EP2378006B1 - Quick-change device with an active tensioning support for coupling a tool to a work machine - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a quick-change device for coupling a tool to a working machine according to the type specified in the preamble of claim 1.

Such quick-change devices are for earthmoving machines, such. As excavator to allow a simple and quick change between various hydraulic tools, such as sifting spoons, pans, hydraulic hammer or the like, well known.

A generic quick-change device is in the WO 91/01414 disclosed. The disclosed quick-change device has a swivel and locking device comprehensive, associated with the excavator quick coupler and an adapter associated with the tool. In addition to means for producing a mechanical connection between quick coupler and adapter, the quick-change device also has an automatic, a quick coupler side and a adapterseiti-. ges clutch part comprehensive, hydraulic coupling, which automatically couples a backhoe-side hydraulic circuit with a tool-side hydraulic circuit when pivoting the two coupling parts together. Further actions on the part of the machine operator, namely leaving the cab of the excavator and manual production of the hydraulic coupling between the excavator side and the tool side hydraulic circuit are not required.

Another generic quick-change device is in the DE 101 59 417 A1 described. This quick-change device is characterized inter alia by the fact that the quick coupler side and / or the adapter-side coupling block are movably mounted.

Further measures to minimize leaks due to the expansion forces acting in the coupled state between the two coupling valves, to a leakage of hydraulic fluid and thus to avoid contamination of the soil, are not known from the cited documents

Another quick-change device with a movable in the coupling block arranged Verspannstütze is in the EP 1 473 415 A1 such as FR 2 886 372 A1 disclosed. A disadvantage here proves that the Verfahrung the Verspannstütze additional control and additional hydraulic lines and valves are required.

The invention has for its object to provide a quick-change device for coupling a tool on a working machine according to that in the preamble of claim 1 such that a reliable working clutch is guaranteed.

This object is achieved by the characterizing features of claim 1 in conjunction with its preamble features.

The dependent claims form advantageous developments of the invention.

In a known manner, the quick-change device comprises a fixed to a machine quick coupler and a tool attached to an adapter and an effective between quick change and adapter locking device for producing a mechanical coupling between the machine and tool. To make a hydraulic connection between the working machine and the tool, the quick-change device also comprises a hydraulic clutch. The hydraulic clutch in turn comprises a quick coupler side hydraulic block with hydraulic lines and corresponding hydraulic coupling valves and an adapter-side coupling block with hydraulic lines and coupling valves. In addition, the quick coupler-side coupling block and / or the adapter-side coupling block is elastically mounted in its surrounding housing, that is, in the quick coupler-side housing or the adapter-side housing.

According to the invention, the quick coupler-side coupling block in at least one of its hydraulic lines arranged downstream of the clutch valve, partially extending into the hydraulic line and slidably mounted in the hydraulic line in the flow direction S, designed as a hollow body Tensioning support on. The Verspannstütze in this case has on its located in the hydraulic line area a pressure application surface and stands with her out of the hydraulic line range over a molded-in area in this area abutment with the surrounding housing.

Due to the hydraulic fluid flowing through the coupling valves in the coupled state and the pressure application surface present on the bracing support, the bracing support according to the invention acts like a hydraulic cylinder and is traversed in the direction of flow S and braces against the surrounding housing with the contact surface. Due to the flexible mounting of the quick coupler side and / or the adapter side coupling block, the two coupling blocks are pressed against one another in response, so that the risk of leakage is significantly reduced.

Another advantage of the Verspannstütze invention is that this is due to the located in the hydraulic line, the pressure application area having region in the coupled state "automatically", namely at flow of hydraulic fluid, is effective.

It is also advantageous that due to the tension produced by the bracing support between the quick coupler side and the adapter side coupling block another attachment, e.g. a lateral attachment, now no longer necessary.

As already stated, the Verspannstütze on its located in the hydraulic line area on a pressure application surface. In order to ensure a sufficient flow of hydraulic fluid, the ring-shaped end face - ring surface - the Verspannstütze forms the pressure application surface.

Preferably, the Verspannstütze outside the hydraulic line to a flange-like approach with a housing aligned contact surface. Due to the conditional by the flange-like approach diameter enlargement of Verspannstütze is advantageously ensured that a "rich" stop between the Verspannstütze and the housing is guaranteed. In addition, due to this training a "slipping" of Verspannstütze is not possible, i. a loss-proof positioning of the bracing support is also ensured.

In order to prevent the escape of hydraulic fluid, a seal, preferably an O-ring seal, is arranged between the hydraulic line and the bracing support.

Preferably, the clutch valves are active clutch valves. Active Clutch Valves means that the clutch valves do not necessarily open when connecting the clutch blocks, but are actively opened or closed by energizing them. The usage of active coupling valves proves to be advantageous because they ensure a high flow with low space requirements.

It is also conceivable that the coupling valves are designed as Kurzhubventile, where a stroke of, for example, 1 to 5 millimeters sufficient to actuate the valve. This proves to be advantageous because of the low valve lifts a compact design can be realized.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the quick coupler-side and / or adapter-side coupling block is elastically mounted on its surrounding housing by means of an elastic pressing-off element. The use of an elastic push-off element proves to be particularly advantageous since this represents a cost-effective and low-maintenance storage, which also also assumes a sealing function.

Further advantages, features and possible applications of the present invention will become apparent from the following description in conjunction with the embodiment shown in the drawing.

The invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the embodiment shown in the drawing.

Fig. 1

zeigt eine perspektivische Darstellung einer Schnellwechselvorrichtung mit einem Schnellwechsler und einem Adapter, wobei der Schnellwechsler mit einem Bagger und der Adapter mit einem Sieblöffel verbunden ist;

Fig. 2

eine vergrößerte Schnittdarstellung des Schnellwechslers aus Fig. 1 mit integrierter, Verspannstütze, und

Fig. 3

einen vergrößerten Ausschnitt aus Fig. 2.

In the description, in the claims, in the abstract and in the drawing, the terms and associated reference numerals used in the list of reference numerals given below are used. In the drawing:

Fig. 1

shows a perspective view of a quick-change device with a quick coupler and an adapter, the quick coupler is connected to an excavator and the adapter with a sifting bucket;

Fig. 2

an enlarged sectional view of the quick coupler Fig. 1 with integrated, bracing support, and

Fig. 3

an enlarged section Fig. 2 ,

In the following description and in the figures, to avoid repetition, the same component components are identified by the same reference numerals, as long as no further differentiation is required.

Fig. 1 shows a quick-change device 10 via a sifting bucket 12 is releasably attached to an excavator 14. For reasons of clarity, only the boom of the excavator 14 is shown here.

The quick-change device 10 comprises a connected to the boom quick coupler 16 and arranged on the spreader 12 adapter 18. About a - not shown and described locking device - is in a known manner, a mechanical coupling between quick coupler 16 and adapter 18 produced so that a simple and quick tool change, for example, a drop of the sieve spoon 12 shown and a recording of a hydraulic hammer or the like, is possible.

For connecting the tool, for example, the illustrated sieve spoon 12, to the hydraulic system of the excavator, the quick-change device 10 also has a generally designated by the reference numeral 20 hydraulic coupling. The hydraulic coupling 20 in turn comprises a quick coupler-side coupling block 20a and an adapter-side coupling block 20b.

How out Fig. 2 can be seen, the quick coupler side coupling block 20a hydraulic lines 22a, 24a and 26a and associated coupling valves 28a, 30a and 32a. Correspondingly, the adapter-side coupling block 20b also has hydraulic lines 22b, 24b and 26b with associated coupling valves 28b, 30b 32b. How out Fig. 2 can be further seen, in the coupled state, the clutch valves 28a, 28b; 30a, 30b; 32a, 32b arranged in alignment with one another so that a flow of hydraulic fluid through the hydraulic lines 22a, 22b; 24a, 24b, and 26a, 26b guaranteed by the quick coupler 16 to the adapter 18 and vice versa.

The Verspannstütze invention is most evident Fig. 3 seen. How out Fig. 3 can be seen, the coupling valve 30a in the flow direction S considered a Verspannstütze 34 downstream. Trained as a hollow body Verspannstütze 34 extends partially in the hydraulic line 24a and is slidably viewed in the flow direction S in the hydraulic line 24a stored. In order to avoid an unwanted escape of hydraulic fluid between the outer peripheral surface of Verspannstütze 34 and the inner peripheral surface of the hydraulic line, the Verspannstütze in its outer peripheral surface on a groove in which a corresponding seal 36 is introduced.

In addition, the Verspannstütze at its end facing the coupling valve on a ring-shaped pressure application surface 38. Outside the hydraulic line 24a, the Verspannstütze 34 has a flange-like projection 40. The flange-like projection 40 forms a contact surface 42, over which the Verspannstütze 34 is in contact with the surrounding housing 44,

If, in the coupled state, hydraulic fluid now flows in the direction of flow S through the clutch valve 30a, pressure builds up on the pressure application surface 38 of the bracing support 34. That the Verspannstütze 34 is similar to a hydraulic piston in the flow direction S method. As a result, the Verspannstütze 34 braced over its contact surface 42 with the surrounding housing 44. The resulting Reaction pushes the two coupling blocks on each other and braces the two coupling blocks to each other.

For the sake of completeness, it should be pointed out that the effective piston area, on which the pressure prevailing in the valve acts, is not limited to the pressure application surface 38, but as total surface of the diameter of the hydraulic line in which the Verspannstütze 34 is guided and on the seal 36 seals. Ultimately, this is the effective area with which the two valve blocks are pressed against each other.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

Quick change device

12

Sieblöffel

14

excavator

16

Quick coupler

18

adapter

20

clutch

20a

quick coupler side coupling block

20b

Adapter-side coupling block

22a

hydraulic line

22b

hydraulic line

24a

hydraulic line

24b

hydraulic line

26a

hydraulic line

26b

hydraulic line

28a

clutch valve

28b

clutch valve

30a

clutch valves

30b

clutch valve

32a

clutch valve

32b

clutch valve

34

Verspannstütze

36

poetry

38

Pressure area

40

flange-like approach

42

contact surface

44

casing

S

flow direction

Claims (7)

1. Quick-change device (10) for coupling a tool (12) to a work machine (14), comprising

   - a quick-change unit (16) attached to a work machine (14);

   - an adapter (18) attached to said tool (12);

   - a locking device which acts between said quick-change unit (16) and said adapter (18) so as to provide mechanical coupling between said work machine (14) and said tool (12);

   - a hydraulic coupling (20) for providing a hydraulic connection between a hydraulic system present on the work machine (14) and a hydraulic system of said tool (12), which hydraulic coupling (20) includes a coupling block (20a), on the side of the quick-change unit, having hydraulic lines (22a, 24a, 26a) and coupling valves (28a, 30a, 32a) - the quick-change unit side coupling block - and a coupling block (20b), on the side of the adapter, having hydraulic lines (22b, 24b, 26b) and coupling valves (28b, 30b, 32b) - the adapter side coupling block, with at least one coupling block (20a, 20b) being elastically supported in its surrounding housing (44),

   wherein, mounted in at least a first hydraulic line (22a, 24a, 26a) of said hydraulic lines (22a, 24a, 26a) of said quick-change unit side coupling block (20a), there is a bracing support (34) which is designed as a hollow body, which bracing support (34) is disposed downstream of said quick-change unit side coupling valves (28a, 30a, 32a) - as viewed in the direction of flow (S) from the adapter side coupling block (20b) to the quick-change unit side coupling block (20a) - and partially extends into said first hydraulic line (22a, 24a, 26a) and is supported within said first hydraulic line (22a, 24a, 26a) so as to be movable in the direction of flow (S), characterized in that said bracing support (34) has a front face which extends into said first hydraulic line (22a, 24a, 26a), which front face forms a pressure application surface (38), and that the portion of said bracing support (34) which projects from said first hydraulic line (22a, 24a, 26a) includes a contact surface (42) with which said bracing support (34) abuts on the surrounding housing (44) of said quick-change unit (16).
2. Quick-change device (10) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said pressure application surface (38) is provided in the form of a ring surface.
3. Quick-change device (10) as claimed in claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the portion of said bracing support (34) which is outside said first hydraulic line (22a, 24a, 26a) is a flange-like projection (40) on which said contact surface (42) is formed.
4. Quick-change device (10) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a seal (36), more specifically an O-ring seal, is provided between said first hydraulic line (22a, 24a, 26a) and said bracing support (34).
5. Quick-change device (10) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said coupling valves (28a, 30a, 32a; 28b, 30b, 32b) are active coupling valves.
6. Quick-change device (10) as claimed in one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said coupling valves (28a, 30a, 32a; 28b, 30b, 32b) are short-lift valves.
7. Quick-change device (10) as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the quick-change unit side coupling block (20a) and/or the adapter side coupling block (20b) is elastically supported on its surrounding housing (44) by means of an elastic push-off element.

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