PRESS-WORKING APPARATUS AND RELATED METHOD

• US 20190322065A1
• Filed: 11/24/2017
• Published: 10/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elastisense ApS
• Original Assignee: Elastisense ApS
• Inventors: SARBAN, Rahimullah, THOMSEN, Benjamin
• Granted Patent: US 11,230,078 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 24/04 Blank holders; Mounting means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 55/00 Safety devices protecting the machine or the operator, specially adapted for apparatus or machines dealt with in this subclass for presses in general B30B; safety devices in general F16P
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 15/0094 Press load monitoring means B30B15/281 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 15/14 Control arrangements for mechanically-driven presses
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 15/26 Programme control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 15/28 Arrangements for preventing distortion of, or damage to, presses or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 5/30 for measuring the deformation in a solid, e.g. mechanical strain gauge

Abstract

Press-working apparatus, monitoring device, and method of operating a press-working apparatus with a press-working monitoring device and one or more displacement sensors including a first displacement sensor comprising a first primary attachment part mounted on a first part of the press-working apparatus, a first secondary attachment part mounted on a second part of the press-working apparatus, and a first sensing part, the first sensing part being arranged between the first primary attachment part and the first secondary attachment part, wherein the first displacement sensor is configured to provide a first output signal indicative of deformation of the first sensing part is disclosed. The method comprises: obtaining the first output signal from the first displacement sensor while moving the first part and the second part along a main axis in relation to each other, thereby deforming the first displacement sensor; determining if an error criterion based on the first output signal from the first displacement sensor has been met; and providing a control signal indicative of an error to the press-working apparatus if the error criterion is met.

Claims

1. A method of operating a press-working apparatus with a press-working monitoring device and one or more displacement sensors including a first displacement sensor comprising a first primary attachment part mounted on a first part of the press-working apparatus, a first secondary attachment part mounted on a second part of the press-working apparatus, and a first sensing part, the first sensing part being arranged between the first primary attachment part and the first secondary attachment part, wherein the first displacement sensor is configured to provide a first output signal indicative of deformation of the first sensing part, wherein the method comprises:

obtaining the first output signal from the first displacement sensor while moving the first part and the second part along a main axis in relation to each other, thereby deforming the first displacement sensor;

determining if an error criterion based on the first output signal from the first displacement sensor has been met; and

providing a control signal indicative of an error to the press-working apparatus if the error criterion is met.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more displacement sensors includes a second displacement sensor having a second primary attachment part, a second secondary attachment part and a second sensing part, the second sensing part being arranged between the second primary attachment part and the second secondary attachment part, wherein the second primary attachment part and the second secondary attachment part are mounted on inter-movable parts of the press-working apparatus, wherein the second displacement sensor is configured to provide a second output signal indicative of deformation of the second sensing part, wherein the method comprises:

obtaining the second output signal from the second displacement sensor while moving the inter-movable parts in relation to each other, thereby deforming the second displacement sensor, and

wherein the error criterion is based on the second output signal from the second displacement sensor.

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein determining if an error criterion based on the first output signal from the first displacement sensor has been met includes determining a first travel distance parameter and a second travel distance parameter based on the first output signal, wherein the first travel distance parameter is indicative of travel distance between the first part and the second part in a first operating period of the press-working apparatus and the second travel distance parameter is indicative of travel distance between the first part and the second part in a second operating period of the press-working apparatus, and wherein the error criterion is met if a relation between the first travel distance parameter and the second travel distance parameter is larger than an error threshold.

4. Method according to claim 3, wherein the error criterion is met if the relation between the first travel distance parameter and the second travel distance parameter is indicative of a travel distance difference between the first operating period and the second operating period of at least in the range from 0.050 mm to 0.5 mm.

5. Method according to claim 3, wherein the error criterion is met if the relation between the first travel distance parameter and the second travel distance parameter is indicative of a travel distance difference between the first operating period and the second operating period of at least in the range from 0.010 mm to 0.050 mm.

6. Method according to claim 1, wherein obtaining the first output signal from the first displacement sensor comprises applying a current to the first displacement sensor, and wherein the first output signal is a voltage signal.

7. Method according to claim 1, wherein the first part of the press-working apparatus is a first tool part.

8. Method according to claim 1, wherein the second part of the press-working apparatus is a second tool part.

9. Method according to claim 1, wherein the first part and the second part has a travel distance in relation to each other during operation of the press-working apparatus, wherein the travel distance is at least 5 mm.

10. Method according to claim 1, wherein the first displacement sensor is installed with a pre-stretch between the first part and the second part when the press-working apparatus is in an open position.

11. Method according to claim 1, wherein the first displacement sensor is installed with a pre-stretch between the first part and the second part when the press-working apparatus is in a closed position.

12. Method according to claim 1, wherein providing a control signal indicative of an error to the press-working apparatus if the error criterion is met includes stopping the press-working apparatus if the error criterion is met.

13. Press-working monitoring device for a press-working apparatus, the press-working monitoring device comprising a housing with a processor unit, a memory, and an interface, wherein the press-working monitoring device is configured to

obtain a first output signal from a first displacement sensor while moving a first part and a second part of the press-working apparatus along a main axis in relation to each other, thereby deforming the first displacement sensor;

determine if an error criterion based on the first output signal from the first displacement sensor has been met; and

provide a control signal indicative of an error to the press-working apparatus if the error criterion is met.

15. A press-working apparatus comprising a first part and a second part arranged to be moved along a main axis in relation to each other, wherein the press-working apparatus includes one or more displacement sensors including a first displacement sensor having a first primary attachment part, a first secondary attachment part and a first sensing part, the first sensing part being arranged between the first primary attachment part and the first secondary attachment part, wherein the first displacement sensor is configured to provide a first output signal indicative of deformation of the first sensing part, and wherein the first primary attachment part is attached to the first part and the first secondary attachment part is attached to the second part, wherein the press-working apparatus includes a press-working monitoring device according to claim 13, and wherein the first displacement sensor is connected to the interface of the press-working monitoring device.

14. (canceled)