FR3065384A1 - SOLDER CLAMP FEEDER FEEDER - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a feed barrel (14) for tips (42) of a welding clamp (10), and a storage magazine comprising such a barrel. The forceps (10) have two movable ends (20, 22) for engaging a tip (42) respectively, said tip having a closed end (80) and an open end (82) for receiving the movable end (20). 20, 22), said barrel (14) comprising a turntable (48) and two pluralities of receiving members (60, 62) extending radially projecting from said turntable (48) to receive respectively two pluralities of end caps (42). The receiving members (60, 62) are respectively mounted at right angles to each other, so that the closed ends (80) of two ends respectively located in two receiving members located at right of each other can come against each other.

Description

© Publication no .: 3,065,384 (to be used only for reproduction orders)

©) National registration number: 17 53379 ® FRENCH REPUBLIC

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY

COURBEVOIE © IntCI ⁸ : B 23 K 37/00 (2017.01), B 23 K 9/12, B 25 J 18/04

A1 PATENT APPLICATION

©) Date of filing: 19.04.17. ©) Priority: ©) Applicant (s): EXROD Simplified joint stock company - FR. @ Inventor (s): MORAL CEDRIC. ©) Date of availability of the request: 26.10.18 Bulletin 18/43. ©) List of documents cited in the preliminary search report: See the end of this booklet (© References to other related national documents: ©) Holder (s): EXROD Simplified joint-stock company. ©) Extension request (s): ® Agent (s): CABINET FEDIT LORIOT.

// BARREL FOR SUPPLY OF WELDING PLIERS.

FR 3,065,384 - A1 tur) The invention relates to a supply barrel (14) of end pieces (42) of a welding gun (10), and a storage magazine comprising such a barrel. Said clamp (10) having two movable ends (20, 22) intended to respectively engage in a nozzle (42), said nozzle having a closed end (80) and an open end (82) for receiving the mobile end ( 20, 22), said barrel (14) comprising a rotary plate (48) and two pluralities of receiving members (60, 62) extending radially projecting from said rotary plate (48) so as to be able to receive respectively two pluralities of 'ends (42). The receiving members (60, 62) are respectively mounted in line with each other, so that the closed ends (80) of two end pieces respectively located in two receiving members located in line with each other can come to bear against each other.

Welding pliers tip supply barrel

The present invention relates to a barrel for feeding the ends of a welding tong carried by a robot.

A field of application envisaged is in particular, but not exclusively, that of the automotive industry in which automated assembly lines include numerous robots equipped with welding tongs.

These welding tongs comprise two facing jaws which are movable relative to each other and which terminate respectively in two facing ends capped with a nozzle. The two jaws are then controlled so that the two ends can sandwich two superimposed sheet metal elements, while a high intensity electric current flows through these jaws in order to produce an electric arc between the ends and locally melts the two. sheet metal parts and thus ensure their welding. The welding gun is then ordered to provide a succession of welding points for the same vehicle in its different parts.

Known tips are usually made of copper alloy. They have a substantially cylindrical closed end, intended to come into contact with the sheet metal element, and on the other hand, an open end that is substantially cylindrical also for receiving the movable end.

On the assembly lines, over the welds the end fittings deteriorate, in particular because of zinc contamination of the galvanized sheet metal elements. As a result, the quality of the welds decreases over time. In order to avoid this pitfall, we regularly carry out the lapping of the closed end of the end pieces by means of a lapping tool located in the vicinity of the robot carrying the welding clamp, and then, after a series of running-in, replacing tips.

The frequency with which the tips are run in is relatively high, for example every 300 welds, and the tips are replaced for example every 50 or 100 runs.

Also, in order to automatically replace the end pieces, there is installed in the vicinity of the lapping device, a feed barrel having two mating faces opposite one another to receive respectively the two movable ends of the jaws of the clamp. Reference may be made to document EP 1 358 962 B1, which describes such a supply barrel. It comprises a circular plate rotatably mounted on a docking table and two pluralities of receiving members extending radially projecting from the circular plate. The receiving members of the first plurality are angularly interposed between the receiving members of the second plurality. The receiving members of the first plurality are capable of receiving axially oriented end pieces whose open end opens out into one of the docking faces, while the receiving members of the second plurality are capable of receiving oriented end pieces also axially, but whose open end opens into the other of the docking faces. Thus, the end pieces are held in the periphery of the circular plate and are oriented alternately in one direction then in an opposite direction. In this way, the welding clamp is controlled by the robot so as to come to carry its two movable ends respectively opposite the two opposite docking faces. In a first phase, one of the two movable ends being engaged in engagement in the open end of a first tip, the clamp carrying with it the first tip, and in a second phase, the clamp is controlled in movement so that the other of the two movable ends is engaged in engagement in the open end of a second endpiece oriented opposite the first.

Thus, the clamp is controlled sequentially by the robot, first of all to equip the end of one of the jaws with a first end piece, then then to equip the end of the other of the jaws of the second end piece. In addition, the movable end comes in range on the receiving members, and leaving on the turntable, which tends to offset it. Also, the latter which is rotated in steps, thanks to the movement of the clamp when it carries the end piece, it ends up being damaged.

A problem which then arises and which the present invention aims to solve is to provide a supply barrel which saves time for installing the tips on the electrodes, but also which makes it possible to preserve the functioning of the supply barrel. himself.

For this purpose, and according to a first object, a barrel for feeding the ends of a welding clamp carried by a robot is proposed, said clamp having two movable ends facing one another intended to come respectively engaged in a nozzle, said nozzle having a closed end and an opposite open end to receive the movable end, said feed barrel having two opposite mating faces opposite one another to receive respectively the two ends movable of said clamp, said barrel comprising a rotary plate and two pluralities of receiving members extending radially projecting from said rotary plate to be able to receive respectively two pluralities of end pieces, the open ends of the end pieces of one of said two pluralities of end pieces opening into one of said mating faces, while the open ends of the end pieces d the other of said pluralities of end pieces open into the other of said docking faces. The receiving members of said two pluralities of receiving members are respectively mounted in line with each other in the axial direction of said turntable, so that the closed ends of two end pieces respectively located in two receiving members located on the right one of the other come to bear against one another when said two ends of said clamp simultaneously engage in the open ends of said two end pieces.

Thus, a characteristic of the invention lies in the implementation of the receiving members, of the two pluralities of receiving members, facing each other, or superimposed, when the axis of rotation of the rotary table is vertical, so as to be able to authorize the contact of the two end pieces then superimposed with each other when the movable ends of the clamp come respectively and simultaneously into engagement inside the open ends. In this way, the two movable ends of the clamp are driven towards each other and respectively into the open ends of two superimposed end pieces and are force-driven there, while the closed ends of the two end pieces come into contact with the with each other, so that the movable ends are forcibly engaged inside the open ends. Consequently, the movable ends respectively engage in the end pieces, without bearing on the receiving members or on the turntable. Consequently, the feed barrel cannot be damaged in any way by the clamp when it comes to pick up the end caps. In addition, the tips are thus installed on the movable ends of the clamp in a single operation and therefore simultaneously unlike the supply barrel according to the prior art. Consequently, the assembly time of the end pieces on the movable ends of the clamp are halved, compared to the supply barrel of the prior art, which reduces the downtime.

Also, according to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, each of the receiving members comprises an elastically deformable cylindrical C-shaped portion. In this way, the tips, of circular symmetry, are held in a fixed position removably inside the receiving members. Indeed, once adjusted inside the receiving member, for example driven axially, the end pieces can be easily extracted when the clamp moves away from the barrel laterally, the two opposite branches of the cylindrical portion in C s' then gradually moving away from each other to then return to their initial position when the tip escapes the reach of the branches and leaves the cylindrical portion.

In addition, said cylindrical portion in C has generators substantially parallel to said axial direction. In this way, the end pieces are oriented axially in the supply barrel and they can be extracted therefrom in a direction parallel to a perpendicular to the axial direction. Thanks to this possibility of extraction, as will be explained in more detail in the following description, it is also possible to rotate the rotary table.

According to a particularly advantageous characteristic of the invention, each of said receiving members comprises a fixing portion situated behind said cylindrical portion in C. Thus, the receiving members can be easily mounted on the rotary plate, in particular when they are not made of the same material. According to a preferred, but in no way limiting, embodiment, each of said receiving members is formed in one piece from polymer material. The polymeric material is for example a relatively rigid polyurethane. Other polymeric materials may also be suitable.

According to another characteristic of the invention, said cylindrical portion in C advantageously has an internal shoulder. This internal shoulder makes it possible to axially support the end piece and hence, to adjust all the end pieces in the same position according to the axial component, of one or other of the two pluralities of end pieces stored in one or the other. other of the two pluralities of the two receiving bodies. As will be explained in more detail in the following description, the receiving members of the two pluralities of receiving members are respectively arranged so that the cylindrical C-shaped portions of two receiving members mounted at right 'of one another, extend in the extension of one another. On the other hand, the two receiving members are mounted, opposite one another in the sense that their shoulders define respectively two bearing surfaces opposite one another as will be explained below. after.

According to another object, a magazine for storing welding gun tips is proposed, comprising a circular housing and a feeding barrel as defined above and mounted for rotation inside said circular housing. Thus, the store makes it possible to store two pluralities of end pieces in the barrel and to authorize its rotation over consumption by the pliers of the pairs of end pieces located respectively in two receiving members in line with one another. .

Advantageously, said circular housing comprises two opposite flanges connected by a central shaft axially passing through said barrel. The two opposite flanges each have, for example, a notch, the two notches being identical and situated at right angles to each other, so that the two movable ends of the clamp can come to access respectively the two faces of opposite docking.

In addition, said circular housing further comprises and preferably, a circular wall connecting together said flanges. In this way, we just protect the tips stored in the supply barrel, possible projections inherent in assembly lines in industrial environments.

Also, the storage magazine further includes an indexing device for said supply barrel. In this way, the supply barrel assumes a predetermined relative position relative to the storage magazine so that two ends opposite one another are adjusted to a predetermined position known to the robot carrying the clamp.

Other particularities and advantages of the invention will emerge on reading the description given below of a particular embodiment of the invention, given by way of indication but not limitation, with reference to the appended drawings in which:

îo - Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a feed barrel and a storage magazine according to the invention;

- Figure 2 is a schematic detail view in perspective of the food store shown in Figure 1;

- Figure 3 is a schematic detail view of the barrel shown in Figure 2;

- Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of the storage warehouse in operation; and,

- Figure 5 is a partial schematic view from above of the storage magazine as shown in Figure 4.

Figure 1 partially shows a welding clamp 10 carried by a robot not shown and a storage magazine 12 shown in transparency and in which is installed a supply barrel 14 according to the invention. The welding clamp 10 comprises two branches, or jaws, 16, 18 respectively terminated by two free ends 20, 22 coming to extend opposite one another. One of the branches 18 extends axially while the other 16 extends in a hook. The two branches 16, 18 are movable in translation with respect to each other so that the two substantially coaxial ends 20, 22 can be driven in translation between a rest position in which they are spaced apart. one from the other and a working position in which they are brought together. The two movable ends 20, 22 are terminated by frustoconical free ends 24, 26, substantially coaxial and whose function will be explained below.

We will now describe in detail the supply barrel 14 and the storage magazine 12 in which it is installed opposite Figures 2 and 3. The storage magazine 12 has two opposite flanges, one lower 28 the other upper 30, connected together by a circular wall 32, on the one hand, and by a central shaft 33 of axis of symmetry A, on the other hand. The two opposite flanges connected together by a circular wall 32 together form a circular housing. The flanges 28, 30 are of circular symmetry, and they respectively have a notch 34, 36. Thus, the flanges 28, 30 and the circular wall 32 define a cylindrical housing 38 inside which is installed a supply barrel 40, in which end pieces 42 are stored. A description will be given in more detail in the following description of these end pieces 42 intended to come to cap the tapered free ends 24, 26 of the two movable ends 20, 22 so as to form electrodes.

Reference will be made to FIG. 3 showing the single supply barrel 40 loaded with the end pieces 42. Thus, the supply barrel 40 has two opposite docking faces, an upper docking face 44 and a lower docking face 46. It comprises a rotary plate 48 having an upper stage 50 and a lower stage 52. The rotary plate 48 is circular and it has an axial bore 53 of axis of symmetry C inside which the shaft extends central 33. The two superimposed stages 50, 52 of the turntable 48 respectively comprise an edge 54, 56. In addition, a plurality of axial orifices 58 are formed axially in the border of each of the superimposed stages 50, 52 by opening radially between two generators g1, g2, in the edges 54, 56. The two generators g1, g2, are spaced from each other by a distance less than the diameter of the orifices, for example less than the half-diameters of s axial ports. The axial orifices 58 of each of the upper stage 50 have, in their extension, the same axial orifice in the lower stage 52. The axial orifices of the lower stage 52 are hidden in the drawing. So, in the example presented here, the upper floor

50 of the rotary table 48 has 10 axial holes 58 uniformly distributed around its edge, while the lower stage 52 also has 10 axial holes formed opposite the axial holes 58 of the upper stage 50.

Each axial orifice 58 of these two pluralities of axial orifices mortise form as will be explained below.

Indeed, the supply barrel 14 also comprises two pluralities of receiving members 60, 62, each receiving member having a cylindrical C-shaped portion 64 and a fixing portion 66 located behind the cylindrical C-shaped portion and forming tenon; the fixing portion 66 being axially engaged in the axial orifice 58. The two pluralities of receiving members 60, 62 are respectively installed on the upper stage 50 and on the lower stage 52 of the rotary table 48. Also, the receiving members 60, 62 of the two pluralities of superposed receiving members are respectively mounted in line with one another in the axial direction C. In addition, the generatrices of the cylindrical portions in C 64 are substantially parallel to the axial direction C .

The supply barrel 14 thus comprises 2x10 receiving members

60, 62. Each of these receiving members 60, 62 is formed in one piece from polymer material, and according to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, made of polyurethane of relatively high hardness. Thus, each receiving member 60, 62 has two opposite wings 68, 70 which are elastically deformable and more precisely deformable between a rest position or they are brought closer to one another and a position separated from one another. It will be observed that, to the right of each receiving member 60 of the upper stage 50 of the rotary table 48, a spherical indexing imprint 71 is formed between the axial orifice 58 and the axis of symmetry C of the rotary table 48.

Also, each receiving member 60, 62 has an internal shoulder 72, thus defining a large cylindrical space 74 and a small cylindrical space 76 separated by the internal shoulder 72 which forms a bearing surface oriented towards the large cylindrical space 74 Also, the receiving members 60 of the plurality of receiving members secured to the upper stage 50 are installed in an opposite direction relative to the receiving members 62 of the plurality of receiving members secured to the lower stage 52, in that their shoulders are oriented opposite one another, some of the upper stage 50, towards the upper docking face 44, the others towards the lower docking face 46. Also, the receiving members 60, 62, respectively of the two superposed stages 50, 52, are identical. Consequently, they are adjusted respectively in the two stages 50, 52 in opposition respectively to each other with respect to their internal shoulders 72.

It will also be observed that the large cylindrical space 74 extends, with respect to the height of the receiving member 60, 62, over a distance substantially equivalent to three quarters of this height. This height obviously depends on the position of the internal shoulder 72, and it can be predetermined. The geometry of the cylindrical spaces 74, 76 is in fact defined by the shape of the end pieces 42.

Each end piece 42 forming an electrode has a closed end 80 opposite an open end 82. These end pieces 42 have a symmetry of revolution about an axis R. They are made of a copper alloy for better conduction of electric current. Also, they have a first cylindrical part of large diameter 84 and a second cylindrical part of small diameter 86 separated from each other by an external shoulder 88. The first cylindrical part 84 has the open end 82, while the second cylindrical part 86 has the closed end 80. In addition, the closed end 80 has a chamfer 90 thus delimiting a circular contact surface 92 of the closed end 80.

Thus, the receiving members 60, 62 of the two pluralities of superposed receiving members being respectively mounted in line with each other, two end pieces 42 can be installed respectively, opposite one another, in two receiving members 60, 62 located at right angles to each other, so that their external shoulders 88 bear respectively against the internal shoulders 72 of the receiving members 60, 62, while their circular contact surfaces 92 come to bear against one another. It will be observed that the two end pieces 42 extend substantially coaxially.

The loading of the ends 42 in the receiving members 60, 62 can be done axially and manually, respectively from the docking faces 44, 46. It will be observed that the external diameter of the first cylindrical part 84 of the ends 42 is substantially equal or greater than the internal diameter of the cylindrical portions in C 64 so as to be able to keep these ends 42 in engagement.

We will first return to Figure 1 showing the relative position of the welding gun 10 carried by the robot and of the storage magazine 12. In fact, it will be observed in this Figure that the tapered free ends 24, 26 of the two ends mobile 20, 22, substantially coaxial, are respectively adjusted opposite the lower 46 and upper 44 docking faces. And more precisely, one of the frustoconical free ends 24, 26 extends opposite the open end 82 d 'one end 42 of a receiving member 60, and the other extends opposite the open end 82 of another end 42 of a corresponding receiving member 62. Thus, the two frustoconical free ends 24 , 26 and said tips 42 are substantially coaxial. Furthermore, the storage magazine 12 comprises, under the upper flange 30, a ball recalled by a spring and intended to engage in the spherical indexing imprints 71. This ball and this spring are not shown in the drawings. They make it possible to maintain the supply barrel 14 in a fixed position relative to the storage magazine 12.

From this position, the two branches 16, 18 are controlled in translation, so that the two frustoconical free ends 24, 26 come respectively and simultaneously into engagement in the two coaxial ends 42 through their two opposite open ends 82 as illustrated in Figure 4. Therefore, the two movable ends 20, 22 driven towards one another, by the same drive the two end pieces 42 towards each other so that their circular contact surfaces 92 come in contact with each other. In addition, by forcibly driving the two frustoconical free ends 24, 26 they engage in the end pieces 42 thanks to their conicity.

Thus, the two frustoconical free ends 24, 26 are respectively secured to said two end pieces 42. Since the latter have been brought into contact with each other, the movable ends 20, 22 have exerted no force on the feed barrel 14 itself, nor on the storage magazine

12. In addition, the two end pieces 42 were installed simultaneously on the two tapered free ends 24, 26.

From this position, and as illustrated in Figure 5, the clamp 10 is controlled in translation in a tangential direction Tg of the barrel 14. In this way, the end pieces integral with the two receiving members 60, 62, driven by the clamp 10, cause the barrel 14 to rotate in a first phase of the movement, while the ball retracts and escapes the range of the spherical indexing imprint, and in a second phase the ends 42 escape the range receiving members 60, 62, while the ball engages in the following spherical indexing imprint to immobilize the barrel 14. During this phase in sequences, the tips 42 can escape the reach of the receiving members 60, 62 because the latter are elastically deformable. Also, the barrel 14 is driven into a new predetermined position which the robot carrying the clamp 10 can recognize for a new change of end pieces 42.

Claims (10)

1. Feed barrel (14) of end pieces (42) of a welding clamp (10) carried by a robot, said clamp (10) having two movable ends 5 (20, 22) facing each other intended to respectively engage in a nozzle (42), said nozzle having a closed end (80) and an open end (82) opposite to receive the end movable (20, 22), said feed barrel (14) having two mating faces opposite one another (44, 46) for receiving respectively the two movable ends îo (20, 22) of said clamp (14), said barrel (14) comprising a rotary plate (48) and two pluralities of receiving members (60, 62) extending radially projecting from said rotary plate (48) so as to be able to receive respectively two pluralities of end pieces (42), the open ends (82) of the end pieces (42) of one of said two pluralities of end pieces opening into one of said faces 15 docking (44), while the open ends of the tips of the other of said pluralities of tips open into the other of said docking faces (46); characterized in that the receiving members (60, 62) of said two pluralities of receiving members are respectively mounted at right angles 20 of the others in the axial direction (C) of said rotary plate (48), so that the closed ends (80) of two end pieces respectively located in two receiving members located in line with one another come in pressing against each other when said two ends (20, 22) of said clamp (10) simultaneously engage in the open ends (82) of said 25 two end caps (42). 2. Food barrel according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the receiving members (60, 62) comprises a cylindrical portion in C (64) elastically deformable. 3. Feed barrel according to claim 2, characterized in that said cylindrical C-shaped portion (64) has generatrices substantially parallel to said axial direction (C). 4. Feed barrel according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that each of said receiving members (60, 62) comprises a fixing portion (66) located behind said cylindrical C-shaped portion (64). 5. Food barrel according to any one of claims 1 to 5 4, characterized in that each of said receiving members (60, 62) is formed in one piece from polymer material. 6. Food barrel according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said cylindrical C-shaped portion (64) has an internal shoulder (72). îo 7. Storage magazine (12) of ferrules (42) of welding pliers (10), characterized in that it comprises a circular housing and a supply barrel (14) according to any one of claims 1 to 6 rotatably mounted inside said circular housing. 8. Storage store for welding tongs according to 15 claim 7, characterized in that said circular housing comprises two opposite flanges (28, 30) connected by a central shaft (33) axially passing through said barrel (14). 9. A magazine for storing welding gun tips according to claim 8, characterized in that said circular housing further comprises a 20 circular wall (32) connecting together said flanges (28, 30). 10. A magazine for storing welding gun tips according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that it further comprises an indexing device (71) of said supply barrel (14). 1/3 i ! 3/3