Patent ID: 12258695

FIGS.1-3show a manipulation device1, having an upper transverse conveying device2and a lower transverse conveying device3, by which an upper material web4and a lower material web5can be moved during the sewing, transverse to the sewing direction x, i.e., in the y direction. The two transverse conveying devices2,3are the same in terms of the basic structure.

Between the upper transverse conveying device2and the lower conveying device3there is a separating plate6, which is arranged horizontally in the exemplary embodiment shown.

The upper material web4is fed, by means of a feeding device (not depicted) of the manipulation device1in such a way that it lies on an upper separating plate surface6a(cf.FIGS.4and5). The lower material web5is fed below the separating plate6in such a way that it lies on a lower separating plate surface6b.

The transverse conveying devices2,3respectively have a rolling support unit7,8, which bears a plurality of freely rotatable guiding rollers9which can be relocated or positioned transverse to the sewing direction, and yet in a precisely controlled manner.

The rolling support units7,8can be moved, by means of a lifting device described later in more detail, in the vertical direction, i.e., towards and away from the separating plate6. In the sewing operation shown inFIG.5, several guiding rollers9of the upper rolling support unit7preferably lie on the upper material web4, and press it against the upper separating plate surface6a. If these guiding rollers9are moved transversely to the sewing direction in this state, then the upper material web4is correspondingly picked up and moved in the transverse direction, i.e., in the y direction.

In the same way, in the sewing operation, one or preferably several guiding rollers9of the lower rolling support unit8lie on the lower material web5, and press it against the lower separating plate surface6b. If these guiding rollers9are moved transversely to the sewing direction, then the lower material web5is moved with it in a corresponding way in the transverse direction, i.e., in the y direction.

The transverse conveying devices2,3serve, in this way, to align the material webs4,5exactly to each other, transversely to the sewing direction, or to bring them into the desired position relative to each other. The alignment can, for example, be achieved in such a way that a (for example curved) edge of the upper material web4is exactly aligned with a (for example curved) edge of the lower material web5, or they are brought into a predetermined position relative to each other, or that markings which are provided on the upper and lower material webs4,5are aligned with, or brought into a predetermined position relative to, each other.

The material webs4,5, aligned exactly with each other by means of the transverse conveying devices2,3, are fed to an adjacent sewing machine10, which is only partially represented. The sewing machine10comprises, in a known way, a sewing table11, having a contact surface12for the material webs4,5to be sewn together, and a sewing needle13which can be moved at least in the vertical direction. An upper material transport device14in the form of a drive wheel, and a lower material transport device integrated into the sewing table11, which is not represented in more detail, ensure the feeding of the material webs4,5in the sewing direction, i.e., in the x direction. In this way, the two material webs4,5are pulled by the sewing machine10through the manipulation device1in the x direction.

The two rolling support units7,8respectively comprise a rotary joint chain15, to which the guiding rollers9are fixed. The joint chains15are respectively guided around two spaced-apart chain sprockets16,17(cf.FIG.3). In the exemplary embodiment represented, the chain sprockets16,17are spaced apart from each other in the horizontal direction, wherein they have the same size. Different sizes of the chain sprockets16,17are conceivable.

The two chain sprockets16,17are rotatably mounted in a central body18. As is evident fromFIG.4, the central body18can consist of two clamping parts19a,19b, in which a chain sprocket16,17is respectively mounted. The horizontal spacing of the clamping parts19a,19bcan be changed to adjust the tension of the joint chain15.

The central body18has an elongated, level contact surface for the joint chain15on its upper and lower length. As is evident fromFIG.5, this contact surface can consist of a separate material layer20, which is fixed on the outer circumference of a core21of the central body18, and can consist of a material with a low friction coefficient, in particular plastic with good gliding properties. In this way, the central body18serves to support the straight portion of the joint chain15between the chain sprockets16,17, such that when the guiding rollers9press on the material web4,5, the guiding rollers9do not deviate, but can be pressed onto the material web4,5with a precisely defined pressure.

In this way, every joint chain15has a straight pressing portion15a, on which a plurality of guiding rollers9are mounted in alignment with each other. In the exemplary embodiment represented, nine guiding rollers9are in the straight pressing portion15a. This number can vary widely.

The guiding rollers9of the joint chains15are formed in the same way, and have a cylindrical form or outer contour. The contact region having the material web4,5extends in this way over the predominant part of the length of the guiding rollers9, preferably over the entire length of the guiding rollers9. Furthermore, the guiding rollers9are arranged with a small mutual spacing on the joint chain15, which likewise maximises the contact area with the material web4,5.

FromFIG.6, it is evident that the guiding rollers9have a friction-enhancing, three-dimensionally structured surface. This is formed, in the exemplary embodiment depicted, by a plurality of small, pyramid-shaped points22. These can be slightly pushed into the material web4,5, whereby slip between the guiding rollers9and the material web4,5is prevented in a particularly effective way.

FromFIGS.4and6, it is evident that the joint chains15are formed as roller chains. The joint chains15have outer lugs23, inner lugs24, rollers25and chain bolts26, which are guided through the outer lugs23, inner lugs24and rollers25.

As is evident fromFIG.6, the guiding rollers9are rotatably mounted on holding members27, which protrude outwards to the side from the joint chain15, such that the guiding rollers9are arranged to the side of the joint chain15. Here, the holding members27have a portion which is formed as an outer lug element28of the joint chain15. Furthermore, the holding members27comprise a portion which is formed as an inner lug element29of the joint chain15, arranged spaced apart from the outer lug element28, and connected to the outer lug element28via a central bar30. The gap between the outer lug element28and inner lug element29serves for the pivotable mounting of inner lugs24.

The holding members27further have a bearing limb for bearing the guiding rollers9, which is formed as a cantilever engaging on one side in the guiding rollers9. This bearing limb forms the longitudinal axis of the guiding rollers9. These longitudinal axes run in the longitudinal direction of the joint chain15, and thus on a plane which runs transversely to the sewing direction, i.e., transversely to the x direction.

The guiding rollers9are freely rotatably mounted on the associated bearing limbs of the holding members27, such that the material webs4,5can be pulled by the sewing machine10in the sewing direction, i.e., in the x direction, without great resistance. By contrast, in their longitudinal direction, the guiding rollers9are mounted on the associated bearing limbs as free of play as possible, such that they can transfer a movement of the joint chains15, transversely to the sewing direction, to the material webs4,5without slip.

As is evident, for example, fromFIG.5, the guiding rollers9of each transverse conveying device2,3move in a work plane which is arranged transversely to the sewing direction, but tilted towards the main plane of the separating plate6. The two work planes of the upper rolling support unit7and lower rolling support unit8are here arranged in a V formation. This offers the advantage that the required vertical space for the rolling support units7,8is reduced in the portion which lies behind the joint chains15. Furthermore, an optimal field of vision for a camera is hereby created.

The rolling support units7,8can be moved vertically (i.e., in the z direction) by means of a lifting device, which is schematically represented inFIG.7. For each rolling support unit7,8, the lifting device comprises a motor31, in particular a step motor, which, via a drive shaft, operates two gear rack drives spaced apart from each other. Each gear rack drive comprises a drive cog32, which is engaged in a vertically movable gear rack33. The gear racks33are shiftably mounted in a console34(FIG.1) of the upper or lower transverse conveying device2,3. Furthermore, as is evident fromFIGS.5and7, the central body18of the rolling support units7,8is fixed on the gear racks33. If the gear racks33are vertically displaced by means of the motors31, the rolling support units7,8, and thereby the joint chains15, are correspondingly moved with them.

FIG.8schematically shows the chain drives for the joint chains15. The two joint chains15are here moved via separate chain drives, which are individually controlled such that the two joint chains15can move the upper and lower material web4,5individually and independently of each other transversely to the sewing direction.

Each chain drive comprises a drive motor35, which is connected to a cardan shaft37via a gearbox36, and can move said cardan shaft in rotation. The cardan shaft37is connected to one of the chain sprockets16,17of the associated rolling support unit7,8in a rotation-proof manner. If this chain sprocket16,17is turned by a particular degree, the joint chain15, and thus the guiding rollers19fixed on the latter, are correspondingly moved with it.

As is evident fromFIG.8, the two cardan shafts37are formed in a length-adjustable manner to compensate for differences in spacing between the gearbox36and the driven chain sprocket16or17by a lifting movement of the rolling support units7,8. For this purpose, each cardan shaft37has a first cardan shaft part38and a second cardan shaft part39, which engage in each other in a length-adjustable manner, but are connected to each other in a rotation-proof manner.

The drive motors35of the chain drives are controlled by electronic control on the basis of signals, which are generated by means of at least one camera which is not represented. In this way, the camera can, for example, record laser markers, which are projected onto the material webs4,5depending on target position deviations, and emit corresponding deviation signals. The drive motors35are then controlled in such a way that the target position deviations are minimised. Laser-supported position recording offers the advantage that the recording of the positions of the material webs4,5is very precise and independent of the ambient light. Alternatively to laser-supported position recording, other position recording methods are also possible, in particular those which employ an automated contour or pattern recognition.

The manipulation device1according to the invention enables not only the particularly precise alignment and suturing of congruent material cuts, but in particular also the particularly exact, fast and fully automated suturing of incongruent material cuts in the production of three-dimensional sewn coverings.