Reformer with 3-dimensional track groove cam assembly

Abstract

A cam arrangement includes a cam plate and a cam follower. The cam plate having a body with a planar face and a number of cam channels defined in the body, each cam channel extending into the body from the planar face and defined, in-part, by a pair of opposing sidewalls. The cam follower includes a roller assembly having an upper roller member and a lower roller member. The upper roller member is engaged with a first sidewall of the pair of opposing sidewalls at a depth into the channel from the planar face, and the lower roller member is engaged with a second sidewall, opposite the first sidewall, of the pair of opposing sidewalls at the depth into the channel from the planar face.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cam arrangement comprising:
 a cam plate comprising:
 a body having a planar face; 
 a number of cam channels defined in the body, each cam channel extending into the body from the planar face and defined, in-part, by a pair of opposing sidewalls, and 
   a number of cam followers, each cam follower having a roller assembly comprising an upper roller member and a lower roller member, wherein the upper roller member is engaged with a first sidewall of the pair of opposing sidewalls at a depth into the channel from the planar face, and wherein the lower roller member is engaged with a second sidewall, opposite the first sidewall, of the pair of opposing sidewalls at the depth into the channel from the planar face.   
     
     
         2 . The cam arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein at least one cam channel of the number of cam channels has a number of contoured portions wherein the opposing sidewalls extend obliquely to the planar surface. 
     
     
         3 . The cam arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the roller assembly is structured to be adjustably positioned at a plurality of different depths within the channel, and wherein each depth of the plurality corresponds to a different cam path. 
     
     
         4 . The cam arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the number of cam channels comprises a plurality of cam channels. 
     
     
         5 . The cam arrangement of  claim 4 , further comprising a second cam follower having a roller assembly comprising an upper roller member and a lower roller member, wherein the upper roller member of the second cam follower is engaged with a first sidewall of the pair of opposing sidewalls of a second cam channel at a second depth into the channel from the planar face, and wherein the lower roller member is engaged with a second sidewall, opposite the first sidewall, of the pair of opposing sidewalls of the second cam channel at the second depth into the channel from the planar face. 
     
     
         6 . The cam arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the cam follower comprises a stem member having an upper portion disposed about a first longitudinal axis and a lower portion disposed about a second longitudinal axis at an angle relative to the first longitudinal axis, and wherein the roller assembly is coupled to the lower portion and rotates about the second longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         7 . The cam arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the upper roller member and the lower roller member each comprise a sidewall engaging surface shaped as a portion of a hemisphere. 
     
     
         8 . The cam arrangement of  claim 1 , wherein the upper roller member and the lower roller member each comprise a sidewall engaging surface shaped as a strip-like portion of a hemisphere. 
     
     
         9 . The cam arrangement of  claim 1 , further comprising an actuator coupled to at least one of the cam plate and/or a cam follower of the number of cam followers, the actuator being structured to adjust the depth at which the upper roller member is engaged with the first sidewall of the pair of opposing sidewalls and the depth at which the lower roller member is engaged with the second sidewall of the pair of opposing sidewalls. 
     
     
         10 . A base reformer unit for a necking machine for performing shaping operations on a can body, the base reformer unit comprising:
 a housing assembly structured to be fixedly coupled to a frame assembly of the necking machine;   a drive shaft rotatably coupled to the housing assembly and structured to be rotated by a drive assembly of the necking machine; and   a base reformer assembly comprising:
 a support plate; 
 a number of base reformer roller die units; 
 a number of roller die unit actuating assemblies; and 
 a cam arrangement comprising:
 a cam plate comprising:
 a body fixedly coupled to the housing assembly, the body having a planar face; 
 a number of cam channels defined in the body, each cam channel extending into the body from the planar face and defined, in-part, by a pair of opposing sidewalls, and 
 a number of cam followers, each cam follower having a roller assembly coupled to a roller die unit actuating assembly and comprising an upper roller member and a lower roller member, wherein the upper roller member is engaged with a first sidewall of the pair of opposing sidewalls at a depth into the channel from the planar face, and wherein the lower roller member is engaged with a second sidewall, opposite the first sidewall, of the pair of opposing sidewalls at the depth into the channel from the planar face. 
 
 
   
     
     
         11 . The base reformer unit of  claim 10 , wherein at least one cam channel of the number of cam channels has a number of contoured portions wherein the opposing sidewalls extend obliquely to the planar surface. 
     
     
         12 . The base reformer unit of  claim 11 , wherein the roller assembly is structured to be adjustably positioned at a plurality of different depths within the channel, and wherein each depth of the plurality corresponds to a different cam path. 
     
     
         13 . The base reformer unit of  claim 10 , wherein the number of cam channels comprises a plurality of cam channels. 
     
     
         14 . The base reformer unit of  claim 13 , further comprising a second cam follower coupled to the roller die unit actuating assembly and having a roller assembly comprising an upper roller member and a lower roller member, wherein the upper roller member of the second cam follower is engaged with a first sidewall of the pair of opposing sidewalls of a second cam channel at a second depth into the channel from the planar face, and wherein the lower roller member is engaged with a second sidewall, opposite the first sidewall, of the pair of opposing sidewalls of the second cam channel at the second depth into the channel from the planar face. 
     
     
         15 . The base reformer unit of  claim 10 , wherein the cam follower comprises a stem member having an upper portion disposed about a first longitudinal axis and a lower portion disposed about a second longitudinal axis at an angle relative to the first longitudinal axis, and wherein the roller assembly is coupled to the lower portion and rotates about the second longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         16 . The base reformer unit of  claim 10 , wherein the upper roller member and the lower roller member each comprise a sidewall engaging surface shaped as a portion of a hemisphere. 
     
     
         17 . The base reformer unit of  claim 10 , wherein the upper roller member and the lower roller member each comprise a sidewall engaging surface shaped as a strip-like portion of a hemisphere. 
     
     
         18 . The base reformer unit of  claim 10 , further comprising an actuator coupled to at least one of the cam plate and/or a cam follower of the number of cam followers, the actuator being structured to adjust the depth at which the upper roller member is engaged with the first sidewall of the pair of opposing sidewalls and the depth at which the lower roller member is engaged with the second sidewall of the pair of opposing sidewalls. 
     
     
         19 . A necker machine for use in performing shaping operations on a can body, the necker machine comprising:
 a frame assembly;   a drive assembly; and   a base reformer unit comprising:
 a housing assembly fixedly coupled to the frame assembly; 
 a drive shaft rotatably coupled to the housing assembly, the drive shaft operatively coupled to, and structured to be rotated by, the drive assembly; and 
 a base reformer assembly comprising:
 a support plate; 
 a number of base reformer roller die units; 
 a number of roller die unit actuating assemblies; and 
 a cam arrangement comprising:
 a cam plate comprising: 
  a body fixedly coupled to the housing assembly, the body having a planar face; 
  a number of cam channels defined in the body, each cam channel extending into the body from the planar face and defined, in-part, by a pair of opposing sidewalls, and 
 a number of cam followers, each cam follower having a roller assembly coupled to a roller die unit actuating assembly and comprising an upper roller member and a lower roller member, wherein the upper roller member is engaged with a first sidewall of the pair of opposing sidewalls at a depth into the channel from the planar face, and wherein the lower roller member is engaged with a second sidewall, opposite the first sidewall, of the pair of opposing sidewalls at the depth into the channel from the planar face.