U.S. patent application number 12/261430 was filed with the patent office on 2009-05-14 for material feeding apparatus.
This patent application is currently assigned to Sankyo Seisakusho Co.. Invention is credited to Heizaburo Kato.
Application Number | 20090120989 12/261430 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40386167 |
Filed Date | 2009-05-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090120989 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kato; Heizaburo |
May 14, 2009 |
MATERIAL FEEDING APPARATUS
Abstract
A material feeding apparatus has a vibration absorbing
construction, in which an impulse and vibrations from a press
apparatus, etc. are hard to transmit to a material feeding
equipment, etc., and includes an inner housing that accommodates
therein the material feeding equipment, and an outer housing
connected to the inner housing through a vibration absorbing
member. A vibration restricting member is provided between the
housings to restrict the degree of freedom of vibrations, which are
transmitted to the inner housing through the vibration absorbing
member when an impulse force acts on the outer housing, only in a
vertical direction. The vibration restricting member includes an
upper plate member, upper and lower surfaces of which are
interposed between a top wall of the outer housing and a top wall
of the inner housing, and a lower plate member, upper and lower
surfaces of which are interposed between a bottom wall of the outer
housing and a bottom wall of the inner housing.
Inventors: |
Kato; Heizaburo;
(Kikugawa-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HARNESS, DICKEY & PIERCE, P.L.C.
P.O. BOX 828
BLOOMFIELD HILLS
MI
48303
US
|
Assignee: |
Sankyo Seisakusho Co.
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
40386167 |
Appl. No.: |
12/261430 |
Filed: |
October 30, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
226/181 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B21D 43/09 20130101;
B65H 20/04 20130101; B65H 2601/125 20130101; B65H 51/32 20130101;
B65H 51/10 20130101; B21C 47/34 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
226/181 |
International
Class: |
B65H 20/00 20060101
B65H020/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 31, 2007 |
JP |
2007-283394 |
Claims
1. A material feeding apparatus comprising an inner housing that
accommodates therein a material feeding equipment, an outer housing
surrounding the inner housing and connected to the inner housing
through a vibration absorbing member, and a vibration restricting
member provided between the inner housing and the outer housing to
restrict the degree of freedom of vibrations, which are transmitted
to the inner housing through the vibration absorbing member when an
impulse force acts on the outer housing, in one direction.
2. The material feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
vibration restricting member restricts the degree of freedom of
vibrations transmitted to the inner housing in a vertical
direction.
3. The material feeding apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the
vibration absorbing member includes an upper vibration absorbing
member interposed between a top wall of the outer housing and a top
wall of the inner housing and a lower vibration absorbing member
interposed between a bottom wall of the outer housing and a bottom
wall of the inner housing, and the vibration restricting member
includes an upper plate member, upper and lower surfaces of which
are interposed between the top wall of the outer housing and the
top wall of the inner housing, and a lower plate member, upper and
lower surfaces of which are interposed between the bottom wall of
the outer housing and the bottom wall of the inner housing.
4. The material feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
outer housing is fixed to a housing of a press apparatus.
5. The material feeding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
material feeding equipment comprises a main roll and a sub-roll,
which interpose therebetween a material to convey the same, and the
main roll is driven by a servomotor.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a material feeding
apparatus that feeds a material such as a sheet material, a wire
material, etc. intermittently to a work machine such as a press
apparatus, etc. a predetermined quantity by a predetermined
quantity, and more particularly to a material feeding apparatus
suited to feeding of a material for small-sized parts used in
electronic component industry to a press apparatus at high speed
with high accuracy.
[0002] Generally, small-sized electronic parts such as connectors,
terminals, etc. are manufactured by using a material feeding
apparatus to intermittently feed a material wound round a coiler to
a press apparatus a predetermined quantity by a predetermined
quantity to subject the same to press working (see, for example,
JP-A-2004-142876).
[0003] In order to subject such small-sized electronic parts to
press working at high speed with high accuracy, it is necessary to
make a press apparatus operable at high speed with high accuracy
and to enable a material feeding apparatus to feed a material at
high speed with high accuracy.
[0004] Conventionally, apparatuses that intermittently feed a
material such as a sheet material, a wire material, etc. to a work
machine such as a press apparatus, etc. include a roll feeder that
interposes a material between a main roll and a sub-roll to convey
the same, a gripper feeder that interposes a material between a
stationary gripper and a moving gripper being movable in a
direction toward and away from the stationary gripper to convey the
same, etc. (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,421 and
JP-A-2000-135530).
[0005] Also, there are known some roll feeders constructed such
that a main roll is rotationally driven by a servomotor to enable
an synchronized operation with a press apparatus (see, for example,
U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,421).
[0006] Conventionally, it is said that an impulse force of 10G to
20G acts in press working in a press apparatus, and when a material
feeding apparatus is mounted to a press apparatus, it is necessary
to firmly clamp a material feeding apparatus and a press apparatus
in order to reduce influences by the impulse force. Accordingly,
there is a fear that vibrations caused by an impulse force
generated on a press apparatus are transmitted directly to a
material feeding apparatus and such vibrations cause degradation in
accuracy of feeding of a material and breakage in a location, in
which a mounted state of a cover, etc. is unstable. Conventionally,
in order to avoid such disadvantage, a portion possibly undergoing
breakage is mounted to an apparatus, such a press apparatus, etc.,
in which vibrations are generated, through a vibration absorbing
member (cushioning member) such as rubber, etc. (see, for example,
JP-U-6-76744).
[0007] The vibration absorbing member in the related art is
suitably provided in a location not affecting an accuracy of
feeding of a material, for example, between a mount such as a
cover, etc. and a press apparatus but not suited to use in a
location, in which accuracy of feeding of a material is adversely
affected.
[0008] In, for example, the roll feeder, described above, in which
a main roll is rotationally driven by a servomotor, rotation of the
servomotor has direct influences on material feeding accuracy.
Accordingly, there is a fear that when the servomotor and a press
apparatus are clamped directly together, vibrations caused by an
impulse force generated on the press apparatus act directly on the
servomotor to cause degradation in accuracy of feeding of a
material and breakage of the servomotor, an electric signal
transmitting circuit associated therewith, etc.
[0009] In order to avoid such disadvantage, it is conceivable to
provide for elasticity in a mount portion between the servomotor
and a press apparatus through the medium of a vibration absorbing
member. However, when a mount portion of the servomotor possesses
more elasticity than needed, there is a fear of degradation in
accuracy of feeding of a material, so that it is difficult to take
an effective countermeasure against vibrations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] It is an object of the invention to provide a material
feeding apparatus that dissolves the problem described above and
has a vibration absorbing construction, in which an impulse and
vibrations from outside are hard to transmit to a material feeding
equipment, etc.
[0011] In order to solve the problem described above, the invention
provides a material feeding apparatus comprising an inner housing
that accommodates therein a material feeding equipment, an outer
housing surrounding the inner housing and connected to the inner
housing through a vibration absorbing member, and a vibration
restricting member provided between the inner housing and the outer
housing to restrict the degree of freedom of vibrations, which are
transmitted to the inner housing through the vibration absorbing
member when an impulse force acts on the outer housing, in one
direction.
[0012] In the invention, the housing is double-structured so that
vibrations caused by an impulse force acting on the outer housing
are damped by the vibration absorbing member (or a cushioning
member) such as a vibration proof rubber, etc. and transmitted to
the inner housing. Accordingly, it is possible to effectively
prevent breakage of the material feeding equipment accommodated in
the inner housing, an electric signal transmitting circuit
associated therewith, etc.
[0013] When vibrations generate, the vibration absorbing member
such as a vibration proof rubber, etc. tends to be freely displaced
in X-axis direction (left and right direction), Y-axis direction
(vertical direction), and Z-axis (longitudinal direction), which
axes are perpendicular to one another, and tends to be freely
displaced in directions, which twist round the respective axes. In
the invention, however, the vibration restricting member restricts
the degree of freedom of vibrations, which are transmitted to the
inner housing through the vibration absorbing member from the outer
housing, in one direction. Accordingly, since the material feeding
equipment accommodated in the inner housing vibrates only in a
vertical direction, it is possible to stably perform material
feeding at high speed with high accuracy.
[0014] When the material feeding apparatus is fixed to a press
apparatus to be used, a direction of vibrations caused by an
impulse generated on the press apparatus is mainly vertical, and a
direction, in which a material fed to the press apparatus by the
material feeding apparatus is fed, is horizontal. Accordingly, the
vibration restricting member preferably restricts the degree of
freedom of vibrations transmitted to the inner housing in a
vertical direction. With such arrangement, even when vibrations are
transmitted to the material feeding equipment accommodated in the
inner housing, a direction of the vibrations is vertical and an
accuracy, with which a material is fed in a horizontal direction,
is little affected.
[0015] In this case, preferably, the vibration absorbing member
includes an upper vibration absorbing member interposed between a
top wall of the outer housing and a top wall of the inner housing
and a lower vibration absorbing member interposed between a bottom
wall of the outer housing and a bottom wall of the inner housing,
and the vibration restricting member includes an upper plate
member, upper and lower surfaces of which are interposed between
the top wall of the outer housing and the top wall of the inner
housing, and a lower plate member, upper and lower surfaces of
which are interposed between the bottom wall of the outer housing
and the bottom wall of the inner housing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 is a schematic, front view showing the alignment
relationship among a material feeding apparatus according to an
embodiment of the invention, a press apparatus, and a coiler;
[0017] FIG. 2 is an axial, cross sectional view showing the
material feeding apparatus;
[0018] FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view as viewed from laterally in
FIG. 2;
[0019] FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view showing the alignment
relationship between an outer housing and an inner housing shown in
FIG. 2 and seen in a direction of an arrow IV-IV in FIG. 5;
[0020] FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view as seen in a direction of
an arrow V-V in FIGS. 1 and 2;
[0021] FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view as seen in a direction of
an arrow VI-VI in FIG. 4;
[0022] FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 7C are cross sectional views as seen in a
direction of an arrow VII-VII in FIG. 4 and showing three different
alignments of vibration absorbing members, vibration restricting
members, and a lower plate member mount; and
[0023] FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C are cross sectional views illustrating
a state, in which vibration restricting members restrict vibrations
in degree of freedom.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0024] FIG. 1 shows the alignment relationship among a material
feeding apparatus 1, a press apparatus 4, and a coiler 3. The
material feeding apparatus 1 fixed to the press apparatus 4 is
constructed so that a material 2 wound round the coiler 3 is
interposed by a main roll 5 and a sub-roll 6, which constitute a
material feeding equipment, and fed a predetermined quantity by a
predetermined quantity intermittently to the press apparatus 4. The
press apparatus 4 includes metal molds 7, 8 for press working such
as punching or the like. Vibrations caused by an impulse force
generated on the press apparatus 4 at the time of press working are
mainly directed in a vertical direction as indicated by an arrow A
in FIG. 1.
[0025] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, a housing of the material feeding
apparatus 1 is double-structured to include an inner housing 9 and
an outer housing 11 surrounding the inner housing 9 and connected
to the inner housing 9 through vibration absorbing members (or
cushioning members) 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d formed from a vibration
proof rubber or the like, and the main roll 5 and the sub-roll 6,
which constitute a material feeding equipment, is accommodated in
the inner housing 9. The main roll 5 is supported rotatably in the
inner housing 9 with bearings 12a, 12b therebetween, the sub-roll 6
is supported rotatably in the inner housing 9 with bearings 13a,
13b therebetween, and a servomotor 14 is connected to the main roll
5.
[0026] The material feeding apparatus 1 is constructed such that
the main roll 5 and the sub-roll 6 interpose therebetween the
material 2 and the servomotor 14 rotationally drives the main roll
5 in an intermittent manner to convey the material 2 in a direction
of an arrow B in FIG. 3 to feed the material 2 a predetermined
quantity by a predetermined quantity to the press apparatus 4 in an
intermittent manner.
[0027] In addition, a material feeding apparatus of a type, in
which a pair of rolls interpose and convey a material, is usually
provided with a mechanism that operates in synchronism with the
operation of a press apparatus to release an interposing force,
applied to the material by the pair of rolls, just before press
working, and a mechanism that adjusts a clearance between the pair
of rolls according to the thickness of the material. It suffices to
appropriately adopt a known construction for these mechanisms.
[0028] Provided between the inner housing 9 and the outer housing
11 is a vibration restricting member that restricts the degree of
freedom of vibrations, which are transmitted to the inner housing 9
through the vibration absorbing members 10a to 10d when an impulse
force acts on the outer housing 11, in one direction.
[0029] In the embodiment shown in the figure, the vibration
restricting member includes an upper plate member 15, upper and
lower surfaces of which are interposed between a top wall 11a of
the outer housing 11 and a top wall 9a of the inner housing 9, and
a lower plate member 16, upper and lower surfaces of which are
interposed between a bottom wall 11b of the outer housing 11 and a
bottom wall 9b of the inner housing 9 and which is arranged in
parallel to the upper plate member 15.
[0030] Also, in the embodiment shown in the figure, the vibration
absorbing members 10a to 10d comprise upper vibration absorbing
members 10a, 10b interposed between the top wall 11a of the outer
housing 11 and the top wall 9a of the inner housing 9, and lower
vibration absorbing members 10c, 10d interposed between the bottom
wall 11b of the outer housing 11 and the bottom wall 9b of the
inner housing 9.
[0031] The upper plate member 15 is interposed between
neighborhoods of both axial ends of an inner surface of the top
wall 11a of the outer housing 11 and an outer surface of an upper
plate member mount 9a' formed in the vicinity of an axial center of
the top wall 9a of the inner housing 9 and fixed to the top wall
11a of the outer housing 11 and the top wall 9a of the inner
housing 9 by bolts 17a, 17b, 17c.
[0032] The lower plate member 16 is interposed between
neighborhoods of both axial ends of an inner surface of the bottom
wall 11b of the outer housing 11 and an outer surface of a lower
plate member mount 9b' formed in the vicinity of an axial center of
the bottom wall 9b of the inner housing 9 and fixed to the bottom
wall 11b of the outer housing 11 and the bottom wall 9b of the
inner housing 9 by bolts 18a, 18b, 18c.
[0033] The upper vibration absorbing members 10a, 10b extend
through the upper plate member 15 and are mounted between the top
wall 11a of the outer housing 11 and the top wall 9a of the inner
housing 9. Also, the lower vibration absorbing members 10c, 10d
extend through the lower plate member 16 and are mounted between
the bottom wall 11b of the outer housing 11 and the bottom wall 9b
of the inner housing 9.
[0034] FIGS. 7A to 7C show the alignment relationship among the
lower plate member 16, the lower vibration absorbing members 10c,
10d, and the lower plate member mount 9b' of the bottom wall 9b of
the inner housing 9. As shown in FIG. 7A, the lower plate member
mount 9b, is formed to have a smaller length than a width W of the
inner housing 9 to enable providing the lower vibration absorbing
members 10c, 10d one by one on respective sides of the lower plate
member mount 9b'. Also, as shown in FIG. 7B, the lower plate member
mount 9b' can have substantially the same length as the width W of
the inner housing 9 to stabilize flexural deformation of the lower
plate member 16 when vibrations apply. FIG. 7C shows a modification
of the construction shown in FIG. 7A, in which lower vibration
absorbing members 10c, 10d are provided two by two on respective
sides of the lower plate member mount 9b'.
[0035] The upper plate member 15, the upper vibration absorbing
members 10a, 10b, and the upper plate member mount 9a' of the top
wall 9a of the inner housing 9 can be arranged in the same manner
as that, in which the lower plate member 16, the lower vibration
absorbing members 10c, 10d, and the lower plate member mount 9b' of
the bottom wall 9b of the inner housing 9 shown in FIGS. 7A to 7C
are arranged. However, a state, in which the respective members are
arranged in the vicinity of tops of the inner and outer housings,
and a state, in which the respective members are arranged in the
vicinity of bottoms of the housings, are not necessarily required
to be made the same. For example, it is also possible to adopt the
arrangement shown in FIG. 7A for an arrangement of the upper plate
member 15, the upper vibration absorbing members 10a, 10b, and the
upper plate member mount 9a' and to adopt the arrangement shown in
FIG. 7C for an arrangement of the lower plate member 16, the lower
vibration absorbing members 10c, 10d, and the lower plate member
mount 9b'. In this manner, by making vibration absorbing members
different in number between the top and the bottom of the housing,
a difference in natural frequency is generated to enable increasing
the whole apparatus in resonance frequency and creating a
situation, in which resonance is hard to generate.
[0036] FIGS. 8A to 8C show a state, in which the degree of freedom
in vibration is restricted by the provision of the upper plate
member 15 and the lower plate member 16, which comprise a vibration
restricting member.
[0037] FIG. 8A shows a construction, in which an outer housing 11
and an inner housing 9 are connected to each other through
vibration absorbing members 10a to 10d and there are not provided
any upper plate member 15 and any lower plate member 16 between the
housings 11, 9. In this case, when vibrations are generated on the
outer housing 11, the vibration absorbing members 10a to 10d and
the inner housing 9 connected to the outer housing 11 therethrough
are freely displaced in X-axis direction (left and right
direction), Y-axis direction (vertical direction), and Z-axis
(longitudinal direction), which axes are perpendicular to one
another. Also, these members are freely displaced in directions,
which twist round the respective axes, that is, directions
indicated by arrows a, b, c in FIGS. 8A to 8C.
[0038] With a construction, shown in FIG. 8B, obtained by adding an
upper plate member 15 to the construction shown in FIG. 8A,
displacement in a direction, which twists round the Y-axis
direction, that is, a direction indicated by the arrow b in FIG. 8A
is restricted. Also, in a construction, shown in FIG. 8C, obtained
by adding a lower plate member 16, which is in parallel to the
upper plate member 15, to the construction shown in FIG. 8B, a
direction of displacement is made only a vertical direction being a
direction, in which flexural deformation of the upper plate member
15 and the lower plate member 16 is caused, so that vibrations are
restricted only in Y-axis direction.
[0039] The material feeding apparatus, according to the
embodiments, shown in the drawings produces the following
meritorious effects.
[0040] (1) Vibrations caused by an impulse force acting on the
outer housing 11 are damped by the vibration absorbing members 10a
to 10d and transmitted to the inner housing 9. Accordingly, it is
possible to effectively prevent breakage of a material feeding
equipment accommodated in the inner housing 9, an electric signal
transmitting circuit associated therewith, etc.
[0041] (2) The upper plate member 15 and the lower plate member 16,
which comprise a vibration restricting member, restrict the degree
of freedom of vibrations, which are transmitted to the inner
housing 9, to one direction, that is, a vertical direction.
Accordingly, since a material feeding equipment accommodated in the
inner housing 9 vibrates only in a vertical direction, it is
possible to stably perform material feeding at high speed with high
accuracy.
[0042] (3) When vibrations mainly in a vertical direction indicated
by the arrow A in FIG. 1 are generated by an impulse generated in
the press apparatus 4, the inner housing 9 and a material feeding
equipment accommodated therein vibrate in the vertical direction.
Here, as shown in FIG. 1, where L indicates a distance between
centers of the main roll 5 and the sub-roll 6 and the metal molds
7, 8 and S indicates an amplitude of the inner housing 9 and a
material feeding equipment, influences (that is, an error in
feeding) .DELTA.L, which vibrations of the amplitude S have on a
direction of feeding of the material 2, are represented by the
following formula and very minute. Accordingly, it is possible to
accurately feed the material 2 to the press apparatus 4.
.DELTA.L=L(1-cos(tan.sup.1-S/2L))
[0043] (4) The vibration restricting member is very simple in
construction to use only the upper plate member 15 and the lower
plate member 16, and the provision of the vibration restricting
member does not make the material feeding apparatus large in size.
Also, since there is no sliding contact portion and lubrication is
not necessary, there is no need of maintenance over a long
term.
[0044] While the material feeding apparatus, according to the
embodiments, shown in the drawings comprises a roll feeder using a
main roll and a sub-roll, it is of course possible to adopt a
gripper system having a stationary gripper and a moving gripper, or
the like, as a mechanism that feeds a material.
* * * * *