Patent Description:
Presses are used for forming sheet metals, to impart the required shape to them, by means of strokes of the press. In some cases, a plurality of pressing steps are required to obtain parts with the desired shape, so there are facilities comprising a plurality of presses. The presses may be of different types, such as mechanical, electrical, or hydraulic presses, for example, and all the presses in one and the same installation may be of the same type or may represent a combination of different types.

The part is arranged in a press for a pressing step, and once said step has concluded, it is taken to another press. This occurs until completing the entire process. Robotic arms or another type of devices known as transfer devices are used to transport the parts from one press to another. Precision in transporting the parts, and especially in how the part is seized in a press and how it is arranged in the next press, is extremely important so as to be able to obtain a flawless final part.

<CIT> discloses a transfer device of an installation comprising a plurality of presses. The transfer device is configured for transporting parts from a first press to a second press, and comprises a crossbeam with a longitudinal axis, a first support attached to the crossbeam and comprising a plurality of suction devices and a second support attached to the crossbeam, located at a distance from the first support along the longitudinal axis of the crossbeam and comprising a plurality of suction devices. The transfer device comprises a first fixed structure and a second fixed structure arranged facing one another, a first carriage that can move along the first structure and is attached to a first end of the crossbeam and a second carriage that can move along the second structure and is attached to a second end of the crossbeam, such that the movement of one of the carriages relative to the other causes said crossbeam to rotate.

<CIT> discloses a transfer device comprising a crossbeam with a longitudinal axis and with a plurality of suction devices to support a part to be transferred from a first point to a second point. The crossbeam can be rotated in order to adjust the position or orientation of said part as required.

The object of the invention is to provide a transfer device of an installation comprising a plurality of presses, and a press installation, as defined in the claims.

The first aspect of the invention relates to a transfer device suitable for being used in a press installation comprising a plurality of presses and configured for transferring parts from a first press to a second press. The presses may be of different types, such as mechanical, electrical, or hydraulic presses, for example, and all the presses in one and the same installation may be of the same type or may represent a combination of different types.

The parts to be transferred between presses are held by means of suction devices.

The crossbeam is attached to the first carriage with rotational freedom, and the transfer device comprises an arm attached to the second carriage with rotational freedom and to the crossbeam with rotational freedom. Said crossbeam is therefore attached to said second carriage through said arm. The arm is configured for rotating relative to the second carriage and relative to the crossbeam when said second carriage and/or the first carriage displace. The arm thereby allows the crossbeam to rotate relative to the attachment point for attaching said crossbeam to the first carriage, the desired rotation of said crossbeam relative to the said attachment point being able to be caused by controlling the displacement of the first carriage and/or of the second carriage. Furthermore, this displacement of the crossbeam is performed without having to compensate for the length of said crossbeam, which simplifies the transfer device and allows the transfer device to be more compact.

The longitudinal main structure comprises a first substructure and a second substructure horizontally located at a distance from one another, the first carriage being attached to the first substructure and the second carriage being attached to the second substructure, and the first carriage and the second carriage being horizontally located at a distance from one another.

In addition, the carriages are configured for being displacing horizontally along the same horizontal plane. Thanks to this fact the transfer device is compact as its height can be reduced in respect of other known transfer devices. This allows to reduce the required space for the transfer device between two facing mold of each press of the installation where the transfer device is used, the length of the mold to obtain said space being reduced. Therefore, the transfer device allows the reduction of said length, which implies less time for completing said required length and, consequently, an increase in the productivity of the machine being obtained.

A second aspect of the invention relates to a press installation comprising at least a first press, a second press, and a transfer device for transferring parts from the first press to the second press. The transfer device is a transfer device according to the first aspect of the invention, in any of its embodiments and/or configurations. The installation comprises the advantages discussed for the first aspect of the invention.

These and other advantages and features of the invention will become apparent in view of the figures and the detailed disclosure of the invention.

A first aspect of the invention relates to a transfer device <NUM> of an installation <NUM> comprising at least a first press <NUM> and a second press <NUM> and shown by way of example in <FIG>, but it may comprise more presses. The transfer device <NUM>, depicted by way of example in <FIG>, is configured for transferring parts P from the first press <NUM> to the second press <NUM>, and comprises at least:.

The suction devices <NUM> of both part supports <NUM> and <NUM> are used to hold the part P to be transferred from the first press <NUM> to the second press <NUM>. Said part supports <NUM> and <NUM> are preferably attached to the crossbeam <NUM> in a removable manner, such that if the shape of the part P to be transferred varies, if needed both part supports <NUM> and <NUM> (or one of them, as required) can be replaced with part supports <NUM> and <NUM> having a different configuration and/or design and suited to the shape of the parts P to be transferred.

The transfer device <NUM> further comprises:.

The arm <NUM> is configured for rotating relative to the second carriage <NUM> and relative to the crossbeam <NUM> when said second carriage <NUM> and/or the first carriage <NUM> displace.

The arm <NUM> allows the crossbeam <NUM> to rotate relative to the attachment point between said crossbeam <NUM> and the first carriage <NUM>, as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the desired rotation (the desired angle of rotation α relative to said attachment point) being able to be caused by controlling the horizontal displacement of the second carriage <NUM> and/or of the first carriage <NUM>. Furthermore, as a result of the displacement possibilities of both carriages <NUM> and <NUM>, this displacement of the crossbeam <NUM> is performed without having to compensate for the length of said crossbeam <NUM>, unlike what occurs in the state of the art, a simpler and more compact transfer device <NUM> being obtained. The carriages <NUM> and <NUM> are configured for displacing horizontally along the same horizontal plane.

In a preferred embodiment, the second carriage <NUM> comprises a body <NUM> and an extension <NUM> protruding from the body <NUM> (preferably protruding vertically), the arm <NUM> being attached to said extension <NUM> at a point that is located at a distance at least vertically from the body <NUM>. Said attachment is therefore located in a horizontal plane other than the horizontal plane where the attachment between the crossbeam <NUM> and the first carriage <NUM> is located, providing an eccentricity between the attachment of the first carriage <NUM> to the crossbeam <NUM> and the attachment of the second carriage <NUM> to said crossbeam <NUM>, which allows the crossbeam <NUM> to rotate in a simple manner relative to the attachment point between said crossbeam <NUM> and the first carriage <NUM>.

In the preferred embodiment, the arm <NUM> is attached to the end of the extension <NUM> of the second carriage <NUM> farthest away from the body <NUM> of said second carriage <NUM>, such that the length of the extension <NUM> is the smallest length possible, and a more compact second carriage <NUM>, and therefore a more compact transfer device <NUM>, is achieved. The length therefore depends on the maximum eccentricity that is to be provided between the attachment of the first carriage <NUM> to the crossbeam <NUM> and the attachment of the second carriage <NUM> to said crossbeam <NUM>.

The main structure <NUM> comprises a first substructure <NUM> and a second substructure <NUM> horizontally located at a distance from one another, the first carriage <NUM> being attached to the first substructure <NUM> and the second carriage <NUM> being attached to the second substructure <NUM>. Both substructures <NUM> and <NUM> are arranged in the same horizontal plane (they are horizontally aligned), such that the carriages <NUM> and <NUM> are configured for displacing horizontally along the same horizontal plane.

The transfer device <NUM> preferably comprises a control device configured for causing the coordinated displacement of the first carriage <NUM> and of the second carriage <NUM>, such that the part P can be arranged as required. The control device can be a specific device of the transfer device <NUM>, or it can be a control device of the installation <NUM> in which said transfer device <NUM> is arranged. The control device may therefore comprise a microcontroller, a controller, a microprocessor, a processor, an FPGA, or any other device with computing capability.

As the parts P displace from one press to another, it is advantageous to position said part P in a specific position in each press to avoid later adjustments. The (upper and lower) dies T of each press are suitable for supporting a given positioning of said part P, generally taking a reference point of the part P, and for this reason an adjustment of said positioning was necessary up until if, after arranging the part P in a press, its position is not the required given position. Furthermore, said dies T may require the part P to be inclined, which may complicate the correct arrangement of said reference point of the part P, since an inclination may entail said reference point being displaced. The reference point of the part P preferably coincides with the dimensional center of said part P, but another point of said part P could be taken as a reference point if required. As a result, the control device of the proposed transfer device <NUM> is preferably configured for coordinating the displacement of the first carriage <NUM> and of the second carriage <NUM> so as to be able to correctly position the part P in the receiving press, in accordance with the inclination of the part P and the positioning of the reference point of said part P required by the dies T of said receiving press.

The required inclination implies a specific angle of rotation α for the crossbeam <NUM> (see <FIG> and <FIG> by way of example), and the control device is configured for controlling the displacement of the carriages <NUM> and <NUM> in a coordinated manner in order to provide that angle of inclination α. When the angle of rotation α is other than zero, the resulting inclination implies a horizontal displacement of the reference point of the part P, so an additional adjustment of said part P is required in order to correctly position it in the receiving press. The control device is furthermore configured for simultaneously displacing the two carriages <NUM> and <NUM>, and in the same direction, for displacing said reference point and taking it to the required position. Correct positioning of the part P in the corresponding press is thereby ensured with the proposed transfer device <NUM> in a simple manner, without requiring later adjustment.

In the preferred embodiment, the part supports <NUM> and <NUM> are arranged between the area of the crossbeam <NUM> attached to the first carriage <NUM> and the area of the crossbeam <NUM> attached to the second carriage <NUM>.

A second aspect of the invention relates to a press installation <NUM>, such as the one shown by way of example in <FIG>, comprising at least a first press <NUM>, a second press <NUM>, and a transfer device <NUM> for transferring parts P from the first press <NUM> to the second press <NUM>. The transfer device <NUM> is a transfer device according to the first aspect of the invention, in any of its embodiments and/or configurations. The installation <NUM> therefore comprises a different configuration and/or embodiment based on the configuration and/or embodiment of the transfer device <NUM> it comprises.

Claim 1:
Transfer device of an installation comprising a plurality of presses, the transfer device (<NUM>) being configured for transferring parts (P) from a first press (<NUM>) to a second press (<NUM>) and said transfer device (<NUM>) comprising a crossbeam (<NUM>) with a longitudinal axis (<NUM>); a longitudinal main structure (<NUM>); a first carriage (<NUM>) and a second carriage (<NUM>) horizontally displaceable independently of one another along the main structure (<NUM>), the crossbeam (<NUM>) being attached to the first carriage (<NUM>) with rotational freedom; and an arm (<NUM>) attached to the second carriage (<NUM>) with rotational freedom at a first attachment point (<NUM>) of said arm (<NUM>) and attached to the crossbeam (<NUM>) with rotational freedom at a second attachment point (<NUM>) of said arm (<NUM>) located at a distance from the first attachment point (<NUM>), such that said crossbeam (<NUM>) is attached to said second carriage (<NUM>) through said arm (<NUM>), said arm (<NUM>) being configured for rotating relative to the second carriage (<NUM>) and relative to the crossbeam (<NUM>) when the first carriage (<NUM>) and/or said second carriage (<NUM>) displace, characterized in that the transfer device (<NUM>) comprises a first part support (<NUM>) attached to the crossbeam (<NUM>) and comprising a plurality of suction devices (<NUM>), and a second part support (<NUM>) attached to the crossbeam (<NUM>), located at a distance from the first part support (<NUM>) along the longitudinal axis (<NUM>) of the crossbeam (<NUM>) and comprising a plurality of suction devices (<NUM>), the longitudinal main structure (<NUM>) comprising a first substructure (<NUM>) and a second substructure (<NUM>) horizontally located at a distance from one another and arranged in a same horizontal plane, the first carriage (<NUM>) being attached to the first substructure (<NUM>) and the second carriage (<NUM>) being attached to the second substructure (<NUM>), the first carriage (<NUM>) and the second carriage (<NUM>) being horizontally located at a distance from one another, and being configured for displacing horizontally along the same horizontal plane.