EP2288570B1 - Fixing device - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a locking device for releasably locking relatively movable components, in particular for use on lifting devices, with the two mutually linearly movable parts can be releasably locked, which also ensures that an unwanted entanglement of the locking device is excluded and thus blocking or Failure of the apparatus, on which the locking device is provided, is prevented.

In the known from the practice devices, from which the invention proceeds, a latch mechanism is generally displaced relative to a rack, wherein the latch mechanism can be brought into engagement with the rack when a latching position is reached. By a uniform pitch of the teeth on the rack offers a variety equidistant detent positions in which the latch mechanism can be locked with the rack. When using a scissor lift, which has two scissor struts, which are approximately centrally connected to each other via a hinge, a scissor beam is connected at its upper end rotatably connected to a running rail and mounted with its lower end longitudinally displaceable on a foundation, and the second scissor stay with its lower end rotatably connected to the foundation and with its upper end longitudinally slidably connected to a running rail. The slidably mounted ends of the scissor struts are connected to a pawl element which is displaceable along a rack.

However, this type of lift stage has a kinematics in which the linearly guided end of the scissor struts moves during a lifting or lowering movement of the scissor lift on a curved path. It follows that in a magnitude same lateral displacement of the pawl mechanism from along detent position to the next detent position in terms of magnitude ever smaller stroke occurs from one locking position to the next locking position of the lift. Due to the large number of latching possibilities, it is difficult to latch the lift in predetermined, equidistant stroke positions.

US-A-3,317,004 describes a safety device with which an unintentional lowering of a vehicle lift should be avoided.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,844 describes a lifting device for large vehicles with a first and a second platform. A locking device holds the two platforms in the raised state.

In contrast, the invention has the object, so on form a device of the structure described above, that in a particularly simple manner equidistant, predetermined latching positions of the lift can be ensured.

This object is achieved by a device having the features of independent claim 1.

Advantageous embodiments and preferred embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

To achieve this object, the invention teaches a locking device for releasably locking relatively movable components, in particular lifting devices comprising a lockable to a first component locking mechanism, with at least one locking unit, and a second component mountable locking element, wherein the locking element a plurality of substantially identically designed detents may have, wherein the locking element in a plurality of predetermined detent positions with at least one detent releasably, formally and / or can be brought into frictional engagement. The locking device may further comprise a force element for generating a relative movement between the locking element and at least one catch. At least a first detent position, a second detent position and a third detent position with the locking element can be approachable in at least a portion of the locking element, wherein at least a first distance between the first detent position and the second detent position and a second distance between the second detent position and the third Detent position, different lengths may have. As a result, the number of possible locking positions can be reduced to a smaller number of predetermined locking positions in a particularly simple manner, whereby the time required to find the equidistant locking positions is significantly reduced. It is well known to those skilled in the art that by corresponding numbering of the latching positions at least a first distance between the first latching position and the third latching position and a second distance between the second latching position and the first latching position can have different lengths.

Furthermore, the latching element may have a first partial area in which the first distance between two adjacent detents and the second distance between two adjacent detents is the same, and have a second partial area in which the first distance between two adjacent detents and the second distance between two adjacent latches is different, wherein the length values of the distances between each two adjacent notches in the longitudinal direction of the detent element continuously, steadily, abruptly and / or discontinuously increase or decrease. This results in the advantage that within a certain initial height, a plurality of different locking positions can be approached and outside of this Starting height only a smaller number of predetermined detent positions are ingestible.

Furthermore, the first component may be connected to a third component, and the second component may be connected to a fourth component, wherein the first component by first movements in which the locking element from a first detent position to a second detent position and / or to a third detent position is adjacent to the first and / or second detent position, wherein at least two of these detent positions are located in the second portion, is displaceable relative to the second component, and second movements of the third component relative to the fourth component can be effected. In this case, the detents corresponding to the detent positions can be spaced from one another such that the first movements have different lengths and the second movements always have the same lengths, wherein the first movements and the second movements are substantially perpendicular to each other. This ensures in a particularly simple manner that the locking element performs longitudinal movements of different lengths in the lateral direction, wherein movements of the same height are always performed in the vertical direction. This offers the advantage that the lifting platform or the running rail of the lifting platform can assume locking positions which always have equidistant distances from one another in the vertical direction, although the distances in the lateral direction between the individual locking positions are different.

Furthermore, a guide unit may be provided which is in communication with the latching element in such a way that the latching element can be latched exclusively in predetermined latching positions with the detents of the latching element. This results Advantages to the effect that the locking element can engage only in predetermined locking positions with the locking element and thereby erroneous hooking between locking device and locking element is excluded. In addition, the guide unit has the advantage that even with the use of a detent element whose adjacent detents have the same distances over the entire length of the detent element detent positions can be predetermined, characterized in that the distances between adjacent detent positions have different lengths. Similarly, even in the sub-region of the detent element in the adjacent detents may have the same distances from each other, be ensured by means of the guide unit that the locking unit in this area can only take detent positions have mutually different distances.

Furthermore, the guide unit may have an outer contour and the locking element having an actuating means which may be in predetermined positions with the contour of the guide unit in contact, whereby in this position a contact between the locking element and the latch member can be prevented. This has the advantage that also different locking positions can be adjusted later by changing the contour or by using an exchangeable guide means.

Furthermore, the force element may be a hydraulic cylinder, a stepper motor, an electromagnetic actuator, a spring element and / or a pneumatic cylinder.

Furthermore, the locking mechanism may comprise a dimensionally stable housing which is connected to the locking element via a Rotary joint may be in communication, wherein a first end portion of the force element may be in communication with the locking element, and a second end portion of the force element may be in communication with a housing.

Furthermore, the locking element may be a rack and the detents teeth, wherein the locking element may have at least one tooth which is engageable with the teeth of the rack engaged. Furthermore, the locking element may be a perforated rail.

Furthermore, the locking element can have at least one first tooth and / or at least one second tooth, which can each be brought into engagement with a first latching unit and / or a second latching unit, wherein the guide unit prevents undesired engagement of the first tooth with the second latching unit , By using a catch with two locking units and a locking element with two teeth, a double engagement and thus a particularly secure locking can be ensured.

Furthermore, a control unit may be provided, with which a drive unit for generating a relative movement, between the locking mechanism and the latching element, such that a first predetermined position can be reached by a movement in a first direction and after reaching this position by a movement in a second direction that is substantially opposite the first direction, a second predetermined position is achievable. As a result, a complete and secure locking of the locking mechanism with the locking element can be ensured in a particularly simple manner.

Furthermore, before and / or while reaching the second predetermined position, the control unit can actuate the force element in such a way that the locking element can be brought into positive and / or non-positive engagement with a detent of the detent element and thereby corresponds to the second predetermined position of a detent position.

Furthermore, at least before and / or during the reaching of the second predetermined position, a force element actuate the locking element such that the locking element with a detent of the locking element form and / or non-positively engageable and thereby corresponds to the second predetermined position of a locking position.

Furthermore, in order to cancel the engagement between the locking element and a detent, the control unit can actuate the drive unit in such a way that first movement in the first direction can be generated and subsequently movement in a second direction can be generated, which is essentially opposite to the first direction of movement. In this case, between the end of the first movement and the beginning of the second movement, and / or during the first or second movement with the control unit, the force element can be controlled in such a way that the positive and / or non-positive engagement of the locking element with a detent of the detent element is achieved becomes. Thus, a complete unlocking of the locking mechanism and the locking element can be ensured in a particularly simple manner.

In summary, the advantages of the invention will be listed again below. By providing a detent element, whose individual detents have different pitches at least in a partial region of the detent element, it can be ensured that the predetermined stroke positions in which a lifting platform can be locked have an equidistant, vertical distance from each other, although in the lateral direction the locking element performs different path lengths from detent position to detent position , By providing a guide unit can be ensured in a particularly simple manner that no unwanted hooking of the locking element can occur with the locking element. This is particularly advantageous when using a locking element with two teeth and a catch with a first latching unit and a second latching unit, in which there may be the risk that a second tooth may hook unintentionally with a first latching unit. This problem arises in particular in the case of insufficient pressurization of the force element, whereby the locking element is not completely retracted into the housing and can jam due to the different pitch of the second tooth of the locking element on a second locking unit and thus can lead to the inoperability of the entire lift , Furthermore, it can be ensured that an incomplete unlocking of the locking mechanism, in which both teeth of the locking element with the detent remain in contact is prevented, whereby a blockage of the lifting system is averted.

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Ansicht der Arretiervorrichtung,

Fig. 2

einen Längsschnitt durch die Arretiervorrichtung,

Fig. 3

eine Scherenhebebühne mit erfindungsgemäßer Arretiervorrichtung,

Fig. 4A

eine Seitenansicht des Rastenelementes,

Fig. 4B

eine Seitenansicht des zweiten Teilbereiches des Rastenelementes.

In the following, the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to drawings showing merely exemplary embodiments. In a schematic representation:

Fig. 1

a perspective view of the locking device,

Fig. 2

a longitudinal section through the locking device,

Fig. 3

a scissor lift with inventive locking device,

Fig. 4A

a side view of the detent element,

Fig. 4B

a side view of the second portion of the detent element.

In the Fig. 1 a locking device 1 is shown, which has a dimensionally stable housing 6, in which a locking element 2 (not visible) is introduced. The locking element 2 can be brought into engagement with a detent element 3. The detent element 3 has identically designed detents 4, which each have a first detent unit 41 and a second detent unit 42. On a side surface 110 of the detent element 3, a guide unit 104 is provided which has flat elevations 108. The distances between the elevations 108 essentially correspond to the distances between the detents 4. The guide unit 104 is aligned with the detent element 3 such that its elevations 108 laterally cover the respectively second detent unit 42 of the detents 4. Furthermore, in Fig. 1 to recognize the actuating means 106 which is arranged on the locking element 2 and is in communication with the guide unit 104. During a lateral movement of the locking mechanism 1 along the detent element in the direction of the arrow L, the actuating means 106 comes into contact with the contour 105 of the guide unit 104 in the region of the elevations 108. This contact blocks this Actuator 106, the locking element 2 and thereby does not allow an extension of the locking element 2.

In Fig. 2 is a side sectional view shown in the longitudinal direction by the locking device. Inside the dimensionally stable housing 6, a force element 5 is provided, in the form of a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder. The force element is connected in a first end region via a rotary joint 9 with the housing 6 and connected in a second end region via a rotary joint 8 with the locking element 2. The locking element 2 is rotatably mounted in the housing 6. By actuation of the force element 5, the locking element 2 can rotate about the axis of rotation 7 and thereby moved into the housing 6 or from the housing 6, so as to be transferred into a locking or Entarretier position.

The locking element has two teeth, a first tooth 21 and a second tooth 22, which are in a locking position with a respective first latching unit 41 and a second latching unit 42 of a detent engaged.

Fig. 3 shows a side view of a scissor lift to which the locking device according to the invention, for example, is used. The locking mechanism 1 is mounted on a first component 11, namely on a laterally displaceable upper end of a scissor bar. The detent element 3 is mounted on a second component 12. The first component 11, the scissors spar, is rotatably connected at its lower end to a third component 13, a foundation or a base plate. The second component 12, is a holder which is firmly connected to the detent element 3 and to a fourth component 14, such as a running rail.

A corresponding arrangement is in Fig. 3 also shown for the second scissor beam, wherein a laterally displaceable lower end is connected to the locking mechanism and an upper end is rotatably connected to the running rail in connection. The scissor lift shown above has from a certain initial height y1 uniform, vertical distances y for locking positions, which can be approached with the lift. In order to realize these equidistant distances, the locking rails in the horizontal direction must have a different pitch of the teeth. This pitch increases with increasing lift height of the travel rail in the lateral direction, shown by the distances xn, xn + 1, xn + 2, x ..., where xn <xn + 1 <xn + 2 <x ....

Furthermore, in Fig. 3 a control unit 107 can be seen, which is in communication with the lifting unit 109. The lifting unit is in communication with the two scissor beams of the scissor lift in such a way that, when actuated, it can spread or contract the scissor struts against each other. With the control unit 107, on the one hand the lifting unit 109 can be controlled, and on the other hand the force element 5 in the locking mechanism 1.

When the lift is to be lifted and locked in a lock position 1 corresponding to a height resulting from the value y 1 + 3 · y, the control unit 107 controls the lift assembly 109 so as to raise the lift height to a height , which is substantially slightly higher than the locking position 1, but lower than a lifting height, which is composed of the value y1 + 4 · y. When this first lifting height is reached, the power element 5 is controlled via the control unit, so that the teeth 21, 22 of the locking element in the recesses of the Locking units 41, 42 penetrate, wherein the locking element 2 is rotated out of the housing 5. Subsequently, the lifting unit 109 is driven such that the running rail carries out a lowering movement and assumes the locking position 1, wherein the teeth 21 and 22 with the locking units 41 and 42 are firmly engaged.

To remove the lift from the detent position 1 and release the lock, the lifting unit 109 is driven so that initially a slight lifting movement is performed, the rail occupies a lifting height which is greater than the height value, consisting of y1 + 3 xy, and is smaller than the height value, which results from y1 + 4 xy, but at least so high that the Verrieglungselement 2 can be converted into a Entarretierstellung. At this height, the force element 5 of the locking mechanism is driven so that the locking element 2 is screwed into the housing 6 and thereby occupies the Entarretierstellung.

Although in the Fig. 3 An arresting device according to the invention is provided on the laterally displaceable ends of both scissor struts, an arrangement is also conceivable in which only one scissor spar is provided with a locking device, and only one guide is attached to the displaceably mounted end of the other scissor spar. The locking device may optionally be in communication with the upper slidably mounted end of a scissors spar and a running rail, or be in communication between the lower laterally displaceable end of a scissor spar and a foundation.

The Fig. 4A shows a representation of the detent element 3 in a lateral view. During the initial height y1 is the Locking mechanism in a first portion 102 in which the locking element is engageable with detents 4, which have substantially equal distances from each other. When the lift is lifted above an initial value y1, the locking mechanism is in a second portion 103 in which the pitch of the detent elements, that is, the distances between two adjacent detents 4, steadily increase in the longitudinal direction of the detent element 3.

For better presentation shows Fig. 4B an enlarged section of the second portion 103 of the detent element 3. Clearly visible are the increasing longitudinally distances between two notches by the length values xn + 1, xn + 2, xn + 3.

The division xn (n) for n = 1 .... m is given by the following formula: $$x_n\left(n\right)=L_0-\left[\sqrt{{l_{\mathit{poor}}}^2-{\left[{\mathrm{<figure-callout\; id="1"\; label="y"\; filenames="imgf0001.png,imgf0002.png"\; state="\{\{state\}\}">y</figure-callout>}}_1+\left(n\cdot y\right)\right]}^2}\right]-\left[L_0-\left[\sqrt{{l_{\mathit{poor}}}^2-\left[{\mathrm{<figure-callout\; id="1"\; label="y"\; filenames="imgf0001.png,imgf0002.png"\; state="\{\{state\}\}">y</figure-callout>}}_1+{\left[\left(n-1\right)<figure-callout\; id="2"\; label="\cdot \; y"\; filenames="imgf0002.png,imgf0003.png"\; state="\{\{state\}\}">\cdot \; </figure-callout>y\right]}^2\right]}\right]\right]\mathrm{,}$$

Here, one _arm corresponds to the length of a scissor stay, the scissors lift, y1 to an initial height and y to the fixed predefined distance between the rest positions. Lo denotes the position of the first rest, which again results in dependence on the starting height y1 from the following formula: $$L_0=\sqrt{{l_{\mathit{poor}}}^2-{{\mathrm{<figure-callout\; id="1"\; label="y"\; filenames="imgf0001.png,imgf0002.png"\; state="\{\{state\}\}">y</figure-callout>}}_1}^2}\cdot$$

All ranges of values given in the present description also include the marginal values. The features mentioned in the foregoing and exemplified embodiments of the Some or all of the present invention may be combined with one another as desired to form further embodiments that are adapted to corresponding applications of the invention. Insofar as such embodiments result for a person skilled in the art from the abovementioned exemplary embodiments, these are to be regarded as implicitly disclosed with the abovementioned exemplary embodiments.

Claims (12)

1. A fixing device for releasably locking components (11, 12), in particular lifting devices, movable relative to each other, comprising:

   - a locking device (1) mountable to a first component (11) and including at least one locking member (2),

   - a catch member (3) mountable to a second component (12), the catch member (3) having a plurality of substantially similarly formed catches (4), wherein

   the locking member (2) is engageable with at least one catch (4) in a plurality of predetermined catching positions in one of a releasable, form-locking manner or a releasable, force-locking manner;

   - a force member (5) to produce a relative movement between the locking member (2) and the one catch (4), and in at least a partial region of the catch member (3), at least a first catching position, a second catching position and a third catching position are traversable by the locking element (2), at least a first distance between the first catching position and the second catching position and a second distance between the second catching position and the third catching position having different lengths, characterized in that the catch member (3) is a toothed rack and the catches (4) are teeth, wherein the locking member (2) has at least one tooth (10) to engage the teeth of the toothed rack, and/or

   the catch member (3) is a perforated rail.
2. The fixing device according to claim 1, wherein
   the catch member (3) includes a first partial region (102) in which the first distance between two adjacent catches (4) and the second distance between two adjacent catches (4) is the same, and includes a second partial region (103) in which the first distance between two adjacent catches (4) and the second distance between adjacent catches (4) is different, wherein the length values of the distances between two adjacent catches along a length of the catch member increase or decrease.
3. The fixing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein

   - the first component (11) is connected to a third component (13), and

   - the second component (12) is connected to a fourth component (14),

   characterized in that the first component (11)

   - is displaceable relative to the second component (12) by first movements to move the locking member (2) from the first catching position to at least one of the second or the third catching position, the third catching position being adjacent to at least one of the first or second catching position, at least two of these catching positions being in the second partial region (103), and

   - second movements of the third component (13) relative to the fourth component (14) can be effected, the catches (4) corresponding to the catching positions being spaced from each other such that the first movements have different lengths and the second movements always have the same lengths, and

   - the first movements and the second movements are substantially perpendicular to each other.
4. The fixing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein
   a guide unit (104) is provided which is in contact with the catch member (3) such that the locking member (2) is exclusively catchable in the catches (4) of the catch member (3) at predetermined catching positions.
5. The fixing device according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the guide unit (104) includes an outer contour (105) and the locking member (2) includes an actuation means (106) that can engage the contour (105) of the guide unit (104) at predetermined positions to prevent contact between the locking member (2) and the catch member (3) at said positions.
6. The fixing device according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein

   - the locking member (1) includes a dimensionally rigid housing (6) connected to the locking member (2) via a pivot joint (7), and

   - a first end region of the force member (5) is in contact with the locking element (2) and a second end region of the force member (5) is in contact with the housing (5).
7. The fixing device according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the locking member (2) includes at least a first tooth (21) or a second tooth (22), both of which are structured to engage a first catch unit (41) and a second catch unit (42), the guide unit (104) being configured to prevent undesired engagement of the first tooth (21) with the second catch unit (42).
8. The fixing device according to any one of the preceding claims,
   comprising a control unit (107) to cause a drive assembly (109) to produce a relative movement between the locking mechanism (1) and the catch member (3), such that a first movement in a first direction causes a first predetermined position to be reachable and, after reaching said position, a second movement in a second direction substantially opposite to the first direction causes a second predetermined position to be reachable.
9. The fixing device according to claim 8, wherein, when reaching the second predetermined position, the control unit (107) drives the force member (5) to engage the locking member (2) with one of the catches (4) of the catch member (3) in at least one of a form-locking manner or a force-locking manner, the second predetermined position corresponding to a locking position.
10. The fixing device according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the control unit (107) is to drive the drive assembly (109) to release the engagement between the locking member (2) and the catch (4) to produce at first a movement in the first direction and, subsequently, produce a movement in the second direction substantially opposite to the first direction of movement, wherein between the end of the first movement and the start of the second movement the control unit (107) is to drive the force member (5) to release the at least one of the form-locking engagement or the force-locking engagement of the locking member (2) with the catch (4) of the catch member (3).
11. A lifting platform including a fixing device according to any one of the preceding claims.
12. A lifting device including a fixing device according to claim 3, characterized in that

    - the first component (11) is a scissors bar,

    - the second component (12) is a bracket for the catch member (3),

    - the third component (13) is a workshop floor or a base plate, and

    - the fourth component (14) is a rail.

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