Apparatus and method for processing coiled sheet-like material

Abstract

A coil processor is provided for performing processing operations on coiled sheet-like material, such as sheet metal, plastics or other materials. The coil processor uncoils and straightens the material before performing desired operations on the material and transferring it for packaging, shipping or further processing. Various features improve the overall efficiency of the coil processor, including its ability to move material forward and backward through the unit without slowing down the overall operation, as well as the versatility of its mobile tool carriers, which can perform multiple complex processing applications, including cutting, punching, stamping, bending or others. Additionally, processing efficiency may be further enhanced by the use of a computer, which determines the most efficient sequence for performing processing operations, and controls the coil processor's various features to process material in that sequence.

1 . An apparatus for processing coiled sheet-like material, comprising:
 a rotatably mounted coil of sheet-like material that is rotated to feed the sheet-like material therefrom;   a conveyor located downstream of the coil for receiving the sheet-like material fed from the coil and transporting the sheet-like material forwardly and backwardly in a first coordinate direction;   at least one tool mounted adjacent to the conveyor and movable relative to the sheet-like material supported thereon in a least one second coordinate direction for performing work on the sheet-like material; and   a slack portion of the sheet-like material located downstream of the coil for permitting backward movement of the sheet-like material on the conveyor in the first coordinate direction.   
   
   
       2 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one tool is located downstream of the slack portion of the sheet-like material. 
   
   
       3 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 2 , further comprising a straightener located between the coil and the slack portion of the sheet-like material for performing at least one straightening operation on the sheet-like material. 
   
   
       4 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said sheet-like material forms a loop of varying dimensions in said slack portion during the conveyance of material. 
   
   
       5 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a control unit operatively coupled to the conveyor and the at least one tool for controlling movement of the conveyor in the first coordinate direction, and controlling movement of the at least one tool in the second coordinate direction. 
   
   
       6 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 5 , further comprising a first tool carriage including at least one first tool mounted thereon, and a second tool carriage including at least one second tool mounted thereon, wherein each of the first and second tool carriages is movable relative to the sheet-like material transported by the conveyor in a least one second coordinate direction for performing work on the sheet-like material. 
   
   
       7 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 6 , wherein each of the first and second tool carriages is movable transversely relative to the sheet-like material transported by the conveyor in the second coordinate direction, and at least a plurality of the first and second tools are movable vertically relative to the sheet-like material transported by the conveyor in a third coordinate direction. 
   
   
       8 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 7 , wherein the first and second tool carriages are mounted on substantially opposite sides of the conveyor relative to each other. 
   
   
       9 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 7 , wherein the first, second and third coordinate directions are mutually orthogonal. 
   
   
       10 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 5 , wherein the control unit moves the conveyor and sheet-like material transported thereon backwardly in the first coordinate direction to substantially minimize movement of the at least one tool in the second coordinate direction. 
   
   
       11 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the control unit receives data defining a pattern of work operations of the at least one tool on the sheet-like material transported by the conveyor, the data defines a plurality of steps of the sheet-like material and conveyor in the first coordinate direction, and the control unit determines for each of a plurality of steps in the first coordinate direction the total movement of the first and second tools in the second coordinate direction for at least one of the following scenarios: (i) movement of the first and second tool carriages toward each other, (ii) movement of the first and second tool carriages in the same direction toward a first side of the sheet-like material, and (iii) movement of the first and second tool carriages in the same direction toward a second side of the sheet-like material. 
   
   
       12 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the control unit determines the least amount of travel of the first and second tools in the second coordinate direction under each of a plurality of scenarios (i), (ii) and (iii). 
   
   
       13 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 12 , wherein the control unit determines the location of the first and second tools after completing one of scenarios (i), (ii) and (iii) involving the least amount of travel in the second coordinate direction. 
   
   
       14 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 13 , wherein the control unit divides the movements of the first and second tools in the second coordinate direction into pairs of steps in the first coordinate direction, and determines which pairs of steps in the first coordinate direction would reduce overall travel of the first and second tools in the first and second coordinate directions. 
   
   
       15 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a straightener located between the coil and the slack portion of the sheet-like material for performing at least one straightening operation on the sheet-like material; and a control unit operatively coupled to the conveyor and the at least one tool for controlling movement of the conveyor in the first coordinate direction, and controlling movement of the at least one tool in the second coordinate direction, wherein the controller defines a limit of backward movement of the sheet-like material in the first coordinate direction that prevents a need to move any sheet-like material in the straightener backwardly in the first coordinate direction. 
   
   
       16 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 15 , wherein the control unit determines the limit of backward movement in the first coordinate direction by determining the processing steps of the first and second tools without allowing any backward movement of the conveyor in the first coordinate direction, and then processes multiple iterations of the processing steps of the first and second tools beginning with a minimum of backward movement of the conveyor to a maximum of backward movement of the conveyor with predetermined increments therebetween. 
   
   
       17 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the control unit determines whether at least one of the first and second tools will collide, and if so, the control unit moves one of the first and second tools relative to the other to avoid collision, performs all of the moves for the other of the first and second tools in the second coordinate direction, and if necessary to avoid collision, does the same for the other of the first and second tools. 
   
   
       18 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 6 , wherein each tool carriage includes a plurality of tools and a plurality of cylinders, and each cylinder is drivingly coupled to a respect tool to drive the respective tool in the third coordinate direction independently of the other tools. 
   
   
       19 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 18 , wherein the cylinders are hydraulic cylinders. 
   
   
       20 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 19 , wherein the tools are punches. 
   
   
       21 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein at least one tool is rotatably mounted, and includes a motor for rotatably driving the tool, a ring gear drivingly connected to the tool, and a worm gear drivingly connected between the ring gear and the motor, wherein the worm gear includes first and second portions, and at least one of the first and second portions is biased into engagement with the ring gear to substantially prevent backlash of at least one of the worm and ring gears. 
   
   
       22 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the sheet-like material is sheet metal. 
   
   
       23 . An apparatus for processing coiled sheet-like material, comprising:
 first means for rotatably mounting a coil of sheet-like material and feeding the sheet-like material therefrom;   second means located downstream of the first means for receiving the sheet-like material fed from the first means and transporting the sheet-like material forwardly and backwardly in a first coordinate direction;   third means mounted adjacent to the second means and movable relative to the sheet-like material supported thereon in a least one second coordinate direction for performing work on the sheet-like material; and   fourth means located downstream of the first means for permitting backward movement of the sheet-like material on the second means in the first coordinate direction.   
   
   
       24 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 23 , wherein the first means is a rotatably mounted coil of sheet-like material, the second means is a conveyor, the third means is at least one tool, and the fourth means is a slack portion of the sheet-like material. 
   
   
       25 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 23 , further comprising fifth means for performing at least one straightening operation on the sheet-like material fed from the first means. 
   
   
       26 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 23 , further comprising sixth means for controlling movement of the second means in the first coordinate direction, and controlling movement of the third means in the second coordinate direction. 
   
   
       27 . An apparatus as defined in  claim 23 , further comprising seventh means for moving the second means and sheet-like material transported thereon backwardly in the first coordinate direction and substantially minimizing movement of the third means in the second coordinate direction. 
   
   
       28 . A method for processing coiled sheet-like material, comprising the following steps:
 rotatably mounting a coil of sheet-like material and feeding the sheet-like material therefrom;   receiving the sheet-like material fed from the coil onto a conveyor and transporting the sheet-like material on the conveyor in a first coordinate direction;   moving at least one tool relative to the sheet-like material supported on the conveyor in a least one second coordinate direction and performing work with the tool on the sheet-like material; and   forming a slack in the sheet-like material downstream of the coil, moving the sheet-like material on the conveyor backwardly in the first coordinate direction, and taking up the sheet-like material moved backwardly in the first coordinate direction with the slack.   
   
   
       29 . A method as defined in  claim 27 , further comprising performing at least one straightening operation on the sheet-like material fed from the coil. 
   
   
       30 . A method as defined in  claim 27 , further comprising providing a first tool carriage including at least one first tool mounted thereon, and a second tool carriage including at least one second tool mounted thereon, and moving each of the first and second tool carriages relative to the sheet-like material transported by the conveyor in a least one second coordinate direction and performing work with the first and second tools on the sheet-like material. 
   
   
       31 . A method as defined in  claim 30 , further comprising the steps of moving the first and second tool carriages transversely relative to the sheet-like material transported by the conveyor in the second coordinate direction, and moving at least a plurality of the first and second tools vertically relative to the sheet-like material transported by the conveyor in a third coordinate direction. 
   
   
       32 . A method as defined in  claim 31 , further comprising mounting the first and second tool carriages on substantially opposite sides of the conveyor relative to each other. 
   
   
       33 . A method as defined in  claim 31 , wherein the first, second and third coordinate directions are mutually orthogonal. 
   
   
       34 . A method as defined in  claim 31 , further comprising the step of moving the conveyor and sheet-like material transported thereon backwardly in the first coordinate direction and substantially minimizing movement of the at least one tool in the second coordinate direction. 
   
   
       35 . A method as defined in  claim 31 , further comprising the steps of defining a pattern of work operations of the at least one tool on the sheet-like material transported by the conveyor, including a plurality of steps of the sheet-like material and conveyor in the first coordinate direction, and determining for each of a plurality of steps in the first coordinate direction the total movement of the first and second tools in the second coordinate direction for at least one of the following scenarios: (i) movement of the first and second tool carriages toward each other, (ii) movement of the first and second tool carriages in the same direction toward a first side of the sheet-like material, and (iii) movement of the first and second tool carriages in the same direction toward a second side of the sheet-like material. 
   
   
       36 . A method as defined in  claim 35 , further comprising the step of determining the least amount of travel of the first and second tools in the second coordinate direction under each of a plurality of scenarios (i), (ii) and (iii). 
   
   
       37 . A method as defined in  claim 36 , further comprising the step of determining the location of the first and second tools after completing one of scenarios (i), (ii) and (iii) involving the least amount of travel in the second coordinate direction. 
   
   
       38 . A method as defined in  claim 37 , further comprising the step of dividing the movements of the first and second tools in the second coordinate direction into pairs of steps in the first coordinate direction, and determining which pairs of steps in the first coordinate direction would reduce overall travel of the first and second tools in the first and second coordinate directions. 
   
   
       39 . A method as defined in  claim 31 , further comprising the steps of straightening the sheet-like material fed from the coil; and defining a limit of backward movement of the sheet-like material in the first coordinate direction that prevents a need to move any sheet-like material in the straightener backwardly in the first coordinate direction. 
   
   
       40 . A method as defined in  claim 39 , further comprising the steps of determining the limit of backward movement in the first coordinate direction by determining the processing steps of the first and second tools without allowing any backward movement of the conveyor in the first coordinate direction, and then performing multiple iterations of the processing steps of the first and second tools beginning with a minimum of backward movement of the conveyor to a maximum of backward movement of the conveyor with predetermined increments therebetween. 
   
   
       41 . A method as defined in  claim 40 , further comprising the steps of determining whether at least one of the first and second tools will collide, and if so, moving at least one of the first and second tools relative to the other to avoid collision, performing all of the moves for the other of the first and second tools in the second coordinate direction, and if necessary to avoid collision, doing the same for the other of the first and second tools. 
   
   
       42 . A method as defined in  claim 31 , further comprising the steps of providing a plurality of punches, and independently actuating each of a plurality of the punches relative to the others. 
   
   
       43 . A method as defined in  claim 31 , further comprising the steps of providing at least one rotatably mounted tool, a motor for rotatably driving the tool, a ring gear drivingly connected to the tool, and a worm gear drivingly connected between the ring gear and the motor, wherein the worm gear includes first and second portions, and biasing at least one of the first and second portions of the worm gear into engagement with the ring gear to substantially prevent backlash of at least one of the worm and ring gears.