US-20260124659-A1 - DEVICE FOR BENDING A PROFILE IN TWO BENDING DIRECTIONS

US20260124659A1US 20260124659 A1US20260124659 A1US 20260124659A1US-20260124659-A1

Abstract

The device ( 1 ) for bending a profile in two bending directions has a base ( 2 ), at least one tool ( 3 ) for gripping the profile, a primary tool ( 6 ) for rotatably mounting the at least one gripping tool ( 3 ) about a first axis of rotation (Xr 1 ) relative to the base ( 2 ), a primary drive tool ( 7 ) for rotating the at least one gripping tool ( 3 ) about this first axis of rotation (Xr 1 ), a system ( 8 ) for laterally bearing against the profile, and a system ( 9 ) for positioning the lateral bearing system ( 8 ) in at least two symmetric positions relative to the first axis of rotation (Xr 1 ). The positioning system ( 9 ) has a tool for mounting in curvilinear translation the lateral bearing system ( 8 ) relative to the base ( 2 ), and a tool ( 11 ) for driving in curvilinear translation the at least one lateral bearing system ( 8 ) relative to the base ( 2 ).

Inventors

Julien Costet

Assignees

NUMALLIANCE

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20230404
Priority Date: 20220414

Claims (20)

1 . A device for bending, in two bending directions, a profile, the bending device comprising: a base; at least one gripping means for gripping the profile; primary mounting means for rotatably mounting the at least one gripping means about a first axis of rotation relative to the base, primary drive means for rotating the at least one gripping means in rotation about this first axis of rotation relative to the base; a lateral bearing system for laterally bearing against the profile; and positioning system for positioning the lateral bearing system in at least two symmetric positions relative to the first axis of rotation, wherein the second system comprises (i) curvilinear translation mounting means for mounting the lateral bearing system in curvilinear translation relative to the base, which comprise circular translation means for mounting the lateral bearing system in circular translation relative to the base, and (ii) driving means for driving the at least one lateral bearing system in curvilinear translation relative to the base; wherein the circular translation mounting means comprise (i) a plate, (ii) secondary rotation mounting means configured to rotatably mount the plate about a second axis of rotation relative to the base, and (iii) tertiary rotational mounting means configured to rotatably mount the lateral bearing system relative to the plate about a third axis of rotation parallel to the second axis of rotation.
2 . The bending device according to claim 1 , wherein the circular translation mounting means comprise transformation means configured to transform a rotational movement of the plate about the second axis of rotation relative to the base into a rotational movement of the lateral bearing system about the third axis of rotation relative to the plate.
3 . The bending device according to claim 2 , wherein the transformation means comprise (i) a proximal gearwheel, which is fixed relative to the base, the plate being rotatable about the second axis of rotation relative to the proximal gearwheel, (ii) a distal gearwheel, which is fixed relative to the lateral bearing system, and which is rotatable about the third axis of rotation relative to the base plate, and (iii) an intermediate gearwheel, which is rotatable about a fourth axis of rotation relative to the base plate, and which is interposed between the proximal gearwheel and the distal gearwheel and meshes with both the proximal gearwheel and the distal gearwheel.
4 . The bending device according to claim 3 , wherein the curvilinear translation drive means of the lateral bearing system relative to the base comprise circular translation drive means of the lateral bearing system relative to the base, the circular translation drive means comprising a motor which comprises a stator fixedly mounted on the plate and a rotor engaged with the intermediate gear wheel.
5 . The bending device according to claim 1 , further comprising (i) axial translation mounting means configured to mount the lateral bearing system in translation along an axis of translation which is at least perpendicular to the first axis of rotation relative to the base, and (ii) axial translation driving means for driving the lateral bearing system in axial translation along the axis of translation relative to the base.
6 . The bending device according to claim 5 , wherein the tertiary rotational mounting means comprise (i) means for mounting the lateral bearing system in axial translation along the axis of translation relative to the base, and (ii) means for driving the lateral bearing system in axial translation along the axis of translation relative to the base.
7 . The bending device according to claim 1 , wherein the lateral bearing system comprises (i) a tool holder, (ii) at least one first lateral support means configured to bear laterally against the profile, (iii) at least one second lateral support means configured to bear laterally against the profile, and (iv) means for attaching the first lateral support means and the second lateral support means on either side of the tool holder.
8 . An assembly comprising (i) profile extending along an axis of extension, and (ii) the bending device according to claim 1 , wherein, in the bending device, the positioning system is configured to position the lateral bearing system on both of opposite sides of a plane within which the first axis of rotation extends and which is at least parallel to the axis of extension along which the profile extends.
9 . The bending device according to claim 2 , further comprising (i) axial translation mounting means configured to mount the lateral bearing system in translation along an axis of translation which is at least perpendicular to the first axis of rotation relative to the base, and (ii) axial translation driving means for driving the lateral bearing system in axial translation along the axis of translation relative to the base.
10 . The bending device according to claim 9 , wherein the tertiary rotational mounting means comprise (i) means for mounting the lateral bearing system in axial translation along the axis of translation relative to the base, and (ii) means for driving the lateral bearing system in axial translation along the axis of translation relative to the base.
11 . The bending device according to claim 3 , further comprising (i) axial translation mounting means configured to mount the lateral bearing system in translation along an axis of translation which is at least perpendicular to the first axis of rotation relative to the base, and (ii) axial translation driving means for driving the lateral bearing system in axial translation along the axis of translation relative to the base.
12 . The bending device according to claim 11 , wherein the tertiary rotational mounting means comprise (i) means for mounting the lateral bearing system in axial translation along the axis of translation relative to the base, and (ii) means for driving the lateral bearing system in axial translation along the axis of translation relative to the base.
13 . The bending device according to claim 4 , further comprising (i) axial translation mounting means configured to mount the lateral bearing system in translation along an axis of translation which is at least perpendicular to the first axis of rotation relative to the base, and (ii) axial translation driving means for driving the lateral bearing system in axial translation along the axis of translation relative to the base.
14 . The bending device according to claim 13 , wherein the tertiary rotational mounting means comprise (i) means for mounting the lateral bearing system in axial translation along the axis of translation relative to the base, and ( ii) means for driving the lateral bearing system in axial translation along the axis of translation relative to the base.
15 . The bending device according to claim 2 , wherein the lateral bearing system comprises (i) a tool holder, (ii) at least one first lateral support means configured to bear laterally against the profile, (iii) at least one second lateral support means configured to bear laterally against the profile, and (iv) means for attaching the first lateral support means and the second lateral support means on either side of the tool holder.
16 . The bending device according to claim 3 , wherein the lateral bearing system comprises (i) a tool holder, (ii) at least one first lateral support means configured to bear laterally against the profile, (iii) at least one second lateral support means configured to bear laterally against the profile, and (iv) means for attaching the first lateral support means and the second lateral support means on either side of the tool holder.
17 . The bending device according to claim 4 , wherein the lateral bearing system comprises (i) a tool holder, (ii) at least one first lateral support means configured to bear laterally against the profile, (iii) at least one second lateral support means configured to bear laterally against the profile, and (iv) means for attaching the first lateral support means and the second lateral support means on either side of the tool holder.
18 . The bending device according to claim 5 , wherein the lateral bearing system comprises (i) a tool holder, (ii) at least one first lateral support means configured to bear laterally against the profile, (iii) at least one second lateral support means configured to bear laterally against the profile, and (iv) means for attaching the first lateral support means and the second lateral support means on either side of the tool holder.
19 . The bending device according to claim 6 , wherein the lateral bearing system comprises (i) a tool holder, (ii) at least one first lateral support means configured to bear laterally against the profile, (iii) at least one second lateral support means configured to bear laterally against the profile, and (iv) means for attaching the first lateral support means and the second lateral support means on either side of the tool holder.
20 . An assembly comprising (i) a profile extending along an axis of extension, and (ii) the bending device according to claim 2 , wherein, in the bending device, the positioning system is configured to position the lateral bearing system on both of opposite sides of a plane within which the first axis of rotation extends and which is at least parallel to the axis of extension along which the profile extends.

Description

The invention concerns a device for bending a profile in two bending directions. This invention relates to the field of manufacturing tools which are configured to bend profiles, more particularly to the field of manufacturing automated machines for bending tubes. Devices for bending a profile in two bending directions are already known. Such a bending device comprises, on the one hand, a base which rests on the ground, on the other hand, at least one means for gripping the profile, and on the other hand, means for rotatably mounting such a gripping means about an axis of rotation, as well as drive means for rotating such a gripping means about this axis of rotation, in order to bend the profile. Such a bending device also comprises, on the one hand, a lateral bearing system for laterally bearing against said profile, during bending of the profile and, on the other hand, a positioning system which is configured for positioning said lateral bearing system in at least two symmetric positions relative to said axis of rotation of said at least one gripping means. Such a positioning system usually comprises first means for mounting said lateral bearing system in translation relative to the base in a first direction of translation, and second means for mounting said lateral bearing system in translation in a second direction of translation which is perpendicular to the first direction of translation. This positioning system also includes means for driving said lateral bearing system in translation relative to the base, in these two translation directions. Such translational drive means are usually pneumatic. The use of such pneumatic drives has a number of disadvantages. A first disadvantage is that such pneumatic drive means require the presence of a pneumatic installation (in particular comprising a pneumatic control unit and a plurality of hoses for conveying air), at least part of which is housed inside the base. Such a pneumatic system takes up a lot of space, which in turn means that the base itself takes up a lot of space, making it difficult to handle and/or bend the profile. As a result, the profile's ability to move in relation to the base, and its ability to be bent, are limited, making it impossible to give the profile some particularly complex, shapes. Another disadvantage is that the pneumatic drive means do not always enable the lateral bearing system to be moved and positioned relative to the profile with sufficient precision and finesse, which can be detrimental to the quality of the profile bending. A further disadvantage is that such pneumatic drive means only enable the lateral bearing system to be moved at a speed that is substantially lower than the bending speed, thus limiting the bending rate. EP1591174 A1 and US20100180653 A1 disclose a device for bending a profile in two bending directions. This bending device comprises a base as well as, on the one hand, at least one gripping means which is configured to grip said profile, on the other hand, primary means for rotatably mounting said at least one gripping means about a first axis of rotation relative to the base and, on the other hand, primary drive means for rotating said at least one gripping means about this first axis of rotation relative to the base. This device also comprises a lateral bearing system configured to bear laterally against the profile, and a system for positioning said lateral bearing system in at least two symmetric positions relative to said first axis of rotation, and which comprises, on the one hand, means for mounting in translation said lateral bearing system relative to the base and, on the other hand, means for driving in translation said at least one lateral bearing system relative to the base. The present invention seeks to remedy the bending devices of the state of the art. The aim of this invention is to improve the possibility of moving the profile in relation to the base and to increase the amplitude of the displacement movement of this profile in relation to the base, in order to enable such a profile to be given more complex shapes and/or to make it easier to give such a profile a specific shape. Another aim of the present invention is to improve the positioning accuracy of the lateral bearing system, with a view to improving bending quality. A further aim of the invention is to increase the speed of displacement of the lateral bearing system, in order to improve the bending rate. For this purpose, the invention concerns a device for bending a profile in two bending directions. This bending device comprises a base as well as, on the one hand, at least one gripping means which is configured to grip said profile, on the other hand, primary means for rotatably mounting said at least one gripping means about a first axis of rotation relative to the base and, on the other hand, primary drive means for rotating said at least one gripping means about this first axis of rotation relative to the base. This devi