EP1281480B1 - Clamping device - Google Patents

Abstract

The gripping yoke (1) consists of an upper jaw (4) that can be deployed and retracted relative to a lower thrust member (3) by means of a power cylinder. In the retracted position the jaw and thrust member lie flush with one another, while in the deployed position the jaw rotates about its axis by means of a guide rod in the power cylinder so that a workpiece can be gripped between the jaw and thrust member.

Description

The present invention relates to a clamping flange according to the preamble of claim 1. It relates to more particularly a clamp for positioning and the maintenance of parts during their machining by machining centers specific working by chip removal.

A flange as described in the preamble of claim 1 is known of the prior art, for example, by DE-A-3,334,401.

Many types of clamps are known for blocking of parts for their machining. Lever flanges are thus found swivel that come to grip the room between the lever arm and a support surface of the flange. However, this type of flange is not suitable for this type of work, in particular because of the lack of retraction of support.

In the field of wood, several solutions have been developed and particularly vacuum systems such as suction cups or the vacuum tables. However, for some parts machining, the suction surface is too small compared to the cutting force and these vacuum systems are therefore not suitable for this type of work. wooden pieces. Some manufacturers have developed vices pneumatic mounted on suction cup.

However, these vises also have drawbacks related to their size, the lack of retractable support and their number necessary for the maintenance of the room. So, to be able to practice some machining, the user must move said vises to release the of the tool, this sometimes necessitates the momentary stopping of the machine and thus makes the machining longer.

The present invention aims to remedy aforementioned drawbacks using means, simple, reliable, easy to put implemented and inexpensive. It offers an easy-to-use clamp and who can retract to leave free space for the passage of the cutting tools during machining either at the flange, at the level of support.

According to its main characteristic, the clamp of the invention is of the type comprising an upper jaw with a surface of abutment and a lower jaw with a bearing surface, said jaws being movable to move relative to each other along an axis of displacement under the action of biasing means, and is characterized in it includes a retraction device that allows one of the bearing or stop surfaces to retract from a position of where it covers at least partially the other support surface or stop in the direction of movement of the jaws to a free position where she does not cover her anymore and vice versa.

According to another characteristic of the clamping flange of the invention, it is characterized in that the retraction device is implemented by moving the jaws under the action of the means of solicitation.

According to a complementary feature of the clamp of the invention, it is characterized in that the retraction device is a swivel-type device that allows the flange to be pivoted greater than the other around the axis of movement of the jaws.

According to the preferred embodiment of the clamp, the biasing means comprise a secondary cylinder which displaces the upper flange relative to the lower support along the axis of displacement.

According to another characteristic of the clamping flange of the invention, it is characterized in that the displacement of the flange higher is between a low point and a high point and that the pivoting of the upper flange, thanks to the retraction device, occurs when moving it upwards in the vicinity from the high point, and when it goes from a low rest position corresponding to the low point at a high clamping position or Conversely.

According to the preferred embodiment of the clamping flange of the invention, the retraction device comprises a guide rod and fixed pivoting having a propeller intended to cooperate with a dog of training to rotate it a half-turn when traveling through the stem and its propeller from bottom to top, said clutch comprising notches of training which make it possible to secure it in rotation with a drive plate secured to a cylinder rod which forms part of the upper flange, to obtain the pivoting of the surface of the flange higher when the retraction device is implemented.

According to this embodiment, the cylinder rod, which carries a flange to its upper end to form the upper flange, has a internal bore, the upper part of which is intended to allow the passage of the guide rod and pivot and whose lower part constitutes a housing for the driving dog whose dimensions allow the dog to be positioned in the low position engaged where its notches cooperate with the notches of the drive plate attached to the cylinder rod to cause it to pivot during the climb, either in high position where the notches are disengaged to let the dog pivot freely while the cylinder rod is descending along the rod of guiding and pivoting.

According to another characteristic of the clamping flange of the invention, it is characterized in that the solicitation means include a main jack that allows the displacement of the support lower, while said lower support forms the cylinder body of a secondary cylinder whose cylinder rod forms part of the upper flange and in that the retraction device is implemented in a manner automatic by moving the upper flange under the action of the secondary cylinder.

According to a complementary feature of the clamp of the invention, it is characterized in that the shape of the support and the upper flange is complementary to constitute together a circular profile centered on the axis of movement of the jaws.

According to the preferred embodiment of the clamping flange of the invention, the shape of the surface of the lower support is a portion of circle smaller than that of the abutment surface of the upper jaw.

Other features and advantages of the invention will emerge of the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings which are not given as non-limiting examples.

La figure 1 représente en perspective la bride de serrage au repos.

La figure 2 illustre en perspective la bride de serrage en position intermédiaire avant le pivotement du mors supérieur.

La figure 3 illustre en perspective la bride de serrage lors du pivotement du-mors supérieur.

La figure 4 représente en perspective la bride de serrage en position haute après le pivotement du mors supérieur.

La figure 5 représente en perspective la bride de serrage en position de serrage.

La figure 6 illustre en coupe transversale la bride de serrage et son mécanisme.

La figure 7 illustre en perspective la coopération des moyens d'entraínement avec la tige de guidage et de pivotement.

Les figures 8a à 8d illustrent schématiquement la bride de serrage lors du passage de la position de repos vers une position de serrage.

Les figures 9a à 9d représentent schématiquement la bride de serrage lors du passage de la position de serrage vers la position de repos.

La figure 10 illustre en perspective le crabot d'entraínement et sa platine d'entraínement.

Figures 1 to 9d illustrate the preferred embodiment of the clamping clamp of the invention and its constituent elements.

Figure 1 shows in perspective the clamping clamp at rest.

Figure 2 illustrates in perspective the clamping clamp in the intermediate position before the pivoting of the upper jaw.

Figure 3 illustrates in perspective the clamping flange when pivoting the upper jaw.

Figure 4 shows in perspective the clamp in high position after the pivoting of the upper jaw.

Figure 5 shows in perspective the clamping flange in the clamping position.

Figure 6 illustrates in cross section the clamp and its mechanism.

Figure 7 illustrates in perspective the cooperation of the drive means with the guide rod and pivoting.

Figures 8a to 8d schematically illustrate the clamping flange when moving from the rest position to a clamping position.

Figures 9a to 9d show schematically the clamping flange when moving from the clamping position to the rest position.

Figure 10 illustrates in perspective the drive dog and its drive plate.

The present invention relates to a clamping flange carrying the general reference (1). It is more particularly intended for positioning and clamping of parts (2) for their machining by specific machining centers; however, it could be used to other similar applications with minor adaptations without however, to leave the claimed field of protection of the invention. She has a lower support (3) provided with a lower bearing surface (3a) and an upper jaw (4) with an upper clamping surface (4a), said jaws for gripping a piece (2), as shown particularly in FIG. 5. In its clamping position (A), the flange (1) has its upper clamping surface (4a) in line with its surface lower support (3a), while biasing means to solicit them towards each other.

According to the invention, the lower support (3) and the upper jaw (4) are movable relative to each other to move along an axis (ZZ ') called axis of movement of the jaws under the action of the means of solicitation. It may be noted that, according to the preferred embodiment of the clamping flange, it has a rounded shape and the axis of displacement (ZZ ') is its axis of revolution, the flange being preferentially intended to be used standing with the axis (ZZ ') disposed at the vertical. However, we could conceive of variants of execution where tightening of the jaws would no longer be done on the height, but in a way side without departing from the scope of the invention.

According to the invention, the clamping flange (1) comprises a device retraction which makes it possible to move one of the support or clamping (3a, 4a) of the lower support (3) and the upper jaw (4) for that it is no longer in line with the other surface. Thus retracted, when the jaws move between them along the axis (ZZ '), their surfaces of support and clamping (3a, 4a) can not grip parts and jaws can thus come to the rest position (B), as illustrated in FIG.

According to the preferred embodiment, the retraction device is a swivel-type device that can rotate the surface of upper clamping (4a) around the axis of displacement (ZZ ') of the support lower part (3) and the upper jaw (4) so that it no longer covers the direction (ZZ ') the lower bearing surface (3a) of the lower support (3).

According to the invention, the retraction device is actuated by the biasing means which handle the movement of the lower support (3) and the upper jaw (4) along the axis (ZZ '). It is thus implemented automatically when moving the lower support (3) and the upper jaw (4) and is therefore not managed independently of these. The biasing means are constituted by a cylinder (5) said cylinder secondary, preferably pneumatic type, which acts on the bit upper (4) to move it relative to the lower support (3) which forms the body of this secondary cylinder. Said displacement of the upper jaw (4) advantageously takes place between a high point (C), illustrated in FIGS. 9c, and a low point (B), illustrated in FIGS. 8a and 9d, corresponding to the position rest. Note that the clamping position (A) illustrated in FIGS. 8d and 9a is located between the high point (C) and the low point (B) in the stroke of the jaw (4) to an intermediate position defined as a function of the workpiece (2) to be clamped.

According to the invention, the retraction device is actuated by the moving the upper jaw (4) when it is near the high point (C) in an ascending phase, it makes it possible to rotate the clamping surface (4a) of the jaw (4) so that it does not cover even partially, the bearing surface (3a) of the lower support (3) according to the direction of movement (ZZ ') of lower support (3) and bit higher (4).

Note that, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the retraction device is a mechanical device that is not actuated or implemented only by the movement of the bit (4) under the action of the jack (5) which moves it along the axis (ZZ '). It consists of a stem of guiding and pivoting mechanism (6) which has at its upper end a propeller (7) intended to cooperate with a driving dog (8a) and its drive plate (8b) for rotating a cylinder rod (9) integral with said platen. The cylinder rod (9) carries at its end upper jaw (10) which has on its underside the surface of upper clamping (4a), it forms with said jaw the jaw higher (4).

According to the preferred embodiment of the clamp, the rod for guiding and pivoting (6) has a rectangular section intended to guide the clutch (8a) which itself has an internal profile similar. The propeller (7) forms a half-turn (180 °), as shown in FIG 7, and causes the half-turn of the driving dog (8a) when go through it. The clutch (8a) is driven in longitudinal displacement towards the high (HA) by the drive plate (8b) which is secured to the rod of cylinder (9), under the action of the secondary cylinder (5). Training notches (11a, 11b) allow the turntable (8b) and the clutch to rotate (8a) during this climb so that the half-turn of the clutch causes the same movement of the plate (8b) and thus of the rod (9) around the rod for guiding and pivoting (6) which is arranged along the axis of movement of the jaws (ZZ '). When the dog, the plate and the bit have reached the high point (C) illustrated in FIGS. 8c and 9c, the actuator secondary causes them to descend down the guide rod and pivoting (6) while the clutch (8a) deviates from the plate (8b) of disengaging their notches (11a, 11b), leaving the plate (8b) and the rod (9) down along the guide and pivot rod (6) under the action of the jack (5) without pivoting, while the dog (8a) freely undergone the half-turn generated by the helix (7) of the guide rod and pivoting (6) without causing the plate and the jaw in its pivoting, as shown in Figures 8c, 8d and 9c, 9d. The dog (8a) having undergone his U-turn, he returns to position himself on the plate (8b) with his notches in position engaged to be able to be driven by said platen in translation along the rod (6) while transmitting its movement of pivoting during the next ascending phase.

It may be noted that the cylinder rod (9) comprises an internal bore whose upper part (12) promotes the passage of the guide rod and of pivoting (6) and whose lower part (13) forms a housing for the dog clutch (8a). This accommodation is of sufficient size to allow the dog to take a low position where it is blocked in rotation by the notches (11b) of the plate (8b) and a high position where its notches (11a) are disengaged from the notches of the plate (8b) allowing it and to rotate freely in its housing during the descent.

According to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 9d, the flange of clamping (1) comprises a main jack (14) for allowing the movement of the lower support (3) along the axis of displacement (ZZ '). Thus, the support (3) which forms the cylinder body of the secondary cylinder (5) which manages the displacement of the upper jaw (4) is also mobile according to the direction (ZZ ') inside the body (16) of the main cylinder (14). support lower part (3) thus forms the piston of the main cylinder and can be retracted down to let the tool pass when it is no longer used. note that this lower support (3) carries the guide and pivot rod (6) which allows the pivoting of the upper jaw (4).

According to the preferred embodiment of the clamp (1) of the invention, the main and secondary cylinders (5, 14) are cylinders of the type pneumatic whose power is managed by a central control according to information given by the machining center that plants the piece or by sensors arranged on the flange. Of course, he could other types of motorisation, without leaving the field of protection of the invention.

Moreover, it can be noted that the shape of the jaws (10, 15) of the upper jaw (4) and the lower support (3) is complementary to forming a circular profile centered on the axis of movement of the jaws (ZZ '), as shown in Figure 1, when in the rest position. So, the lower jaw has a bearing surface (3a) whose shape is a portion of a circle smaller than the clamping surface (4a) which corresponds to the other portion of the complementary circle.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the modes of described and illustrated by way of examples. We can make many changes to detail of course provided that they are not intended to expand in no way the scope of protection of the invention defined by the claims formulated below.

Claims (9)

1. Clamp (1) comprising a top jaw (4) with a clamping surface (4a) and a lower support (3) with a support surface (3a), the said jaws being movable in order to move with respect to each other along a movement axis (ZZ') under the action of impelling means, the said clamp being characterised in that it comprises a retraction device which enables one of the support or clamping surfaces (3a, 4a) to retract in order to pass from a clamping position (A) in which it at least partially covers the other support or support surface (3a) in the direction of movement of the jaws (ZZ'), to a free position in which it no longer covers it and vice versa, the said retraction device being implemented by the movement of the top jaw (4) and the bottom support (3), under the action of the impeding means.
2. Clamp (1) according to Claim 1, characterised in that the retraction device is a device of the pivoting type which makes it possible to make one of the support or clamping surfaces (3a, 4a) pivot with respect to the other about the movement axis of the jaws (ZZ').
3. Clamp (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the impelling means comprise a secondary actuator (5) which moves the top jaw (4) with respect to the bottom support (3) along the movement axis (ZZ').
4. Clamp (1) according to Claims 2 and 3, characterised in that the movement of the top jaw (4) takes place between a low point (B) and a high point (C), and in that the pivoting of the top jaw (4) by virtue of the retraction device (DE) takes place during the movement of the latter in ascending phase close to the high point (C), and this whether it is passing from an idle position corresponding to the low point (B) to a clamping position (A) or vice versa.
5. Clamp (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the retraction device comprises a fixed guiding and pivoting rod (6) having a screw (7) intended to cooperate with a drive clutch (8a) to make it pivot by a half turn when it travels over the rod and its screw, the said clutch comprising drive catches (11a, 11b) which fix it rotationally to a drive plate (8b) which is integral with an actuator rod (9) which partly forms the top jaw (4), in order to obtain the pivoting of the clamping surface (4a) of the top jaw (4) when the retraction device is used.
6. Clamp (1) according to Claims 4 and 5, characterised in that the actuator rod (9), which carries a grip (10) at its top end in order to form the top jaw (4), comprises an internal board (12, 13), the top part of which is intended to allow passage of the guiding and pivoting rod (6) and the bottom part (13) of which constitutes a housing for the drive clutch (8a), the dimensions of which enable the clutch to be positioned at the engaged bottom position where its catches (11a) cooperate with the catches (11b) on the drive plate (8b) fixed to the actuator rod (9) in order to drive it pivotally and in the top position where the catches (11a, 11b) are disengaged in order to allow the clutch to pivot freely whilst the actuator rod (9) descends along the guiding and pivoting rod (6).
7. Clamp (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the impelling means comprise a main actuator (14) which allows the movement of the bottom support (3) whilst the said bottom support (3) forms the actuator body of a secondary actuator (5), the actuator rod (9) of which partly forms the top jaw (4), and in that the retraction device is used automatically by the movement of the top jaw (4) under the action of the secondary actuator (5).
8. Clamp (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the shapes of the grips (10, 15) of the bottom support (3) and of the top jaw (4) are complementary in order to constitute together a circular profile centred on the movement axis of the jaws (ZZ').
9. Clamp (1) according to Claim 8, characterised in that the shape of the support surface (3a) of the bottom support (3) is a portion of a circle smaller than that of the clamping surface (4a) of the top jaw (4).

Images