FR2796870A1 - Device for cutting vehicle oil filters apart for recycling, comprises plate carrying platen with means of locating filter and means of moving platen height - Google Patents

Abstract

A plate (1a) carries a platen (5) with a means of locating the filter on its upper side and a means of moving the height of the platen relative to the plate. Two trolleys (10,11), symmetrical and diametrically opposed across the platen, each carry a blade (25, 26) which moves along and about the x-x axis. The trolleys move the blades to a cutting position above the platen so a filter on it can be cut. The device for cutting oil filters (48) comprises a box enclosing a filter cartridge and blocked at the lower end by a sole-plate (49). Each blade has a cutting edge in the form of a circular arc of less than 180 deg , extending to a height relative to the plate of more than that separating the platen from the plate. There are also means of displacing the trolleys along the x-x axis, designed to synchronize their movements with the same speed and opposite direction between an extended (waiting) position and a close (cutting) position where the cutting edges are above the platen to cut a filter mounted thereon.

Description

The invention relates to a device for cutting oil filters, particularly motor vehicles, conventionally comprising a housing enclosing a filter cartridge and closed at the bottom by a sole.

At present, oil filters must be recycled. In order to obtain a recycling method as far upstream as possible and to improve waste management, it was envisaged to allow garages to separate the metal housings from the filter cartridge. For this purpose, various cutting devices, in particular described in the DE 4109515, DE 3720542, DE 3936004, US 5205195, US 3900948, US 5214830, DE 4009398 and EP 633218, have been designed to allow the filter to be opened at the way of a can, so that you can then recover. separately the metal housing and the filter cartridge after extracting the oil from these elements.

The present invention also aims at a device for cutting oil filters and its main purpose is to provide a cutting device of very simple design.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cutting device which leads to cutting the housing without completely separating it from the sole.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cutting device for processing, by simple adjustments very simple filters of different sizes.

For this purpose, the invention provides a cutting device comprising, installed on a plate - a support plate having an upper face provided with filter positioning means, - means for adjusting the height of the position of the support plate relative to the plate, - two mobile carriages arranged symmetrically diametrically opposite on either side of the support plate, said carriages carrying vis-à-vis and oriented relative to a longitudinal axis (x), each a knife having a sharp blade in the form of a circular arc angle of less than 180, extending at a height from the upper plate to that separating the upper face of the support plate and said plate, - moving means in translation of the carriages along the longitudinal axis (x) adapted to move them in synchronism with the same speed and in opposite directions, between a remote position, so-called attentive te, and a close position, said cutting, where the cutting blades are located above the support plate to ensure the cutting of a filter positioned on the latter.

Such a device has a very simple design because the cutting of the filter is performed by means of two simple knives carried by carriages arranged to move in synchronism in opposite directions relative to a support plate on which is positioned the filter.

This cutting therefore simply requires positioning the filter on the support plate, to actuate the carriage moving means so as to bring the latter into their cutting position and then back to their waiting position. At this point, two opposite circular portions of the filter are cut out. Then simply repeat the cutting action after rotating the filter a fraction of a turn to complete the cutting of the latter.

In addition, the means for adjusting the height of the support plate make it possible to adapt the cutting device to various sizes of oil filters, and to cut these filters optimally by causing the knives to penetrate just above the edge. device of the sole, despite differences in height of said peripheral edge, functions of the type of filter and its dimensions.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the cutting blade of one of the knives forms an arc of angle less than that of the arc formed by the cutting blade of the other knife, the values of said angles were substantially understood between 60 and 100.

This difference in size between the cutting blades of the knives advantageously leads to leaving, with rotation of the filter by a suitable fraction of a turn between two cutting actions, a small portion of the periphery of the uncut housing which acts as a hinge. allowing the casing to tilt relative to the soleplate for the recovery of the filter cartridge, to recover a metal assembly (or plastic depending on the material constituting the filter) in one piece for the storage and recycling of this last.

Furthermore, the cutting device advantageously comprises a needle extending parallel to the top of the plate, at a distance from the latter equal to that separating the cutting blades from the knives of said plate, said needle being pivotally mounted about an orthogonal axis the tray and being arranged to perform a cutting primer of a filter positioned on the support plate, during its rotation.

Such a needle makes it possible, before the cutting operation, to determine at which height level the filter will be attacked by the knives, and thus to adjust the height adjustment of the support plate so that the knives come into the the filter optimally just above the peripheral edge of the sole of the latter.

The cutting device furthermore advantageously comprises means for indexing the position of the knives relative to the carriages, adapted to allow the distance separating said knives to be adjusted along the longitudinal axis (x), in the position remote from said carriages. .

Such indexing means make it possible to adjust the relative distance separating the knives as a function of the diameter of the filter to be cut, and thus for the same stroke lead to allow the cutting of filters of different diameters. In addition, advantageously, the carriage moving means are adapted so that, in the position remote from said carriages, the cutting blades of the knives are located at a distance from the peripheral edge of the support plate less than 1 cm.

This arrangement, linked to the possibilities of adjusting the position of the knives by the indexing means, leads to preserve the user against any risk of accident likely to result from the actuation of the carriage moving means while a finger said user is between the support plate and the knives.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the plate comprises two longitudinal slots extending coaxially with the longitudinal axis (x) on either side of the support plate, the carriages being provided with a guide portion adapted to to lodge and slide in the said, lights.

In addition, and advantageously the means for translational movement of the carriages comprise - a disc disposed under the plate halfway between the carriages and oriented on the longitudinal axis (x), - two links articulated respectively on the disc around of axes positioned diametrically opposite on said disk, and each on the guiding portion of a carriage; means for driving the disk in rotation, able to rotate it in both directions by a predetermined angular value; .

Furthermore, according to an advantageous embodiment - each carriage comprises a knife-carrying portion carried by the guide portion and adapted to be peeled off from said guide portion under the effect of elastic means arranged between said portions, and to be displaced along the longitudinal axis (x) relative to this guide portion, - the indexing means comprise coupling members distributed along the longitudinal axis (x) at facing faces of the guide portions and door -couteau, and a manually operated lever adapted to allow to compress the elastic means so as to lock the two portions of the carriage in a predetermined coupling position, and to allow the expansion of said elastic means for the purpose of adjusting the position the knife holder portion.

According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention, intended to enable the oil flowing from the filter to be recovered, the support plate comprises at least one annular groove formed in the upper face of the latter, and is pierced with at least one orifice opening into said groove, the plate comprises, vertically above each groove of the support plate, a groove arranged so as to open into the slots of said plate.

Furthermore, the height adjustment of the support plate is advantageously obtained very simply by means of adjustment means comprising a threaded axial orifice formed in said support plate and a threaded axis extending orthogonally with respect to the plate and of conjugated diameter of the threaded orifice of the support plate.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description which follows with reference to the accompanying drawings which represent by way of non-limiting example a preferred embodiment. In these drawings - Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cutting device according to the invention - Figure 2 is a view from above - Figure 3 is a partial longitudinal section through a vertical plane A and on an enlarged scale, of this cutting device in the coupled position of the carriages, - Figure 4 is a partial longitudinal section, by a vertical plane B and on an enlarged scale, in the uncoupled position of the two carriages portions, - the FIG. 5 is a partial cross-section, by a vertical plane C and on an enlarged scale, of a carriage of a cutting device according to the invention, and FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the plate of the cutting device. according to the invention.

The device according to the invention shown in the figures comprises, in the first place, a workbench 1 provided with a horizontal plate 1a in which are formed two coaxial longitudinal slots 2, 3 defining a longitudinal axis (x), extending from two opposite sides of said plateau and each interrupting a short distance from the center of this plateau la.

This plate 1 has, in addition, a threaded axis 4 extending orthogonally with respect to the latter, said axis being aligned on the longitudinal axis (x) at mid-distance between the ends facing the slots 2, 3.

This device also comprises a circular support plate 5 pierced with an axial threaded hole adapted to fit the threaded shaft 4 by screwing and to adjust the height of said support plate relative to the plate 1a.

 This support plate 5 further comprises an annular groove 6 formed in its upper face, and in the bottom of which open through holes such as 7 formed in said support plate.

In line with this groove 6, the plate 1 has meanwhile also an annular groove 8 interrupted by the lights 2, 3, for channeling towards them the oil flowing from the filter and having passed through the orifices 7, and recover this oil in a can 9 placed under the plate <B> l </ b> a.

The device according to the invention also comprises two trolleys 10, 11, knife holders adapted to move longitudinally in the slots 2, 3 of the plate 1a.

Each of these carriages 10, 11 comprises for this purpose, in the first place, a lower guiding portion 14 consisting of two rectangular plates 15, 16 superimposed and contiguous, having opposite longitudinal recesses defining two lateral rails such as 17 adapted shapes to house the longitudinal edges of the lights 2, 3.

In addition, this guide portion 14 comprises, formed in the upper face of the upper plate 15, two parallel series of orifices arranged symmetrically on either side of the longitudinal axis (x), each of said series having three orifices. 18, 19, 20 distributed longitudinally in the middle portion of said upper plate.

Each carriage 10, 11 further comprises an upper portion 21 knife holder superimposed on the guide portion 14, with a faculty of vertical displacement of said knife holder portion relative to said guide portion.

This knife-holder portion 21 consists of a generally rectangular parallelepiped-shaped block pierced vertically by a longitudinal slot 22 of oblong shape having an upper portion 22a of dimensions smaller than those of its current dimensions, delimited by a peripheral internal shoulder 22b. .

This knife-holder portion 21 further comprises, projecting from its underside, two keying elements 23, 24 arranged symmetrically on either side of the longitudinal axis (x) and of section adapted to meet housed in the coupling holes 18, 19, 20.

These knife-holder portions 21 comprise, finally, opposite, a transverse frontal groove in which is inserted in force a knife 25, 26. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, each of these knives 25, 26 has a cutting blade 25a , 26a in the shape of an arc of a circle. In addition, one of these cutting blades 26a is larger than that of the other cutting blade 25a. For example, the arc formed by the blade 26a is of the order of 100 degrees while that formed by the blade 25a is of the order of 80 degrees.

Each carriage 10, 11 finally comprises connecting elements portions 14, 21 of said carriages adapted to allow a vertical movement of the knife holder portion 21 thereof.

These connecting elements comprise, in the first place, a vertical shaft 27 secured to the guide portion 14, adapted to extend, on the one hand, in the lower extension of said guide portion, and on the other hand in the oblong slot 22 and in the upper extension of the knife holder portion 21. This shaft 27 has, in addition, a threaded upper section 27a on which is screwed a shaft head 28 having longitudinally, along the axis (x), a trapezoidal section.

These connecting elements comprise, in addition, a lever 29 whose head 30 forms a yoke whose two wings 30a, 30b longitudinally frame the shaft head 28, and are articulated relative thereto about a transverse axis 31.

This lever head 30 comes to bear on a plate 32 disposed on the knife holder portion 21 and provided with an orifice 33 for the passage of the shaft 27.

Each wing 30a, 30b of this lever head 30 has, in addition, a peripheral edge portion shaped circular sector extended by a rectilinear front portion forming a flat, so that, as shown in Figures 3 and 4 - in the lowered position of the lever 29 (Figure 3), the circular portion of the peripheral edge of the lever head 30 is in contact with the plate 32, and the knife holder portion 21 is coupled with the guide portion 14, in one of the three positions of adjustment authorized by the orifices 18, 19, 20, - in the raised position of the lever 29 (FIG. 4), the flat part of the head of the lever 30 is in contact with the plate 32, and the knife-holder portion 21 then undergoes an upward movement under the action of a helical spring disposed 34 around the shaft 27 in the oblong slot 22, which leads to uncoupling the keying elements 23, 24 relative to the orifices 18, 19, 20 and allows adjust the longitudinal position of said knife holder portion.

The device according to the invention also comprises means for translational movement of the carriages 10, 11 able to move them synchronously in opposite directions in the slots 2, 3.

As represented in FIGS. 3 and 6, these displacement means comprise, in the first place, a disk 35 placed under the plate 1, rotatably mounted by means of a bearing 36 around an axis 37 orthogonal to said plate and coaxial with the threaded shaft 4. These displacement means further comprise two links 38, 39 each connecting the disc 35 and the guide portion 14 of one of the carriages 10, 11. These links 38, 39 are on the one hand rotatably mounted around the lower portion of the shaft 27 of the carriages 10, 11, and secondly articulated on the disk 35 about axes 40, 41 positioned diametrically opposite, periphery of said disk.

The displacement means furthermore comprise a junction piece 42 of generally triangular shape with a circular base 42a toothed, secured at its top to the central portion of the disc 35.

These displacement means comprise, finally, a pinion 43 arranged to mesh with the toothed base 42a of the connecting piece 42, and mounted on the shaft of a hydraulic or pneumatic motor 44 adapted to drive in rotation said pinion in one or the other direction, so as to cause either the approximation or the distance of the carriages 10, 11. It should be noted that a manually operated lever may be substituted for the motor 44.

The device according to the invention comprises, lastly, a needle 45 extending parallel to above the plate 1a, at a distance from the latter equal to that separating said plate from cutting blades 25a, 26a of the knives 25, 26. This needle 45 is carried by a rod 46 extending orthogonally with respect to the plate and pivotally mounted about a vertical axis, so as to allow, during its rotation, to bring the needle 45 into contact with the filter disposed on the plate -support 5 to perform a cutting primer.

In view of this rotation, the rod 46 is furthermore provided with a horizontal gripping arm 47.

The operation of the cutting device described above with a view to cutting an oil filter 48 is as follows: firstly, depending on the diameter of the filter 48, the longitudinal position of the knife-holder portion 21 is adjusted of carriages 10, 11 by actuation of the levers 29, the needle 45 is then actuated so as to check at which height level the filter 48 will be attacked by the knives 25, 26, the position in height of the plate may be adjusted, if necessary. -support 5 so that the needle 45, and subsequently the knives 25, 26, contact the filter 48 immediately above the peripheral rim 49a of the sole 49 of the latter, - the motor 44 is actuated so as to cause bringing the carriages 10, 11 closer together and cutting two circular portions of the filter 48, the motor 44 is actuated so as to return the carriages 10, 11 to their waiting position, the platinum-suppo is rotated. Rt 5 of a fraction of a turn adapted to bring two uncut surface portions of the filter 48 opposite the knives 25, 26, - the motor 44 is again actuated so as to proceed to the cutting of these surface portions. At this stage or possibly after a new cutting action performed after rotation of the support plate 5, given the difference in size of the cutting blades 25a, 26a, only a single portion of the periphery of the filter 48 remains integral with the soleplate 49. The filter housing 48 can therefore be tilted with respect to the soleplate 49 held on the support plate 5 by the knives 25, 26, the aforesaid uncut portion acting as a hinge, - the next step is to remove the filter cartridge which can then be compressed by any means known per se such as for example a manually operated press with a base on which the cartridge is deposited and a pressing element with axial or rotary displacement able to compress said cartridge; lastly, the filter 48 in one piece with the sole 49 is recovered for recycling.

Claims (1)

 1 / - Device for cutting oil filters (48), especially motor vehicles, consisting of a housing enclosing a filter cartridge and closed at the bottom by a sole plate (49), said device being characterized in that it comprises, installed on a plate (la) - a support plate (5) having an upper face provided with means for positioning the filter (48), - means (4) for adjusting the height of the position of the support plate (5) relative to the plate (la), - two mobile carriages (10, 11) arranged symmetrically diametrically opposite on either side of the support plate (5), said carriages carrying vis-à-vis and oriented with respect to a longitudinal axis (x), each a knife (25, 26) having a cutting blade (25a, 26a) having an arc angle of less than 180, extending at a height by ratio to the plateau (la) greater than that separating the upper face e of the support plate (5) and said plate, - means (35-44) for translational movement of the carriages (10, 11) along the longitudinal axis (x), adapted to move them in synchronism with the same speed and in opposite directions, between a remote position, said waiting, and a close position, said cutting where the cutting blades (25a, 26a) are located above the support plate (5) for the purpose of cut a filter (48) positioned on the latter. 2 / - Cutting device according to claim 1 characterized in that the cutting blade (25a) of one of the knives (25) forms a lower arc angle than that of the arc formed by the cutting blade (26a) of the other knife (26), the values of said angles being substantially between 60 and 100. 3 / - cutting device according to one of claims 1 or 2 characterized in that it comprises a needle (45) extending parallel above the plate (la), at a distance of the latter equal to that separating the cutting blades (25a, 26a) of the knives (25, 26) of said plate, said needle being pivotally mounted about an axis orthogonal to the plate (1a) and being arranged to perform a cutting primer of a filter (48) positioned on the support plate (5) during its rotation. 4 / - cutting device according to one of claims 1 to 3 characterized in that it comprises indexing means (18, 19, 20, 23, 24, 29) of the position of the knives (25, 26) relative to the carriages (10, 11), adapted to allow to adjust the distance separating said knives along the longitudinal axis (x), in the position remote from said carriages. 5 / - cutting device according to claim 4 characterized in that the displacement means (35-44) of the carriages (10, 11) are adapted so that, in the position remote from said carriages, the cutting blades (25a, 26a). knives (25, 26) are located at a distance from the peripheral edge of the support plate (5) less than 1 cm. 6 / - cutting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plate (la) comprises two longitudinal slots (2, 3) extending coaxially with the longitudinal axis (x) on either side the support plate (5), the carriages (10, 11) being provided with a guide portion (14) adapted to be housed and slide in said lights. 7 / - cutting device according to claim 6 characterized in that the translational displacement means of the carriages (10, 11) comprise - a disc (35) disposed under the plate (la) halfway between the carriages (10). , 11) and centered on the longitudinal axis (x), - two links (38, 39) hinged respectively on the disc (35) about axes (40, 41) positioned diametrically opposite on said disk, and each on the guide portion (14) of a carriage (10, 11), means (42-44) for rotating the disk (35) capable of rotating it in both directions by an angular value predetermined. 8 / - cutting device according to one of claims 6 or 7 characterized in that - each carriage (10, 11) comprises a knife holder portion (21) carried by the guide portion (14) and adapted to be detached from said guide portion under the effect of elastic means (34) disposed between said portions, and being displaced along the longitudinal axis (x) with respect to this guide portion (14), - the indexing means comprise coupling members (18, 19, 20, 23, 24) distributed along the longitudinal axis (x) at opposite faces of the guide portions (14) and knife holder (21), and a lever (29) manually operable to compress the elastic means (34) so as to lock the two portions (14, 21) of the carriage (10, 11) in a predetermined coupling position, and to allow the expansion said elastic means for adjusting the position of the knife holder portion (21). 9 / - Cutting device according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that - the support plate (5) comprises at least one annular groove (6) formed in the upper face thereof, and is pierced by at least one orifice (7) opening into said groove, the plate (1a) has, directly above each groove (6) of the support plate (5), a groove (8) arranged so as to open into the lights (2, 3) of said tray. 10 / - cutting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means for adjusting the height of the support plate (5) comprises a tapped axial orifice formed in said support plate and a threaded shaft (4) s extending orthogonally with respect to the plate <B> (1 </ B> a) and of conjugated diameter of the tapped hole of the support plate (5).