Production equipment and production method of wave-shaped clamping ring for bearing connection

Abstract

The invention discloses production equipment of a wave-shaped clamping ring for bearing connection, which comprises a rack, a control system, and a material strip leveling mechanism, a feeding mechanism, a punch forming mechanism and a blanking collecting mechanism which are sequentially arranged along the advancing direction of a material strip, and further comprises a rolling forming mechanism positioned at the downstream of the punch forming mechanism, an arc-shaped supporting table used for supporting a material belt is arranged at the end of the working table, and a positioning and cutting-off set used for positioning the material belt and cutting off the material belt after forming is sequentially and annularly distributed around the outer circumferential side of the working table; the first rolling group is used for primarily rolling the material belt; and the second edge rolling forming group is used for carrying out edge rolling and waveform pressing forming on the material belt. Therefore, the synchronization and accuracy of the motion trail and the time sequence of each execution component are ensured by adopting cam driving, and the accuracy is improved; meanwhile, stability is guaranteed, and efficiency is improved; and a multi-station cooperation and progressive forming process is adopted, so that the single deformation is reduced, the material resilience is reduced, and the product consistency and the yield are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of precision forming technology for mechanical parts, and in particular to a production equipment and method for a wave retaining ring for bearing connection. Background Technology

[0002] Waveform retainers, especially those used for bearing connections, are precision parts requiring extremely high dimensional accuracy, roundness, and waveform symmetry. Traditional production methods often employ single-stage stamping or manual bending, resulting in low production efficiency, poor consistency, difficulty in guaranteeing precision, and significant material springback. Although some automated equipment uses servo motors, under high-speed, long-term operation, servo systems are susceptible to load fluctuations, leading to asynchronous motion cycles and unstable forming accuracy, making it difficult to meet the demands of mass production.

[0003] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a fully automated production equipment and method for waveform clasps that can achieve high precision, high efficiency, and high stability. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the technical problems existing in the background art, the present invention proposes a production equipment and production method for a wave retaining ring for bearing connection.

[0005] This invention proposes a production equipment for a wave-shaped retaining ring for bearing connections, comprising a frame, a control system, and a strip leveling mechanism, a feeding mechanism, a stamping and forming mechanism, and a material collection mechanism arranged sequentially along the material strip's forward direction. It also includes a rolling and forming mechanism located downstream of the stamping and forming mechanism. The rolling and forming mechanism includes a worktable, with an arc-shaped support platform at the end of the worktable for supporting the strip. The following components are arranged in a ring around the outer circumference of the worktable:

[0006] The positioning and cutting assembly includes a positioning cam, a cutting cam, and positioning components and a shearing blade driven by them, which are used to position the strip and cut it after forming.

[0007] The first roll assembly includes a first roll cam and a first roll shaft driven therefrom. The end of the first roll shaft is provided with a first roll block, which is arc-shaped and used for the initial rolling of the strip.

[0008] The second roll forming assembly includes a second roll cam and a second roll forming shaft driven by it. The end of the second roll forming shaft is provided with a second roll forming block. The second roll forming block is arc-shaped and matches the formed wave retainer, and is used to roll the strip into a roll and form a wave.

[0009] The positioning cam, the first rolling cam, and the second rolling cam are controlled by the control system and work together in a preset cycle to complete the progressive rolling, shaping, and cutting of a single retaining ring.

[0010] Preferably, the positioning and cutting assembly further includes a switch for controlling the rotation of the cutting cam. When the positioning cam rotates 90°, it can drive the positioning component to position the front end of the strip. When a unit retaining ring is rolled into a circle, the control system controls the positioning cam to rotate 180°, which triggers the switch, causes the cutting cam to rotate, and drives the shearing blade to cut the strip. After cutting, the positioning cam continues to rotate 180° to return to its initial position.

[0011] Preferably, the actions of the first rolling group and the second rolling forming group are synchronized with the positioning action of the positioning and cutting group; within the cycle of the positioning cam rotating 90° for positioning, the first rolling cam and the second rolling cam rotate synchronously for one cycle, respectively driving the first rolling block to perform preliminary rolling of the material strip, and at the same time driving the second rolling forming block to roll the material strip and press it into a wave shape.

[0012] Preferably, the strip leveling mechanism is located at the front end of the equipment and includes a feeding rack, a tension controller, and one or more sets of staggered leveling rollers for repeatedly bending and straightening the wound metal strip to eliminate its internal stress.

[0013] Preferably, the feeding mechanism includes a feeding cam and a clamping assembly and a linear feeding assembly driven by the cam; the feeding cam drives the clamping assembly to clamp the material strip and push it forward precisely by a fixed length within a rotation cycle of 0° to 90°, the fixed length being equal to the unfolded length of a single wave retainer.

[0014] Preferably, the stamping forming mechanism is used to punch and / or initially bend a fixed-length strip during feeding intervals; the stamping forming mechanism is provided with a pre-pressing die for initially pressing the strip into an arc shape to correct straightness deviations generated during feeding.

[0015] Preferably, a misfeed detection device is provided between the downstream of the stamping forming mechanism and the rolling forming mechanism to monitor whether the feeding is in place.

[0016] Preferably, the material collection mechanism is configured as a finished product collection box, located below the worktable of the rolling forming mechanism.

[0017] The present invention also proposes a method for producing waveform retaining rings using the production equipment described in any one of the above claims, comprising the following steps:

[0018] S1: Strip leveling: The coiled metal strip is unloaded and repeatedly bent and straightened by the strip leveling mechanism to eliminate internal stress;

[0019] S2: Precision feeding: The leveled strip is intermittently and at a fixed length fed into the stamping forming mechanism through the feeding mechanism;

[0020] S3: Stamping preforming: During the feeding interval, punching and / or preliminary bending of a fixed-length strip to form a pre-pressed arc shape;

[0021] S4: Progressive rolling and wave forming: The strip enters the rolling forming mechanism, and the pre-formed strip is rolled into a coordinated shape by the rolling forming mechanism and the forming retainer is cut off from the strip.

[0022] S5: Material collection: The cut-off shaped retaining ring falls into the collection box under the workbench, completing one production cycle.

[0023] Preferably, step S4 includes:

[0024] S4a: Positioning and initial rolling: The positioning cam drives the positioning component to position the front end of the strip. At the same time, the first rolling cam drives the first rolling block to initially roll the strip, so that the strip fits the arc support platform.

[0025] S4b: Synchronous forming: In the same cycle of step S4a, the second rolling cam drives the second rolling forming block to roll the strip into a circle and simultaneously press out the waveform profile.

[0026] S4c: Repeat and cut off: Repeat steps S4a and S4b for several cycles until a complete retaining ring is rolled into a circle; then, the positioning cam rotates to trigger the cutting cam, which drives the shearing blade to cut the formed retaining ring off the strip.

[0027] In summary, this invention offers the following advantages: As a mechanical hard stop, the cam's contour curve is precisely calculated and machined. The cam drive in this invention ensures absolute synchronization and precision in the motion trajectory and timing of each actuator, resulting in excellent control over the inner diameter tolerance (≤±0.05mm), roundness, and waveform symmetry (error ≤0.02mm) of the retaining ring, far exceeding the precision of servo drive systems relying on software control. The rigid transmission of the cam mechanism allows the equipment to operate stably at high speeds (producing 15-25 retaining rings per minute), and it is not prone to drift due to voltage fluctuations, load changes, or other factors during long-term operation, making it particularly suitable for large-scale, continuous industrial production. The multi-station collaborative, progressive forming process reduces the amount of deformation per cycle, lowers material springback, and improves product consistency and yield. Safety mechanisms such as misfeed detection further ensure the reliability of equipment operation. The control system can programmatically control the independent operation or pause of each mechanism, facilitating equipment debugging, maintenance, and fine-tuning to adapt to different process requirements.

[0028] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the stamping forming mechanism and the rolling forming structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the wave retaining ring structure for bearing connection according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Side view of the wave-shaped retaining ring;

[0032] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the steps of a method for producing a wave retaining ring for bearing connection according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] In the picture:

[0034] 1. Strip material; 2. Stamping and forming mechanism; 3. Roll forming mechanism; 31. Arc-shaped support platform; 32. Positioning component; 33. Shearing blade; 34. First roll block; 35. Second roll forming block; 4. Wave-shaped retaining ring. Detailed Implementation

[0035] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar symbols denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0036] like Figure 1-3 As shown, the production equipment for a wave-shaped retaining ring for bearing connection proposed in this embodiment includes a frame, a control system, and a material strip 1 leveling mechanism, a feeding mechanism, a stamping and forming mechanism 2, and a material collection mechanism arranged sequentially along the forward direction of the material strip 1. It also includes a rolling and forming mechanism 3 located downstream of the stamping and forming mechanism 2. The rolling and forming mechanism 3 includes a worktable, and an arc-shaped support platform 31 for supporting the material strip 1 is provided at the end of the worktable. Around the outer circumference of the worktable, the following components are arranged in a ring:

[0037] The positioning and cutting assembly includes a positioning cam, a cutting cam, and positioning elements 32 and shearing blades 33 driven by them, respectively, for positioning the strip 1 and cutting it after forming;

[0038] The first roll assembly includes a first roll cam and a first roll shaft driven by it. The end of the first roll shaft is provided with a first roll block 34. The first roll block 34 is arc-shaped and is used for the initial rolling of the strip 1.

[0039] The second roll forming assembly includes a second roll forming cam and a second roll forming shaft driven by it. The end of the second roll forming shaft is provided with a second roll forming block 35. The shape of the second roll forming block 35 is arc-shaped and matches the formed wave retainer 4. It is used to roll the material strip 1 into a roll and form a wave.

[0040] The positioning cam, the first rolling cam, and the second rolling cam are controlled by the control system and work together in a preset cycle to complete the progressive rolling, shaping, and cutting of a single retaining ring.

[0041] It should be noted that the material collection mechanism is set as a finished product collection box, located below the worktable of the rolling forming mechanism 3.

[0042] Thus, by employing cam drive, absolute synchronization and precision of the motion trajectory and timing of each actuator are ensured, resulting in excellent control over the inner diameter tolerance (≤±0.05mm), roundness, and waveform symmetry (error ≤0.02mm) of the retaining rings. This precision far surpasses that of servo drive systems relying on software control. The rigid transmission of the cam mechanism allows the equipment to operate stably at high speeds (producing 15-25 retaining rings per minute), and it is not prone to drift due to voltage fluctuations or load changes during long-term operation, making it particularly suitable for large-scale, continuous industrial production. The multi-station collaborative, progressive forming process reduces the amount of deformation per cycle, lowers material springback, and improves product consistency and yield. Safety mechanisms such as misfeed detection further ensure the reliability of equipment operation. The control system can programmatically control the independent operation or pause of each mechanism, facilitating equipment debugging, maintenance, and fine-tuning to adapt to different process requirements.

[0043] Furthermore, the strip 1 leveling mechanism is located at the front end of the equipment, including a feeding rack, a tension controller, and one or more sets of staggered leveling rollers, which are used to repeatedly bend and straighten the wound metal strip to eliminate its internal stress and ensure that the strip 1 entering the subsequent process has excellent straightness and flatness, laying the foundation for high-precision forming.

[0044] Furthermore, the feeding mechanism includes a feeding cam and a clamping assembly and a linear feeding assembly driven by it. Within a rotation cycle of 0° to 90°, the feeding cam drives the clamping assembly to hold the material strip 1 and push it forward precisely by a fixed length, which is equal to the unfolded length of a single wave-shaped retainer 4. Feeding accuracy is ensured by the motion curve of the feeding cam and mechanical limits, with errors controllable within ±0.01mm, thus guaranteeing the accuracy of the unfolded length of each retainer from the outset.

[0045] In this embodiment, the stamping and forming mechanism 2 is used to punch and / or initially bend the fixed-length strip 1 during feeding intervals. The stamping and forming mechanism 2 is equipped with a pre-pressing mold to prepare for subsequent rolling, which is used to initially press the strip 1 into an arc shape to correct the straightness deviation generated during feeding, so that the strip 1 can enter the rolling and forming mechanism 3 more smoothly and accurately, avoiding jamming. At the same time, a misfeed detection device is also provided downstream of the stamping and forming mechanism 2 to monitor whether the feeding is in place, ensuring production safety and quality.

[0046] It should be noted that the specific structure of the misdirection detection device can be found in existing technologies, and will not be repeated in this article.

[0047] Preferably, the positioning and cutting assembly also includes a switch for controlling the rotation of the cutting cam. When the positioning cam rotates 90°, it can drive the positioning element 32 to position the front end of the strip 1. When a unit retaining ring is rolled into shape, the control system controls the positioning cam to rotate 180°, at which point the switch is triggered, the cutting cam unlocks and rotates, and drives the high-speed shearing blade 33 to cut the strip 1. After cutting, the formed retaining ring falls into the collection box below, and the positioning cam continues to rotate 180° to return to its initial position, ready for the next round of positioning. The positioning cam can rotate 360°.

[0048] Furthermore, the actions of the first and second rolling forming groups are synchronized with the positioning actions of the positioning and cutting groups. During the positioning cycle of the positioning cam rotating 90° for positioning, the first and second rolling cams rotate synchronously for one cycle, respectively driving the first rolling block 34 to initially roll the material strip 1, while driving the second rolling forming block 35 to roll the material strip 1 and press it into a wave shape. Using its special mold surface, radial pressure is applied to the annular material strip 1 to produce local plastic deformation, thereby pressing out the preset wave profile (such as 3 waves or 5 waves).

[0049] like Figure 4 As shown, this embodiment of the invention also proposes a method for producing a waveform retainer 4 using the production equipment as described in the above embodiment, comprising the following steps:

[0050] S1: Strip 1 leveling: The coiled metal strip is fed out and repeatedly bent and straightened by the strip 1 leveling mechanism to eliminate internal stress;

[0051] S2: Precision feeding: The leveled strip 1 is intermittently and at a fixed length fed into the stamping forming mechanism 2 through the feeding mechanism;

[0052] S3: Stamping preforming: During the feeding interval, punching and / or preliminary bending of the fixed-length strip 1 is performed to form a pre-pressed arc shape;

[0053] S4: Progressive rolling and wave forming: The strip 1 enters the rolling forming mechanism 3, and the rolling forming mechanism 3 performs a coordinated rolling forming operation on the pre-formed strip 1 and cuts the forming retainer from the strip 1.

[0054] S5: Material collection: The cut-off shaped retaining ring falls into the collection box under the workbench, completing one production cycle.

[0055] Step S4 includes:

[0056] S4a: Positioning and preliminary rolling: The positioning cam drives the positioning component 32 to position the front end of the strip 1. At the same time, the first rolling cam drives the first rolling block 34 to perform preliminary rolling of the strip 1, so that the strip 1 fits the arc support platform 31.

[0057] S4b: Synchronous forming: In the same cycle of step S4a, the second rolling cam drives the second rolling forming block 35 to roll the strip 1 into a circle and simultaneously press out the waveform profile.

[0058] S4c: Repeat and cut off: Repeat steps S4a and S4b for several cycles until a complete retaining ring is rolled into a circle; then, the positioning cam rotates to trigger the cutting cam, driving the shearing blade 33 to cut the formed retaining ring off the material strip 1.

[0059] It should be noted that after the material strip 1 is in place, the positioning cam, the first rolling cam, and the second rolling cam move synchronously. The positioning component 32 fixes the material end, the first rolling block 34 starts to bend the material strip 1 from one side, and the second rolling forming block 35 simultaneously bends it to a greater extent from the other side and presses out a wave shape. This is a gradual plastic deformation process "from point to line, from line to circle", applying stress in stages, which effectively avoids the problems of excessive springback and stress concentration caused by a single large deformation.

[0060] As the conveyor belt advances one step, the above-mentioned rolling action is repeated once until a complete ring is formed. Subsequently, the subsequent rotation of the positioning cam triggers the cutting mechanism, which cuts and separates the finished retaining ring. The cut retaining ring falls into the collection box by gravity.

[0061] The derivation process of this beneficial effect is largely similar to the derivation process of the beneficial effect brought about by the production equipment of the waveform retainer 4 for bearing connection, so it will not be repeated here.

[0062] It should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention.

[0063] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0064] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a connection that allows communication between them; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0065] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0066] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention, based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A production equipment for a wave-shaped retaining ring for bearing connection, comprising a frame, a control system, and a strip leveling mechanism, a feeding mechanism, a stamping and forming mechanism, and a material collection mechanism arranged sequentially along the material strip's forward direction, characterized in that, It also includes a rolling forming mechanism located downstream of the stamping forming mechanism. The rolling forming mechanism includes a worktable, and the end of the worktable is provided with an arc-shaped support platform for supporting the material strip. Around the outer circumference of the worktable, the following components are arranged in a ring: The positioning and cutting assembly includes a positioning cam, a cutting cam, and positioning components and a shearing blade driven by them, which are used to position the strip and cut it after forming. The first roll assembly includes a first roll cam and a first roll shaft driven therefrom. The end of the first roll shaft is provided with a first roll block, which is arc-shaped and used for the initial rolling of the strip. The second roll forming assembly includes a second roll cam and a second roll forming shaft driven by it. The end of the second roll forming shaft is provided with a second roll forming block. The second roll forming block is arc-shaped and matches the formed wave retainer, and is used to roll the strip into a roll and form a wave. The positioning cam, the first rolling cam, and the second rolling cam are controlled by the control system and work together in a preset cycle to complete the progressive rolling, shaping, and cutting of a single retaining ring.

2. The production equipment for the wave retaining ring for bearing connection according to claim 1, characterized in that, The positioning and cutting assembly also includes a switch for controlling the rotation of the cutting cam. When the positioning cam rotates 90°, it can drive the positioning component to position the front end of the strip. When a unit retaining ring is rolled into a circle, the control system controls the positioning cam to rotate 180°. At this time, the switch is triggered, the cutting cam rotates, and the shearing blade is driven to cut the strip. After cutting, the positioning cam continues to rotate 180° to return to the initial position.

3. The production equipment for the wave retaining ring for bearing connection according to claim 2, characterized in that, The actions of the first rolling assembly and the second rolling forming assembly are synchronized with the positioning action of the positioning and cutting assembly. During the positioning cycle of the positioning cam rotating 90° for positioning, the first rolling cam and the second rolling cam rotate synchronously for one cycle, respectively driving the first rolling block to perform preliminary rolling of the material strip, and at the same time driving the second rolling forming block to roll the material strip and press it into a wave shape.

4. The production equipment for the wave retaining ring for bearing connection according to claim 1, characterized in that, The strip leveling mechanism is located at the front end of the equipment and includes a feeding rack, a tension controller, and one or more sets of staggered leveling rollers, used to repeatedly bend and straighten the wound metal strip to eliminate its internal stress.

5. The production equipment for the wave retaining ring for bearing connection according to claim 1, characterized in that, The feeding mechanism includes a feeding cam and a clamping assembly and a linear feeding assembly driven by it; the feeding cam drives the clamping assembly to clamp the material strip and push it forward precisely by a fixed length within a rotation cycle of 0° to 90°, the fixed length being equal to the unfolded length of a single wave retainer.

6. The production equipment for the wave retaining ring for bearing connection according to claim 5, characterized in that, The stamping forming mechanism is used to punch and / or initially bend a fixed-length strip during feeding intervals; the stamping forming mechanism is equipped with a pre-pressing die, which is used to initially press the strip into an arc shape to correct the straightness deviation generated during the feeding process.

7. The production equipment for the wave retaining ring for bearing connection according to claim 6, characterized in that, A misfeed detection device is also provided between the downstream of the stamping forming mechanism and the rolling forming mechanism to monitor whether the feeding is in place.

8. The production equipment and method for the corrugated retaining ring for bearing connection according to claim 1, characterized in that, The material collection mechanism is configured as a finished product collection box, located below the worktable of the rolling forming mechanism.

9. A method for producing wave retaining rings using the production equipment described in any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1: Strip leveling: The coiled metal strip is unloaded and repeatedly bent and straightened by the strip leveling mechanism to eliminate internal stress; S2: Precision feeding: The leveled strip is intermittently and at a fixed length fed into the stamping forming mechanism through the feeding mechanism; S3: Stamping preforming: During the feeding interval, punching and / or preliminary bending of a fixed-length strip to form a pre-pressed arc shape; S4: Progressive rolling and wave forming: The strip enters the rolling forming mechanism, and the pre-formed strip is rolled into a coordinated shape by the rolling forming mechanism and the forming retainer is cut off from the strip. S5: Material collection: The cut-off shaped retaining ring falls into the collection box under the workbench, completing one production cycle.

10. The production method according to claim 9, characterized in that, Step S4 includes: S4a: Positioning and initial rolling: The positioning cam drives the positioning component to position the front end of the strip. At the same time, the first rolling cam drives the first rolling block to initially roll the strip, so that the strip fits the arc support platform. S4b: Synchronous forming: In the same cycle of step S4a, the second rolling cam drives the second rolling forming block to roll the strip into a circle and simultaneously press out the waveform profile. S4c: Repeat and cut off: Repeat steps S4a and S4b for several cycles until a complete retaining ring is rolled into a circle; then, the positioning cam rotates to trigger the cutting cam, which drives the shearing blade to cut the formed retaining ring off the strip.

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