CH707420A1 - Clamping unit, useful for detachably fastening a component in a fixing support of mounting system, comprises a movable member, a fixed element, and a spacing formed between movable member and fixed element and intended to receive component - Google Patents

Abstract

The clamping unit comprises: a movable member (11); a fixed element (9); a spacing (7) formed between the movable member and the fixed element and intended to receive a component; a first spring element (4) arranged so that the movable member moves between a closed position in which the component is held in the clamping unit, and an open position in which the component is released from the clamping unit; and a second spring element (5) included in the spacing to maintain the component fixed in the spacing when the movable member is in the closed position. The clamping unit comprises: a movable member (11); a fixed element (9); a spacing (7) formed between the movable member and the fixed element and intended to receive a component; a first spring element (4) arranged so that the movable member moves between a closed position in which the component is held in the clamping unit, and an open position in which the component is released from the clamping unit; and a second spring element (5) included in the spacing to maintain the component fixed in the spacing when the movable member is in the closed position. The second spring element includes a parallel blade extending to the spacing. The clamping unit further comprises a stop element for positioning the component in the spacing. The fixed element and the movable member have a width higher than the width of the first and second spring elements. The first spring element has a width lower than its thickness. A section of the first spring element is larger than that of the second spring element. The first and second spring elements are arranged so that the displacement between the first position and the second position of the movable member compared to the fixed element does not generate plastic deformation of the material forming the clamping unit. Each of the first and second spring elements has a length corresponding to three times the width of the fixed element and the movable member, and comprises a curved portion. Independent claims are included for: (1) a fixing support; and (2) a mounting system.

Description

Technical area

The present invention relates to a clamping unit for the removable attachment of a component and a fixing bracket comprising a plurality of clamping units. The mounting bracket can be used for machining operations, chemical or electrochemical treatments, cleaning and storage of supported components.

State of the art

During machining operations, chemical or electrochemical treatments, cleaning and storage, the components to be treated are conventionally fixed on a support comprising several metal bars, usually stainless steel, by clamping the pin between two adjacent bars.

In such supports, the clamping of the pins between the steel bars can deform the pins if the pressure applied between the bars is too high, resulting in a number of non-compliant components and therefore a decrease in the performance of the rods. manufacturing process.

On the other hand, the removal of a component of the support requires clamping pins which results in the release of all components attached to the support.

summary

The present invention relates to a clamping unit comprising a movable member; a fixed element; a spacing formed between the movable member and the fixed member and adapted to receive the component; a first spring member arranged so that the movable member is movable between a closed position in which the component is held in the clamping unit and an open position in which the component is released from the clamping unit; and a second spring member included in the spacing arranged to maintain the fixed component in the gap when the movable member is in the closed position.

The invention also relates to a fixing support comprising a base carrying a plurality of the clamping unit, wherein the clamping units are arranged along a strip and connected to each other by the intermediate of the first spring element.

The invention also relates to a fastening system comprising the mounting bracket and a control module for controlling the lateral displacement of the strip.

The fixing support described here is arranged so that, in the first position, the clamping force exerted by each of the clamping units is essentially the same. The first spring element makes it possible to mount the components in the support even in the presence of a certain dimensional variation from one component to the other. The mounting bracket is simple to manufacture and takes up little space. The mounting bracket lends itself to automation of the opening and closing of clamping units. The mounting bracket makes it possible to fix a number of components on the support or to remove from the support without disturbing the fixing of the other components fixed on the support.

Brief description of the figures

The invention will be better understood with the details of embodiment which are given in the description which follows, and illustrated by the figures presented solely for purposes of non-limiting examples, and in which: <tb> fig. 1 <SEP> illustrates a fastening support having a plurality of clamping units, according to one embodiment; <tb> figs. 2 and 3 <SEP> show a detail of the fixing support showing clamping units, according to one embodiment; and <tb> fig. 4 <SEP> illustrates a control module of the mounting bracket, according to one embodiment.

Example (s) of embodiment of the invention

FIG. 1 illustrates a mounting bracket 100 according to one embodiment. The support 100 comprises a base 8 and a plurality of clamping units 10 formed on the base 8. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 showing a detail of the fixing support 100, each clamping unit 10 comprises a movable element 11, a fixed element 9 (see FIG 3) and a spacing 7 formed between the movable element 11 and the fixed element 9 and intended to receive a component (not shown). A first spring element 4 is arranged so that the movable element 11 can move laterally between a first position (or closed position, shown in Figures 2 and 3) in which the width of the spacing 7 is minimal, and a second position (or open position) in which the spacing 7 is maximum. A second spring member 5, included in the spacing 7, is arranged to hold the fixed component in the gap 7 by pressing the component against the movable member 11 when the latter is in the closed position. In the open position, the width of the gap 7 no longer allows the second spring member 5 to maintain the fixed component.

The arrangement of the second spring element 5 also makes it possible to tolerate a certain dimensional variation from one component to the other, this variation being compensated by a greater or lesser deformation of the second spring element 5. The dimensional variation is in is limited to the width of the spacing 7 when the movable member 11 is in the closed position.

The clamping force exerted by the second spring element 5 is determined by the second spring element shape 5. For example, in the example shown, the first spring element 4 is a spring blade providing a clamping force in the closed position , and a restoring force bringing the movable member 11 into the closed position, the spring 5 is deformed by the force provided by the spring 4 and thus damped the action. In the case where a large clamping force is required, the clamping force exerted by the second spring member 5 can be increased by the application of an external force (see below for an example of a such implementation). The second spring element 5 also takes the form of a blade extending substantially parallel with the spacing 7 formed by the flanks of the fixed element 9 and the movable element 11.

The clamping unit 10 may also comprise a stop element 6 serving as a reference for the positioning of the component in the spacing 7. In FIGS. 2 and 3, the abutment element 6 is formed by a portion cut in a metal plate at one end of the spacing 7.

In a preferred embodiment, the clamping unit 10 comprising the fixed element 9, the movable element 11, the first and second spring element 4, 5, is formed by cutting into a plate forming even the base 8. The cutting of the metal plate is performed by a laser cutting method. The cutting can also be carried out by any other appropriate method, for example by electroerosion. The production of the support 100 "monoblock" from a plate simplifies the manufacturing steps of the support 100. The support 100 thus manufactured is also less subject to contamination since its one-piece configuration makes it easier to clean.

The support may be used for different operations and / or treatments to be performed on the components attached to the support 100. These operations and / or treatments may include machining operations, chemical or electrochemical treatment, cleaning and maintenance. storage of supported components.

The support 100 may be manufactured in different materials according to the desired use. For example, the support 100 the support may be made of metal such as titanium or a titanium alloy, steel, cuprous alloy or any other material having sufficient flexibility to obtain the displacement of the movable member 11 and a force adapted clamping provided by the first spring element 4. The material forming the support 100 may be chosen depending on the application, to avoid any subsequent surface treatment. The material and its thickness can also be chosen so that the support 100 is flexible, thus allowing strip work. Anyway, such a support will be easily manageable, especially when it is manufactured in a thin sheet due to its low weight and its adaptable dimensions.

The support 100 may also include fixing holes 1 for fixing the support 100 on an instrument. The indexing of the support 100 is possible thanks to the fixing orifices 1 and / or marks added to the support 100, so as to allow the positioning of the support 100 and the supported components without the need to use visual means. . Several supports 100 can thus be easily stacked on each other, possibly automatically.

To prevent deformation of the mounting bracket 100 and ensure its flatness, especially in the case where the latter is manufactured in a thin metal plate, the width of the fixed element 9 and the movable member 11 is preferably greater than the width of the first spring element 5 and the width of the second spring element 4. For example, the width of the fixed and movable elements 9, 11 may be approximately 50% greater than the width of the first and second elements spring 4, 5. For the same reason, the first spring element 4 has a width preferably smaller than its thickness. In one embodiment, the width of the first spring member 4 is less than the thickness of the support 8. The second spring member 5 in which the component is to be fitted must be typically more flexible than the first spring member 4. Therefore the second spring element 5 may have a width smaller than that of the first spring element 4. More generally, the section of the first spring element 4 is preferably larger than that of the second spring element 5 whose role is to dampen the action of the first spring element 4.

Still in one embodiment, the first and second spring members 4, 5 are arranged so that the displacement between the closed and open positions of the movable member 11 does not generate plastic deformation of the material forming the clamping unit 10. This can be achieved in the case where the length of each of the first and second spring element 4, 5 allows a deformation at least equal to the width of the spacing 3 without plastic deformation. A simple calculation in pure bending allows the determination of the minimum length of the first and second spring elements 4, 5. For example, the first and second spring elements 4, 5 may have a length corresponding to at least three times the width of the fixed and movable element 9, 11. Such a length of the first and second spring elements 4, 5 can be obtained, for example, by giving a curved shape. In the example of fig. 2 and 3, each of the first and second spring elements 4, 5 comprises a curved portion 12.

As illustrated in FIG. 1 and also in detail in FIGS. 2 and 3, the clamping units 10 are arranged in rows. Along a row (or band, indicated by numeral 15 in Figs. 1 and 2), the clamping units 10 are connected to each other via the first spring element 4. More particularly , the first spring element 4 is connected via one of its ends to the fixed element 9 of a clamping unit 10 and, via the other end, to the movable element 11 of the adjacent clamping unit 10 in the row. In this configuration, the movement of the closed position to the open position of the movable member 11 of a clamping unit 10 induces the same displacement of the movable member 11 of the adjacent clamping unit 10. In other words, the displacement of the movable member 11 of the clamping unit 10 at the beginning of a band 15 (for example the clamping unit indicated by the number 10 in Fig. 1) will induce the same movement of the movable element 11 of each of the clamping units 10 included in the band 15.

In the example of FIGS. 1 and 2, the support 100 comprises five bands 15, each band 15 having two rows of clamping units 10 arranged successively and substantially parallel. It should be noted that the support may comprise a different number of bands 15 and a different arrangement of the clamping units 10 in each of the strips 15. For example, a band may comprise a single row or more than two rows of clamping units. 10.

In one embodiment, the strip 15 can be pulled laterally so as to cause the displacement of the movable member 11 of each of the clamping units 10 of the strip 15 from the closed to open position. To this end, the band 15 may comprise at one of its ends an orifice 2 intended to draw more easily on the band 15, for example, via a lateral displacement of a rod (not shown) received in the orifice 2.

In the case where the fixing support 100 comprises several strips 15, each strip 15 can be pulled independently of one another. The components having been mounted on one of the strips 15 of the support 100 will therefore remain attached to the support 100 when another strip 15 is pulled out and the components mounted on this latter strip 15 are released as a result of the pulling of the strip 15.

The support 100 may also comprise a strip spacing 3 whose width determines the distance over which the strip can be pulled, and therefore the maximum opening distance of the movable member 11 of each of the clamping units 10 in each case. band 15.

The present invention also relates to a fastening system comprising the fixing support 100 and a control module 200 (see FIG 4) for controlling the displacement of the strip 15, and therefore the displacement of the movable member 11 to each of the clamping units 10 in the band 15. The control module 200 is arranged to control the lateral displacement of each band 15 independently of one another. The control module 200 may also be adapted to apply an external force on the strip 15 in the closed position so as to increase the clamping force exerted by the second spring element 5.

Fig. 3 4 illustrates the control module 200 according to an embodiment in which the control module 200 comprises five actuators 201 for controlling the movement of the five strips 15 of the support 100 of FIG. 1 independently. The control module 200 may also include a switching module 202 connected to the control module 200 so as to independently control the various actuators 201 via, for example, different switches 203.

Reference numbers used in the figures

[0027] <tb> 1 <SEP> assembly hole <Tb> 2 <September> orifice <tb> 3 <SEP> band spacing <tb> 4 <SEP> first spring element <tb> 5 <SEP> second element spring <tb> 6 <SEP> stop element <Tb> 7 <September> spacer <Tb> 8 <September> base <tb> 9 <SEP> fixed element <tb> 10 <SEP> clamping unit <tb> 10 <SEP> first tightening unit of a band <tb> 11 <SEP> moving element <tb> 12 <SEP> curved portion <Tb> 15 <September> band <Tb> 16 <September> tigelle <Tb> 100 <September> carrier <tb> 200 <SEP> control module <Tb> 201 <September> actuator <tb> 202 <SEP> switch module <Tb> 203 <September> switches

Claims (22)

A clamping unit (10) for removably attaching a component, comprising: a movable member (11); a fixed member (9); a spacing (7) formed between the movable member (11) and the fixed member (9) and adapted to receive the component; a first spring member (5) arranged so that the movable member (11) can move between a closed position in which the component is held in the clamping unit (10) and an open position in which the component is released from the clamping unit (10); and a second spring member (5) included in the spacing (7) arranged to hold the fixed component in the gap (7) when the movable member (11) is in the closed position, The clamping unit (10) according to claim 1, wherein the second spring member (5) comprises a blade extending substantially parallel with the spacing (7). The clamping unit (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein further comprising a stop member (6) for positioning the component in the gap (7). 4. The clamping unit (10) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the fixed member (9) and the movable member (11) have a width greater than the width of the first and second spring element (4, 5). 5. The clamping unit (10) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first spring member (4) has a width less than its thickness. 6. The clamping unit (10) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the section of the first spring member (4) is larger than that of the second spring member (5). 7. The clamping unit (10) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first and second spring members (4, 5) are arranged so that the movement between the first position and second position. of the movable element (11) with respect to the fixed element (9) does not generate plastic deformation of the material forming the clamping unit. The clamping unit (10) according to claim 7, wherein each of the first and second spring members (4, 5) has a length corresponding to at least three times the width of the fixed member (9) and the movable element (11). 9. The clamping unit (10) according to claim 7 or. 8, wherein each of the first and second spring members (4, 5) has a curved portion (12). 10. Fixing bracket (100) comprising a base (8) carrying a plurality of the clamping unit (10) characterized by one of claims 1 to 9; wherein the clamping units (10) are arranged along a web (15) and connected to each other via the first spring element (4). The fixing support (100) according to claim 10, wherein the first spring element (4) is connected via one of its ends to the fixed element (9) of a clamping unit (10) and via the other end, to the movable member (11) of the adjacent clamping unit (10) in the row, so that the movement of the closed position to the open position of the movable member (11) of a clamping unit (10) induces the same displacement of the movable element (11) of the adjacent clamping unit (10). 12. The mounting bracket (100) according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the movement of the open position to the closed position of the movable member (11) of each of the clamping units (10) included in the band is obtained by a lateral displacement of the band (15). 13. The mounting bracket (100) according to one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the strip (15) comprises at one of its ends an orifice (2) for facilitating the lateral displacement of the strip (15). 14. The mounting bracket (100) according to one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the strip (15) comprises two rows of clamping units (10). The mounting bracket (100) according to one of claims 10 to 14, further comprising a band gap (3) whose width determines the distance over which the band can be laterally displaced. 16. The mounting bracket (100) according to one of claims 10 to 15, comprising a plurality of strips (15), each strip (15) being movable laterally independently of one another. 17. The mounting bracket (100) according to one of claims 10 to 16, wherein the base comprises fixing holes (1). 18. The mounting bracket (100) according to one of claims 9 to 15, wherein the clamping units (10) are made by laser cutting. 19. A fastening system comprising the mounting bracket (100) according to one of claims 10 to 18 and a control module (200) for controlling the lateral displacement of the strip (15). The system of claim 19, wherein the control module (200) is also adapted to apply an external force on the strip (15) in the closed position so as to increase the clamping force exerted by the second spring member. (5) each of the clamping units (10) included in the band (15). The system of claim 19 or 20, wherein the mounting bracket (100) comprises a plurality of strips (15) and wherein the control module (200) controls the lateral displacement of each of the strips (15) independently one from the other. 22. The system of claim 21, wherein the control module (200) further comprises a switching module (202) connectable to the control module (200) so as to independently control different actuators (201) included in the module. control unit (200), each actuator (201) controlling a band (15) independently of the other bands (15).