Linear motor mounted press machine and method for controlling linear motor mounted press machine

• US 7,523,699 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2007
• Issued: 04/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Original Assignee: Murata Machinery Limited (Muratec)
• Inventors: Sakamoto, Hiroichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Jimmy T
• Application Number:
  US11/842,265
• Publication Number:
  US 20080041241A1
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 100/35, 100/43, 100/50, 100/272, 100/281, 100/283, 100/284, 100/286, 724/51, 835/43, 836/30, 836/32, 836/13, 310/12
• US Class Current: 100/43
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 1/00 Presses, using a press ram, characterised by the features of the drive therefor, pressure being transmitted directly, or through simple thrust or tension members only, to the press ram or platen
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 1/10 by toggle mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 1/42 by magnetic means, e.g. electromagnetic
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 15/14 Control arrangements for mechanically-driven presses
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/8845 Toggle links, one link pivoted to tool support

Abstract

The present invention provides a linear motor mounted press machine which uses a boosting mechanism to enable machining with a greater press tonnage using a press driving source with relatively low power and which, for machining with a smaller press tonnage, enables efficient high-speed machining. A linear motor mounted press machine includes a boosting mechanism 10 having an output portion that performs a rectilinear reciprocating operation, a first linear motor 11 coupled to an output portion of the boosting mechanism 10, a second linear motor 12 having an output shaft that drives a press tool 6 forward and backward, and a coupling switching mechanism 13. The coupling switching mechanism 13 releasably couples the output shaft of the second linear motor 12 to the output portion of the boosting mechanism 10. The boosting mechanism 10 is a toggle-type link mechanism or the like. A servo motor and a crank mechanism or the like may be used in place of the first linear motor 11.

Claims

1. A linear motor mounted press machine comprising:

a boosting mechanism having an output portion that performs a rectilinear reciprocating operation, a first press driving source having an output shaft coupled to an input portion of the boosting mechanism, a linear motor having an output shaft serving as a second press driving source that drives a press tool forward and backward, and a coupling switching mechanism that releasably couples the output shaft of the linear motor and the output portion of the boosting mechanism together,

wherein said coupling switching mechanism comprises a coupling member that is removably inserted into a hole formed in the output shaft of said linear motor and into a hole formed in the output portion of said boosting mechanism, and an insertion and removal driving source that performs operations of inserting and removing the coupling member.

2. A linear motor mounted press machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said boosting mechanism is a link mechanism.

3. A linear motor mounted press machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said first press driving source is a linear motor.

4. A linear motor mounted press machine comprising:

a boosting mechanism having an output portion that performs a rectilinear reciprocating operation, a first press driving source having an output shaft coupled to an input portion of the boosting mechanism, a linear motor having an output shaft serving as a second press driving source that drives a press tool forward and backward, and a coupling switching mechanism that releasably couples the output shaft of the linear motor and the output portion of the boosting mechanism together,

wherein the linear motor serves as said press driving source is a unit linear motor assembly having a plurality of unit linear motors arranged around the output portion of the boosting mechanism which performs a rectilinear reciprocating operation.

5. A linear motor mounted press machine according to claim 4, characterized in that said unit linear motor is a cylindrical linear motor having a shaft member comprising a permanent magnet having N poles and S poles alternately arranged in an axial direction and a coil unit through which the shaft member is movable relative to the coil unit.

6. A linear motor mounted press machine comprising:

a boosting mechanism having an output portion that performs a rectilinear reciprocating operation, a first press driving source having an output shaft coupled to an input portion of the boosting mechanism, a linear motor having an output shaft serving as a second press driving source that drives a press tool forward and backward, a coupling switching mechanism that releasably couples the output shaft of the linear motor and the output portion of the boosting mechanism together, and

a coupling state and motor-to-be-used selection controller performing control such that when a required press tonnage is smaller than a set press tonnage, said coupling switching mechanism is brought into a decoupling state to allow only the linear motor serving as the second press driving source to be driven, and where the required press tonnage is at least the set press tonnage, said coupling switching mechanism is brought into a coupling state so that the first press driving source cooperates with the second press driving source in performing a driving operation.

7. A method for controlling a linear motor mounted press machine comprising:

a boosting mechanism having an output portion that performs a rectilinear reciprocating operation;

a first press driving source having an output shaft coupled to an input portion of the boosting mechanism;

a linear motor having an output shaft serving as a second press driving source that drives a press tool forward and backward; and

a coupling switching mechanism that releasably couples the output shaft of the linear motor and the output portion of the boosting mechanism together, the method being characterized by comprising;

when a required press tonnage is smaller than a set press tonnage, bringing said coupling switching mechanism into a decoupling state to allow only the linear motor serving as the second press driving source to be driven; and

when the required press tonnage is at least the set press tonnage, bringing said coupling switching mechanism into a coupling state so that the first press driving source cooperates with the second press driving source in performing a driving operation.