US-12623271-B2 - Apparatus for mechanical machining by plastic deformation or for assembling a pair of components, and relative machine tool comprising such an apparatus

US12623271B2US 12623271 B2US12623271 B2US 12623271B2US-12623271-B2

Abstract

An apparatus for mechanical machining by plastic deformation, comprising: a support unit configured to support a workpiece; a first and a second punch which are opposite and movable to and from the support unit along a direction of action to switch between an operating position in which they exert a pair of compression forces adapted to plastically deform the workpiece and a resting position in which they are spaced apart from the support unit, said pair of compression forces generating a pair of reaction forces opposite to themselves; actuation members adapted to control the movement of the first and the second punch to and from the support unit along a direction of action; a floating element adapted to support the first and the second punch from opposite sides of the support unit along the direction of action and configured to receive said reaction forces.

Inventors

RENATO GNUTTI
Stefano Coraglia

Assignees

GNUTTI TRANSFER S.P.A.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20230726
Priority Date: 20220727

Claims (10)

1 . Apparatus for mechanical machining by plastic deformation, comprising: a support unit configured to support a workpiece; a first punch and a second punch opposite each other and arranged on opposite sides of the support unit, the first punch and the second punch being movable from and toward the support unit along a direction of action to switch between an operating position in which exert compression forces on the workpiece adapted to plastically deform the workpiece and a resting position in which are spaced from the support unit, said compression forces generating reaction forces opposite to the compression forces; actuation members adapted to control the movement of the first punch and of the second punch from and toward the support unit along the direction of action; a floating element, movable along the direction of action, adapted to support the first punch and the second punch from opposite sides of the support unit along the direction of action, said floating element being configured to receive said reaction forces wherein the actuation members comprise first actuation members configured to move the floating element along the direction of action, and second actuation members configured to move at least one of the first punch and the second punch along the direction of action with respect to the floating element.
2 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the floating element is movable along the direction of action with respect to the support unit.
3 . Apparatus according to claim 1 comprising first guide members configured to allow the movement of the floating element along the longitudinal direction, and second guide members configured to allow the movement of at least one of the first punch and the second punch with respect to the floating element along the longitudinal direction.
4 . Apparatus according claim 1 , wherein: the support unit has a first side and a second side opposite the first side along the direction of action; the floating element comprises a main body having a first portion facing the first side of the support unit, and a second portion facing the second side of the support unit, the first punch and the second punch being respectively arranged on the first portion and the second portion of the main body.
5 . Apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the main body comprises a recess, interposed between the first portion and the second portion, adapted to at least partially receive the support unit.
6 . Apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the main body is U-shaped.
7 . Machine tool for mechanical machining by plastic deformation comprising at least one apparatus for mechanical machining by plastic deformation, said apparatus comprising: a support unit configured to support a workpiece; a first punch and a second punch opposite each other and arranged on opposite sides of the support unit, the first punch and the second punch being movable from and toward the support unit along a direction of action to switch between an operating position in which exert compression forces on the workpiece adapted to plastically deform the workpiece and a resting position in which are spaced from the support unit, said compression forces generating reaction forces opposite to the compression forces; actuation members adapted to control the movement of the first punch and of the second punch from and toward the support unit along the direction of action; a floating element, movable along the direction of action, adapted to support the first punch and the second punch from opposite sides of the support unit along the direction of action, said floating element being configured to receive said reaction forces wherein the actuation members comprise first actuation members configured to move the floating element along the direction of action, and second actuation members configured to move at least one of the first punch and the second punch along the direction of action with respect to the floating element.
8 . Machine tool according to claim 7 , comprising: a plurality of working stations configured to perform mechanical operations on a plurality of workpieces; a support table comprising a plurality of support units sequentially associable to the working stations; wherein at least one of the working stations comprises said apparatus for mechanical machining by plastic deformation.
9 . Machine tool according to claim 8 , wherein: the support table is configured to rotate around a rotation axis to sequentially associate the support units to the processing stations; the direction of action is oriented parallel to the rotation axis.
10 . Apparatus for mechanical machining by plastic deformation, comprising: a support unit configured to support a workpiece; a first punch and a second punch opposite each other and arranged on opposite sides of the support unit, the first punch and the second punch being movable from and toward the support unit along a direction of action to switch between an operating position in which exert compression forces on the workpiece adapted to plastically deform the workpiece and a resting position in which are spaced from the support unit, said compression forces generating reaction forces opposite to the compression forces; actuation members adapted to control the movement of the first punch and of the second punch from and toward the support unit along the direction of action; a floating element, movable along the direction of action, adapted to support the first punch and the second punch from opposite sides of the support unit along the direction of action, said floating element being configured to receive said reaction forces; wherein the support unit comprises a mould in which the workpiece can be inserted, the first punch and the second punch being configured to exert said compression forces on the workpiece to plastically deform the workpiece against the mould; wherein at least one of the first punch and the second punch comprises a counter-mould configured to couple with the mould of the support unit when the first and the second punch are in the operating position.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an apparatus for mechanical machining by plastic deformation or for assembling a pair of components. An object of the present invention is also a machine tool for mechanical machining by plastic deformation or for assembling a pair of components comprising the aforementioned apparatus. The present invention can be usefully employed in the field of mechanical machining for plastic deformation, for example, for the realization of ducts with circumferential bulges or fittings. Furthermore, the present invention can be employed in operations of mechanically assembling and fitting a pair of components, in particular for realizing interference couplings. STATE OF THE ART Machine tools for forming variable section ducts are known in the state of the art. For example, DE2110758A1 and EP0649689A1 disclose machine tools for plastic deformation machining suitable for making fittings such as sleeves for connecting pipes or ducts. In detail, said machines comprise a mould adapted to receive a tube to be deformed and a pair of punches configured to exert compression forces at opposite ends of said tube, so as to plastically deform it on the mould. The intensity of the forces exerted by the punches depends on several factors, including the geometric characteristics and the material of the tube to be deformed. It should be noted that, according to the third principle of dynamics (principle of action-reaction), the forces exerted by the punches generate opposite reaction forces that are discharged to the ground by means of special elements of feedback and support of the punches. Given the significant intensity of the forces exerted by the punches, and consequently of the reaction forces, machine tools of the type disclosed above require important feedback elements, which significantly increase the size and weight of the machine tool itself. In addition, the need to create feedback and support elements for punches of important dimensions and masses renders incompatible the integration of the aforementioned plastic deformation technologies in machine tools with automatic piece transfer, more commonly referred to as transfer machines. In this regard, it should be noted that the important size of the aforementioned feedback and support elements contrasts with the need for transfer machines to support a plurality of processing stations in spaces as contained as possible. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In this context, the technical task underlying the present invention is to propose an apparatus for mechanical machining by plastic deformation or for assembling a pair of components and a relative machine tool that overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art mentioned above. In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a small-sized apparatus for mechanical machining by plastic deformation or for assembling a pair of components. In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for mechanical machining by plastic deformation or for assembling a pair of components that can be integrated in a machine tool with automatic transfer of the piece. Advantages of the Invention The apparatus that is the object of the present invention solves the aforementioned technical problem in that it comprises a floating element adapted to support a first and a second punch configured to exert compression forces on a workpiece or on a pair of components to be assembled. Advantageously, the floating element is configured to receive the reaction forces arising from the operating of the compression forces which, being equal in modulus and orientation but opposite in direction, cancel on the floating element itself and do not need to be discharged to the ground. It is therefore evident that by doing so it is possible to avoid the use of feedback elements of important dimensions and masses for the discharge of the reaction forces to the ground. Therefore, the apparatus that is the object of the present invention has a reduced size and can be integrated in a machine with automatic transfer of the piece. LIST OF FIGURES Further features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer from the indicative, and therefore non-limiting, disclosure of an apparatus for mechanical machining by plastic deformation or for assembling a pair of components and a related machine tool, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 shows a perspective sectional view of an apparatus according to the present invention shown in a resting position; FIG. 2 shows a magnification of FIG. 1 to better highlight some technical details; FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 shown in a drag position mode; FIG. 4 shows a magnification of FIG. 3 to better highlight some technical details; FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the apparatus in FIG. 1 in an operating configuration thereof; FIG. 6 shows a magnification of FIG. 5 to better highlight some tec