Press

Abstract: Press capable of high accurate press forming and high speed cycle operation comprises: a vertical motion device (10) having a reciprocating unit (30) driven in association with a press drive, for transmitting a horizontal reciprocation of said reciprocating unit to a ram (6) as a vertical reciprocation via a motion direction shifting unit (11) which has upper and lower links; a pressure device (50) as a hydraulic cylinder unit having a piston and a cylinder, said piston rotatably supporting the upper end of the upper link, said hydraulic cylinder being applied with an oil pressure in a direction to push down the piston within the cylinder so as to lower the ram when the ram remains at rest by reaching immediately before a press forming position to stopping in its downward speed; a posture sensor (90) means for detecting that the links moved by the reciprocating unit come into a straight condition; and a pressure drive/control means (60) for driving said pressure device to apply a press forming force to the ram when the posture sensor means detects such straight condition of the links, wherein the motion direction device for moving the ram up and down and the pressure device for conducting the press forming operation are operated separately.

Description: The present invention relates to a press capable of pressing articles with high accuracy and high-speed cycle. A conventional typical press is shown in Fig. 7, comprising a pressing main body 100 and a stroke motion generating unit 110. The main body 100 comprises an upper die 103 mounted to a ram 101 and a lower die 104 mounted to a bolster 105 located on a bed 106. Pressing is performed by causing the ram 101 to make an up-and-down stroke motion. Reference numeral 102 is a slide guide gib for the ram 101. The stroke motion generating unit 110 comprises a crankshaft 111 having an eccentric member 112, said crankshaft being rotatably mounted to a bearing 113. The eccentric member 112 of the crankshaft 111 is connected to the ram 101 via a connecting rod 114. The crankshaft 111 is mounted with a flywheel 115 which is connected via a belt 117 to a motor 116, the drive power of which is transmitted to the crankshaft 111 while being stored in the flywheel 115. A clutch/brake means to be interposed between the flywheel 115 and the crankshaft 111 is not shown in the drawing. An effective step generally believed to improve accuracy of products is to reduce shock at the start of pressing and slow down the downward speed thereafter. But, this could be meaningless because a longer period of cyle results in lower productivity. But, considering technical properties peculiar to press, it is impossible to vary rotational frequency of crankshaft from the flywheel side. Therefore, various improvements have been made to a reciprocating mechanism so as to speed up the vertical stroke motion of the ram and make it as slow as possible at the time of pressing. But with such improvements of the reciprocating mechanism, there are certain limits to the above mentioned achievements and actually it is the case. Under these circumstances, there has been proposed a press equipped with a power generating unit 120 which is variable in rotational frequency of the crankshaft 111. The power generating unit 120 comprises a cylinder unit 123 (having a cylinder 124 and a piston 125) rotatably supported via a rod 121 to a bearing 122, the cylinder unit 123 having a piston rod 126 connected via a link rod 127 to the crankshaft 111, wherein pressurized oil from a pump 129 driven by a motor 128 is supplied to the cylinder unit 123 with use of an electromagnetic valve 130, etc. for controlling the speed of the piston rod 126. A flywheel is indicated by the reference number 131. With this mechanism, it would be possible to ease the shock at the start of pressing and change the pressing speed as well. However, as an inherent property of the cylinder, it is actually impossible to achieve high speed in one part of the large entire stroke area and low speed in other part, as well as to attain a desired rate of change of speed in respective parts. Therefore, the press shown in Fig. 8 cannot satisfy both of such opposite requirements as high accuracy of products and high-speed cycle, but it should select either one of them. With this press, it is difficult for the ram to make a smooth stroke motion. Further, connection and automation of fittings are also difficult. Both presses shown in Figs. 7 and 8 generate press forming force with use of the reciprocating mechanism, but according to numerous analyses made by the present inventor, the reciprocating mechanism is supposed to have an inherent factor by which a very high accuracy cannot be expected much therefrom. Namely, a press forming starts when the connecting rod 114 is at an inclined angle α shown in Fig. 9 (e.g. 5 to 7 degrees) with respect to the vertical axis. Therefore, considering the press forming force P which is the vertical load, there occurs a large horizontal thrust T due to "tan" function. So, even if the gib 102 has a strong and tough structure, the lower surface of the ram slants and slides sidewize, thereby resulting in decreased accuracy. Further, it will damage dies and products and impede the smooth stroke motion of the ram 101. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a press which can attain high accuracy of products and high-speed of the pressing cycle. Considering that conventional technical problems are attributable to the fact that downward motion of the ram from the top dead center to a press-starting position as well as generation of a press forming force are carried out by the same reciprocating mechanism, and noticing that it is difficult for the hydraulic cylinder unit to have a good control of displacement and speed over the large entire stroke area but such control properties are reliable within a limited small stroke area, the inventor has made the present invention according to which the ram is lowered by a mechanical structure including a reciprocating mechanism capable of high-speed cycle and smooth movement and the ram is applied with the press forming force by the hydraulic cylinder unit while its distortion speed being controlled when it remains stationary at the bottom dead center in said mechanical structure. The press according to the present invention comprises a vertical motion device for transmitting a horizontal motion of a reciprocating unit driven in association with a press drive, to the ram as a vertical reciprocating motion via a direction shifting unit; a pressure device for pushing down the ram when the ram driven up and down by said vertical motion device stops in its down speed by reaching just before a position where it starts press forming; a posture sensor for detecting the condition that the ram stops in the downward speed; a drive/control means for controllably driving said pressure unit to apply the press forming farce to the ram when said posture sensor detects the above-mentioned condition. Further, according to the present invention, the motion direction shifting unit has a link structure and the reciprocating unit has a crank structure. The direction shifting unit has upper and lower links rotatably connected by a support pin, said upper and lower links being connected by a connection pin to the pressure applying unit and the ram, respectively, and said connection pin is slidably mounted within a vertical guide frame of a slider which is horizontally movably mounted to a press frame. The reciprocating unit has a connecting rod provided at an eccentric member of a crankshaft which is to rotate in synchronism with the press drive, said connecting rod being connected to the slider of the direction shifting unit. When the reciprocating unit is in action, the upper and lower links are caused to make a relative rotation about the connection pin. Because the upper link is rotatably supported to a piston, the ram rotatably supported to the lower link is moved up and down. In other words, the vertical motion device lifts and lowers the ram at a high speed. From a position where the ram completes its downward motion to a position where it starts an upward motion, the two links are in a substantially vertically straight condition and therefore the ram stops in displacement and speed as well. Now when the posture sensor detects such straight condition of the links, the drive/control means operates to apply an oil pressure in a direction to push the piston down. Therefore, it is possible to apply the press forming force to the ram via the upper and lower links. On the other hand, the hydraulic cylinder is released of the oil pressure until the ram starts its upward motion. Thereafter, the ram is lifted at a high speed by the vertical motion device. If the drive/control means is set to drive the ram at an appropriate speed so that the ram attains a desired distortion speed, it is possible for the ram to move up and down at a high speed but perform a press forming operation at a low speed, thereby enabling high-speed cycle operation and high accurate press forming. Further, because it is also possible to remarkably minimize the horizontal thrust, the present invention can improve accuracy in press forming and simplify the mechanical structure. Further, when the slide is horizontally reciprocated by the reciprocating unit, the fulcrum for the upper and lower links imparts a vertical motion to the ram while displacing horizontally and vertically in a fulcrum guide unit. Therefore, the present invention further improves the smooth operation of the reciprocating unit and the transmission efficiency of the press forming force by the pressure device. Thus, the press of the present invention is provided with the vertical motion device including the motion direction shifting unit and the reciprocating unit, said shifting unit having the upper and lower links; the pressure device including the hydraulic cylinder; and the drive/control means serving to cooperate the pressure device with the vertical motion device. The press forming force is applied to the ram when it completes in its high-speed downward motion and remains at rest with the links being in a straight condition. So, the present invention obtains advantageous results as described hereinbelow. High-speed cyle and highly accurate press forming are both attainable because the vertical motion device for lifting and lowering the ram at a high speed and the pressure device for imparting the press forming force act separately and independently. As the press forming force is applied by the pressure device when a pair of the upper and lower links come into a substantially vertically straight condition, it is possible to minimize the horizontal thrust and prevent the ram from slanting and swinging. From this point, the press forming accuracy can be improved furthermore and at the same time the guide gib for the ram can be simple in structure and manufactured at low cost. Further, the pressure device may act to move the ram only for a small stroke at the time of press forming, not for a large stroke in its vertical motion. So, it is possible to lower the ram for press forming with a desired rate of change, thereby enabling a highly accurate press forming. Still further, because the reciprocating unit composing a part of the vertical motion device and the drive including a motor may just move vertically the ram in no load condition, without the necessity of generating the pressing force, the press of the present invention can be smaller in size, lower in rigidity, and manufactured at a lower cost. Still further, the vertical motion of the ram is performed by a mechanical structure including the reciprocating unit, the present invention can ensure and facilitate an association with attachments and automation thereof. Still further, because the relation between the vertical motion device and the pressure device can be harmonized by the drive/control means, with which the timing is also changeable, the present invention is of a wider application by making an option between high-speed cycle operation or highly accurate press forming. The present invention will be described hereinafter with reference to drawings. Fig. 1 is a sectional view of an entire assembly of a press according to the present invention. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing mainly electronic and electric elements. Fig. 3 is a flow chart for explanation of an operation. Fig. 4 is a schematic view for explanation of the operation. Fig. 5 is a timing chart for explanation of the operation. Fig. 6 is a view for explaining the reduction of a horizontal thrust according to the present invention. Fig. 7 is a schematic view of a press of prior art. Fig. 8 is a schematic view of another press of prior art. Fig. 9 is a view for explaining a large horizontal thrust occuring in prior art. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the press of the present invention comprises a vertical motion device 10, a pressure device 50 and a pressure drive/control means 60. The vertical motion of a press ram between the top dead center and the position immediately prior to a position where it starts press forming, is carried out at a high speed by the vertical motion device 10 while the press forming is done with a press forming force which is applied to the vertical motion device 10 by the pressure device 50 and the pressure drive/control means 60. In Fig. 1, a press main body 1 comprises a ram 6 vertically slidably guided by a gib, not shown, mounted to a frame 5, and a bolster 7 disposed on a bed 8. The frame 5 is formed at its upper section with a housing 3 for housing the vertical motion device 10, and the pressure device 50 is disposed on an upper frame 2. The vertical motion device 10 includes a motion direction shifting unit 11 and a reciprocating unit 30. In detail, the vertical motion device 10 is constructed as a knuckle joint having a link structure and a crank structure. The motion direction shifting unit 11 shifts a horizontal motion of the reciprocating unit 30 to a vertical motion for moving the ram 6 up and down. The direction shifting unit 11 comprises upper and lower links, 13 and 14, rotatably connected by a connection pin 12, the upper link 13 being connected by a pin 15 to the pressure device 50 to be described after while the lower link 14 being connected by a pin 16 to the ram 6. Therefore the upper and lower links, 13 and 14, are mutually connected for relative rotation about the connection pin 12 (acting as a fulcrum) so that, if a part to which the pin 15 is mounted (i.e. the pressure device 50) is regarded as a stationary element, the horizontal lateral motion of the pin 12 will cause the ram 6 into an up-and-down motion via the relative rotation of the upper and lower links, 13 and 14. Means for imparting the horizontal motion to the motion direction shifting unit 11 is the reciprocating unit 30, which is a crank structure in the embodiment as shown, of which a connecting rod 33 is not directly connected to the connection pin 12 but indirectly via a fulcrum guide unit 20. The fulcrum guide unit 20 comprises a pair of horizontal guide bars 21 which are disposed at upper and lower positions of a pair of support plate members 4 provided at front and back of the press; a slider 22 slidably mounted to said guide bars 21; and a vertical guide frame 23 provided in the slider 22. The slider 22 and the connecting rod 33 are rotatably connected by a pin 24. The pin 12 for the motion direction shifting unit 11 is slidably mounted within the guide frame 23 via a sliding element 25. Therefore as the slider 22 moves in a horizontal direction, it is followed with the pin 12 in the same direction, allowing its displacement in a vertical direction as well. The reciprocating unit 30 includes a crankshaft 31 having an eccentric member 32 (of which eccentricity is "e"), to which the connecting rod 33 is rotatably mounted. The unit 30 is drived by a press drive 40. The press drive 40 comprises a flywheel 43 having a clutch/brake means therein, said flywheel being connected by a belt 42 to a motor 41 disposed on the upper frame 2 of the press main body 1; and a pinion 45 engaging with a main gear 44 coaxial with the crankshaft 31. The drive power of the motor 41 is stored in the flywheel 43 and is fed to rotate the crankshaft 31 by operation of the clutch/brake means. Thus, with the vertical motion device 10, the horizontal motion of the connecting rod 33 generated from the rotation of the crankshaft 31 of the reciprocating unit 30 can be changed into the vertical motion of the ram 6. In the embodiment, the ram 6 moves up and down at a high speed between the top dead center and the starting position for press forming. But at the time of press forming the ram becomes extremely slow and comes to a halt. As the vertical motion device 10 is a mechanical construction, the up-and-down motion of the ram is smooth and stabilized, thereby facilitating automation including the association with other attachments. In detail, there are shown in Fig. 4 a vertical axis Y, a horizontal axis X, a lower link angle  which is the angle between the vertical axis Y and the lower link 14, and a crank angle ϑ, in which case the relation between ram stroke St and ram speed V is shown in Fig. 5. The press ram makes a downward motion when the crank angle ϑ is between 0 to 150 degrees, during which the ram speed V generates a sine curve with its value at 0 to -200mm/s (minus means a descending motion). On the other hand, an upward motion of the ram 6 is performed when the crank angle ϑ is between 210 to 360 degrees, and the ram speed V describes a sine curve with the value at 0 to +200mm/s. Namely, the ram moves up and down at a high speed. The ram stroke St in this embodiment is 150 to 50mm. However, while the crank angle ϑ is between 150 and 210 degrees, the ram speed V₀ becomes almost 0mm/s and the ram stroke St has almost no change whereby the ram remains stationary. In case of 30 spm, the ram remains at rest for 0.4 sec. Even with use of the vertical motion device 10 which is mechanically constructed by the motion direction shifting unit 11 and the reciprocating unit 30, it is impossible to control the ram speed (V, V₀) and enlarge the ram displacement at the time of press forming. When the ram is at rest with the crank angle ϑ at 150 to 210 degrees, the angle of inclination  for the lower link 14 is 0 to 1.3 degree. Therefore, if press forming can be done during this resting period of the ram, the horizontal thrust T as shown in Fig. 6 will be about 2% of the press forming force P, [ T = P · tan = (2/100) · P ] , considering "tan" function. As compared with the press (Fig. 9) of prior art as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the present invention can minimize the horizontal thrust T to a large extent and improves remarkably the forming accuracy. Another technical character of the present invention is to enable press forming during the resting period of the ram. This is attainable by the cooperation between the pressure device 50 and the drive/control means 60. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the pressure unit 50 includes an hydraulic cylinder unit 51 and a hydraulic supply system, said unit 51 being attached to the upper frame 2 of the press main body 1. The hydraulic cylinder unit 51 comprises a cylinder 52 and a piston 53 slidably fitted therein. The hydraulic supply system comprises a hydraulic source 54 and pipes 55 and 57. The hydraulic cylinder unit 51 has an effective stroke of 0 to 5mm. As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the pressure device 50 includes a cylinder 52 having upper and lower chambers, 52U and 52L, which are connected with the pipes 55 and 57, respectively. The pipe 55 is for supplying the oil pressure to the chamber and the pipe 57 for releasing it therefrom. Reference numeral 67 indicates an oil tank. The hydraulic cylinder unit 51 is operated by a three-port, electromagnetically driven selector valve 61 constituting a part of the drive/control means 60. The selection by the selector valve 61 is made by signals PR (to press) and RT (to stop the pressing). The drive/control means 60 for operating the pressure device 50 during the resting period of the ram, comprises a pressure control (including a flow regulating valve 62 and a pressure regulating valve 63), a control unit 70, a setting unit 80, and a posture sensor unit 90. When the ram remains at rest, the pair of links 13 and 14 constituting a part of the vertical motion device 10 stay in a substantially straight condition along the vertical axis Y (in fact, there is a small angle of inclination ). Upon detecting this condition, the piston 53 of the pressure device 50 and consequently the press ram 6 are controlled at a desired rate of change of speed so as to press with high accuracy. In other words, it is understood that the drive/control means 60 acts to operate the vertical motion device 10 and the pressure device 50 in cooperation. Conventional presses cannot satisfy both of high-speed cyle operation and high accurate press forming because the movement for lifting and lowering the ram and the movement for applying a press forming force to the ram are generated by one mechanism. On the contrary, according to the present invention, the vertical motion device 10 for moving the ram up and down and the pressure device 50 for performing a press forming operation are separately independent from each other without having mutual relation, but they are adapted to work in cooperation so as to attain the predetermined purposes. As shown in Fig. 2, the drive/control means 60 include the flow regulating valve 62 and the pressure regulating valve 63. In this embodiment, the pressure regulating valve 63 operable by a controller 63C and its driver 63D receives a pressure setpoint signal P from the control unit 70 and a feedback signal Pi from an oil pressure sensor 93 detecting the oil pressure inside the hydraulic cylinder unit 51, whereby the pressure regulating valve 63 controls the oil pressure from the source 54 at a constant value. On the other hand, the distortion speed at the time of press forming is controlled by automatic adjustment of the flow regulating valve 62. However, in case that the oil pressure of the source 54 is constant, the pressure regulating valve 63 may be omitted. By means of a controller 62C receiving a flow setpoint signal Q from the control unit 70, and the associated driver 62D thereof, the flow regulating valve 62 regulates the oil flow through the pipe 55 into the upper chamber of the cylinder 52. In this embodiment, the distortion speed curve selected for high accurate processing is stored in ROM 72 (or RAM 73) of the control unit 70, which outputs the flow setpoint signal Q corresponding to this curve and sends it to the controller 62C for control of the flow regulating valve 62, thereby attaining a desired rate of change in ram speed at the press forming. The rate of change in flow within the hydraulic cylinder unit 51 to lower the ram 6 at the curve shown in Fig. 5 is controlled by the flow setpoint signal Q from the control unit 70, but such rate may be set in the controller 62C. Although the flow setpoint signal Q from the control unit 70 is directly emitted on basis of the distortion speed curve stored in ROM 72 or RAM 73, more accuracy may be sought for the flow setpoint signal Q by comparing the setpoint of the distortion speed curve with the feedback which indicates the change rate as obtained by differentiating a positional data (signal Si) from a ram position sensor 92. Further, the control unit 70 may be so constructed that the positional data (signal Si) feeds back to the controller 62C. The control unit 70, as shown in Fig. 2, comprises CPU 71 for conducting calculation, command, execution, etc.; ROM 72 for storing the press-forming program of Fig. 3 and other various programs and fixed data; RAM 73 for temporarily storing data such as detected crank angle ϑ i and ram position Si, etc.; an input port 74, and output ports 75 and 76. The control unit 70 of the embodiment is composed of a micro-processor. With the press clutch ON, the CPU 71 executes the Fig. 3 program stored in the ROM 72 to make a cooperative control over the vertical motion device 10 and the pressure device 50. In detail, when the ram 6 reaches the resting area as shown in Fig. 5 (ST10 of Fig. 3), the selector valve 61 selects a port A (ST11) and the pressure device 50 starts applying a pressure by controlling the flow regulating valve 62 (ST12), and at the end of press forming process (ST13), the pressure device 50 stops in pressure application (ST14), after which the selector valve 61 selects a port B (ST15). Until the press clutch 46 turned OFF, the above steps (ST10 to 15) will be repeated (ST16). The cooperation between the setting unit 80 and the posture sensor unit 90 enables an automatic judgement between ST10 and ST13. The setting unit 80 comprises a pressure setting means 81 by which a signal P is set, a start angle setting means 82 for setting the angle by which the pressure application starts and an stop angle setting means 83 for setting the angle by which it ends. The start and stop angle setting means 82 and 83 set the resting period of the ram during which the upper and lower links, 13 and 14, stay in a straight posture: the means 82 and 83 function as a means for setting the timing of driving the hydraulic cylinder unit 51, and in detail, they are set with the crank angle ϑ 1 and ϑ 2, respectively. The press speed setting means 88 is a means for setting the rotary speed of the motor 41, i.e. SPM. The posture sensor unit 90 comprises a crank angle sensor 91, a ram position sensor 92 and an oil pressure sensor 93. The crank angle sensor 91 is connected to the crankshaft 31 to detect the crank angle ϑ i. In this embodiment, the crank angle sensor 91 detects the resting condition of the ram, i.e. the straight condition of the upper and lower links, and is composed of an absolute encoder having a resolution of 0.1 degree. In detail, the resting period of the ram extends from the time when the crank angle ϑ i detected by the crank angle sensor 91 corresponds with the crank angle ϑ 1 set by the start angle setting means 82 to the time when said crank angle ϑ i corresponds with the crank angle ϑ 2 set by the stop angle setting means 83, and CPU 71 judges the condition. The ram position sensor 92 for detecting the displacement and position of the ram 6 is composed of optical, magnetic linear displacement detector. Although the ram position sensor 92 is provided to indicate the ram position, it can be available in use for feedback control of the flow setpoint signal Q. Now, the operation of the embodiment will be described hereinafter according to the procedure. Predetermined values are set in respective means of the setting unit 80. Particularly, the start and stop angle setting means 82 and 83 are set so that the ram stroke St has an area shown by a chain line in Fig. 5. The rate of change in ram speed is stored in ROM 72 or RAM 73. The press speed setting means 88 is set so that the number of ram strokes per unit hour will be 30 spm. Now, a start command is emitted to set the motor 41 of the press drive 40 in motion and, after a certain period of time, the clutch is turned ON. Whereupon, the crankshaft 31 starts to rotate clockwize in Fig. 1, moving the slider 22 horizontally in the right direction. Therefore, the connection pin 12 slides downward (in the Y-axis direction) within the vertical guide frame 23 while moving in the right direction (in the X-axis direction) together with the slider 22. By this, the upper and lower links 13 and 14 widen the angle therebetween relative to the axis 12, thereby displacing the ram downward in the Y-axis direction. In detail, with the increase of the crank angle ϑ as shown in Fig. 4, the ram 6 makes a stroke motion St as shown by a continuous line in Fig. 5 and the ram speed V increases as shown by a dotted line therein. Meanwhile, the lower link angle  diminishes as shown by a chain double-dashed line. When the crank angle ϑ is 0 to 150 degrees, the ram 6 make a vertical motion at a high speed. But when it reaches 150 degrees, the ram speed becomes almost zero while being located at 50mm in stroke, thereby remaining at rest. At this time, the crank angle ϑ i as detected by the crank angle sensor 91 corresponds with the crank angle ϑ 1, i.e. 150 degrees as set by the start angle setting means 82 (ST10 of Fig. 3), whereupon the control unit 70 sends the signal PR to let the selector valve 61 to select the port A (ST11) and simultaneously sends the signals Q and P to the controllers 62C and 63C for control of the pressure and flow regulating valves 62 and 63, respectively. Namely, the pressing starts (ST12) while the hydraulic cylinder unit 51 of the pressure device 50 being supplied with the oil pressure. At the time of starting with pressure application, the piston 53 is pushed down rapidly as shown by a small dotted line in Fig. 5. In the embodiment, the ram speed Vn at the time of press forming is kept at a constant level of -100mm/s. Thus, the ram 6 goes down smoothly at a constant inclined line as shown by a chain line in Fig. 5 and makes a highly accurate press forming. During this resting period of the ram, the lower link angle  shows approximately 1.3 degree. Therefore, the rate of inducing the thrust T horizontal to the press forming force, which is shown by P in Fig. 6 and by R in Fig. 5, is a very small amount of 2%. As a result, the ram 6 is stable in posture and does not change in the lower dead center. From this point, the high accurate press forming is also attainable. The press forming force P is imparted through the upper and lower links, 13 and 14, which are in the straight condition. As the links will not swing sidewize because their connection pin 12 is fitted in the vertical guide frame 23 of the slider 22, thereby ensuring transmission of the press forming force and also enhancing the transmission efficiency. As described above, during the resting period of the ram lowered by the vertical motion device 10, the drive/control means 60 can act on the pressure device 50 to cooperate with the vertical motion device 10 for highly accurate press forming. Thereafter when the crank angle ϑ i as detected by the crank angle sensor 91 corresponds with the crank angle ϑ 2 as set by the stop angle setting means 83 (ST13), CPU 71 closes the flow regulating valve 62 to stop applying pressure (ST14). Whereupon, the ram speed Vn returns to zero as shown by a small dotted line in Fig. 5 and the ram 6 stops for a certain period. Subsequently, CPU 71 outputs the signal RT to let the selector valve 61 to open a port C (ST15). Whereupon, the lower chamber 52L of the cylinder unit 51 is supplied with the oil pressure from the source 54 through the pipe 57 and at the same time the oil in the upper chamber is returned through the pipe 55 and the port C into the tank 67. By this, in addition to the upward speed generated from the vertical motion device 10 as shown by the dotted line in Fig. 5, the ram speed V accelerates by the speed of the upward moving piston 53 and goes up rapidly as shown by a small dotted line of Fig. 5, whereby the ram moves upward abruptly. The ram stroke St describes a chain line curve (oil pressure return) of Fig. 5. Thus, the control unit 70 will repeat in the steps ST10 to ST15 as long as the clutch is turned ON, i.e. during the continuous press forming operation.

Claims: Press capable of high-speed cycle operation and high accurate press forming by moving a press ram (6) at a high speed between the top dead center and a press forming position near the bottom dead center but moving the ram (6) at a low speed at the time of press forming, said press comprising: a vertical motion device (10) having a reciprocating unit (30) driven in association with a press drive (40), for transmitting a horizontal reciprocation of said reciprocating unit to the ram (6) as a vertical reciprocation via a motion direction shifting unit (11); a pressure device (50) for pushing down the ram (6) moved vertically by said vertical motion device (10) when the ram is stopped in its downward speed and remains at rest upon reaching a position immediately before a press forming step; a posture sensor means (90) for detecting the resting condition of the ram (6); and a pressure drive/control means (60) for driving said pressure device (50) so as to controllably apply a press forming force to the ram (6) when said posture sensor means (90) detects the resting condition of the ram. Press as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said motion direction shifting unit (11) of the vertical motion device (10) has a link structure and the reciprocating unit (30) thereof has a crank structure. Press as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 wherein said motion direction shifting unit (11) has upper and lower links, (13) and (14), rotatably connected by a connection pin (12), said upper link (13) being mounted by a pin to the pressure device (50), said lower link (14) being mounted by a pin to the ram (6), said connection pin (12) being slidably mounted within a vertical guide frame (23) of a slider (22) horizontally movably mounted to a press frame. Press as claimed in Claim 3 wherein said connection pin (12) is connected to a sliding element (25) which slides within the vertical guide frame (23) provided in the slider (22). Press as claimed in Claim 3 or 4 wherein said slider (22) is slidably mounted to a pair of horizontal guide bars (21) provided at the press frame. Press as claimed in any one of Claim 1 to 3 wherein said reciprocating unit (30) has a connecting rod (33) mounted to an eccentric member (32) of a crankshaft (31) adapted to rotate in synchronism with the press drive (40), said connecting rod (33) being connected by a pin to the slider (22) of the motion direction shifting unit (11). Press as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said pressure device (50) including a cylinder unit (51) and a hydraulic supply system is provided at the press frame, said cylinder unit (51) having a cylinder (52) and a piston (53), to which the upper link (13) of the motion direction shifting unit (11) is mounted by a pin, said pressure device (50) being driven by said pressure control/drive means (60). Press as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said pressure control/drive means (60) includes a selector valve (61), a flow regulating valve (62) and a pressure regulating valve (63), said pressure regulating valve (63) being controlled by a pressure setpoint signal output from a control unit (70), said flow regulating valve (62) being automatically adjusted to control the ram speed at the time of pressing. Press as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said posture sensor means (90) includes a crank angle sensor (91), a ram position sensor (92) and an oil pressure sensor (93).

Inventors: SUZUKI TOSHIO, UEHARA TADAYOSHI, SUZUKI, TOSHIO, UEHARA, TADAYOSHI
Applicants: AIDA ENG LTD, AIDA ENGINEERING, LTD.
Application year: 1992
Main classification: B30B1
IPC codes: B30B1, B30B15