EP1468842A1 - Embossing,stamping and/or pressing character and method for manufacturing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The character has a punch and a die (M) mounted on a support (S). The punch and the die are displaced and maintained in place for stamping, cutting and setting a material on a sheet based on the support. The punch and the die have a body defining their relief of stamping and cutting of the material. The bodies of the punch and the die are mounted on a plate, which is assembled on the support by flanges (32, 32, 34, 34). An independent claim is also included for a process of fabrication of a character of stamping or cutting.

Description

The invention relates to a stamping character, cutting and / or crimping comprising a punch and / or a matrix and a method of manufacturing such a character.

A character is used, for example, in a car dealership or in the assembly department of a large surface specialized in automotive accessories for make vehicle number plates automobiles according to the registration number assigned to each vehicle. Several characters are arranged side by side on a frame to form a chain of characters.

It is known, for example from FR-A-2 753 400, to equip a steel stamping character of return means elastic in open position. It is also known to FR-A-2 808 731 to produce a stamping character, the punch and the support to which it is associated are molded together by injection of a plastic material strongly loaded with reinforcing fibers. We also know of FR-A-2 680 343 an articulated character in which the respective supports of the punch and the die are molded, while the punch and the die are glued on these parts.

In these known materials, the body of the punch or the matrix, which forms the embossing relief, must be designed and manufactured according to the support to which it must be associated, this support depending in practice on the stamping machine to be used, whether it is a traveling composter or machine stamping with articulated characters. As a result, the punch body and die must be manufactured in relatively small specific series, which increases their cost price. In addition, these bodies are made by machining of metal or composite material, so that any additional operation of adaptation to their support significantly increases their manufacturing time and increases their cost price. Finally, in systems known, the thickness of the metal plate in which is machined the punch is generally 6 mm, while the thickness of the metal plate in which is machined a die is usually 8mm because the die must have higher mechanical strength. It it follows that two types of metal plates, which complicates the manufacture of this kind of material.

Similar problems arise with characters or cutting tools used to form, by cutting a sheet of colored polyvinyl chloride (PVC) affixed to the rear side of a polymethacrylate plate methyl (PMMA) transparent, characters Alphanumeric.

The same drawbacks arise for manufacturing nameplates.

It is to these disadvantages that most particularly remedy the invention by proposing a stamping or cutting character, the manufacture of which can be simplified and optimized with respect to materials known, while it presents great possibilities adaptation on stamping machines of various types.

In this spirit, the invention relates to a character stamping, cutting or crimping which includes a punch and / or die capable of being each mounted on a support by means of which they are moved or held in place to stamp, cut and / or crimp a plate or sheet material, especially for a plate mineralogical or signage, this punch and / or this matrix each comprising a body defining their relief stamping or cutting. This character is characterized by what the punch and / or the die also includes a sole on which the aforementioned body is mounted and which is provided with removable mounting means on the support.

The fact that the punch and / or the matrix of the character according to the invention is bi-partite, with a body in machined metal and a sole allowing the mounting of this body on a support, provides that the means of mounting the punch and / or the die on the support, which depend in practice on the type of this support, can be provided on sole only, machined metal body having the same general shape for all punches and all matrices, regardless of the type of support. In in other words, the sole is an interface that allows to adapt the body of the punch and / or the die to support to use, this body having a standard shape.

• Le poinçon et la semelle comprennent chacun un corps formant relief d'estampage ou de découpe et une semelle de montage amovible sur un support correspondant. Dans ce cas, on peut prévoir que les corps du poinçon et de la semelle sont formés dans des plaques de métal de mêmes épaisseurs, ce qui facilite l'approvisionnement d'un centre de fabrication de tels caractères.
• La semelle est en matière plastique moulée, notamment en polyamide chargé en fibres de renfort. La fabrication de la semelle par moulage permet d'obtenir de grandes quantités de semelles à faible coût et de former les moyens de montage amovible sur le support également par moulage, et non pas par usinage comme ce serait le cas avec des poinçons ou des matrices monoblocs en métal. Ceci s'avère très avantageux en termes économiques.
• Les moyens de montage comprennent des reliefs adaptés pour coopérer avec des reliefs de formes correspondantes prévus sur le support pour bloquer la semelle sur le support par coopération de formes.
• La semelle porte, sur un côté destiné à être orienté vers le support lorsque la semelle est montée sur celui-ci, un repère obtenu par moulage lors de la fabrication de la semelle.

According to advantageous but not compulsory aspects of the invention, a characteristic can incorporate one or more of the following characteristics, taken in any technically conceivable combination:

• The punch and the sole each comprise a body forming a stamping or cutting relief and a removable mounting sole on a corresponding support. In this case, provision can be made for the bodies of the punch and of the sole to be formed from metal plates of the same thickness, which facilitates the supply of a center for manufacturing such characters.
• The sole is made of molded plastic, in particular of polyamide loaded with reinforcing fibers. The manufacture of the sole by molding makes it possible to obtain large quantities of soles at low cost and to form the removable mounting means on the support also by molding, and not by machining as would be the case with punches or dies. metal monoblocks. This is very advantageous in economic terms.
• The mounting means include reliefs adapted to cooperate with reliefs of corresponding shapes provided on the support to block the sole on the support by cooperation of shapes.
• The sole carries, on one side intended to be oriented towards the support when the sole is mounted thereon, a mark obtained by molding during the manufacture of the sole.

According to a first embodiment of the invention, the body of the punch or the die can be mounted permanently, in particular glued or set, on the sole. According to another embodiment, means are provided blocking by cooperation of the aforementioned body shapes on the sole. As a variant, these blocking means by cooperation of shapes can be associated with the collage of body on the sole.

a) - fabriquer le corps du caractère par usinage d'une plaque de métal

b) - fabriquer, par moulage de matière plastique, des semelles aptes à recevoir le corps de l'organe en question et pourvues de moyens de montage amovible aptes à coopérer avec des moyens complémentaires prévus sur différents supports

c) - sélectionner, pour le poinçon ou la matrice du caractère et en fonction du support sur lequel cet organe est destiné à être monté, une semelle dont les moyens de montage amovible sont aptes à coopérer avec les moyens complémentaires du support pour immobiliser cet organe formé de ce corps et de cette semelle sur ce support et

d) - immobiliser ce corps sur cette semelle.

The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a character as described above and, more specifically, to a method which comprises steps consisting in:

a) - manufacture the body of the character by machining a metal plate

b) - manufacture, by plastic molding, soles capable of receiving the body of the organ in question and provided with removable mounting means capable of cooperating with complementary means provided on different supports

c) - select, for the punch or the matrix of the character and according to the support on which this member is intended to be mounted, a sole whose removable mounting means are able to cooperate with the complementary means of the support to immobilize this member formed of this body and this sole on this support and

d) - immobilize this body on this sole.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective éclatée de la matrice d'un caractère d'estampage conforme à l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une représentation schématique de principe en perspective de la mise en place de la matrice de la figure 1 sur un support d'un composteur à mouvement rectiligne utilisé pour la fabrication de plaques minéralogiques ;
• la figure 3 est une coupe selon le plan III à la figure 2 ;
• la figure 4 est une vue de la matrice dans le sens de la flèche IV à la figure 1, cette matrice étant assemblée ;
• la figure 5 est une vue en perspective du poinçon du caractère d'estampage dont la matrice est représentée aux figures 1 à 4 ;
• les figures 6 à 9 sont des représentations schématiques partielles en perspective éclatée de parties de caractères conformes à des deuxième, troisième, quatrième et cinquième modes de réalisation de l'invention et de parties de supports associés ;
• la figure 10 est une coupe analogue à la figure 3 pour un caractère d'estampage conforme à un sixième mode de réalisation, du type « caractère articulé » et
• la figure 11 est une vue analogue à la figure 1 pour un caractère conforme à un septième mode de réalisation de l'invention.

The invention will be better understood and other advantages thereof will appear more clearly in the light of the following description of seven embodiments of embossing characters in accordance with its principle, given solely by way of example and made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

• Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the die of a stamping character according to the invention;
• Figure 2 is a schematic representation in principle in perspective of the establishment of the matrix of Figure 1 on a support of a composter with rectilinear movement used for the manufacture of license plates;
• Figure 3 is a section on plane III in Figure 2;
• Figure 4 is a view of the matrix in the direction of arrow IV in Figure 1, this matrix being assembled;
• Figure 5 is a perspective view of the punch of the stamping character whose matrix is shown in Figures 1 to 4;
• FIGS. 6 to 9 are partial schematic representations in exploded perspective of parts of characters in accordance with second, third, fourth and fifth embodiments of the invention and parts of associated supports;
• FIG. 10 is a section similar to FIG. 3 for a stamping character in accordance with a sixth embodiment, of the “articulated character” type and
• Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 1 for a character according to a seventh embodiment of the invention.

The matrix M represented in FIGS. 1 to 4 comprises a body 10 produced in a steel plate of thickness e equal to approximately 6 mm and defining an imprint 12 intended to cooperate with an imprint 62 formed in a body 60 of steel and of same thickness e belonging to a punch P.

The matrix M also includes a molded sole 20 by injection of polyamide loaded with reinforcing fibers, especially in glass or carbon fibers. In practice, the material of the sole 20 can be any plastic material sufficiently resistant and easily moldable.

The body 10 is mounted on the sole 20 while being engaged in a volume V ₂₀ defined between two end edges 22 and 24 which have a thickness e 'greater than the thickness e ''of the sole 20 at the volume V ₂₀ . The arrow F ₁ represents the movement of placing the body 10 on the sole 20.

At the level of the volume V ₂₀ , the sole 20 is flat. The face 14 of the body 10 facing the sole 20 in the representation of FIG. 1 is also flat, which allows the body 10 to be optionally bonded to the sole 20.

The edge 22 is provided with two rounded projections 26 and 28, while the edge 24 is provided with a projection rounded 30.

The body 10 is provided with two rounded notches 16 and 18 of shapes adapted to receive the projections 26 and 28. The body 10 is also provided with a notch, not shown, sized and arranged to receive the projection 30 when projections 26 and 28 are engaged in notches 16 and 18.

Thus, the notches provided on the body 10 and the projections provided on the sole 20 make it possible to immobilize the body 10 on the sole 20 by cooperation of shapes.

The fact that the number of projections 26, 28 or 30 on borders 22 and 24 are different ensures a function coding because the body 10 cannot be mounted head to tail on the sole 20.

In these conditions, it is not essential to glue the body 10 on the flat part 20a of the sole 20.

The edge 22 is also provided with a projection 32 oriented opposite the volume V ₂₀ , that is to say extending from the outer edge 22a of the edge 22. Similarly, the edge 24 is provided a projection 34 which extends from its outer edge 24 a , opposite the volume V ₂₀ .

As shown in Figure 2, the projections 32 and 34 and the shape of the edges 22a and 24a allow to set place and immobilize the matrix M on a support S belonging to a composter with vertical movement.

In the representation of Figure 2, a second matrix M 'corresponding to figure 8 is already mounted on the support S, while the matrix M corresponds to the digit 0. For the rest, the matrices M and M 'are identical and their respective components carry the same references in this description.

The support S is provided with two edges 82 and 84 in which are defined notches 92 and 94 of form adapted to receive projections 32 and 34 respectively of the sole 20 of each matrix M, M 'or equivalent. The installation of projections 32 and 34 in the notches 92 and 94 allows the dies M and M 'to be held in position on the support S. In addition, the inner edges 82a and 84a of the borders 82 and 84 are planar, as are edges 22a and 24a of the sole 20, which allows a clearance between these edges. As a variant, these edges can be in contact, which contributes to the immobilization by cooperation of forms of each matrix M, M 'or equivalent on the support S, and this removably.

The sole 20 of each matrix M therefore makes it possible to constitute the interface between each steel block 10 and the support S, the sole 20 of a matrix M being in practice interposed between the body 10 of this matrix and the support S when this matrix is mounted on this support.

Thus, when it is advisable to dial a license plate number, it suffices to have the matrices of the corresponding characters on the support S, as shown by the arrow F ₂ in FIG. 2. The mounting of the matrices M, M ' and the like on the support S is removable in the sense that, after making a set of number plates, the dies are removed from the support.

The shape of the edges 82 and 84 of the support S can vary from one composting machine to another. The sole 20 allows the body 10 to be adapted to the exact type of support S and therefore to manufacture the bodies 10 in large quantities, regardless of the exact type of composting machine used, these bodies being obtained by machining plates of metal or composite material.

The soles 20 are injection molded plastic taking into account the geometry of the support S used. As shown in Figures 6 to 10, this geometry is very variable and the shape of the soles 20 is then adapted to the shape of the borders 82 and the like of the media in question.

Furthermore, the shape of the projections 26 and 28 is kept for all soles 20 because the shape of the body 10 does not change at their notches 16 and 18 respectively. The same goes for the opposite edge 24 of the soles 20 which is not shown in Figures 6 to 9.

As shown in Figure 6, the support S can be provided with a pin 192 intended to be introduced into a through hole 132 formed in the border 22 of the sole 20.

As shown in FIG. 7, the edge 82 can be provided with a projection 292 while the edge 22 of the sole 20 is provided with a notch 232 of form corresponding.

As shown in Figure 8, the edge 382 of the support S can be provided with teeth 392 suitable for cooperate with teeth 332 of corresponding shape provided on border 22.

As shown in FIG. 9, the border 482 of the support S can be provided with an elongated rib 492, while the edge 22 of the sole 20 is provided with a oblong light of corresponding shape 432.

Of course, the examples shown in the figures 6 to 9 are not limiting and the reliefs allowing immobilization of each matrix M on the support correspondent can have any suitable form depending, in practice, on the form chosen for the support S.

As can be seen more particularly from FIG. 4, the sole 20 can be provided, on its face 20 b facing away from the volume V ₂₀ , with a mark 21 making it possible to identify the alphanumeric character which can be achieved thanks to this matrix.

Similarly, another reference 23 may be provided on this face 20 b to indicate the identity of the manufacturer of the matrix M or of the end user, for example a chain of large surfaces specialized in automotive equipment.

The marks 21 and 23 are obtained by molding during the manufacture of the sole 20, without the need for rework in machining.

The punch P shown in FIG. 5 also includes a sole 70 of the same type as the sole 20 of the corresponding matrix, this sole 70 being provided with projections 26 ′ and 28 ′ and with a projection provided on the opposite edge adapted to cooperate. with notches 66, 68 and with a not shown notch provided on the two opposite edges of the body 60. The sole 70 is further provided with projections 32 'and 34' which extend from straight edges 22 ' a and 24 has and have the same function as the projections 32 and 34 of the sole 20.

So like the sole 20 of the matrix, the sole 70 of the punch creates an interface between the body 60 and the support, not shown, on which it must be mounted.

As for sole 20, the marks can be provided on the outer face of this sole, that is to say the face opposite the body 60.

In practice, the soles 20 and 70 can be identical.

The invention is not limited to characters intended to be mounted in a movement stamping machine essentially vertical but can be used as shown in Figure 10, with articulated characters. The support S of the matrix M is then articulated on the support S 'of the punch P, while the soles 20 and 70 are respectively inserted between the bodies 10 and 60 and supports S and S '.

The invention is not limited to characters but is applicable to die-cut characters a colored PVC adhesive sheet affixed to the face back of a transparent plastic plate, for example of PMMA. As shown in Figure 11, such character which forms a punch P has its body 60 provided with ribs or cutting edges 60a instead of one footprint. This body must also be mounted on a support, for which one can use a sole 70 having the same geometry and the same function as that of the first embodiment.

In practice, large quantities of body 10 or 60 provided with imprint and mount these, at the request, on soles 20 or 70, depending on machines to be fitted.

When making a character such as previously described, we understand that we select a sole which depends on the geometry of the support S on which we plan to mount the punch or die in question, so that these mounting reliefs 32, 34, 32 ', 34', 132, 232, 332 or 432 and equivalent are suitable for complementary reliefs 92, 94, 192, 292, 392, 492 or equivalents provided on this support. When this choice is done, we then assemble the body of the character and the sole by bonding and / or by cooperation of shapes of the reliefs 16, 26, 18, 28 and the like.

Given the material of the sole 20 or 70, the invention allows weight gain.

In addition, the body length 10 or 60 of a character according to the invention is less than the total length of a metallic character provided with means of mounting on a support. It follows that the risks of deformation of the body during a hardening heat treatment are minimized compared to those of known characters.

The characteristics of the different modes of shown achievements can be combined in the context of the present invention.

The invention has been shown during its implementation for the production of license plates. She is however applicable to the manufacture of other plates bearing alphanumeric characters, in particular of nameplates.

Claims (10)

Stamping, cutting and / or crimping character comprising a punch (P) and / or a die (M) capable of being each mounted on a support (S) by means of which they are moved or held in place for stamping, cutting and / or crimping a plate or a sheet material, in particular for a number or sign plate, said punch and / or said matrix each comprising a stamping body (10, 60) defining their relief (12, 60a, 62) or cutting, characterized in that said punch (P) and / or said die (M) also comprises a sole (20, 70) on which is mounted said body (10, 60) and which is provided with means (32, 34, 32 ', 34';132;232;332; 432) of removable mounting (F ₂ ) on said support (S). Character according to claim 1, characterized in that said punch (P) and said matrix (M) each comprise a body (10, 60) forming a relief (12, 62) of stamping or cutting and a sole (20, 70 ) removable mounting on a corresponding support (S). Character according to claim 2, characterized in that said bodies (10, 60) are formed in metal plates of the same thickness (e). Character according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said sole (20, 70) is made of molded plastic, in particular of polyamide loaded with reinforcing fibers. Character according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said mounting means include reliefs (32, 34, 32 ', 34';132;232;332; 432) adapted to cooperate with reliefs (92, 94; 192; 292; 392; 432) of corresponding shape provided on the support (S) for locking said sole (20, 70) on said support by cooperation of shapes. Character according to claim 5, characterized in that said reliefs (32, 34; 132; 232; 432) of said sole (20, 70) are obtained by molding, during the manufacture of said sole. Character according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said body (10, 60) is permanently mounted, in particular glued or crimped, on said sole (20,70). Character according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises means (16, 18, 26, 28, 26 ', 28', 30) for locking by cooperation of shapes of said body (10, 60) on said sole (20, 70). Character according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said sole (20, 70) carries, on one side (20b) intended to be oriented towards said support (S) when said sole is mounted on said support, a mark d 'identification (21, 23) obtained by molding during the manufacture of said sole. Method of manufacturing a stamping or cutting character comprising a punch (P) and a die (M) each intended to be mounted on a support (S) by means of which they are moved or held in place for stamping, cutting and / or crimping a plate or sheet material, in particular for a number plate, said punch and / or said matrix comprising a body (10, 60) defining a stamping or cutting relief (12, 60a, 62), characterized in that it comprises steps consisting in: a) - manufacturing said body (10, 60) by machining a metal plate b) - manufacturing, by plastic molding, soles (20, 70) suitable for receiving the body (10, 60) of said member and provided with means (32, 34; 132, 232; 332; 432) for removable mounting able to cooperate with complementary means (92, 94; 192; 292; 392; 492) provided on different supports (S) c) - select, for said punch (P) and / or said matrix (M) and as a function of the support (S) on which this member (P, M) is intended to be mounted, a sole including the removable mounting means are able to cooperate with the complementary means of said support to immobilize said member formed by said body and said sole on said support and d) - immobilizing said body on said sole.

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