Workpiece Discharging Devices and Related Systems and Methods

Abstract

A machine tool for processing workpieces includes a processing device from which processed products to be discharged can be produced from a workpiece; and a discharge device including a discharge flap that can be pivoted into a discharge position inclined downwards relative to a horizontal position in order to discharge processed products and which defines a discharge direction in the discharge position, the discharge flap comprising a part support disposed along the upper side of the discharge flap along which the processed products move during discharge in the discharge direction, where the part support has at least two support regions which extend in the discharge direction and which are configured to accommodate different types of processed products.

1 - 5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . A computer storage medium encoded with a computer program, the computer program comprising instructions that when executed by one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform operations, comprising:
 positioning a workpiece relative to a processing device to undergo a workpiece processing operation;   wherein the workpiece is positioned in such a manner that a processed product resulting from the workpiece processing operation is arranged on a support region of a part support of a discharge device when the workpiece processing operation is finished, the support region being the relevant one of a first support region and a second support region, the first support region being configured to accommodate a different type of processed products than the second support region.   
     
     
         7 . The computer storage medium according to  claim 6 , wherein the first and second support regions extend in a discharge direction, the first support region being configured to accommodate a first type of processed product and the second support region being configured to accommodate a second type of processed product that is different than the first type of processed product. 
     
     
         8 . The computer storage medium according to  claim 7 , wherein the first support region has different surface properties than the second support region. 
     
     
         9 . The computer storage medium according to  claim 7 , wherein one of the first and second support regions protrudes towards the processed product to a greater extent than the other of the first and second support regions. 
     
     
         10 . The computer storage medium according to  claim 7 , wherein the first support region is constructed of a support brush comprising one or both of first bristles and first bristle bundles and the second support region is constructed of a support brush comprising one or both of second bristles and second bristle bundles, the one or both of the first bristles and the first bristle bundles having one or more of a different material type, a different rigidity, a different hardness, and a different orientation than the one or both of the second bristles and the second bristle bundles, respectively. 
     
     
         11 . The computer storage medium according to  claim 7 , wherein the first support region has first properties configured to support the first type of processed product such that the first support region is configured to move a processed product of the first type in the discharge direction, and wherein the second support region has second properties configured to support the second type of processed product such that the second support region is configured to move a processed product of the second type in the discharge direction. 
     
     
         12 . The computer storage medium according to  claim 6 , wherein the first support region has a different material composition than the second support region. 
     
     
         13 . The computer storage medium according to  claim 6 , wherein the first and second support regions comprise support elements, at least one support element of the first support region having a different construction type than at least one support element of the second support region. 
     
     
         14 . The computer storage medium according to  claim 6 , wherein the first and second support regions comprise support elements, the support elements of the first support region being arranged in a first pattern along the first support region and the support elements of the second support region being arranged in a second pattern along the second support region, and the first pattern being different than the second pattern. 
     
     
         15 . The computer storage medium according to  claim 6 , wherein the part support further comprises a third support region, wherein the second support region is arranged between the first support region and the third support region in a direction transverse to the discharge direction, and the first support region and the third support region project towards the processed product to a greater extent than the second support region. 
     
     
         16 . A computer storage medium encoded with a computer program, the computer program comprising instructions that when executed by one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform operations, comprising:
 positioning a workpiece relative to a processing device to undergo a workpiece processing operation;   wherein the processing device is fitted to a discharge flap of a discharge device, the discharge flap being configured to be pivoted into a discharge position inclined downward relative to a horizontal position and the discharge flap comprising on an upper side thereof a part support;   wherein the part support is configured to accommodate processed products resulting from the workpiece processing operation and includes a first support region and a second support region, the first support region being configured to accommodate a different type of processed products than the second support region; and   wherein the workpiece is positioned in such a manner that a processed product resulting from the workpiece processing operation is arranged on an upper side of the processing device when the workpiece processing operation is finished, and the processed product is transferred from the upper side of the processing device to the relevant one of the first and the second support regions after the discharge flap has been pivoted into the discharge position.