Apparatus for producing outsert molded parts in production line

Details Apparatus for producing outsert molded parts in production line Apparatus for producing outsert molded parts in production line

1999-07-16

2003-05-20

Davis, Robert (Department: 1722)

Plastic article or earthenware shaping or treating: apparatus

Preform severing means

Plural distinct cutters

C425S315000, C083S102000, C264S157000, C264S160000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06565349

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to automated press lines, and more particulary, to an automated press line including presses, each performing a different process, that are connected to each other by a transferring apparatus.
Conventionally, a number of presses, each of which performs a different process, have been arranged along a line and connected to each other by a transferring apparatus to perform a continuous operation.
FIG. 8
shows a typical press line. As shown in
FIG. 8
, a press line
50
carries out three processes. In process A, which is a press process, a material S is bent. In process B, which is a molding press process, resin is outsert molded to the material S. In process C, which is a cutting press process, molded resin products formed on the material S are cut off. FIGS.
9
(
a
),
9
(
b
), and
9
(
c
) each show the material S after completing processes A, B, and C, respectively.
The press line
50
includes an uncoiler
51
. A strip of material S is stamped out into a predetermined shape during a preliminary stamping process and then wound about the uncoiler
51
. The material S is fed from the uncoiler
51
by a first gripper feeder
52
to a press
53
to undergo bending (the completion of which is shown in FIG.
9
(
a
)) and then to a molding press
54
to undergo resin molding (the completion of which is shown in FIG.
9
(
b
)).
Afterward, a second gripper feeder
55
feeds the resin-molded material S to a buffer
56
, where a buffer dryer
57
dries the resin. The buffer
56
provides the material S with slack, the amount of which is constantly maintained by a loop controller
58
.
A third gripper feeder
59
then feeds the material S to a cutting press
60
, which cuts out molded products P from the material S at cutting positions X as shown in FIG.
9
(
c
). After the molded products P are cut off, the remaining margins of the material S are lifted away from the cutting position. A lower mold holding the molded products P is moved away from the cutting position so that the molded products P can be retrieved from the lower mold one at a time.
The molded products P are then inspected by an inspecting apparatus
61
. A robot hand
62
subsequently carries the molded products to an automatic stocker
63
for storage.
The cycle time of the cutting press
60
differs from that of the molding press
54
. Hence, if the material S were fed to the cutting press
60
from the molding press
54
in accordance with the cycle time of the molding press
54
, the material S would interfere with the cutting press
60
. This would hinder smooth delivery of the material S.
Therefore, the buffer
56
provides the material S with a constant amount of slack between the molding press
54
and the cutting press
60
so that the material S can be fed to the cutting press
60
from the molding press
54
in accordance with the cutting timing of the cutting press
60
. However, the buffer
56
lengthens the press line
50
.
When starting continuous production on the press line
50
, the material S is first fed manually through processes A, B and C. That is, the material S is fed manually during the first cycle. Furthermore, when ending continuous production, the material S in the buffer
56
must be manually fed to the cutting press
60
. As a result, the manual operations carried out when starting and ending continuous production prolong the production time.
The third gripper feeder
59
stops feeding the material S when detecting the trailing end of the material S. Thus, molded products P cannot be produced on the portion of the material S located between the third gripper feeder
59
and the pressing location of the cutting press
60
. This wastes some of the material S.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a press line having a shorter length.
To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a part production line for producing molded parts. The production line includes a plurality of machines arranged in series. Each machine performs a different operation on a continuous strand of material to produce the molded parts. The production line also includes a base and a molding press for molding resin material to sections of the strand in a molding operation cycle. The molding press is mounted on the base. A cutting press separates portions of the strand, which include the resin material, from the strand in a cutting operation cycle. The cutting press is immediately downstream from the molding press and is mounted on the base. A conveyor intermittently transfers the strand along the production line. The conveyor feeds new sections of the strand into the cutting press and the molding press at the same speed and with the same timing.
In a further aspect of the present invention, a method of producing parts is proposed. The method includes intermittently feeding a strand of material through a production line. The production line includes a mold press and a cutting press. The method also includes molding resin material onto portions of the strand with the mold press, and cutting parts, which include the resin, from the strand with the cutting press. The cutting includes moving a die towards an upper tool to clamp the strand between the die and the upper tool and severing the parts from the strand. The method further includes returning the die to a position spaced from the strand after the cutting operation. The severed parts are retained by the die when the die is returned to the spaced position. Furthermore, the method includes moving the die in a direction transverse to the feed direction of the strand to deliver the parts to a retrieval conveyor.
Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4440702 (1984-04-01), Susnjara
patent: 5135381 (1992-08-01), Evans
patent: 5460497 (1995-10-01), Vismara
patent: 5904891 (1999-05-01), Mizuno
patent: 355090336 (1980-07-01), None

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