BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an apparatus for processing or machining components of furniture, furnishings and the like.

More specifically, the apparatus according to the present invention is designed for carrying out many different machining operations on panels to be used as furniture or furnishing components.

In fact, the inventive apparatus allows to perform several drilling and milling operations, as well as fitting operations for fitting or inserting insert assemblies which are usually applied to furniture forming panels.

It is well known that the mentioned processing or machining operations are usually carried out starting from large size panels which have a parallelepiped configuration and must be subjected to cutting, drilling and so on operations by dedicated machines which usually comprise a horizontal loading plane consisting of a roller assembly or the like.

In the above machining jobs, the furniture panels are driven by driving assemblies including a plurality of suction members or suckers which are opera- tively driven with reciprocating rectilinear movements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The aim of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for machining or processing wood panels, in particular used for making furniture and furnishing components, which is adapted to mill and drill the panels, as well as to insert and to glue therein insert and fitting elements.

Within the scope of the above mentioned aim, a main object of the invention is to provide such an apparatus which is adapted to machine all the six faces or surfaces of a furniture panel.

Another main object of the present invention is to provide such an appara- tus which is adapted to continuously operate without dead times for loading and unloading the panels.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such an apparatus allowing to machine or process simultaneously a plurality of panels.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such an apparatus which has a comparatively small size and which allows the panels to be driven in a contact manner with respect to a zero plane.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such an apparatus including a continuously operating transport or driving system, designed for eliminating the piece loading/unloading times and for simultaneously controlling or managing a plurality of different pieces, without requiring any setup period time.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such an apparatus allowing to mechanically clamp the pieces or panels being processed without using electric or pneumatic clamping actuators and related cables and/or tubes.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a modular apparatus which may be easily set according to any machining requirements and depending on the furniture making demands.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such an apparatus which, owing to its specifically designed construction, is very reliable and safe in operation.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the above mentioned aim and objects, as well as yet other objects, which will become more apparent hereinafter, are achieved by an apparatus for processing components of furniture and furnishings and the like, characterized in that said apparatus comprises an inclined roller assembly bearing panels to be processed or machined, said panels being movable independently from one another along said roller assembly.

Said apparatus comprises moreover one or more movable structures, each of them being adapted to support one or more processing heads.

Said apparatus processes or machines each panel during a conveying of said panel, with the panel entering said apparatus and exiting said apparatus always in a same direction, thereby providing a continuous processing operation without a dead time for loading and unloading each said panel being processed or machined.

Said structures being driven, as said apparatus operates, with the same motion as that of said panel, thereby said panel may be processed or machined without the need of stopping said panel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent hereinafter from the following disclosure of a preferred, though not exclusive, embodiment of the invention, which is illustrated, by way of an indicative but not limitative example, in the accompanying drawings, where:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus according to the present invention, being shown in a use condition, during a processing or machining operation of a plurality of panels;

Figure 2 is a front elevation view of the inventive apparatus;

Figure 3 is a top plan view, as cross-sectioned along the cross-section plane Ill-Ill of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing and apparatus operating module, including a shuttle member arranged on a main plane or surface of the apparatus;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, but showing the shuttle member arranged on a back arranging plane;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a rear side of the shuttle member of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a side view of the shuttle member including a related gripper;

Figure 8 is a further side view, on an enlarged scale with respect to Figure 7, showing the gripper in a detailed manner;

Figure 9 is a side view, as partially cross-sectioned, of the shuttle and gripper assembly, as shown in a panel gripping condition;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the shuttle and gripper assembly, in the panel gripping condition;

Figure 11 is a perspective view showing the roller assembly bearing the panels to be machined; Figure 12 is an enlarged view, with respect to Figure 11 , showing a withdrawable roller;

Figure 13 is a front view of a shuttle member;

Figure 14 is a side view, cross-sectioned according to the cross-section plane XIV-XIV of Figure 13;

Figure 15 is a front broken away view showing the shuttle member driving means, in a return operating condition;

Figure 16 is a perspective view of a movable column for supporting a processing or machining head; and

Figure 17 is a perspective view of a panel processing or machining head.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the number references of the above mentioned figures, the apparatus according to the present invention, which has been generally indicated by the reference number 1 , comprises a roller assembly 2 supporting a plurality of panels 3 to be processed or machined, said panels being movable, independently from one another, along said roller assembly.

The apparatus comprises moreover one or more movable structures 4, each supporting at least a panel processing or machining head 5.

The apparatus or machine 1 provides to process or machine the panel in a "throughgoing" manner, that is the panel enters and exits said apparatus or machine always in a same X axis direction, thereby allowing the machine or apparatus to continuously operate without any dead time periods for loading and unloading the panel.

Thus, the apparatus can process simultaneously a plurality of panels, through two or more structures 4, movably driven along the axis X.

On each said structure 4, two or more operating or processing heads 5 designed for moving along the Y and X axes are mounted.

The apparatus operates in a "follow up" manner, that is, during the processing of the panels, the columns are driven with the same motion as that of the panels, thereby it is not necessary to stop the panel for processing or machining it. The apparatus according to the present invention is a modular apparatus and comprises two operating blocks 6, one arranged at the inlet and the other at the outlet of said apparatus, each said operating block consisting of an identical unit, the so-called translating unit or "translator".

The central portion of the apparatus comprises one or more operating units 7, which may be connected to one another to provide a panel processing system of a different set length, depending on the required furniture configuration to be achieved.

The apparatus comprises a plurality of shuttle elements or members 8, mounted on a driving or translating device 9, allowing the shuttle elements 8 to be driven from an advanced or front position, corresponding to the apparatus processing front plane, to a withdrawn position, in which the shuttle elements may be driven along the roller assembly to arrange them at a novel processing or machining position.

According to the present invention, the roller assembly 2 supporting the panel 3 is arranged with an inclined arrangement, to allow the piece or panel being processed to always contact the roller assembly plane.

Accordingly, the panel 3 is supported on the inclined roller assembly and on bottom rollers 19 defining the so-called "zero" plane.

The panel or piece being processed is driven by a gripper 10 comprising two gripper portions, that is a gripper fixed portion 11 , integral or rigid with the shuttle element 8, and a gripper movable portion 12.

The shuttle element 8 is driven by a linear motor 13 through a pneumatic cylinder, driving or controlling an index element 14 operatively coupling the linear motor 13 and shuttle element 18.

The movable part 12 of the gripper 10 is completely disengaged from the fixed part 1 and is pressed against the panel 3 by a plurality of urging springs 15.

This novel driving system allows to drive an operating body rigid or integral with the panel, without using electric or pneumatic actuators, and related cables and/or tubes, thereby allowing said operating body to be independent or disengaged from the apparatus.

The movable part 13 of the linear motor and the index cylinder 14 are coupled to one another, thereby the motion of the operating motor 13 will be transmitted, through the index cylinder 14, to the shuttle element 8.

Each said shuttle element 8 is in turn connected to the fixed part 11 of the gripper 10.

The gripper movable part 12 is adapted to be cross-wise driven and is held pressed against the panel by said plurality of urging springs 15.

The gripper movable part 12 and related translating support 16 are driven owing to the driving friction generated between the two gripper parts and the panel 3.

The fact that the gripper movable part 12 is not coupled to the gripper fixed part 11 provides a continuous structure, having a length corresponding to that of the overall apparatus, supporting the bottom rollers in turn bearing the piece or panel 3, as shown in Figures 11 and 12.

The shuttle element 8 comprises a plurality of holes for engaging therein the index cylinder 14.

Thus, it is possible to operatively drive each shuttle element 8 by different linear motors, depending on requirements.

In such an arrangement, the linear motors are supported on four supporting guides. However, it should be apparent that a different number of guides may be provided, and that on each said guide it would be possible to arrange several independent linear motors, thereby allowing a plurality of shuttle elements 8, and of corresponding grippers 10, to be simultaneously driven.

Each said panel 3 may be "gripped" or clamped by one or more grippers, depending on requirements.

Typically, the longer panels will be gripped at two positions, at least, whereas the shorter ones may be gripped by a single gripper.

As better shown in Figures 11 and 12, the roller assembly 2 comprises a press 17 which is driven by a press driving motor and which, through a plurality of rollers, presses the panel 3 against the bottom rollers 19.

This press is herein provided to prevent each panel 3 from moving during particular processing or machining operations, such as milling or material removing operations.

Moreover, to allow each panel to be machined both on its front and back portions, one or more rollers, generally indicated by the reference number 18, are provided in a withdrawable manner, that is they are moved back or withdrawn under the roller assembly plane or surface to operativeiy receive the operating heads provided for processing the panel through the thickness thereof.

As mentioned above, the inventive apparatus has a modular construction and comprises a central part including one or more operating units 7.

The linear motors may be driven only in a central region of the apparatus, and they are started from the right, where, through the index cylinder 14, they operativeiy drive the shuttle elements 8 and they are stopped at the end of the central portion, where the linear motor is disengaged from the shuttle element.

Then, the linear motor is leftward displaced up to the start of the central region, where it is ready to be operativeiy coupled to another shuttle element.

On the contrary, the shuttle elements 8 and related grippers 10, upon arriving at the end of the central region, are disengaged from the linear motors and, through another operating axis, they arrive at the zone of the translating unit 6.

In this portion of the apparatus it is possible to provide a plurality of shuttle elements 8 and related grippers, the overall shuttle element and gripper unit being driven to the back of the main plane of the apparatus, as shown in Figures 5 and 6.

By means of a chain system, generally indicated by the reference number 20 in Figure 15, the shuttle elements and related grippers are "unloaded" from the translator 9 and, through guides 21 arranged at the rear part of the apparatus, they are operativeiy driven and arranged on the translator 9 provided in the operating unit 6 at the start of the apparatus.

Such a translator, which is symmetrical with respect to the preceding one, transports the shuttle elements and grippers on the apparatus main driving plane, thereby bringing them to a ready condition to be indexed again by the linear motors.

The inventive apparatus allows to perform a series of drilling and milling operations as well as inserting operations for inserting elements conventionally applied to furniture component panels, thereby allowing each said panel to be machined in a throughgoing manner: in other words, the panel enters and exists the apparatus always in the same direction X, thereby the apparatus operates in a continuous manner, without any dead times for loading and unloading the panels to be processed.

One of the main features of the apparatus according to the present invention is that it operates in a panel "follow-up" operating manner, that is during the processing or machining operations the operating structures are driven with the same motion as that of the panel being machined, thereby the panels may be each processed or machined without being stopped.

This operating mode allows to achieve a machining yield much higher than that of prior panel machining operations, and it represents a novel and inventive feature in this field.

Moreover, all the panels are disengaged or independent from one another and, accordingly, their motions are also independent from one another.

This inventive feature allows to machine a plurality of different panels without requiring any dead times for changing or switching the panel configuration or size.

More specifically, the panels are driven by using the inventive linear motor system allowing to properly control the position, operating speed and acceleration of each piece, independently from one another.

This transport system represents a novel and inventive feature in the furniture panel processing or machining field.

Yet another inventive feature of the apparatus is that it is possible to easily change its arrangement, by adding further optional apparatus modules with respect to a central operating module thereon operate the structures each supporting one or more operating heads.

Thus, by adding to a central module one or more cooperating machining modules, it is possible to change the apparatus configuration or arrangement, to further enhance consequently the apparatus operating yield and speed.

As shown, the above mentioned central operating module may comprise two further structural elements, arranged at the apparatus inlet and outlet.

These operating modules operate as "translators", that is they allow the panel supporting shuttle elements to be driven according to a continuous driving movement in a same direction, and in the return movement being arranged on a lower or bottom operating plane parallel to the main feeding plane. As stated, the roller assembly 2 is advantageously arranged with an inclined arrangement, preferably with an angle of 60°, with respect to a horizontal plane, thereby allowing the panels to be perfectly mutually aligned, said panels being guided, at the bottom thereof, by a plurality of guiding rollers operating to hold said panels in a perfectly aligned condition with respect to a longitudinal driving or translation direction.

Thus, because of its weight, each said panel is held in a set desired position by rear and bottom rollers.

The inventive apparatus, owing to its functional and structural features, allows to perform a plurality of machining operations on the six main sides of each panel.

In this connection it should be pointed out that, as the translators 9 arrive at their end translation positions along the top plane, they will provide a translation along the axis Z, being controlled by a brushless motor operating a screw element engaging in a ring nut applied to the translator body.

Thus, as the latter is arranged in alignment with the ball recirculating bottom guide, the transporters will be driven by a driving chain including a plurality of driving pegs engaging the transporters or driving units and grippers which, being in a closed condition, are driven toward the start portion of the apparatus.

The operating heads 5 may be of any desired operating head type and, in particular, may comprise pneumatically selected independent mandrel elements, of any desired configuration, or electro-mandrels or operating assemblies for properly processing and inserting the furniture elements or iron fittings.

It has been found that the invention fully achieves the intended aim and objects.

In fact, the invention has provided an apparatus adapted to carry out a plurality of machining or processing operations on furniture and furnishing component panels, which apparatus comprises several very important novel features in this furniture piece processing field.

In particular, the inclination of the roller assembly allows to greatly reduce the overall apparatus dimensions and to ensure the adhesion of the panel being driven with respect to the zero plane.

The continuously operating transport or driving system allows to eliminate any piece or panel loading and unloading times, and this without any setup time.

The driving or transport system, based on linear motors, allows to properly control, with a high and variable operating speed, each said panel being machined.

Furthermore, the inventive gripper allows to mechanically grip the pieces without using electric or pneumatic actuators and related cables and/or tubes.

The modular arrangement of the apparatus, consisting of a plurality of cooperating frame units, allows moreover to properly arrange or set up the apparatus according to the specific machining requirements, and accordingly the apparatus length, depending on different furniture making requirements.

Since the inventive apparatus comprises a plurality of movable heads, it will be possible to form, in a real time, the required machining or processing operating "template".

Furthermore, the inventive apparatus comprises a machining or processing system allowing to perform a continuous follow-up machining operation with the panels or pieces and related structures driven with variable driving speeds.

Moreover, the inventive modular apparatus comprises two or more movable operating columns including two or more operating machining heads.

Thus, the inventive apparatus allows to machine all the six panel faces.

In practicing the invention, the used materials, as well as the contingent size and shapes can be any, depending on requirements.