Active Back Gauge System for Adjusting Position of a Piece of Sheet Material in a Bending Brake, and Kit

This application claims the benefit and priority of provisional patent application Ser. No. 63/633,801, filed Apr. 14, 2024; the content of all of which is herein incorporated in entirety by reference.

The present technology relates to a sheet metal bending brake, more particularly to an active back gauge system for positioning sheet material to be bent or cut in a sheet metal bending brake, and a method for installation thereof.

Sheet metal bending brakes are generally used for bending a sheet member made of a malleable material (typically metallic material, e.g. aluminum, steel, copper, etc., and various other alloys) by mechanical deformation along a bending line. The sheet metal bending brakes generally include a lower elongated member fixedly supported on a frame and defining a lower clamping surface, and an upper elongated member defining an upper clamping surface. The upper member is vertically movable on the frame toward and away from the lower member for clamping the sheet material between the upper and lower clamping surfaces, that, once exerting a clamping force on the sheet material, define the bending line.

The frame of the sheet metal bending brakes typically comprises an interconnected series of C-shaped frames that open horizontally frontward the sheet metal bending brakes and hold the upper and lower members at corresponding upper and lower ends of the C-shaped frames. Sheet metal bending brakes are generally designed to be portable such that they can be transported for use at temporary work sites. Therefore, such sheet metal bending brakes are capable of being quickly and easily assembled and disassembled. For reference, examples of conventional sheet metal bending brakes are shown and described in the U.S. patent application No. US2006/0086168A1, filed on Oct. 14, 2004 by Sand & Sebolt, and published on April 27, 2006, and in the International Patent Application No. PCT/CA2022/051831A1, filed on Dec. 15, 2022 by 2446914 ONTARIO inc., and published under No. WO2023/108285A1.

A handle is typically provided on top for actuating the clamping/unclamping action of the upper member relative to the lower member of the C-shaped frames. Similarly, a bending member hangs downward from the C-shaped frames such that an operator can reach down, grasp the handle, and pivotably lift the bending member to bend clamped sheet material over the bending line. The sheet material extends forward out away from the upper and lower clamping members.

To bend a sheet material, an operator must first measure and mark in advance a desired bending line on the sheet material, insert the sheet material between the upper and lower clamping members and align the pre-marked desired bending line of the sheet metal with the bending line defined by the clamping members. Then, the operator must both support and hold in position the sheet material with one hand while reaching over to close the clamp by using the handle. Then, the operator must reach down and pull up the bending member and lift it up to the desired angle, possibly while still supporting the sheet material with one hand to make sure the sheet material does not accidently move.

Therefore, a problem associated with conventional sheet metal bending brakes comes from the fact that in order to bend the sheet metal at the proper location, it is necessary to make accurate measurements and set the sheet material in a position in accordance with such measurements on the sheet metal bending brake. Setting the position of the sheet metal on the sheet metal bending brake, particularly when only one person is operating the sheet metal bending brake, and even more particularly if the sheet material is relatively large, requires time and minutia. In addition, it is difficult to assure precision and repeatability of this manually positioning operation in a ‘mass production’ context, i.e., making the same bend or set of compound bends in multiple pieces of sheet material. Conventional settable gauges (e.g. support arm) and other aids or accessories exist, as shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,389,869A, filed on Nov. 18, 1980, by Van Mark Products Corporation, and issued on Jun. 28, 1983 for example, and provide a coarse adjustment mechanism whereby the support arm supports an edge of the piece of sheet material and assist in setting the position of the sheet material generally in the desired position. However, such a coarse adjustment mechanism by itself is still manual and time consuming, especially when compound bends are desired.

Another problem associated with conventional sheet metal bending brakes is the labor and expense associated with formation of compound bends in the sheet material (which are common). For example, as mentioned above, it is conventional practice to pre-mark the desired bending lines on the sheet material (e.g. using a ruler or scale to make marks at the ends of a length of sheet material), and to use these opposed marks in an effort not only to square the sheet material in the sheet metal bending brake but also to locate the positions of the desired bends or cuts. It is understood that this conventional method is time-consuming and prone to imprecisions. For compound bends, marks may need to be made on both sides of the sheet material, which can lead to mistakes and to having unaesthetic marks on a surface of the sheet material that is intended to be exposed while installed. Another conventional technique is to use “templates” (made of a strip of scrap material for instance) having the desired contour or profile of the final desired product, including multiple bends as desired. When the “template” has been bent to a satisfactory contour, it is then flattened again to form a “reference template” showing traces of desired bends to make on a sheet material. This alternative technique is also time-consuming and expensive.

In addition, many sheet metal bending brakes have no sheet material position adjustment mechanism at all. Thus, there is a need for such an adjustment mechanism which can be retrofit onto existing sheet metal bending brakes and which can especially be used with portable sheet metal bending brakes.

In order to mitigate the above-mentioned issues, a sheet material position adjustment mechanism and a kit assembly to convert sheet metal bending brakes are provided herein.

This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features. This general summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify key aspects or essential aspects of the claimed subject matter. Moreover, this summary is not intended for use as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

It is therefore an object of the present technology to ameliorate the situation with respect to at least one of the inconveniences present in the prior art.

It is also an object of the present technology to provide an active back gauge system and a method to install an active back gauge system on a sheet metal bending brake that are improved at least in some instances as compared with some of the prior art.

More particularly, according to an aspect of the present technology, there is provided an active back gauge system for a sheet metal bending brake.

The sheet metal bending brake includes a structure, a C-shaped frame supported by the structure, and that has an upper portion and a lower portion separated by a cavity configured to receive a portion of a piece of sheet material. The lower portion includes a lower clamping member defining a lower clamping surface. The lower clamping member is immobile relative to the lower portion. The upper portion includes an upper clamping member defining an upper clamping surface. The upper clamping member is pivotable relative to the upper portion and selectively movable relative to the lower portion from a raised position to a lowered position. The upper and lower clamping surfaces define a bending edge. The piece of sheet material is insertable between the upper and lower clamping surfaces when the upper clamping member is in the raised position, and clamped between the upper and lower clamping surfaces when the upper clamping member is in the lowered position. A bending member pivotally connected to the lower portion of the C-shaped frame and selectively pivotable about the bending edge is provided to bend the piece of sheet material toward the upper clamping member when the upper clamping member is in the lowered position.

The active back gauge system comprises a frame connected to the sheet metal bending brake that is parallel to the C-shaped frame, a linear displacement assembly configured to move a stopper along a traveling axis and defining an abutment surface configured to support the leading edge of the piece of sheet material, and a controlling system communicably connected to the linear displacement assembly to modify the position of the stopper along the traveling axis to a distance from the bending edge corresponding to a predetermined bending line of a bend to be performed on the piece of sheet material.

In some embodiments, the cavity of the C-shaped frame defines a bending capacity of the sheet metal bending brake, and the active back gauge system is configured and shaped to maintain the bending capacity of the sheet metal bending brake.

In some embodiments, the sheet metal bending brake defines an overall length and an overall width, and the active back gauge system is comprised within the overall length and overall width of the sheet metal bending brake.

In some embodiments, the sheet metal bending brake defines an overall length and an overall width, and the active back gauge system is majoritarily comprised within the overall length and partially extends beyond the overall width of the sheet metal bending brake of a width offset.

In some embodiments, an offset ratio defined by the width offset over the overall width of the sheet metal bending brake is equal or less than 0.3.

In some embodiments, the linear displacement assembly includes a motor operatively connected to a linear driver driving a carriage carrying the stopper along the traveling axis.

In some embodiments, the linear driver is one of a lead screw, a belt and drive assembly, a rack and pinion assembly, a piston assembly, and a ballscrew assembly.

In some embodiments, the stopper is adapted to extend toward and adjacent to a rearwardmost edge of the lower clamping surface of the sheet metal bending brake when the stopper is in a forwardmost position along the traveling axis.

In some embodiments, the active back gauge system is connected to the structure of the sheet metal bending brake.

In some embodiments, the active back gauge system is connected to the C-shaped frame.

In some embodiments, the active back gauge system is majoritarily comprised below a plane defined by the lower clamping surface of the C-shaped frame, except for a portion of the stopper extending above the plane.

In some embodiments, the controlling system includes a controller unit, a user interface, and a power source configured to selectively operate the active back gauge system in accordance with predetermined instructions.

In some embodiments, the sheet metal bending brake is a portable sheet metal bending brake.

In some embodiments, the sheet metal bending brake is a model from InnovaTools Inc. or Van Mark Product Corp.

According to another aspect of the present technology, a kit assembly to convert an existing sheet metal bending brake without a gauging system into a sheet metal bending brake with an active back gauge system on is disclosed.

More particularly, the conversion kit assembly provides automatic adjustment position of a piece of sheet material in a sheet metal bending brake to a predetermined distance from a bending edge for performing a bend in accordance with a predetermined bending line.

The kit assembly comprises a frame connectable to the sheet metal bending brake, a linear displacement assembly, a stopper and a controlling system.

In some embodiments, the stopper of the kit assembly is specifically designed and adapted to fit on a model of sheet metal bending brake to which the conversion kit is connected.

In some embodiments, the kit assembly forms an active back gauge system that is comprised within an overall width of the sheet metal bending brake, once assembled and connected to the sheet metal bending brake.

In some embodiments, the kit assembly forms an active back gauge system that is majoritarily comprised below a clamping surface of the sheet metal bending brake except for a portion of the stopper that extends above the clamping surface, once assembled and connected to the sheet metal bending brake.

In some embodiments, the kit assembly comprises a cavity guide for guiding the leading edge of the piece of sheet material and preventing excessive sagging of the piece of sheet material in the cavity of the C-shaped frame of the sheet metal bending brake.

Embodiments of the present technology each have at least one of the above-mentioned object and/or aspects, but do not necessarily have all of them. It should be understood that some aspects of the present technology that have resulted from attempting to attain the above-mentioned object may not satisfy this object and/or may satisfy other objects not specifically recited herein.

Additional and/or alternative features, aspects, and advantages of embodiments of the present technology will become apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

In the context of the present disclosure, unless expressly provided otherwise, the words “first”, “second”, “third”, etc. as well as “primary” and “secondary” have been used as adjectives only for the purpose of allowing for distinction between the nouns that they modify from one another and not for the purpose of describing any particular relationship between the nouns.

It must be noted that, as used in this disclosure and the appended claims, the singular form “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

As used herein, the term “about” in the context of a given value or range refers to a value or a range that is within 20%, preferably within 10%, and more preferably within 5% of the given value or range.

As used herein, the term “and/or” is to be taken as specific disclosure of each of the two specified features or components with or without the other. For example, “A and/or B” is to be taken as specific disclosure of each of (i) A, (ii) B and (iii) A and B, just as if each is set out individually herein.

The description of the present technology, which relates to various embodiments of a sheet material position adjustment mechanism, and more particularly of an active back gauge system for adjusting position of a sheet material in a sheet metal bending brake, is intended to be a description of illustrative examples of the present technology.

It is to be expressly understood that the various embodiments of the active back gauge system are merely embodiments of the present technology. Thus, the description thereof that follows is intended to be only a description of illustrative examples of the present technology. This description is not intended to define the scope or set forth the bounds of the present technology. In some cases, what are believed to be helpful examples of modifications or alternatives to apparatus may also be set forth below. This is done merely as an aid to understanding, and, again, not to define the scope or set forth the bounds of the present technology. These modifications are not an exhaustive list, and, as a person skilled in the art would understand, other modifications are likely possible.

Further, where this has not been done (i.e. where no examples of modifications have been set forth), it should not be interpreted that no modifications are possible and/or that what is described is the sole manner of implementing or embodying that element of the present technology. As a person skilled in the art would understand, this is likely not the case.

In addition, it is to be understood that the apparatus may provide in certain aspects a simple embodiment of the present technology, and that where such is the case it has been presented in this manner as an aid to understanding. As persons skilled in the art would understand, various embodiments of the present technology may be of a greater complexity than what is described herein.

Descriptions are provided herein below for one or more embodiments based on the drawings. In the respective drawings referenced herein, the same constituents are designated by the same reference numerals and a duplicate explanation concerning the same constituents is omitted for brevity.

With reference to, an embodiment of a conventional sheet metal bending brakeis generally described. It is understood that the embodiment of sheet metal bending brake described herein is examplary and that different configurations of sheet metal bending brakes are contemplated, depending on the type, model, brand, etc. thereof, for instance.

The sheet metal bending brakes differ from press brakes. Generally speaking, in comparison to press brakes where the bending operation of a sheet material is performed by a vertical movement of an anvil against a die, operation which develops a compressive force between the anvil and the die toward the sheet material and causing bending thereof, the sheet metal bending brakes perform the bending operation of a sheet material by a pivotal movement of a bending member relative to a clamping assembly that holds the sheet metal in place.