EP3715535B1 - Quick changer for construction tools - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a quick coupler for coupling a tool to an excavator stick or a similar tool manipulator, with two interlockable changer halves which can be coupled to one another on a first pair of locking parts and can be pivoted together around the coupled, first pair of locking parts into a coupling position in which a A second pair of locking parts of the changer halves can be locked, with energy coupling parts being provided on each of the two changer halves, which move together when the changer halves are pivoted together around said first pair of locking parts, a coupling carrier being attached to each changer half, which carries several energy coupling parts.

On construction machines such as hydraulic excavators or articulated grippers such as wood handling machines or demolition equipment or similar material handling machines, quick couplers are often used to connect various tools such as clearing buckets, shell grabs or demolition tongs to an excavator stick or similar tool operators such as articulated booms in order to be able to use different tools without long changeover times.

Such quick couplers can have, as locking elements, in particular two spaced apart locking axes on one coupling part, while the other coupling part, in particular the coupling part on the excavator arm side, can have a preferably hook-shaped coupling receptacle for hooking onto a first of the two locking axes and a locking receptacle for locking on the second locking axis. After hooking the first locking axis into the coupling receptacle, the two coupling parts can be pivoted towards each other, the locking axis seated in the coupling receptacle forming the axis of rotation, so that the second locking axis moves into the locking receptacle or is pivoted into it, where the mentioned second locking axis then by a locking element how, for example, an extendable wedge can be locked so that at the same time it is no longer possible to move the first locking axis out of the coupling receptacle. To move the aforementioned locking element, an externally energized actuating actuator is provided, which can be designed as a hydraulic cylinder, for example, and can usually be actuated by hydraulic pressure from the device.

The mentioned locking axes on the one coupling part can be formed by locking bolts that can extend parallel to each other on the corresponding coupling part, but instead of such bolts, other structural parts of the coupling part such as protruding lugs, stub axles, engagement stumps in the form of projections or Recesses, for example in the form of pockets, can serve as a locking part, the shape of which is adapted to the coupling receptacle or the locking receptacle of the other coupling part.

Such quick couplers are also subject to standards in terms of the dimensions and the locking parts in order to ensure the compatibility of a coupler half used on the excavator arm with various tools on which a coupler half is mounted, depending on the tool from different manufacturers and must be compatible with the stem-side coupler half so that the two coupler halves can move together and lock. Such standardization has taken place, for example, in the form of the so-called S coupler or the S standard, which specifies the dimensions and arrangement of the locking elements and receiving jaws and was specified by the Swedish Maskinleverantörerna institute and was last published on May 28, 2010. In the manner described above, this S-coupler has two parallel, spaced-apart transverse bolts as locking parts on one coupler half, while the other coupler half has a mouth-shaped coupling receptacle on the one hand and an L-shaped locking receptacle on the other hand, which is locked by a pair of extendable locking bolts or can be closed to a then likewise U-shaped or mouth-shaped receptacle.

Further examples of such quick couplers are from the documents EP 1 852 555 A2 , DE 20 2012 007 124 U1 , DE 20 2014 001 328 U1 known.

Such quick changers are often provided with energy couplings, which can include hydraulic couplings or electrical current couplings, for example, in order to be able to provide energy to the tool to be coupled to an actuating actuator provided on the second changer half. For example, rotary motors can be provided on the side of the changer half to be coupled, which are hydraulically operated in order to be able to rotate the tool about an upright axis. In addition, actuating actuators such as hydraulic cylinders or spindle drives with electric motors can also be supplied with energy in this way.

In the case of the type of quick coupler mentioned, the quick coupler halves of which are swiveled together around the first locking bolt after it has been hooked in, however, moving the energy couplings together is not very easy. Hydraulic couplings in particular react very sensitively if they are not brought together exactly in alignment, as the hydraulic pins in the hydraulic sockets then into which they can tilt or jam or damage the coupling parts. As a result of the pivoting movement of the two halves of the changer, the energy circuit couplings are moved into one another on a circular path, which in itself also includes a rotational component or a tilting movement component.

In order to avoid this pivoting component or moving together on a circular arc, it has already been proposed to decouple the coupling movement from the pivoting movement and only move the energy couplings together when the pivoting movement is complete. For example, the font shows EP 20 18 456 B1 a quick changer, the changer halves of which are pivoted together in the above-mentioned manner. The energy couplings are only finally coupled to one another when the pivoting movement has been completed and the second pair of locking parts are locked together. Specifically, the energy couplings are positively pressed against one another when the second pair of locking parts locks. For this purpose, a locking part to be moved has a wedge or inclined surface which, when the locking part is moved, presses the energy couplings upwards onto the mating coupling pieces due to the wedge effect. However, the force-fit pressing of the energy coupling parts against one another places a relatively high load on them and can lead to premature wear. In particular, the vibrations that occur in rough construction site operations lead to micro-movements between the energy coupling parts, which lead to continuous abrasion due to the frictional tensioning of the energy coupling parts. On the other hand, the wedge surface that presses the energy coupling parts against one another is itself subject to corresponding wear. So dirt on the wedge surface mentioned can lead to the sensitive energy couplings being pressed against one another too strongly.

It has also already been proposed to alleviate the problem of circular path movement by arranging the energy couplings on a coupling carrier that can tilt to the respective quick coupler half, namely around a tilt axis that is parallel to the pivot axis of the two quick coupler halves extends. In order to actually compensate for the rotational component of the circular path movement during coupling, the coupling carrier is guided in terms of its alignment by separate guide bolts that run into associated guide holes in order to couple the energy circuit couplings themselves with an exact linear movement relative to each other. However, such an exact linear guide can only be realized with great effort and allows no or only the slightest manufacturing tolerances, which makes the quick coupler expensive to manufacture. In addition, the energy coupling parts react sensitively to wear and tear on the separate guide pins and holes mentioned. If the mentioned guide pins and holes no longer move exactly into one another without play, the mentioned tilting problem occurs again on the energy coupling parts and can lead to their damage or even destruction.

The present invention is therefore based on the object of creating an improved quick coupler of the type mentioned, which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art and further develops the latter in an advantageous manner. In particular, a reliable coupling of the energy coupling parts when pivoting the quick coupler halves together should be made possible, which is wear-resistant even with larger manufacturing tolerances and does not require any complicated mechanisms for pushing down or separately actuating the energy circuit couplings.

According to the invention, the stated object is achieved by a quick changer according to claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

It is therefore proposed that the energy coupling parts find each other when pivoting the changer halves together and align themselves with one another so that the energy coupling parts move exactly into one another despite the circular path movement caused by pivoting the changer halves together. It is further proposed that the energy coupling parts are designed to be self-centering, with at least one of the coupling carriers being elastically tiltable on its associated changer half in a multi-axis manner by means of a rubber-elastic carrier mounting is mounted and at least one energy coupling part of each pair of energy coupling parts moving together is supported by a rubber-elastic coupling part bearing in a multiaxial, elastically tilted manner on the associated coupling carrier.

As a result of the self-centering of the energy coupling parts on one another, the source of errors from manufacturing tolerances between separate guide bolts / holes and the energy coupling parts can be eliminated, so that the energy coupling parts are more precisely aligned with one another. If the rotational component of the circular path movement is compensated for via separate guide pins and holes, positional and angular tolerances between the guide pins and holes on the one hand and the energy coupling parts on the other hand or tilting of the energy coupling parts lead to each other. Surprisingly, the self-aligning of the energy coupling parts to one another therefore leads to less wear.

The multi-stage, rubber-elastic mounting of the energy coupling parts enables particularly gentle self-alignment, which compensates for the rotational component of the circular path movement, whereby the rubber-elastic bearings facilitate the finding of the energy coupling parts and the rubber-elastic actuating forces cause tilting or tendency to reduce canting. The rubber-elastic bearing of the coupling carrier enables, in a first stage, the alignment of all energy coupling parts of one changer half relative to the energy coupling parts of the other changer half. Since several pairs of energy coupling parts have to be found, the rubber-elastic mounting of the entire coupling carrier enables a kind of pre-centering. The rubber-elastic bearings, which also allow individual energy coupling parts to tilt relative to the associated coupling carrier, effect an additional fine adjustment of the two energy coupling parts to each other, with the position and / or angular tolerances of the energy coupling parts, which are mounted on a common coupling carrier, being compensated at the same time can. If, for example, two energy coupling pins are not aligned exactly parallel to one another on a coupling plate, this would occur even if the Coupling plate forcibly jamming or promoting wear of the plug-in movements of the two coupling pins in the energy coupling sleeve on the other half of the changer. The additional rubber-elastic bearings, which allow the energy coupling parts to tilt relative to the coupling carrier, can compensate for such shape tolerances or position and angle tolerances.

In principle, both clutch carriers can be elastically mounted on both changer halves so that each clutch carrier can tilt elastically in multiple axes relative to its changer half. In an advantageous further development of the invention, however, only one of the clutch carriers can be mounted in a rubber-elastic manner on its changer half, while the clutch carrier can be rigidly attached to the other changer half. Unexpectedly, the self-centering of the energy coupling parts on each other works better if only one of the two coupling carriers can tilt elastically, whereby it can be assumed here that with both-sided rubber-elastic mounting of both coupling carriers, a simultaneous tilting of both coupling carriers can lead to the swivel movement path being overcompensated or the energy coupling parts tilt more if both coupling carriers tilt in the same direction.

The rubber-elastic bearings, which enable the energy coupling parts to tilt relative to the coupling carrier, can in particular be provided at least on the energy coupling parts that are mounted on the coupling carrier, which is itself elastically mounted.

In a further development of the invention, said rubber-elastic bearings, which enable the energy coupling parts to tilt relative to the coupling carrier, are provided on all energy coupling parts on both changer halves. Accordingly, the energy coupling parts can tilt on the one changer half relative to the coupling carrier which is rigidly mounted there. At the same time, the energy coupling parts on the other half of the changer can also tilt in relation to the coupling carrier, which is itself tiltably mounted.

The energy coupling parts mentioned can in particular form coupling plugs that can be plugged into one another. Advantageously, a pair of coupling plugs that can be plugged into one another can comprise, on the one hand, a coupling pin and, on the other hand, a coupling sleeve into which said coupling pin can be inserted.

In a further development of the invention, the mentioned energy coupling parts can form hydraulic coupling parts in order to be able to pass pressure fluid over the two changer halves. Alternatively or additionally, however, at least one electrically designed energy coupling part pair can also be provided.

In a further development of the invention, the self-centering design of the energy coupling parts can have an insertion bevel on at least one energy coupling part of a pair of energy coupling parts to be coupled. If coupling pins and coupling sleeves that can be plugged into one another are provided in the aforementioned manner, an insertion bevel can be formed in particular on the front edge of the coupling sleeve.

Alternatively or additionally, however, it would also be possible to provide an insertion bevel at the front end of a coupling pin.

The mentioned coupling pins and sleeves can, apart from the mentioned insertion bevel, in particular have an at least approximately cylindrical contour.

The mentioned entry slope can basically be contoured differently, for example have a cup-shaped curved course. In particular, the mentioned entry slope can have a conical contouring. If the respective energy coupling part is viewed in a longitudinal section, the insertion bevel can have a straight flank course.

In an advantageous further development of the invention, the insertion bevel can be designed with a cone angle of 2 times 20 ° to 2 times 60 ° or 2 times 30 ° to 2 times 50 °.

In an advantageous further development of the invention, the energy coupling parts are not pressed against one another in a force-locking manner in the coupled position, but rather retain a certain axial play in order not to have any micro-movements that promote wear due to vibrations occurring during operation.

In order to prevent high hydraulic pressure from pushing the two energy coupling parts apart in the case of hydraulic coupling parts, a form-fitting securing or locking mechanism can be provided which prevents the rubber-elastic bearings from being pushed apart and / or from being overloaded. In particular, a positively lockable locking device can be provided which, in the normal operating situation when the energy circuit coupling parts are closed, has play and gives the energy coupling parts a certain freedom of movement.

In a further development of the invention, such a locking device, which operates solely in a form-fitting manner, can have a displaceable bolt which is mounted displaceably on a quick coupler half, for example on the coupling carrier provided there, whereby the displaceability can be provided in a plane perpendicular to the direction of the coupling movement of the energy coupling parts moving into one another.

Said displaceable bolt can be locked and / or unlocked by a setting actuator, for example in the form of a pressure medium cylinder.

In an advantageous development of the invention, the locking device can be designed to be self-opening, in particular such that the locking device itself falls into the lock regardless of its current state or its current position and / or when the changer halves are pivoted together and / or the moving together of the energy coupling parts is optionally pressed when the locking part is in the closed position. Such a self-opening design of the locking device prevents the locking device from moving the energy coupling parts together if the locking device was inadvertently not in the open position when the energy coupling parts were moved together.

Such a self-opening design of the locking device can advantageously be achieved in that a displaceable bolt and / or a pawl to be locked has a run-in bevel which exerts a wedge effect on the displaceable locking part and pushes the displaceable locking part open when the said bevel hits the opposing surface.

In an advantageous further development of the invention, the locking device can have a plurality of locking pins designed like a mushroom head, which are approximately aligned in the direction of the circular arc path and look forward with the mushroom head when the changer halves are moved together. The locking part complementary to the mushroom head-shaped locking pins can be a locking plate in which recesses can be provided, preferably in the form of through holes or open grooves through which the mushroom head-shaped locking pins can pass. If the mushroom head-shaped locking pins have passed through the recess with their mushroom head, the locking part can move transversely to the retraction direction of the locking pins and reach under the mushroom heads.

Fig. 1:

eine schematische Seitenansicht eines Schnellwechslers nach einer vorteilhaften Ausführung der Erfindung, der an einem Auslegerstiel eines Baggers angebaut ist und als Anbauwerkzeug einen Grablöffel ankuppelt,

Fig. 2:

eine perspektivische Darstellung des Schnellwechslers aus Fig. 1 in einer abgekuppelten Stellung, in der die beiden miteinander kuppelbaren Wechslerhälften kurz vor dem Einhaken am Hakenabschnitt gezeigt sind,

Fig. 3:

eine perspektivische Darstellung der beiden Wechslerhälften, die an jeder Wechslerhälfte angebrachte Energiekupplungsteile zeigen, wobei die Teilansicht a die am Baggerstiel montierte Wechslerhälfte zeigt, an der ein Kupplungsträger starr montiert ist und die Teilansicht b eine werkzeugseitige Wechslerhälfte zeigt, an der ein Kupplungsträger gummielastisch gelagert ist,

Fig. 4:

eine perspektivische Darstellung der beiden Wechslerhälften im aneinander angekuppelten, aber noch nicht zusammengeschwenkten Zustand,

Fig. 5:

eine perspektivische Darstellung der Schnellwechslerhälften ähnlich Fig. 4, wobei die Schnellwechslerhälften zusammengefahren sind und die Energiekupplungsteile gekuppelt sind,

Fig. 6:

eine ausschnittsweise, perspektivische Darstellung der Energiekupplungsteile kurz vor dem Aneinanderkuppeln,

Fig. 7:

eine perspektivische Draufsicht auf die Energiekupplungsteile an der einen Wechslerhälfte, und eine schräge Seitenansicht der Energiekupplungsteile an der anderen Schnellwechslerhälfte, wobei die beiden Schnellwechslerhälften noch nicht vollständig zusammengeschwenkt sind, wobei die formschlüssige Verriegelungsvorrichtung zum Verriegeln der Energiekupplungsteile gezeigt ist, wobei an der oberen Wechslerhälfte ein quer verschiebbarer Riegel mit Ausnehmungen dargestellt und an der unteren Wechslerhälfte die darin einfahrbaren, pilzkopfförmigen Verriegelungsstifte gezeigt sind, und

Fig. 8:

eine perspektivische, ausschnittsweise Darstellung der Verriegelungseinrichtung der Energiekupplungsteile, wobei die pilzkopfförmigen Verriegelungsstifte in die Verriegelungsplatte eingefahren und verriegelt sind und das dabei vorhandene Spiel gezeigt ist.

The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of a preferred exemplary embodiment and associated drawings. In the drawings show:

Fig. 1:

a schematic side view of a quick changer according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, which is attached to a boom arm of an excavator and as an attachment to a digging spoon,

Fig. 2:

a perspective view of the quick coupler Fig. 1 in a decoupled position, in which the two changer halves that can be coupled to one another are shown shortly before they are hooked onto the hook section,

Fig. 3:

a perspective view of the two changer halves showing energy coupling parts attached to each changer half, partial view a showing the changer half mounted on the excavator boom on which a coupling carrier is rigidly mounted and partial view b shows a tool-side changer half on which a coupling carrier is elastically mounted,

Fig. 4:

a perspective view of the two halves of the changer in the coupled, but not yet pivoted together state,

Fig. 5:

a perspective view of the quick coupler halves similar Fig. 4 with the quick coupler halves moved together and the energy coupling parts coupled,

Fig. 6:

a partial, perspective view of the energy coupling parts shortly before coupling,

Fig. 7:

a perspective top view of the energy coupling parts on one changer half, and an oblique side view of the energy coupling parts on the other quick changer half, the two quick changer halves not yet fully pivoted together, the positive locking device for locking the energy coupling parts being shown, with a transverse to the upper changer half sliding bolt shown with recesses and the retractable, mushroom-shaped locking pins are shown on the lower half of the changer, and

Fig. 8:

a perspective, partial representation of the locking device of the energy coupling parts, wherein the mushroom-head-shaped locking pins are retracted and locked in the locking plate and the existing play is shown.

How Figure 1 shows, the quick coupler 1 can be mounted between the free end of the boom arm 5 of an excavator 30 and the tool 4 to be attached to it, wherein said attachment tool 4 can be designed, for example, as a digging spoon, like this Figure 1 shows, but can also include other construction, handling or demolition tools, for example in the form of shell grippers, demolition tongs, scissors or the like in a manner that is conventional per se.

The named quick coupler 1 can be mounted on the named boom arm 5 by means of a handle-side changer half 2, on the one hand, so that it can be pivoted about a horizontal pivot axis oriented transversely to the longitudinal axis of the boom arm 5, so that the quick coupler 1 together with the tool 4 attached to it, for example by means of a pressure cylinder 36 and an intermediate pivot piece 37 can be pivoted relative to the boom arm 5.

A tool-side changer half 3 - cf. Figure 2 - Can be attached to the attachment tool 4 and / or an intermediate rotary drive.

How Figure 2 shows, the two changer halves 2 and 3 comprise two pairs of interlocking locking parts that allow a two-stage coupling or locking process. First, a pair of locking elements is hooked or coupled, in order then to pivot the two changer halves together around the coupled first locking pair. In the pivoted In the coupling position, the second pair of locking parts are then locked together, compare FIG Figures 4 and 5 .

How Figure 2 shows, a changer half, in particular the handle-side changer half 2, can comprise a coupling receptacle 6 as locking parts as well as a slidable bolt 11 movable in front of the opening of a locking receptacle 10, said locking receptacle 10 being able to have a different opening direction than the coupling receptacle. In particular, the coupling receptacle 6 can be open facing away from the locking receptacle 10, while the locking receptacle 10 can be designed to be open towards the other changer half 3. As an alternative to the embodiment shown in the figures Figure 2 the second locking part of the changer half 2 could, however, also have a locking jaw that is displaceable as a whole, as is known per se. The bolt 11 can be moved approximately in a direction transverse to the opening of the four-bolt receptacle 10 in order to be able to be pushed in front of this opening. For example, the bolt 11 can be moved down into the locking receptacle 10 from above at a slightly inclined angle.

The other changer half, in particular the tool-side changer half 3, can have two transverse bolts 33 and 34 as locking parts, which can be aligned parallel to one another and spaced from one another so far that they fit into the openings of the coupling and locking receptacles 6 and 10.

In order to couple the two changer halves 2 and 3 to one another, the coupling receptacle 6 is first hooked into the cross bolt 33, whereby a securing element 7 can catch or secure the cross bolt 33 in the coupling receptacle 6 in order to prevent it from accidentally slipping out when the two changer halves 2 and 3 are pivoted together. Said securing element 7 can, for example, be spring-loaded and opened by a pressure actuator when the quick coupler is to be uncoupled. If the coupling receptacle 6 is attached to the cross bolt 33, like this Figure 4 shows, the two changer halves 2 and 3 can be pivoted together about the pivot axis formed by the hooked coupling receptacle 6 or the transverse bolt 33 caught therein, until the in Figure 5 Coupling position shown is shown. In the clutch position mentioned according to Figure 5 the second transverse bolt 34 is retracted into the locking receptacle 10 so that the bolt 11 can be moved into the locking position in order to secure or fix the transverse bolt 34 in the locking receptacle 10. The bolt 11 can be actuated by a pressure cylinder 8, for example.

As the Figures 4 and 5 show, energy coupling parts 12 and 13 are provided on a section of the changer halves 2 and 3 spaced apart from the coupling receptacle 6 and can be arranged in particular on an end section of the changer halves 2 and 3 opposite the coupling receptacle 6.

The mentioned energy coupling parts 12 and 13 can be hydraulic couplings, for example. Independently of this, the energy coupling parts 12 and 13 can be designed as plug-in couplings which can be moved into one another and can comprise coupling sleeves and coupling pins that can be inserted therein, see FIG. 7.

In order to mount the energy coupling parts 12 and 13 on the two changer halves 2 and 3, a coupling carrier 14 and 15 is provided on each changer half 2 and 3, which coupling carrier 14 and 15 can be designed, for example, in the form of a carrier plate on which the energy coupling parts 12 and 13 can be mounted.

As the Figures 6 and 7th To illustrate, the coupling carrier 14 can be rigidly mounted on “its” changer half, wherein the rigidly mounted coupling carrier 14 can be provided in particular on the changer half 2 on the handle. The other coupling carrier 15 can be multiaxial on the other changer half, in particular the tool-side changer half 3, by means of a rubber-elastic bearing 16 be mounted elastically tiltable. Said rubber-elastic coupling carrier bearing 16 can advantageously comprise at least one rubber bearing block 17 which is fastened on the one hand to the changer half 3 and on the other hand carries the coupling carrier 15. Advantageously, two block-shaped or plate-shaped rubber bearing parts 17 can be inserted into recesses in the changer half 3, which can extend, for example, transversely to the longitudinal extension of the coupling carrier 15. The coupling carrier 15 is fastened to the rubber bearing parts 17 fastened to the changer half 3, for example by means of screw bolts or in some other way, so that the bearing forces are dissipated via the rubber bearing parts 17.

How further the Figures 6 , 7th and 8th show, the energy coupling parts 12 and 13 are movably supported in themselves and / or relative to the respective coupling carrier 14 or 15 by rubber-elastic coupling bearings 18, so that the energy coupling parts 12 and 13 move relative to their coupling carriers 14 and 15, in particular in a multi-axis elastic manner can tilt.

The rubber-elastic coupling bearings 18 can advantageously comprise several ring-shaped or plate-shaped rubber bearing parts 19, which are connected between adjacent sections of the energy coupling parts 12 and 13 and / or can be provided between the energy coupling parts 12 and 13 on the one hand and the coupling carriers 14 and 15 on the other. Said rubber bearing parts 19 can form rubber joints which allow multi-axis tilting of the tips or front sections of the energy coupling parts to be inserted.

As the Figures 6 and 7th Make clear, can be provided on the changer halves 2 and 3 in the vicinity of the energy coupling parts 12 and 13 pockets 20 and - projections 21 to prevent the energy coupling parts 12 and 13 from moving together in a completely wrong relative position. Said entry pockets 20 and projections 21 allow complete pivoting together only when the coupling receptacle 6 has been correctly hung on the crossbar 13 and prevents pivoting together when this is not the case. The mentioned entry pockets 20 and projections 21 do not form a centering device for the energy coupling parts 12 and 13 and can be rigidly attached to the changer halves 2 and 3 so that they do not cause the energy coupling parts 12 and 13 to tilt relative to the changer halves 2 and 3. Said insertion pockets 20 and projections 21 are effective before the energy coupling parts 12 and 13 come into engagement and have so much play with respect to one another that they do not cause any pre-centering.

The energy coupling parts 12 and 13 center themselves on one another. The self-centering design of the energy coupling parts 12 and 13 includes insertion bevels 22 on the front edges of the sleeve-shaped coupling parts 12, which can be designed, for example, in the form of a conical insertion bevel or a conical insertion funnel. Alternatively or additionally, a corresponding insertion bevel, in particular in the form of a conical bevel, could also be provided on the front edges of the coupling pins 13.

If the energy coupling parts 12 and 13 are moved together and into one another on a circular arc path by pivoting the changer halves 2 and 3 together, the mentioned lead-in bevels 22 cause the energy coupling parts 12 and 13 to self-center and compensate for the rotational component of the circular arc path.

The rubber-elastic bearings of the energy coupling parts 12 and 13 and the coupling carrier 15 allow the energy coupling parts 12 and 13 to tilt relative to one another and relative to the respective coupling carrier and, via the rubber-elastic carrier bearing 16, also to tilt all energy coupling parts 13 on the tool-side coupling part .

The energy coupling parts 12 and 13 are thus completely and solely coupled to one another by pivoting the two changer halves 2 and 3 together, with the energy coupling parts moving together at the same time as they are pivoting together and being completed before the bolt 11 is locked on the locking receptacle 10.

In order to prevent the energy coupling parts 12 and 13 from moving apart unintentionally under high hydraulic pressure, a form-fitting locking device 23 can be provided which locks the two coupling carriers 14 and 15 in a form-fitting manner and prevents them from moving apart. How best Figure 7 and Figure 8 show, the locking device 23 comprises, on the one hand, locking pins 24 with an undercut head 25, which can be retracted through locking recesses 27 of a movable transverse bolt 26, cf. Figure 8 . Said head 25 of the locking pins 24 can in particular be approximately mushroom-shaped and / or comprise an inclined and / or conically contoured inlet area which enters the locking recesses 27 in order to press them open if the cross bolt 26 is not in its open position.

Said cross bar 26 can be displaced or moved transversely to the retraction direction of the locking pins 24, which can be done by a suitable actuator, for example in the form of a pressure medium cylinder.

How Figure 8 shows, the locking pins 24, in particular the undercut heads 25 have clearance or play relative to the cross bar 26, so that the energy coupling parts 12 and 13 are not pressed against each other in a force-locking manner, but are merely secured in a form-locking manner if this is required.

Claims (13)

1. Quick change unit for coupling a tool (4) to an excavator arm (5) or another tool carrier, with two interlockable change unit halves (2, 3) that can be coupled to one another at a first pair of locking parts (6, 33) and can be pivoted together about the coupled first pair of locking parts into a coupling position in which a second pair of locking parts (10, 11; 34) of the change unit halves (2, 3) can be locked, wherein provided on each of the two change unit halves (2, 3) are energy coupling parts (12, 13), which move together when the change unit halves (2, 3) are pivoted together about the pivot axis formed by said first pair of locking parts, wherein mounted on each change unit half (2, 3) is a coupling carrier (14, 15), which supports respectively a number of energy coupling parts (12, 13), characterised in that the energy coupling parts (12, 13) are formed to be self-centring, wherein at least one of the coupling carriers (15) is supported in a multiaxial, elastically tiltable manner on the associated change unit half (3) by means of a rubber elastic carrier mounting (16) and at least one energy coupling part (12, 13) of each pair of energy coupling parts (12, 13) moving together is supported in a multiaxial, elastically tiltable manner on the associated coupling carrier (14, 15) by a rubber elastic coupling part bearing (18).
2. Quick change unit according to the preceding claim, wherein the energy coupling parts (12, 13) have centring bevels (22) on end-face edge sections.
3. Quick change unit according to the preceding claim, wherein the centring bevels (22) are contoured in the form of centring cones.
4. Quick change unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein tilting movements of the energy coupling parts (12, 13) to compensate for a rotatory component of the circular arc path of the energy coupling parts (12, 13) moving towards one another on pivoting together of the change unit halves (2, 3) are controlled solely by the self-centring of the energy coupling parts (12, 13).
5. Quick change unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the coupling carrier (14) is mounted on one change unit half (2), in particular the change unit half on the arm side, rigidly on the change unit half and the other coupling carrier (15) is supported on the other change unit half (3) in a multiaxial, elastically tiltable manner by the rubber elastic carrier mounting (16).
6. Quick change unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the rubber elastic carrier mounting (16) of said one coupling carrier (15) has two preferably block- or plate-shaped rubber bearing parts (17), which are taken up in bearing recesses in the change unit half (2), wherein the coupling carrier (15) is attached by opposite end sections to the two rubber bearing parts (17).
7. Quick change unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the rubber elastic coupling bearings (18), by means of which the energy coupling parts (12, 13) are multiaxially elastically tiltable relative to the associated coupling carrier (14, 15), have annular or plate-shaped rubber bearing parts (19), which connect adjacent sections of the energy coupling parts (12, 13) to one another.
8. Quick change unit according to the preceding claim, wherein each energy coupling part (12, 13) comprises at least two rubber bearing parts (19), which are arranged spaced at a distance from one another and respectively connect two adjacent coupling part sections.
9. Quick change unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the energy circuit coupling parts (12, 13) are formed as hydraulic couplings.
10. Quick change unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a locking device (23), which operates in an exclusively positive-locking manner, is provided for locking the energy coupling parts (12, 13) in the coupled position, which locking device (23) has play in the locked position and provides a limited mobility of the energy coupling parts (12, 13) relative to one another.
11. Quick change unit according to the preceding claim, wherein the locking device (23) has a movable crossbar (26) with locking openings (27) on one change unit half (2) and further comprises locking pins (24) with undercut heads (25) mounted on the other change unit half (3), which locking pins (24) with their undercut heads (25) are movable into the locking openings (27) of the crossbar (26), wherein the crossbar (26) is movable by transverse movement under the undercut heads (25).
12. Quick change unit according to the preceding claim, wherein the movable crossbar (26) can be locked and/or unlocked by a pressure medium actuator.
13. Quick change unit according to one of the two preceding claims, wherein the locking heads (25) of the locking pins (24) have a preferably conical lead-in chamfer, through which the crossbar (26) can be pressed from its locked position into its unlocked position and the locking pins (24) are movable into the locking openings (27) of the crossbar (26).

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