DESCRIPTION

The invention regards a storage unit for picking up and depositing materials in robotised facilities for machining the aforementioned materials.

The storage unit of the invention is particularly suitable to be used for the storage of laminar elements, particularly but not exclusively sheets, in robotised facilities for machining the aforementioned sheets.

The invention also regards a robotised facility for pressure-bending sheets that uses the aforementioned storage unit.

Robotised facilities for machining sheets, for example for bending sheets, comprising a pick-up storage unit where there are arranged sheets to be bent, a robot that picks up the sheets from the pick-up storage unit and arranges them under the action of a pressing machine, and a deposit storage unit where the sheets are arranged after the bending operation, are known.

According to known configurations of the aforementioned facilities, the pick-up storage unit and the deposit storage unit each comprise a platform in which there is present a plurality of accumulation stations which are arranged aligned one after the other according to a longitudinal direction and in each of which there is present a plurality of sheets to be bent or bent, superimposed on each other.

Parallel to each storage unit and facing the accumulation stations that form it, there are arranged sliding paths for a robot which, operating based on a pre-established machining programme managed by a computerised control system, moves along the sliding paths, picks up the sheets to be machined from the various accumulation stations of the pick-up storage unit, positions them under the action of the pressing machine and, after the pressure-bending machining, arranges them in the deposit storage unit.

Basically, in the known facilities it is the robot that moves with respect to the storage units which instead remain stationary in their position.

In particular, in order to perform a bending operation, the robot firstly moves along the sliding paths until it reaches the storage unit where the tools for gripping the sheets are kept and picks up the gripping tool suitable to handle the sheets meant to be machined.

Thus, the robot moves along the sliding paths until it reaches the storage unit where the sheets to be bent are located, picks up a sheet to be bent, moves again along the same sliding paths until it is positioned facing the pressing machine, positions the sheet to be bent under the action of the pressing machine, removes the bent sheet from the pressing machine and lastly, moving along the sliding path once again, reaches the deposit storage unit where it releases the bent sheet.

After depositing the bent sheet, the robot repeats the same operations for picking up, bending and depositing other sheets of the same type, for an undefined number of times at the discretion of the user until the sheets are finished.

Before starting machining sheets of another type, the robot once again moves to the tool storage unit where it deposits the previously picked up gripping tool and replaces it with another one suitable for handling the new sheets to be machined.

Actually, these facilities that utilise the described storage units of the prior art reveal a drawback lying in that the to-and-from displacements of the robot with respect to the storage unit imply long inoperative times that negatively affect the machining costs.

Particularly in the case of facilities with several tool storage units and with many stations for depositing sheets that extend on great lengths, the inoperative times due to the displacement of the robot could even exceed the machine operating times required for bending.

Another drawback lies in the fact that for each station for accumulating the sheets there arises the need to provide, at the rear part of each storage unit and on the opposite side of the sliding paths of the robot, a free area for manoeuvring forklifts or other means for moving the sheets coming into/out of the accumulation stations of the storage units.

This implies occupying the surface of the building that could be used otherwise.

Another drawback lies in the fact that facilities with storage units extending over considerable lengths could cause problems as concerns installation and operating accuracy of the robot.

The aim of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks.

In particular, a first object of the invention is to provide a storage unit for storing materials, that can be used in a robotised facility, that enables reducing the displacements of the robot and thus the inoperative times.

It is another object that the storage unit of the invention, with respect to the storage units with linear extension of the prior art having the same number of stations, occupies a smaller surface area.

It is a further object that the storage unit of the invention, with respect to the storage units with linear extension of the prior art having the same number of stations, requires lesser spacer for manoeuvring means for loading and unloading the accumulation stations of the storage units.

Last but not least, an object of the invention provides for that the storage unit of the invention enables obtaining a robotised machining facility with greater operating reliability with respect to equivalent storage units and facilities of the prior art.

The aforementioned objects are attained by a storage unit according to the main claim to which reference is made.

The dependent claims contain further characteristics of the storage unit and the facility that uses it.

Advantageously, the storage unit of the invention enables considerably reducing business costs as concerns installation and production with respect to equivalent facilities.

Furthermore, advantageously, the storage unit of the invention simplifies the operation and management of the facility that uses it.

The objects and advantages listed above shall be outlined further hereinafter in the description of the storage unit and the facility that uses it, both subject of the invention, provided hereinafter by way of non-limiting example with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

- figure 1 represents the plan view of the storage unit and the robotised facility that uses it, both subject of the invention;

- figures 2 to 9 represent the storage unit and the facility of figure 1 in different operating steps;

- figure 10 represents a variant embodiment of the storage unit and the facility of figure 1 ;

- figures 1 1 to 13 represent an axonometric view of a detail of the storage unit of the invention, in three different operating positions.

The storage unit for storing materials L subject of the invention is represented in figures 1 to 7 in which it is indicated in its entirety with 1.

It should be observed that it comprises a main platform 2 having a plurality of accumulation stations 3 in each of which there is present a support plane 4 suitable to supportingly receive the aforementioned materials L.

Preferably but not necessarily the aforementioned materials L are constituted by sheets of various shapes and thickness.

Externally to the main platform 2 and adjacent thereto there is arranged an auxiliary platform 5.

The main platform 2 is connected to rotating means 6 that preferably but not necessarily comprise a gear reduction unit 13 having the driving shaft 14 connected to the main platform 2 and identifying the vertical rotational axis Z of the main platform 2.

Rotating the main platform 2 according to the vertical rotational axis Z enables providing any of the accumulation stations 3 with the respective support plane 4 aligned with the auxiliary platform 5 according to the horizontal direction X, as observable, for example, in figure 1 .

Figure 1 and also further figures 2 to 7 show translation means, indicated in their entirety with 8, that are arranged between the auxiliary platform 5 and the accumulation station 3 aligned thereto and which are used to displace, along the aforementioned horizontal direction X, the support plane 4 from the accumulation station 3 to the auxiliary platform 5, and vice versa.

Thus, basically the actuation of the rotating means 6 enables rotating the main platform 2 according to the vertical axis Z so as to align any of the accumulation stations 3 to the auxiliary platform 5.

Subsequently, through the translation means 8 each support plane 4 is translated along the horizontal direction X from the main platform 2 to the auxiliary platform 5, and vice versa.

Lastly, there is observed the presence of means for driving and controlling the rotating means 6 and the translation means 8, which are indicated in their entirety with 9 and they are of the type belonging to the prior art.

It is also observed that in the main platform 2, each of the accumulation stations 3 and the respective support plane 4 identify mutual alignment longitudinal axis Y and when the rotation of the main platform 2 according to the vertical rotational axis Z arranges any of the accumulation stations 3 aligned with the auxiliary platform 5, the longitudinal axis Y for aligning the support plane 4 in the accumulation station 3 is arranged coincident with the horizontal translation direction X of the support plane 4 from the main platform 2 to the auxiliary platform 5, and vice versa.

Furthermore, it should be observed that the longitudinal axes Y for aligning each accumulation station 3 and the respective support plane 4 form angles A equal to each other and they all intersect the vertical rotational axis Z.

Thus, the accumulation stations 3 are arranged in plan position according to a symmetric configuration circumferentially to the vertical axis Z.

However, there can also be provided an asymmetric distribution according to angles A unequal to each other.

On the platform 2 and adjacent to each accumulation station 3, there is present a tool holder 20 that supports a gripping tool 21 suitable to handle the sheets present in the adjacent accumulation station 3 by means of a robot.

As regards the support planes 4 it is observed, with particular reference to figures 9 to 1 1 , that each of them is provided with sliding pieces 10 that are configured to press against first sliding guides 11 belonging to the main platform 2 when the support plane 4 is arranged in the respective accumulation stations 3.

In addition, the same sliding pieces 10 press against second sliding guides 12 belonging to the auxiliary platform 5 when the support plane 2 is arranged on the auxiliary platform 5.

Particularly, it is observed that the auxiliary platform 5 is constituted by a framework 5a in which the second sliding guides 12 are constituted by the upper face of the aforementioned framework 5a.

As regards the translation means 8 it is observed, still with particular reference to figures 9 to 1 1 , that they comprise a conveyor belt 15 which is loop-wound on at least two pulleys 16, 17.

One of the pulleys, in particular the pulley 16 observable in figure 1 1 , is associated to a gear motor 18 which, rotating clockwise or anticlockwise, causes the displacement of the conveyor belt 15 according to the horizontal direction X, in the juxtaposed directions indicated by the arrows depending on the direction of rotation of the gear motor 18.

Furthermore, there is also observed the presence of engagement means, indicated in their entirety with 19, which are configured to connect the conveyor belt 15 to the support plane 4 associated to each accumulation station 3, when the latter is aligned with the auxiliary platform 5 according to the horizontal direction X.

Thus, when the gear motor 18 places the pulley 16 to which it is associated in rotation, the conveyor belt 15 draws the support plane 4 to which it is engaged translating it when entering or exiting with respect to the respective accumulation station 5, as observable in figures 9 to 1 1 .

The storage unit 1 of the invention described herein is particularly suitable to be used in robotised facilities for machining materials of any type.

Preferably, in the embodiment described herein, the robotised facility, indicated in its entirety with 100 and which is observable in figures 1 to 9, is used for pressure-bending sheets L and it uses a storage unit 1 of the invention.

Thus, with reference to the aforementioned figures it is observed that the facility 100 comprises:

a pressure-bending machine 101 configured for pressure-bending sheets L;

a station 102 for picking up the aforementioned sheets L to be pressure- bent;

a station 103 for depositing the sheets L after the pressure-bending;

a robot 104 provided with tools 21 for gripping the sheets L, which is configured for picking up each sheet L to be pressure-bent from the pick-up station 102 to position it in the pressure-bending machine 101 and, after the pressure-bending, arrange it in the deposit station 103,

where the aforementioned deposit station 103 is constituted by the storage unit 1 subject of the invention.

Thus, in such facility the storage unit 1 of the invention serves as a deposit station and it will be indicated with 103 in the description hereinafter.

As observable in the figures, the facility also comprises a station 107 for centring the sheets L to be pressure-bent and possibly also a station 108 for measuring the thickness thereof.

Operatively, the operation of the pressure-bending robotised facility 100 and the deposit station 103, both subject of the invention, is explained with reference to figures 1 to 9.

Figure 1 represents the initial situation in which in the pick-up station 102 there are arranged the sheets to be bent indicated with L1 and with L2, which are shaped differently with respect to each other. In particular, the sheets L1 bent firstly are arranged in the protection enclosure 109 which peri metrically delimits the robotised bending facility, in a position suitable to be picked up by the robot 104.

Furthermore, the deposit station 103 is arranged in a non-operating position with all the support planes 4 housed in the respective accumulation stations 3. Before the machining begins, the translation means 8 remove the support plane 4 from the respective accumulation station 3 and, as observable in figure 2, they arrange it on the auxiliary platform 5 that was previously, as represented in figure 1 , aligned with the accumulation station 3 according to the horizontal direction X.

The translation of the support plane 4 along the horizontal direction X to remove it from the respective accumulation station 3 and arrange it on the auxiliary platform 5 is enabled by the sliding pieces 10 that the support plane 4 is provided with, which can first slide on the first sliding guides 11 of the main platform 2 and then on the second sliding guides 12 of the auxiliary platform 5, as previously mentioned and as observable in figures 1 1 to 13.

At this point the machining begins and, as observable in figure 2, the robot 104 picks up from the tool holder 20 - arranged adjacent to the accumulation station 3, where the sheets L1 ' will be arranged after bending - the gripping tool 21 suitable to handle them.

Thus, the robot 104 picks up the first sheet L1 from the pick-up station 102, as observable in figure 3, and through the anticlockwise rotation indicated by the arrow, it arranges it in the centring station 107 observable in figure 4. In the centring station 107 there is present an inclined support plane 107b on which there is placed the sheet L1 , which slides by gravity at contact with the abutment walls 107a defining the zero point for the robot and for the machining operations to be carried out.

Thus, the robot 104 rotates according to the clockwise direction indicated by the arrow in figure 4 and, as observable in figure 5, arranges the sheet L1 under the action of the pressure-bending machine 101 that carries out the bending.

Once the bending is carried out, the robot 104 rotates in the clockwise direction indicated by the arrow in figure 5 and arranges the bent sheet L1 ' on the support plane 4 present on the auxiliary platform 5, as observable in figure 6. The described operations are repeated for all the sheets L1 to be bent present in the pick-up station 102, until they finish.

When all the bent sheets L1 ' are arranged on the same support plane 4, the intervention of the translation means 8 returns the support plane 4 to the accumulation station 3, as observable in figure 7.

Still with reference to figure 7, during the return of the support plane 4 with the bent sheets L1 ' arranged therein inside the accumulation station 3, the robot 104 deposits the gripping tool 21 on the same tool holder 20 from which it had been previously picked up.

Once the support plane 4 returns to the accumulation station 3, the main platform 2 is rotated for example in the clockwise direction indicated by the arrow in figure 7 so that the subsequent accumulation station, indicated with 3' with the respective support plane indicated with 4', is arranged at the auxiliary platform 5.

Thus, the support plane 4' thereof is removed and arranged on the platform 5 as observable in figure 9, ready to supportingly receive the new sheets L2 after bending.

In the meanwhile, the new sheets L2 have already been arranged in the gripping position in the protection enclosure 109 by rotating the pick-up station 102 indicated by the arrow in figure 7.

Still with reference to figure 8, when removing the support plane 4' from the accumulation station 3', the robot 104 picks up the gripping tool 21 ' from the respective tool holder 20'.

It has been observed that, preferably, the picking up and depositing actions of the gripping tool 21 occur during movements for the extraction and return of the support plane 4, with the aim of reducing inoperative times.

The particular configuration of the deposit station 103, in which the accumulation stations 3 are arranged circumferentially with respect to the vertical rotational axis Z of the platform 2 and the tool holders 20 with the respective tools 21 are arranged at the sides of the respective accumulation stations 3, enables picking up and depositing the tools 21 from/onto the respective tool holders 20 simultaneously with the movements for extracting/ returning the support planes 4 from/to the respective accumulation stations 3. On the contrary, the prior art provides for that every picking up of the tool requires the displacement of the robot. The described operations are repeated for the new sheets L2 and then for the other sheets of other shapes and dimensions and so on and so forth, depending on the customer's needs.

Once all accumulation stations 3 present in the main platform 2 are saturated with bent sheets, they are unloaded through displacement means, for example forklifts or others, accessing the deposit station 103 through the access door 110 present in the protection enclosure 109.

A variant embodiment of the facility of the invention is represented in figure 9, where it is indicated in its entirety with 200, and it differs from the embodiment indicated in its entirety with 100 and now described solely due to the fact that in such variant embodiment 200 both the pick-up 102 and the deposit 103 stations are each replaced by a corresponding storage unit 1 of the invention. According to what is described, it is clear that the use of the storage unit 1 of the invention for providing any of the robotised facilities 100 or 200 attain all the pre-set objects.

First and foremost, it has been observed that the storage unit of the invention enables providing a facility in which the robot remains in fixed position with respect to the storage unit and thus it is not subject to translations that could jeopardise the operation and/or cause positioning errors.

Furthermore, the fact that the robot remains in fixed position with respect to the storage unit and that is only subject to the rotation according to the vertical axis thereof and the articulation of the arm also implies greater ease of construction of the facility.

The stability of the position of the robot with respect to the storage unit especially enables reducing the inoperative times of the operating cycle due to the fact that the longitudinal displacements that in the embodiments of know type the robot is required to carry out to access the pick-up and deposit of the materials from/into the storage units are replaced by quick angular rotations of the robot around its vertical rotational axis.

Thus, there is obtained the advantage of a drastic reduction of the operating costs.

Furthermore, the storage unit of the invention, given that the accumulation stations thereof are arranged in plan position with a substantially circular development, enables a more compact distribution of the accumulation stations with respect to the storage units of the known type in which the accumulation stations are aligned.

This facilitates the installation of the storage unit and, with respect to the prior art, it reduces the space required for installation considering the same number of accumulation stations.

Lastly, it has been observed that, with respect to the prior art, also the space required to move the materials to be loaded and unloaded into/from the storage unit is reduced.

According to the above, it is observable that the storage unit of the invention and the robotised facility obtained therewith, in all described embodiments, attain the pre-set objects.

During the execution step, the storage unit and the facility of the invention may be subjected to modifications and variants neither described nor represented in the figures.

It should however be observed that, should such modifications and variants fall within the scope of protection of the claims that follow, they shall all be deemed protected by the present patent.