Patent Publication Number: US-2023145893-A1

Title: Workpiece support member for thermal processing machine

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a workpiece support member for a thermal processing machine. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Conventionally, to a workpiece support table of a thermal processing machine such as a laser processing machine or a plasma processing machine, a plurality of plate-like workpiece support members are provided as supporting members for supporting a bottom surface of a sheet metal (workpiece) to be processed. The plurality of workpiece support members are arranged in a side-by-side manner at predetermined intervals on the workpiece support table with each plate surface thereof being perpendicular to a floor surface. 
     When the workpiece to be processed is placed on the workpiece support table on which the plurality of such workpiece support members are arranged, the upper end portion of each workpiece support member comes into contact with the bottom surface of the workpiece so that the workpiece is supported. 
     CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
     
         
         Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-314998 
       
    
     SUMMARY 
     It is necessary to replace the above-described workpiece support members as appropriate because damage, which is caused by thermal processing to the supported workpiece, is unavoidable. At this time, if the workpiece support members are each composed of a single member, it is necessary to replace the entire member each time a workpiece support member is replaced, which causes problems that production cost is required and labor for replacement work is required. 
     One aspect of the present invention provides a workpiece support member for a thermal processing machine in which a portion that supports a workpiece to be thermally processed can be replaced efficiently and easily. 
     One aspect of the present invention is a workpiece support member for a thermal processing machine that is installed on a workpiece support table to support a workpiece to be thermally processed, and includes a base member formed of a plate-like member in a horizontally long shape and provided with a plurality of protruding supporting member attachment parts at predetermined distance intervals on an upper part thereof and a supporting member formed of a plate-like member of a carbon fiber in a horizontally long shape and installed in an attachable and removable state with a lower side thereof fitted alternately to a front surface and a rear surface of each of the adjacent supporting member attachment parts of the base member. 
     According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a workpiece support member for a thermal processing machine in which a portion that supports a workpiece to be thermally processed can be replaced efficiently and easily. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is an external perspective view showing a laser processing machine that uses a workpiece support member for a thermal processing machine according to one embodiment. 
         FIG.  2 ( a )  is an external perspective view and  FIG.  2 ( b )  is a side view of a workpiece support member  30 A, which is a first configuration example of the workpiece support member in one embodiment. 
         FIG.  3 ( a )  is an external perspective view and  FIG.  3 ( b )  is a side view of a workpiece support member  30 B, which is a second configuration example of the workpiece support member in one embodiment. 
         FIG.  4    is an external perspective view of a workpiece support member  300  that is a third configuration example of the workpiece support member in one embodiment. 
         FIG.  5    is an external perspective view of a workpiece support member  400  that is a fourth configuration example of the workpiece support member in one embodiment. 
         FIG.  6 ( a )  is a front view of a base member  410  and  FIG.  6 ( b )  is a front view of supporting members  421  and  422  of the workpiece support member  400 , which is the fourth configuration example of the workpiece support member in one embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT 
     Hereinafter, a laser processing machine, which is a thermal processing machine, that uses a workpiece support table on which a workpiece support member according to one embodiment is installed will be described with reference to the attached drawings. 
       FIG.  1    is an external perspective view showing a laser processing machine  1  that uses a workpiece support member  30  of a thermal processing machine according to one embodiment. The laser processing machine  1  according to the present embodiment performs cutting processing, and as shown in  FIG.  1   , a workpiece support table  3  for installing a workpiece W to be thermally processed is provided on a device base  2 . On the workpiece support table  3 , a plurality of workpiece support members  30  that support the workpiece W to be processed are arranged in the X direction. The material and shape of the respective workpiece support members  30  will be described later. 
     The laser processing machine  1  includes a gate-type frame  4  arranged in such a manner as to straddle the workpiece support table  3 . The frame  4  includes side frames  41  and  42  and an upper frame  43 . 
     A carriage  5  that is movable in the Y direction is provided in the upper frame  43 . A laser head  51  that emits a laser is attached to the carriage  5 . The laser head  51  is configured to move arbitrarily in the X and Y directions above the workpiece W when the frame  4  is moved in the X direction by a dedicated drive system (not shown) and the carriage  5  is moved in the Y direction by a dedicated drive system (not shown). 
     An NC device (numerical control device)  6  for controlling the laser processing machine  1  is attached to the frame  4 . The NC device  6  controls the laser processing machine  1  according to processing data (NC data: numerical controlling data) for processing the workpiece W. The NC device  6  is a control device that controls the laser processing machine  1 . 
     The workpiece W is cut when the laser head  51  irradiates the workpiece W with the laser while moving in the X direction or the Y direction by the frame  4  and the carriage  5 , under the control of the NC device  6 . 
     The workpiece support member  30  that is installed on the workpiece support table  3  will be described. Since damage caused by thermal processing to the supported workpiece W is unavoidable, it is necessary to replace the workpiece support member  30  as appropriate. At this time, production cost can be suppressed by configuring the workpiece support member  30  such that only a member of the damaged portion can be partially replaced. 
     As first and second configuration examples of the workpiece support member  30  in which a member can be partially replaced, a workpiece support member  30 A shown in  FIG.  2    and a workpiece support member  30 B shown in  FIG.  3    will be described. 
       FIG.  2    shows the workpiece support member  30 A that is the first configuration example of the workpiece support member  30  in one embodiment.  FIG.  2 ( a )  is an external perspective view of the workpiece support member  30 A, and  FIG.  2 ( b )  is a side view of the workpiece support member  30 A. The workpiece support member  30 A is formed of a base member  31  composed of a plate-like member made of a metal in a horizontally long shape, and a plate-like member of a carbon fiber. The workpiece support member  30 A includes a plurality of supporting members  33   a ,  33   b ,  33   c ,  33   d , and  33   e  connected to the upper portion of the base member  31  by connecting members  32 . The carbon fiber constituting the base member  31  will be described later.  FIG.  2 ( a )  shows a case in which the number of supporting members connected to the base member  31  is five, but the number is not limited to this. The number of supporting members may be two or more, and may be one if partial replacement is not performed. 
     Each of the supporting members  33   a  to  33   e  is composed of a long plate-like member including a long side shorter than that of the base member  31 , and as shown in  FIG.  2 ( a ) , is installed continuously along the upper side of the base member  31  in the lateral direction.  FIG.  2 ( a )  shows a case in which each of the supporting members  33   a  to  33   e  is connected to the base member  31  by three connecting members  32 , but the number of the connecting members  32  is not limited to this. 
     When the workpiece W to be processed is placed on the workpiece support table  3  on which a plurality of the workpiece support members  30 A described above are arranged, the upper ends of the supporting members  33   a  to  33   e  of each workpiece support member  30 A come into contact with the bottom surface of the workpiece W so that the workpiece W is supported. Then, the laser processing machine  1  executes the thermal processing to the supported workpiece W. 
     When the thermal processing is executed on the workpiece support table  3 , any of the supporting members  33   a  to  33   e  of any of the workpiece support members  30 A may be damaged. In this case, an operator detaches only a damaged supporting member of the corresponding workpiece support member  30 A from the connecting member  32  and attaches a new supporting member for replacement. As a result, the workpiece support table  3  can be maintained in an appropriate state. 
     Next, a workpiece support member  30 B will be described.  FIG.  3    shows the workpiece support member  30 B that is the second configuration example of the workpiece support member  30  in one embodiment.  FIG.  3 ( a )  is an external perspective view of the workpiece support member B, and  FIG.  3 ( b )  is a side view of the workpiece support member B. The workpiece support member  30 B includes a base member  34  composed of a plate-like member made of a metal in a horizontally long shape and a plurality of supporting members  35   a ,  35   b ,  35   c ,  35   d , and  35   e  composed of a plate-like member of a carbon fiber and installed at the upper portion of the base member  34 . 
     Each of the supporting members  35   a  to  35   e  is composed of a long plate-like member including a long side shorter than that of the base member  34 , and groove portions  351   a  to  351   e  into which the base member  34  can be fitted are respectively formed on the long side at the bottom part. These supporting members  35   a  to  35   e  are installed continuously in the lateral direction as shown in  FIG.  3 ( a )  by fitting the upper side of the base member  34  into the respective groove portions  351   a  to  351   e.    
     When the workpiece W to be processed is placed on the workpiece support table  3  on which a plurality of the workpiece support members  30 B described above are arranged, the upper ends of the supporting members  35   a  to  35   e  of each workpiece support member  30 B come into contact with the bottom surface of the workpiece W so that the workpiece W is supported. Then, the laser processing machine executes the thermal processing to the workpiece W. 
     When any of the supporting members  35   a  to  35   e  of any of the workpiece support member  30 B is damaged, the operator detaches only a damaged supporting member of the corresponding workpiece support member  30 B from the base member  34  and attaches a new supporting member for replacement. As a result, the workpiece support table  3  can be maintained in an appropriate state. 
     By using the workpiece support member  30 A or the workpiece support member  30 B as described above for the workpiece support table  3 , it is possible to replace only the damaged supporting member and to regenerate the workpiece support member efficiently. 
     However, if the workpiece support member  30 A is repeatedly used, the connecting members  32  and the supporting members  33   a  to  33   e  may come into contact with each other and wear or deformation is caused in any of the members, resulting in rattling of a connecting mechanism thereof. In the similar manner, if the workpiece support member  30 B is repeatedly used, rattling may be caused in a connecting mechanism between the groove portions  351   a  to  351   e  and the base member  34 . 
     Further, since the workpiece support member  30 A uses the connecting members  32 , the number of constituent members is large, which results in high production cost and high cost required for an attachment work. In addition, the workpiece support member  30 B requires labor and production cost for processing the groove portions  351   a  to  351   e  when the supporting members  35   a  to  35   e  are produced. 
     A workpiece support member  300 , which is a third configuration example configured to solve these problems, will be described.  FIG.  4    is an external perspective view of the workpiece support member  300  that is the third configuration example of the workpiece support member in one embodiment. The workpiece support member  300 , which is the third configuration example, is installed on the workpiece support table  3  to support the workpiece W to be thermally processed, and includes a base member  310  formed of a plate-like member in a horizontally long shape and provided with a plurality of protruding supporting member attachment parts  311  to  317  at predetermined distance intervals on an upper portion thereof, and supporting members  321  to  323  formed of a plate-like member in a horizontally long shape and installed in an attachable and removable state with a lower side thereof fitted alternately to a front surface and a rear surface of each of the adjacent supporting member attachment parts  311  to  317  of the base member  310 . The supporting members  321  to  323  are formed of a carbon fiber. The supporting members  321  to  323  are each formed in a horizontally long shape including a long side shorter than that of the base member  310 , and are installed in multiple numbers on the base member  310 . 
     Hereinafter, the workpiece support member  300 , which is the third configuration example, will be described in detail. As shown in  FIG.  4   , the workpiece support member  300  includes the base member  310  formed of a plate-like member made of a metal in a horizontally long shape, and the plurality of supporting members  321 ,  322 , and  323  each formed of a plate-like member of a carbon fiber in a horizontally long shape including a long side shorter than that of the base member  310  and set up in a side-by-side manner on an upper part of the base member  310 . 
     The base member  310  is provided with the plurality of protruding supporting member attachment parts  311  to  317  at predetermined distance intervals narrower than those of the long sides of the supporting members  321  to  323 . 
     Specifically, the supporting member attachment part  311  is provided at one end of the upper portion of the base member  310 , and the supporting member attachment part  312  is provided at a position of the ⅙ length of the base member  310  from the end portion. Further, the supporting member attachment part  313  is provided at a position of the ⅓ length of the base member  310  from the end portion. The supporting member attachment part  314  is provided at a position of the ½ length of the base member  310  from the end portion. The supporting member attachment part  315  is provided at a position of the ⅔ length of the base member  310  from the end portion. The supporting member attachment part  316  is provided at a position of the ⅚ length of the base member  310  from the end portion. Further, the supporting member attachment part  317  is provided at the other end. 
     The supporting members  321  to  323  are each formed by cutting out a thin plate, which is obtained by plain weave of a string-shaped carbon fiber, for example, a C/C composite (carbon fiber reinforced carbon composite) material, into a long shape. Plain weave is a method of weaving in which fibers are crossed vertically and horizontally one by one. Note that the method of weaving the carbon fiber may be satin weave, twill weave, crepe weave, or irregular weave, as long as the fiber is woven in any structure. Since the C/C composite material is reinforced by impregnating the woven carbon fiber with various substances, elasticity is generated when the C/C composite material is formed in a thin plate shape. 
     The supporting members  321  to  323  are each formed in a horizontally long shape including a long side of about ⅓ of the long side of the base member  310 . Then, by utilizing the elasticity of the carbon fiber, each lower side is fitted so as to be alternately caught in the front surface and the rear surface of the plurality of adjacent supporting member attachment parts of the base member  310 . 
     Specifically, by the operator for the attachment work, the left end of the lower side of the supporting member  321  is caught in the front surface of the supporting member attachment part  311  of the base member  310 , the vicinity of the center thereof is caught in the rear surface of the supporting member attachment part  312  thereof, and the right end thereof is caught in the front surface of the supporting member attachment part  313  thereof, so that the supporting member  321  is fitted into the base member  310 . Further, the left end of the lower side of the supporting member  322  is caught in the front surface of the supporting member attachment part  313 , the vicinity of the center thereof is caught in the rear surface of the supporting member attachment part  314  thereof, and the right end thereof is caught in the front surface of the supporting member attachment part  315  thereof, so that the supporting member  322  is fitted into the base member  310 . Further, the left end of the lower side of the supporting member  323  is caught in the front surface of the supporting member attachment part  315  thereof, the vicinity of the center thereof is caught in the rear surface of the supporting member attachment part  316  thereof, and the right end thereof is caught in the front surface of the supporting member attachment part  317  thereof, so that the supporting member  323  is fitted into the base member  310 . 
     When the supporting members  321  to  323  are fitted into the base member  310  in this manner, the supporting members  321  to  323  hold the supporting member attachment parts  311  to  317  of the base member  310  by the elastic force, thereby allowing the supporting member attachment parts  311  to  317  to be attached in a stable state without rattling. Note that the supporting members  321  to  323  can be held as long as the supporting member attachment parts  311  to  317  are made of a material having an elastic property. Therefore, even if the supporting members  321  to  323  are formed of a conventional iron-based material or aluminum-based material, or copper-based material that is expensive, it is possible to attach the supporting member attachment parts  311  to  317  in a stable state. In the above-described embodiment, the string-shaped carbon fiber is used for the supporting members  321  to  323  because the string-shaped carbon fiber enables the supporting members  321  to  323  to be less likely weld to the workpiece W when the workpiece W is laser-cut and enables a dross generated when the workpiece W is cut to less likely adhere to the workpiece W, and the string-shaped carbon fiber is an elastic body. 
     A plurality of the workpiece support members  300  described above are arranged on the workpiece support table  3 , and while the workpiece W to be processed is placed on the workpiece support table  3 , the thermal processing is performed to the workpiece W. When any of the supporting members is damaged by the thermal processing, the operator pulls the corresponding supporting member of the corresponding workpiece support member  300  upward and removes the supporting member from the base member  310 . Then, a new supporting member is caught in the supporting member attachment part at the corresponding location to be attached. In this manner, each of the supporting members  321  to  323  is configured to be easily attached to and removed from the base member  310 . 
     By using the workpiece support member  300  described above for the workpiece support table  3 , it is possible to replace only the damaged supporting member and efficiently regenerate the workpiece support member in a stable structure. Since the supporting member to be produced as a replacement member has a simple structure, the supporting member can be easily produced by blanking, which can suppress the production cost. 
     In the workpiece support member  300  according to the third configuration example described above, by forming the supporting members  321  to  323  with the carbon fiber, it is possible to prevent metal, which is molten from the workpiece W during the thermal processing, from adhering. However, when the workpiece W is thick, the amount of the metal melted from the workpiece W during the processing is large. Therefore, there is a possibility that the dross adheres to a bottom surface of the workpiece W and sandwiches the workpiece support member  300  from above, resulting in the molten metal adhering to the supporting members  321  to  323 . 
     If the molten metal is adhered in this manner, the workpiece W and the supporting members  321  to  323  are in a state of being connected by the molten metal, and when the processed workpiece W is lifted by a forklift or the like, the corresponding supporting members  321  to  323  are also pulled upward. When the supporting members  321  to  323  are pulled upward, the supporting members  321  to  323  come off from the base member  310 , which causes inconvenience. 
     A workpiece support member  400 , which is a fourth configuration example configured to avoid this inconvenience, will be described.  FIG.  5    is an external perspective view of the workpiece support member  400  that is the fourth configuration example of the workpiece support member in one embodiment. 
     The workpiece support member  400  includes a base member  410  formed of a plate-like member made of a metal in a horizontally long shape, and a plurality of supporting members  421  and  422  each formed of a plate-like member of a carbon fiber in a horizontally long shape including a long side shorter than that of the base member  410  and set up in a side-by-side manner at an upper portion of the base member  410 .  FIGS.  6 ( a ) and ( b )  show the workpiece support member  400  that is the fourth configuration example of the workpiece support member in one embodiment.  FIG.  6 ( a )  is a front view of the base member  410 , and  FIG.  6 ( b )  is a front view of the supporting members  421  and  422 . The supporting members  421  and  422  of the workpiece support member  400 , which is the fourth configuration example, includes insertion holes  421   a ,  421   b ,  422   a , and  422   b  at a lower part thereof, and the base member  410  includes hook portions  411 ,  412 ,  415 , and  416  to be caught in the insertion holes  421   a ,  421   b ,  422   a  and  422   b.    
     Hereinafter, the workpiece support member  400 , which is the fourth configuration example, will be described in detail. As shown in  FIGS.  5  and  6   , the base member  410  includes, at the upper part thereof, the protruding hook portions  411  and  412  provided at corresponding positions of both ends of the supporting member  421  to be installed, and the hook portions  415  and  416  provided at corresponding positions of both ends of the supporting member  422 . Further, the base member  410  includes supporting member attachment parts  413  and  414  provided between the hook portion  411  and the hook portion  412 , and supporting member attachment parts  417  and  418  provided between the hook portion  415  and the hook portion  416 .  FIGS.  5  and  6   ( a ) show a case in which there are two supporting member attachment parts provided between the hook portion  411  and the hook portion  412 , and two supporting member attachment parts provided between the hook portion  415  and the hook portion  416 . However, the number of the supporting member attachment parts is not limited to this, and may be one, or three or more. 
     The supporting member  421  is formed in a horizontally long shape including a long side of about ½ of the long side of the base member  410 , and includes the insertion holes  421   a  and  421   b  at both ends of the lower part thereof as shown in  FIG.  6 ( b ) . In the same manner, the supporting member  422  also includes the insertion holes  422   a  and  422   b  at both ends of the lower part thereof. Then, by utilizing the elasticity of the carbon fiber, the hook portions are inserted into the insertion holes at the both ends in a state in which the respective lower sides are caught in the supporting member attachment parts of the base member  410 . 
     Specifically, by the operator for the attachment work, the hook portion  411  of the base member  410  is inserted into the insertion hole  421   a  at the left end of the lower side of the supporting member  421 . Then, the central portion of the lower side is alternately caught in the front surface of the supporting member attachment part  413  and the rear surface of the supporting member attachment part  414 . Further, the hook portion  412  is inserted into the insertion hole  421   b  at the right end of the lower side, so that the supporting member  421  is fitted into the base member  410 . 
     Further, the hook portion  415  of the base member  410  is inserted into the insertion hole  422   a  at the left end of the lower side of the supporting member  422 . Then, the central portion of the lower side is alternately caught in the rear surface of the supporting member attachment part  417  and the front surface of the supporting member attachment part  418 . Further, the hook portion  416  is inserted into the insertion hole  422   b  at the right end of the lower side, so that the supporting member  422  is fitted into the base member  410 . 
     When the supporting members  421  and  422  are fitted into the base member  410  in this manner, the hook portions  411 ,  412 ,  415 , and  416  are caught in the insertion holes  421   a ,  421   b ,  422   a , and  422   b , respectively. Further, the supporting member attachment parts  413  and  414  are held by the lower side of the supporting member  421 , and the supporting member attachment parts  417  and  418  are held by the lower side of the supporting member  422 . As a result, the supporting members  421  and  422  are attached to the base member  410  in a stable state without being detached from the base member  410  even if the supporting members  421  and  422  are pulled upward. 
     A plurality of the workpiece support members  400  described above are arranged on the workpiece support table  3 , and while the workpiece W to be processed is placed on the workpiece support table  3 , the thermal processing is performed to the workpiece W. When any of the supporting members is damaged by the thermal processing, the operator detaches the hook portion of the corresponding supporting member of the corresponding workpiece support member  400  from the insertion hole and pulls the supporting member upward, so that the supporting member is removed. Then, while the new supporting member is being caught in the supporting member attachment part, the hook portion is inserted into the insertion hole at the corresponding location so as to be attached. In this manner, each of the supporting members  421  and  422  is configured to be easily attached to and removed from the base member  410 . 
     By using the workpiece support member  400  as described above for the workpiece support table  3 , it is possible to prevent the supporting members  421  and  422  from coming off from the base member  420  when the workpiece W is lifted even if the upper parts of the supporting members  421  and  422  of the workpiece support member  400  are sandwiched by the molten metal of the workpiece W during the thermal processing. 
     The present invention is not limited to the present embodiment described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the summary of the present invention. 
     The disclosure of the present application is related to the subject matter described in Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-077114 filed on Apr. 24, 2020, all of the disclosure contents thereof are incorporated herein by reference.