Cutting device and method

Abstract

The present invention relates to an improved cutting device and an improved cutting method, specifically for processing and cutting sheets of stiff material, such as cardboard and others, in which the sheets are supplied and moved in a stable way along a first direction, and a laser cutting unit (or at least the resulting laser beams) is moved along a second, substantially perpendicular direction, in which by coordinating the two movements, a desired cut is executed in the sheets.

1 . A device for cutting sheets of a stiff material, comprising:
 a transporting system for the controlled movement of the sheets along a transport direction from an nput to an output, in which the sheets lie in a transport plane that is parallel to the transport direction, wherein the transporting system is adapted to move the sheets in a controlled way within the transport plane; and   a cutting system for processing the sheets, the cutting system comprising at least one laser for producing at least one laser beam and comprises at least one optical system for controlling at least one of the laser beam so that at least a part of the at least one the laser beam cuts the transport plane along a beam direction, in which at least one of the optical systems is adapted to move the at least one laser beam that cuts the transport plane along a cutting direction, wherein the cutting direction lies in an plane perpendicular to the transport direction and is parallel to the transport plane;   wherein the transporting system is adapted for gripping the sheets during movement at least two grip zones by clamping the sheets at said grip zones so that there is a minimal variation on the position of the sheets with respect to the cutting system along the beam direction, wherein the beam direction is substantially perpendicular to the transport plane.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , in which the transport system is configured for gripping the sheets by clamping said sheets at both sides of the transport plane in the grip zones, wherein the grip zones at the side where the one or more lasers are located, are positioned at a fixed distance with respect to the axis over which the at least one optical system moves. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , in which the transport system comprises at least two gripping elements at both sides of the transport plane, the gripping elements suitable for gripping the sheets by clamping them at both sides of the transport plane in the grip zones and for moving the sheets in a controlled way along the transport direction, and in which the gripping elements at a first side of the transport plane where the at least one laser is located, are positioned at a fixed distance with respect to the axis over which the at least one optical system moves, wherein the gripping elements at the second side of the transport plane are movably positioned to grip the sheets by clamping them. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the transporting system comprises a roller system, in which the roller system comprises a first set of rollers and a second set of rollers, so that the first set of rollers and the second set of rollers can grip the sheets by clamping them between the first set of rollers and the second set of rollers and can move the clamped sheets along the transport direction, and within the transport plane. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a control system for controlling the transporting system and the cutting system, in which the controlling system is adapted to select instructions from one or more instructions for one or more cutting forms on the sheets so that, based on the length and width of the sheets, optimal use can be made of the sheets. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the optical systems comprises one or more mirrors configured for manipulating the at least one laser beam, wherein the at least one laser beam is deflected at least partially so that the at least one deflected laser beam intersects the transport plane along the beam direction. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the mirrors are mounted movably along the cutting direction with respect to the transport system so that the at least one deflected laser beam can be moved along the cutting direction, and whereby the at least one deflected laser beam does not change direction. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , in which the cutting system and the transport system are adjusted to each other so that the processing of the sheets according to a predetermined design is carried out by moving the sheets along the transport direction and moving the at least one laser beam that intersects the transport plane along the cutting direction, wherein the moving of the at least one laser beam that intersects the transport plane along the cutting direction is actuated by the moving of the at least one of the optical systems along the cutting direction. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the first set of rollers comprises at least two groups of rollers in which the at least two groups of rollers of the first set are separated from each other along the transport direction so that the at least one laser beam that intersects the transport plane between the separated groups of rollers of the first set can move along the cutting direction and in which the second set of rollers comprises at least two groups of rollers in which the at least two groups of rollers of the second set are separated from each other along the transport direction so that the at least one laser beam that intersects the transport plane between the separated groups of rollers of the second set can move along the cutting direction. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is adapted for being mounted so that the transport plane is substantially parallel to a base onto which the device is placed during operation of the device. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is adapted for being mounted so that the transport plane is at an angle to a base onto which the device is placed during operation of the device. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a supporting surface for at least partially supporting the sheets, wherein the supporting surface can be folded out at least at one side of the device, and wherein the supporting surface can be folded out at the input and at the output of the device. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the transport plane separates two half-spaces, in which the first set of rollers is located in the first separated half-space, and the second set of rollers is located in a second separated half-space, wherein the second half-space is different from the first half-space, and the first set of rollers is located between the transport plane and the one or more lasers, and in which the first set of rollers can be moved to and from the second set of rollers. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the second set of rollers is adapted such that the second set of rollers can be moved with respect to the cutting system along the beam direction, and in which the first set of rollers is mounted stationary with respect to the cutting system so that the second set of rollers can grip the sheets by clamping the sheets against the stationary first set of rollers, and in which the cutting system processes the sheets from the first half-space, so that substantially the same distance along the beam direction is maintained between the one or more lasers and the clamped sheets. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the beam direction is substantially perpendicular to the transport plane with a maximum deviation of 20° with respect to a perpendicular position to the transport plane. 
     
     
         16 . A method for cutting sheets of a stiff material, comprising the following steps:
 moving at least one sheet of the stiff material in a controlled way along a transport direction, in which the sheet lies in a transport plane that is substantially parallel to the transport direction; and   moving at least one controllable laser beam in a controlled way along a cutting direction, in which the at least one laser beam intersects the transport plane along the beam direction, in which the cutting direction is parallel to the transport plane, and in which the at least one laser beam is configured for processing the sheet and for cutting the at least one sheet, and the cutting direction is substantially perpendicular to the transport direction;   wherein the one or more laser beams execute at least one cut of the at least one sheet when moving the at least one laser beam; and   wherein the controlled movement of the at least one sheet is carried out whereby the sheet undergoes a minimum variation in position along a direction along the beam direction.   
     
     
         17 . The method for cutting sheets of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one laser beam is generated and guided by at least one laser and at least one optical system, wherein the laser and the optical system are mounted movably along the cutting direction, in which the at least one sheet is gripped by at least two gripping elements at both sides of the transport plane by clamping the sheets during the controlled movement of the at least one sheet, in which the gripping elements on the side of the at least one sheet where the at least one laser beam falls onto, are positioned stationary with respect to an axis over which the optical system can be moved. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , in which the at least one laser beam is processed by at least one optical system so that the at least one laser beam intersects the transport plane, wherein the at least one optical system is mounted movably along the beam direction so that when executing the cut, a constant, predetermined distance along the beam direction is maintained to a closest side of the at least one sheet. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , in which the beam direction is substantially perpendicular to the transport plane, with a maximum deviation of 20° with respect to a perpendicular position to the transport plane. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , in which the sheets are formed of at least one of the group consisting of cardboard, corrugated cardboard and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the method is computer-implemented for composing and executing a cutting pattern on a two-dimensional sheet of stiff material for a three-dimensional construction based on dimensions of the three-dimensional construction and based on one or more predetermined cutting forms, wherein the method comprises the following steps:
 receiving the dimensions of the three-dimensional construction;   selecting a cutting form from the one or more predetermined cutting patterns;   composing the cutting pattern based on the dimensions and the selected cutting form; and   sending an instruction to a device for cutting the stiff material into the composed cutting pattern.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein at least one additional cutting pattern is cut in a sheet of stiff material, wherein the additional cutting pattern is suitable for enveloping, after three-dimensional assemblage, the three dimensional construct, or being enveloped by the three-dimensional construct, in a tight fitting manner. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the device for cutting is configured for determining dimensions of the at least one sheet, for receiving the instruction for cutting the composed cutting pattern, and for cutting the composed cutting pattern to make optimal use of the at least one sheet based upon the dimensions of the at least one sheet.