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Metal sheet bending machine

  • US 5,531,087 A
  • Filed: 08/18/1994
  • Issued: 07/02/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/05/1990
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A metal sheet bending machine for being a metal sheet, said machine having an upper bender and lower bender between which the metal sheet is positioned for bending the metal sheet to a desired angle along a bending line, said machine comprising:

  • (a) a measuring light source for projecting a linear image onto an outer face of the metal sheet while the metal sheet is being bent to the desired angle, said light source positioned relative to the metal sheet so that the linear image of projected measuring light rotates as the bending angle of the metal sheet changes as a result of bending of the metal sheet by changing the relative position of the upper and lower benders;

    (b) photographing means for sequentially photographing the outer face of the bent metal sheet on which the linear image of projected measuring light is formed by the measuring light source, while the metal sheet is being bent to the desired angle, said photographing means forming sequential images representative of the position of the linear image on the outer face as the metal sheet is bent;

    (c) memory means for storing the sequential images which have been photographed by the photographing means, each sequential image including the linear image of projected measuring light;

    (d) calculating means for calculating, based on changes in the rotated angular position of the linear image of successive sequential image stored in the memory means and based on a preset photographing angle for the photographing means and a preset light projecting angle for the measuring light source, a bending angle of the metal sheet while the metal sheet is being bent and the resulting sequential images are being photographed; and

    (e) control means for controlling the positions of the upper bender and/or lower bender according to a calculation result obtained from the calculating means.

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