JP5758773B2 - Linear brake - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a linear brake used for a guide clamp of a linear guide in a linear motion device, and more specifically, a normally closed type that performs clamping by a spring force and releases the clamped state by applying an external force against the spring force Related to the linear brake.

  A wide variety of linear motion machines are widely used for various machine tools and logistics equipment. A linear brake is used in combination with such linear motion equipment, and is widely used for braking and positioning of linear motion equipment, stoppers, and the like. As a structure of the linear brake, for example, a brake shoe as a guide restraining member is incorporated in a housing movable along the linear guide, and this is pressed against the linear guide with fluid pressure such as hydraulic pressure or pneumatic pressure. Generally, it is fixed at a fixed position on the linear guide (see Patent Documents 1, 2, and 3), which is called a normal open type.

  Normally open type linear brakes are in an unclamped state that is released from restraint by the brake shoe without applying external force, so they are suitable for braking equipment that has a relatively long unclamping time compared to the clamping time. However, the normally closed linear brake is more suitable for a device having a relatively short unclamping time compared to the clamping time, such as a positioning member or a stopper of a linear motion device. The normal close type is sometimes called a reverse operation type in response to the normal open type being called a normal operation type.

  Normally closed type linear brakes are built in a housing that can move along the linear guide and a spring as a shoe urging member together with the brake shoe, and press the brake shoe against the linear guide with the spring without applying external force. The housing is fixed at a fixed position on the linear guide, and when moving the housing, an external force is applied and the brake shoe is operated in the reverse direction against the spring biasing force, so that the brake shoe is clamped. Is released.

  One of the disadvantages of such a normally closed linear brake is that it requires a spring to keep the brake shoe in a clamped state at all times, which increases the number of parts compared to the normally open type. is there. In order to avoid an increase in the number of parts, it is conceivable to use the housing as a spring urging member. In this case, the urging force is governed by the rigidity of the housing. The external force also becomes unnecessarily large, and as a result, the size of the actuator is increased, so that the degree of freedom of design is remarkably limited and the problem is great.

JP 9-329141 A Japanese Patent No. 9-217743 JP 2001-9655 A

  An object of the present invention is to provide a small and economical linear brake that is capable of suppressing an increase in the number of parts as much as possible while being a normally closed type, and that can be released from a clamped state with a minimum necessary external force. There is.

  In order to achieve the above object, a linear brake according to the present invention includes a housing straddling a linear guide, guide restraint members on both sides rotatably attached to both sides of the housing to sandwich the linear guide from both sides, and a rear side of the housing. A plate spring that is arranged between the housing and the leaf spring and that connects the guide restraint members on both sides and urges the guide restraint members on both sides in the guide restraint direction. And an actuator for deforming the leaf spring so as to forcibly rotate in the guide release direction against the urging force.

  In the linear brake of the present invention, when the actuator arranged between the housing and the leaf spring on the back side thereof is not operated, the guide restraining members on both sides are pressed against the linear guide by the leaf spring to fix the housing. That is, the clamped state is obtained when no external force is applied to the leaf spring. Then, the actuator operates from this state, and an external force is applied to the leaf spring, whereby the guide restraining members on both sides are opened, the clamped state is released, and the unclamped state is entered. This is nothing but the normally closed type.

  In such a normally closed type linear brake, first, the guide restraining members on both sides are separated from the housing and are rotatably provided, and are urged in the clamping direction by the leaf springs. Thus, the necessary clamping force can be applied without excess or deficiency. As a result, the operating force of the actuator can be suppressed to the necessary minimum, and the size can be reduced. Secondly, the leaf spring that applies the clamping force to the guide restraining members on both sides also serves as a coupling body of the guide restraining members on both sides, and as a result, the guide restraining members on both sides are operated by a single actuator. Therefore, the increase in the number of parts can be suppressed to the minimum.

  It is preferable that the leaf springs that apply the clamping force to the guide restraining members on both sides are detachable from the guide restraining members on both sides. As a result, the leaf spring can be changed, and the clamping force can be adjusted by the change. Clamping force adjustment methods by changing the leaf spring include changing the thickness of the leaf spring, changing the number of leaf springs, changing the shape of the leaf spring, changing the material of the leaf spring, and combinations thereof.

  The guide restraining member can be changed because it is independent of the housing, and the clamping force can be adjusted by the change. Clamping force adjustment methods by changing the guide restraint member include changing the material of the guide restraint member, attaching or replacing the friction material on the linear guide contact surface of the guide restraint member, and changing the contact angle with the linear guide. The contact angle with respect to the linear guide can be changed not only by changing the shape of the guide restraining member but also by changing the attachment position with the leaf spring.

  There is no limitation on the type of actuator that deforms the leaf spring. This is preferable because the structure is simple and an increase in the size of the linear brake can be avoided. The fluid pressure here may be any of pneumatic pressure, hydraulic pressure, etc., and is not particularly limited. Further, instead of fluid pressure, electromagnetic force can be used to drive the piston member back and forth. Furthermore, the piston member may be driven back and forth by rotating a screw.

  Regardless of the type of actuator, it is preferable to provide a convex stress concentrating portion between the actuator and the leaf spring for concentrating and applying the operating force to the leaf spring. Such a stress concentration portion contributes to the reduction of the external force required for the deformation of the leaf spring, that is, the reduction of the operating force of the actuator, thereby contributing to the miniaturization of the actuator and the miniaturization of the linear brake.

  The linear brake of the present invention employs a structure in which the guide restraining members on both sides for clamping the linear guide are separated from the housing, and both are connected by leaf springs that apply a biasing force in the clamping direction to the guide restraining members on both sides. Therefore, although it is a normally closed type in which the number of parts is inevitably increased, the increase in the number of parts can be suppressed. In addition, since the clamped state can be released with the minimum necessary external force, the actuator can be miniaturized, and in combination with the suppression of the number of parts, the device scale can be reduced and the device cost can be reduced. Further, the leaf spring can be attached to and detached from the guide restraining members on both sides, whereby the leaf spring can be changed and the clamping force can be easily adjusted by the change.

It is a perspective view of the linear brake which shows one Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of the linear brake. FIG. 3 is a half sectional view of the linear brake, and is an AA line arrow view in FIG. 2. It is a front view of the linear brake. It is a BB line arrow figure in FIG. 4 in the vertical side surface of the same linear brake. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. 4 on the longitudinal side surface of the linear brake. It is a side view of the linear brake. It is a longitudinal front view which shows operation | movement of the linear brake, and is drawing equivalent to the DD line arrow figure in FIG. 7, (a) shows a clamped state, (b) shows an unclamped state. It is a vertical front view of the linear brake which shows another embodiment of this invention, and is a DD line | wire arrow figure equivalent drawing in FIG. FIG. 9 is a longitudinal front view of a linear brake showing still another embodiment of the present invention, and is a drawing corresponding to a DD arrow in FIG. 7.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described below. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, the linear brake according to the present embodiment places a linear motion device (not shown) that moves along a rail-shaped linear guide 10 having a rectangular cross section at a fixed position on the linear guide 10. In order to stop and position the device, the device is attached to the linear motion device, and performs restraint (clamp) and release (unclamp) with respect to the linear guide 10.

  This linear brake is a normally closed type that clamps the linear guide 10 in a normal state where no external force is applied, and FIGS. 1 to 7 show a normal state in which no external force is applied, that is, a clamped state. As shown in these drawings, the linear brake includes a housing 20 that straddles the linear guide 10, a pair of guide restraining members 30 and 30 that are rotatably attached to both sides of the housing 20, and guides on both sides. A leaf spring 40 that connects the restraining members 30 and 30 and biases the guide restraining members 30 and 30 to a clamped state, and an external force applied to the leaf spring 40 to bring the guide restraining members 30 and 30 on both sides into an unclamped state. And an actuator 50 for adding.

  The housing 20 is a gate-shaped block as viewed from the front, and has side wall portions 22 and 22 that hang downward from both side end portions of the top plate portion 21. Each side wall 22 is provided with a rectangular cutout 23 that opens downward to accommodate the guide restraining member 30. On the other hand, a circular cylinder hole 24 that accommodates a disk-shaped piston member 51 that constitutes the actuator 50 is provided on the back surface of the top plate portion 21, and the working fluid is supplied to and discharged from the cylinder hole 24. A fluid pressure pipe 60 is attached to the side surface of the top plate portion 21 and communicates with the cylinder hole 24 through a through hole 25 provided on one side portion of the top plate portion 21 (see FIG. 8).

  The guide restraining members 30 and 30 on both sides are metal members that are long in the brake movement direction along the linear guide 10 and have a square cross section. Each guide restraining member 30 is loosely fitted in a notch portion 23 provided in the side wall portion 22 of the housing 20, and is parallel to the brake moving direction that is attached through the front and rear of the notch portion of the side wall portion 22. The front and rear connecting pins 31, 31 are rotatably supported. For insertion of the front and rear connecting pins 31, 31, each guide restraining member 30 is provided with a through hole 32 parallel to the longitudinal direction, that is, the brake movement direction.

  The leaf spring 40 that connects the guide restraining members 30 and 30 on both sides is disposed below the top plate portion 21 of the housing 20 along the lower surface thereof. Both end portions of the leaf spring 40 are inserted into notches 23 and 23 provided in the side wall portions 22 and 22 of the housing 20, whereby the top plate portion 21 of the housing 20 and the guide restraining members 30 and 30 on both sides are inserted. It is arranged between. Each side end portion of the leaf spring 40 is detachably fixed to the lower surface of the side end portion of the leaf spring 40 by a connecting screw 41 inserted from below into the longitudinal center portion of the guide restraining member 30.

  Thereby, the guide restraining members 30 and 30 on both sides are fixed with the opposing friction surfaces with respect to both side surfaces of the linear guide 10 facing inward, and the leaf spring 40 is flat when the linear brake is removed from the linear guide 10. By entering the state, the opposing friction surfaces on both sides are rotated and inclined inward so that the opposite “C” shape is formed. In a state where the linear brake is mounted on the linear guide 10, the leaf spring 40 is slightly convex toward the guide restraining members 30 and 30, so that the opposing friction surfaces on both sides are pressed against the both side surfaces of the linear guide 10. And become parallel. The reaction force (restoring force) accompanying the warp of the leaf spring 40 at this time becomes the clamping force of the guide restraining members 30 and 30 on both sides with respect to both side surfaces of the linear guide 10.

  The actuator 50 includes a disk-shaped piston member 51 disposed between the top plate portion 21 of the housing 20 and the leaf spring 40 on the back side thereof. The piston member 51 is inserted in a circular cylinder hole 24 provided on the back surface of the top plate portion 21 so as to be airtight and movable back and forth. At the center of the back surface (surface on the leaf spring side) of the piston member 51, there is provided a stress concentration portion 52 consisting of a dome-shaped convex portion projecting to the back surface side. The outer diameter of the piston member 51 is smaller than both the lateral width and the depth of the leaf spring 40. The piston member 51 is driven in the advancing direction (the leaf spring 40 side) by supplying high-pressure fluid into the cylinder hole 24 through the fluid pressure pipe 60 connected to one side surface of the top plate portion 21 of the housing 20. Then, by pressing the central portion of the leaf spring 40 with the convex portion 52, the leaf spring 40 largely warps in a convex state toward the guide restraining members 30 and 30. As a result, the opposing friction surfaces of the guide restraining members 30, 30 turn and incline outward from the parallel state in pressure contact with both side surfaces of the linear guide 10 to become “C” shape, and are separated from both side surfaces of the linear guide 10. Thus, an unclamped state is established (see FIG. 8B).

  In order to suppress the rotation angle of the guide restraining members 30 and 30 on both sides for shifting from the clamped state to the unclamped state, the deformation amount of the leaf spring 40 and the moving stroke of the piston member 51, the linear brake is The upper part of the linear guide 10 is supported at a level that restrains the linear motion device. As a result, a relatively large gap is formed between the upper surface of the linear guide 10 and the lower surface of the leaf spring 40.

  Next, the usage and function of the linear brake of this embodiment will be described mainly with reference to FIGS.

  In the normal state where no high pressure fluid such as high pressure air is supplied to the cylinder hole 24 formed in the top plate portion 21 of the housing 20 (no external force added), as shown in FIG. Since the leaf spring 40 is not pressed, the guide restraining members 30 and 30 on both sides clamp the upper side surfaces of the linear guide 10 from both sides by the reaction force (restoring force) of the warp of the leaf spring 40. Here, the leaf spring 40 is screwed to the guide restraining members 30 and 30 on both sides and is detachable. Therefore, the leaf spring 40 can be replaced with another leaf spring 40 having a different size and material, or the number of leaf springs 40 can be changed. By changing, it is possible to adjust the clamping force over a wide range, and the adjustment operation is also simple.

  When a high-pressure fluid such as high-pressure air is supplied to the cylinder hole 24 formed in the top plate portion 21 of the housing 20 through the fluid pressure pipe 60, as shown in FIG. 8B, the piston member 51 that fits into the cylinder hole 24. Is driven in the advancing direction, and the central portion of the leaf spring 40 is pressed toward the guide restraining members 30 and 30 on both sides by the stress concentration portion 52 formed by the convex portion at the central portion of the back surface. Since the guide restraining members 30 and 30 on both sides are pivotally supported on the housing 20 by the connecting pins 31 and 31, the leaf spring 40 is projected to the guide restraining members 30 and 30 side by pressing by the piston member 41. Warp. As a result, the guide restraining members 30 and 30 on both sides attached to the end portions on both sides of the leaf spring 40 rotate outwardly about the connecting pins 31 and 31, and the opposing friction surface has a “C” shape. Open to.

  Thus, the linear brake shifts from the clamped state to the unclamped state.

  Thus, although the linear brake of this embodiment is a normally closed type which clamps the linear guide 10 in the state where external force is not added, the guide restraint members 30 and 30 on both sides which clamp the linear guide 10 from both sides are provided. Since it is separated from the housing 20 and is pivotally supported by connecting pins 31 and 31 parallel to the longitudinal direction of the member, and the clamping force can be determined by a dedicated leaf spring 40, it is possible to apply a clamping force without excess or deficiency. Can do. As a result, the operating force of the actuator 50 can be suppressed to the minimum necessary, and the size can be reduced.

  In addition, a stress concentration portion 52 made of a convex portion is provided at the center of the back surface of the piston member 51, and the center portion of the leaf spring 40 is intensively pressed toward the guide restraining members 30, 30 on both sides, Since the leaf spring 40 is curved and deformed, this also contributes to the reduction of the external force required for the deformation of the leaf spring 40, that is, the reduction of the operating force of the actuator 50 and the size reduction.

  In addition, the leaf spring 40 that applies the clamping force to the guide restraining members 30 and 30 on both sides also serves as a coupling body of the guide restraining members 30 and 30 on both sides. Since the guide restraining members 30 and 30 can be operated, an increase in the number of parts can be minimized.

  Furthermore, since the leaf spring 40 that applies the clamping force to the guide restraining members 30 and 30 can be changed and replaced, the clamping force can be adjusted by the change and replacement. Clamping force adjustment methods by changing or replacing the leaf spring 40 include changing the thickness of the leaf spring 40, changing the number of leaf springs 40, changing the shape of the leaf spring 40, changing the material of the leaf spring 40, and combinations thereof. Is as described above.

  Further, in order to transmit the operating force of the actuator 50 to the leaf spring 40 in a concentrated manner, in the above-described embodiment, a dome-shaped stress concentration portion convex toward the back surface provided at the center of the back surface of the piston member 51 of the actuator 50. Although 52 is used, this may be provided on the side of the leaf spring 40 as shown in FIG. 9, or may be provided between the actuator 50 and the leaf spring 40 as shown in FIG. In short, any shape can be used as long as it can be formed between the actuator 50 and the leaf spring 40 and can form a convex portion that can transmit the operating force of the actuator 50 to the leaf spring 40 in a concentrated manner.

  That is, in the embodiment of FIG. 9, a stress concentration portion 42 formed of a dome-shaped convex portion that protrudes toward the piston member 51 is provided in the central portion of the leaf spring 40. Further, in the embodiment of FIG. 10, a stress concentration portion 70 made of a sphere is interposed between the back surface center portion of the piston member 51 and the surface center portion of the leaf spring 40. In order to position the stress concentration portion 70 made of a sphere, a hemispherical recess 43 into which a part of the stress concentration portion 70 made of a sphere is fitted is provided at the center of the surface of the leaf spring 40. A rectangular recess 53 provided at the center of the back surface of the piston member 51 is a relief for accommodating the stress concentration portion 70 made of a sphere between the piston member 51 and the leaf spring 40.

  In any embodiment, the operating force of the actuator 50 is intensively transmitted to the leaf spring 40 via these stress concentration portions. The stress concentration part 70 made of a sphere adopted in the embodiment of FIG. 10 has the same configuration and the same effect as the convex part formed on both the back surface center part of the piston member 51 and the surface center part of the leaf spring 40. Play.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Linear guide 20 Housing 21 Top plate part 22 Side wall part 23 Notch part 24 Cylinder hole 25 Through hole 30 Guide restraint member 31 Connection pin 32 Through hole 40 Leaf spring 41 Connection screw 42 Stress concentration part (dome-shaped convex part)
43 Concave part 50 Actuator 51 Piston member 52 Stress concentration part (dome-shaped convex part)
53 Concave part 60 Fluid pressure piping 70 Stress concentration part (sphere)

Claims (4)

  A housing straddling the linear guide, a guide restraining member on both sides rotatably attached to both sides of the housing so as to sandwich the linear guide from both sides, and a guide restraining member on both sides arranged on the back side of the housing and connected on both sides A leaf spring that urges the guide restraint member to rotate in the guide restraint direction and a guide restraint member that is disposed between the housing and the leaf spring and is forced to rotate in the guide release direction against the urging force of the leaf spring. A linear brake with an actuator that deforms the leaf spring as much as possible.   2. The linear brake according to claim 1, wherein the leaf spring for applying a clamping force to the guide restraining members on both sides is detachable from the guide restraining members on both sides.   3. The linear brake according to claim 1, wherein a convex stress concentration portion that concentrates and applies an operating force of the actuator to the leaf spring is provided between the actuator and the leaf spring.   The linear brake according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the actuator is fitted in a cylinder hole formed on the surface facing the leaf spring of the housing so that the piston member can be advanced and retracted, and the piston member is driven forward and backward by fluid pressure. Linear brake, which is a cylinder type.