Metal working – Means to assemble or disassemble – With control means energized in response to activator...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-22
2002-09-03
Echols, P. W. (Department: 3726)
Metal working
Means to assemble or disassemble
With control means energized in response to activator...
C029S040000, C029S041000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06442829
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a production and/or assembly apparatus for producing and/or assembling a workpiece. The apparatus comprises a frame and a motion device, on which a plurality of workpiece carriers are arranged. The workpiece carriers are movable in an indexed manner relative to processing modules and feeders that are arranged in a fixed position on the frame.
Such production and/or assembly apparatuses are designed in the form of rotary indexing systems, in which the motion device is a rotary indexing table conveying the workpiece carriers, and also as in-line indexing installations having a corresponding in-line conveying section moving the workpiece carriers. It is used wherever an article is to be produced mechanically in a plurality of production or assembly stages, for example in the manufacture of electrotechnical or electromechanical components and precision workpieces, or even in the pharmaceutical industry as well as in the automobile industry. In these installations, the workpiece is processed (i.e., assembled or produced) continuously. It is thereby taken in an indexed manner to the respective processing modules and feeders, which carry out a working step. corresponding to the processing sequence and respectively feed the component or the like required in accordance with the processing sequence.
The processing modules used here may be, for example, handling devices in the form of pincers or grippers; equally, screwdriving, welding or soldering devices as well as embossing or pressing devices may also be used. The feeder may be, for example, a component-conveying device; equally, it may also be a stacking unit or a punching strip having a corresponding punching device in order to punch the requisite components out of a component strip, which are then to be processed with the processing module. In this case, the installations are constructed and designed solely for producing those workpieces for which they have been conceived; that is to say, all the components are produced in accordance with the working steps to be carried out in each case or in accordance with the parts to be worked. In other words, in each case a separate apparatus has to be provided for different workpieces. Resetting the known installations in the event of a change in the workpiece structure or the like is not possible or is only possible at considerable cost.
For the operator of such installations this means a considerable degree of inflexibility, since, with regard to the workpieces to be produced, he is largely restricted to the available apparatuses and, in the event of a change in the workpieces or the like, has to procure a new apparatus or carry out the resetting at a high investment cost. This also applies in the event that a workpiece is no longer produced and in this respect the installation is no longer operated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a processing device, which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices and methods of this general type and which permits quick and simple resetting without considerable expense, so that it is possible, in the event of corresponding changes in the workpiece or in the production sequence or the like, to be able to change over the installation immediately, and it is also to be possible to easily reset an apparatus for the production/assembly of a different, new workpiece.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, an apparatus for processing a workpiece, comprising:
a frame forming a basic unit and a motion device mounted on the frame;
processing modules and feeders mounted in a fixed relationship to the frame;
a plurality of workpiece carriers disposed on the motion device and being movable in an indexed manner relative to the processing modules and the feeders;
substantially identical fastening devices for interchangeably mounting at least one of the workpiece carriers, the processing modules, and the feeders in a detachable and exchangeable manner so as to render the apparatus resettable by exchanging only a respective one of the workplece carriers, the processing modules, and the feeders at the basic unit formed by the frame.
The objects of the invention are thus satisfied with a production and/or assembly apparatus of the type mentioned at the outset, wherein the workplece carriers and/or the processing modules and/or the feeders, by means of interchangeable fastening devices of identical design in each case for the workpiece carriers and/or the processing modules and/or the feeders, are fastened or fastenable in a detachable and exchangeable manner in such a way that, to reset the apparatus, only the workpiece carrier(s) and/or processing module(s) and/or feeder(s) to be changed have to be exchanged at the frame, which forms a basic unit.
The apparatus according to the invention is of modular construction, consisting of a standardized frame, which is the same for all the apparatuses forms a basic unit, and is appropriately equipped or retrofitted. The components possibly to be changed in the course of the retrofitting can be fastened in an especially advantageous manner to the frame by means of quick-change fastening devices standardized for the respective component. If required, these interchangeable fastening devices are released in the simplest manner, and the new element is inserted and fastened as a result of the standardization of this fastening, whereupon this resetting step is complete. No activities whatsoever are to be carried out on the frame itself. In an especially advantageous manner, the apparatus according to the invention, in both rotary indexing installations and in-line indexing installations, thus permits simple and quick resetting without difficult and complicated resetting work. According to the invention, this system may also be used for the fastening of a processing unit at the processing module and respectively for the fastening of a feeding unit at the feeder, so that these units may also easily be exchanged if required.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the workpiece carriers are detachably mounted, and including a processing unit at a respective one of the processing modules and a feeding unit at a respective the feeder, and wherein one of the processing unit and the feeding unit is detachably and interchangeably mounted by one of the identical fastening devices such that the apparatus is retoolable by exchanging only selected ones of the processing units and the feeding units.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the fastening devices are push-in/latching connectors having a first part disposed on one of the frame and the motion device, and a second part disposed on the workpiece carrier.
In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, the fastening devices are push-in/latching connectors having a first part disposed on one of the processing module and the feeder.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the push-in/latching connection is a dovetail connection and/or a self-locking connection.
In other words, it has proved to be advantageous if, according to the invention, the interchangeable fastening devices are designed as a push-in/latching connection having a first part arranged on the frame or respectively the motion device, if need be on the processing module or respectively the feeder, and a second part arranged on the workpiece carrier or respectively the processing module or respectively the feeder, if need be on the processing unit or respectively the feeding unit, in which case a dovetail connection has proved to be especially advantageous here. In an especially advantageous manner, this push-in/latching connection enables the element which is to be exchanged to be removed in the simplest manner by releasing the latching connection and enables the new element to be fastened by simply pushing it in and displacing it until it interlocks. As a result of this desig
Echols P. W.
Feintool International Holding
Greenberg Laurence A.
Jimenez Marc
Locher Ralph E.
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