EP1380389B1

EP1380389B1 - Clamping device for flat workpieces

Info

Publication number: EP1380389B1
Application number: EP20030380162
Authority: EP
Inventors: Pedro Aguirrezabal Ondarra
Original assignee: Fagor Electrodomesticos SCL
Current assignee: Fagor Electrodomesticos SCL
Priority date: 2002-07-09
Filing date: 2003-07-04
Publication date: 2006-08-09
Anticipated expiration: 2023-07-04
Also published as: MXPA03005976A; EP1380389A1; ES2215463B1; DE60307382D1; ES2215463A1; ES2268307T3; DE60307382T2

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to devices for clamping flat workpieces, particularly metal sheets according to the preamble position of claim 1. Such a clamping device is known for example from DE19715452 C1.

PRIOR ART

Clamping devices are known which comprise mooring clamps for holding flat workpieces, particularly metal sheets.
DE 197 15 452 C1 describes a device for clamping flat workpieces by means of a hydraulically-operated mooring clamp, using said clamp to hold the top and bottom parts of the workpiece located horizontally, and which is placed in a frame. To introduce the workpiece, the clamp can turn from a mooring position to a rest position, underneath the workpiece, by pressure drive.
The clamp comprises a first arm and a second arm with pivot connections that are parallel. The first arm can rotate on a horizontal pivot connection on the frame underneath the workpiece, descending from a mooring position to a rest position and, at its free end, bent upward, it receives the rotating support of the second arm, one of the ends of this second arm being able to rest from the upper part on the surface of the workpiece, and the other end of said second arm being connected to a piston cylinder unit installed on the frame so that, in the area where said piston cylinder unit is applied, there are some guide means for the second arm, by which said second arm is guided forced during the rotation movement along the corresponding guide path.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to provide a clamping device for flat workpieces as described in the claims.
The clamping device for flat workpieces of the invention comprises a mooring clamp and drive means to move said mooring clamp from a rest position to a mooring position and viceversa. Said mooring clamp comprises a substantially L-shaped first arm to clamp the upper part of a workpiece preferably disposed horizontally, and a second arm to clamp the lower part of said workpiece, both arms being joined by a first pivot connection.
The first arm, that is, the substantially L-shaped arm, is joined to the drive means by a second pivot connection, and the second arm is connected to a frame by a third pivot connection.
The drive means of the device of the invention act on the mooring clamp moving the second pivot connection of the first arm rotating shaft along a rectilinear path, preferably horizontal. This does away with the need of guide means for the movement of said second pivot connection along non-rectilinear paths, while nonetheless maintaining the functionality of the clamping device. This gives rise to a unit with fewer parts that is therefore simpler, lighter and more economical.
On the other hand, the fact that the movement of the second pivot connection of the first arm is along a straight line means that the drive means are not subject to back and forth movements depending on the points on said path, so that the device is more robust and compact. Therefore, where for example the drive means comprise a hydraulic cylinder with a rod connected to the second pivot connection of the first arm, because the path of said rotating shaft is a straight line, the hydraulic cylinder remains in a fixed position at all times.
These characteristics and advantages of the invention, along with other additional characteristics and advantages, will become clear in the light of the figures and the detailed disclosure of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a profile view of an embodiment of the clamping device of the invention with the mooring clamp in the mooring position.
FIG. 2 is a profile view of the embodiment in FIG. 1 with the mooring clamp in the rest position.
FIG. 3 is a profile view of the mooring clamp of the embodiment in FIG. 1 with said mooring clamp in a mooring position, in an intermediate position and in a rest position.

DETAILED DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The clamping device for flat workpieces of the invention comprises a mooring clamp 1 and drive means 2 that displace said mooring clamp 1 from a rest position (shown in figure 2) to a mooring position (shown in figure 1) , and viceversa.
The mooring clamp 1 comprises a substantially L-shaped first arm 3 to hold the upper part of the workpiece 9, preferably placed in a horizontal position, and a second arm 4 to hold the bottom part of the workpiece 9. Both arms 3 and 4 are connected by a first pivot connection 5, the first arm 3 is directly connected to the drive means 2 by a second pivot connection 6, and the second arm 4 is connected to a frame 7 by a third pivot connection 8.
The drive means 2 act on the mooring clamp 1 displacing the second pivot connection 6 of the first arm 3 along a rectilinear path, as seen in figures 1, 2 and 3. Said rectilinear path is preferably horizontal. The drive means 2 are fixedly connected to the frame 7.
Figure 3 shows the mooring clamp 1 of the invention in three different positions: in the mooring position (on the left of the figure), in an intermediate position (in the centre of the figure) and in a rest position (on the right of the figure). It is seen from this figure 3 that, with the mooring clamp 1 of the invention, the mooring of the workpiece 9 is optimal without having to vary the path of the second pivot connection 6, that is, keeping it completely in a straight line.
In the embodiment in figures 1, 2 and 3, the drive means 2 comprise a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder 10 with a rod 11. The pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder 10 is in a fixed position and the rod 11 is connected to the second pivot connection 6 of the first arm 3.
In this embodiment, the second arm 4 has an extension 12 extending from the arm portion with the third pivot connection 8, and the frame 7 includes a stop 13. Thus, when arms 3 and 4 move to the mooring position, said extension 12 and said stop 13 come into contact and prevent arms 3 and 4 from moving up beyond that position.

Claims

A clamping device for flat workpieces comprising a mooring clamp (1) and drive means (2) that displace said mooring clamp (1) from a rest position to a mooring position and viceversa, the mooring clamp (1) comprising a first arm (3) substantially L-shaped to clamp the upper part of a workpiece (9) preferably placed horizontally, and a second arm (4) to clamp the lower part of the workpiece (9), both arms (3,4) being connected by a first pivot connection (5), the first arm (3) being directly connected to the drive means (2) by a second pivot connection (6), and the second arm (4) being connected to a frame (7) by a third pivot connection (8), characterised in that the drive means (2) act on the mooring clamp (1) displacing the second pivot connection (6) of the first arm (3) along a rectilinear path, said drive means (2) being fixedly connected to the frame (7), and the second arm (4) comprises an extension (12) and the frame (7) comprises a stop (13), said extension (12) and said stop (13) coming into contact when the arms (3,4) move to the mooring position, thereby limiting the upward movement of said arms (3,4).
-A clamping device for flat workpieces according to claim 1, said rectilinear path being substantially horizontal.
-A clamping device for flat workpieces according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the drive means (2) comprise a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder (10) with a rod (11), said pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder (10) being in a fixed position and said rod (11) being connected to the second pivot connection (6) of the first arm (3).