The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 07, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 28, 1999
Jukka M. Torvinen, Raleigh, NC (US);
Stephen Turner, Royston, GA (US);
ABB T&D Technology Ltd., Zurich, CH;
Abstract
Apparatus and method to facilitate the insertion, alignment, and bending of metal sheets in a press brake machine is described herein. Automated insertion of properly aligned sheets into a bending machine can be accomplished using a press brake that includes at least two press brake fingers that act independently with respect to one another to determine whether the sheet has been received by the respective finger. The fingers are electrically coupled (via the sheet itself, for example) to a processor that communicates with. a robot. As the robot inserts the metal sheet into the press brake, it adjusts the alignment of the sheet until the sheet contacts the back planes of both press brake fingers. An electrical connection is formed when the metal sheet is received by the fingers (which are maintained at a nominal potential of 24V). When electrical connections are formed with both fingers, the processor tells the robot that the sheet is aligned and bending of the sheet can begin. Thus, each finger acts as a sensing device to determine whether the sheet is completely inserted and properly aligned in the press brake.