fixing device includes a punch apparatus having a resilient element and a punch.