Tool clamp and using method thereof
By designing the movable connection and adaptive adjustment of the cylinder and connecting parts, the problems of poor performance and high installation difficulty of the vise clamp when clamping complex workpieces are solved, achieving flexible clamping and simplified operation.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- XIAMEN UNIV TAN KAH KEE COLLEGE
- Filing Date
- 2024-10-17
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-17
AI Technical Summary
Existing vise clamps are not effective when clamping workpieces with complex shapes, and the fixed rigid connection between the cylinder and the jaws makes installation difficult and requires high structural precision, which can easily lead to misalignment problems.
A tooling fixture including a base, cylinder, connector, rack and pinion and claw is designed. The claw can be self-adjusted by the movable connection between the cylinder push-pull end and the connector. The misalignment problem is avoided by the cooperation between the movable block and the movable space. At the same time, a detachable front cover and dustproof plate structure are adopted.
It enables flexible clamping of workpieces with different shapes, reduces installation difficulty and structural accuracy requirements, and improves operation simplicity and service life.
Smart Images
Figure CN121870478A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention belongs to the field of fixtures, and particularly relates to a tooling fixture and its method of use. Background Technology
[0002] Over the years, with the development of CNC machine tool technology, fixture technology has also been constantly evolving. As an indispensable component in machining, fixtures are developing towards high technology. Common types of fixtures include adjustable fixtures, combination fixtures, and CNC machine tool fixtures. Among them, the vise is one of the most common and economical fixtures. It has advantages such as simple structure, rapid clamping, and accurate positioning, which can save time, improve efficiency and machining accuracy in machining, thereby improving product quality. However, vises also have some limitations. For example, they are not effective when clamping workpieces with complex shapes. This is mainly because the jaws of the vise are straight, which is not suitable for clamping cylindrical workpieces. During machining, the workpiece is prone to displacement, and sometimes it may even detach from the machine tool table.
[0003] Existing tooling fixtures, especially those driven by cylinders, are assembled with the cylinder and gripper structure. In contrast, the traditional cylinder push-pull rod and gripper structure are fixed and rigidly connected. This connection method not only requires high assembly technology but also high structural precision. Improper installation can lead to misalignment issues, which in turn prevent the cylinder from driving the gripper. Summary of the Invention
[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a tooling fixture and its method of use, so as to overcome at least one of the above-mentioned defects in the prior art.
[0005] To achieve this objective, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:
[0006] The present invention provides a tooling fixture, comprising a base, a cylinder, a connector, a first rack, a gear, a second rack, a first claw, and a second claw. The cylinder is provided at the right end of the base, and the top of the base has a first sliding groove. The first claw and the second claw are both slidably connected to the first sliding groove, with the first claw located to the left of the second claw. The first rack is fixed to the first claw. The bottom wall of the base has a second sliding groove, and the second rack is slidably connected to the second sliding groove. The gear is rotatably connected to the interior of the base and meshes with the first rack and the second rack respectively. The lower part of the second claw extends into the interior of the base and is fixed with a connector. The left end of the connector is fixedly connected to the second rack, and the right end of the connector has an open space. The push-pull end of the cylinder extends into the open space and is provided with a movable block. Both the movable block and the push-pull end of the cylinder have gaps with the open space.
[0007] Preferably, the connector includes a fixed part and a movable part. The fixed part is fixed to the lower part of the second claw, and its left end passes through the second claw and is fixedly connected to the second rack. The right end of the fixed part passes through the second claw and is fixed to the movable part. The movable space is opened in the movable part.
[0008] Preferably, the movable space includes a movable cavity and a threaded hole. The movable cavity is opened inside the movable part, and a threaded hole is opened on the right side wall of the movable part. The threaded hole communicates with the movable cavity, and the movable block is located inside the movable cavity.
[0009] Preferably, the cylinder includes a cylinder body, a front cover, a rear cover, a piston, a connecting rod, and a push-pull rod. The front cover is located at the right end of the base, the cylinder body is located at the right end of the front cover, and the rear cover is located at the right end of the cylinder body. The piston is slidably connected inside the cylinder body. The connecting rod is fixed to the piston, and the left end of the connecting rod passes through the front cover and is fixed to the push-pull rod. The left end of the push-pull rod passes through a threaded hole and extends into the movable cavity where a movable block is fixed. There is a gap between the movable block and the movable cavity, and there is a gap between the push-pull rod and the threaded hole.
[0010] Preferably, the movable block has an external thread that engages with the threaded hole.
[0011] Preferably, the front cover is detachably fixed to the right end of the base by screws.
[0012] Preferably, both the first claw and the second claw include a sliding part and a clamping part, the clamping part is fixed to the top of the sliding part, and the sliding part is slidably connected to the first groove.
[0013] Preferably, a dustproof plate is provided on the top of the first slide groove, and the dustproof plate is located between the left and right clamping parts.
[0014] Preferably, the inner sidewall of the clamping part is provided with a clamping groove.
[0015] Preferably, the bottom of the sliding part of the second claw is fixed with an extension, and the fixing part is fixed to the lower part of the extension.
[0016] This invention also provides a method for using a tooling fixture, applied to the aforementioned tooling fixture, comprising the following steps: During clamping operations, the object to be clamped is placed between the first jaw and the second jaw. The cylinder extends, driving the second jaw to move to the left, and simultaneously driving the second rack to move to the left, causing the gear to rotate clockwise, driving the first rack to move to the right, and further driving the first jaw to move to the right. The first jaw and the second jaw simultaneously move towards each other to clamp the object to be clamped. When it is necessary to remove the clamped object, the cylinder retracts, driving the second jaw to move to the right, and simultaneously driving the second rack to move to the right, causing the gear to rotate counterclockwise, driving the first rack to move to the left, and further driving the first jaw to move to the left. The first jaw and the second jaw move away from each other, and the clamped object is removed.
[0017] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:
[0018] 1. The push-pull end of the cylinder and the connecting part are non-rigidly connected. Through the cooperation of the movable block and the movable space of the connecting part, the push-pull end of the cylinder and the connecting part are movably connected and can be adaptively adjusted. This avoids the problem that the cylinder cannot push the first and second claws to move due to the misalignment of the connecting part and the cylinder. It not only does not have high requirements for structural precision, but also low requirements for installation technology, making it easy to install.
[0019] 2. The operation is simple; the first and second claws can move towards each other or move away from each other simultaneously with the extension and retraction of the cylinder.
[0020] 3. The front cover is detachably fixed to the right end of the base with screws, making installation convenient.
[0021] 4. The dustproof plate helps prevent dust and extends the service life.
[0022] 5. By setting up clamping slots, the drawbacks of traditional planar clamping are overcome, and it can adapt to the clamping of workpieces with different shapes. Attached Figure Description
[0023] Figure 1 This is a top view of the structure of the present invention.
[0024] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the present invention.
[0025] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A magnified structural diagram of A in the middle.
[0026] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of the cylinder of the present invention.
[0027] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the second claw of the present invention.
[0028] Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the first claw of the present invention.
[0029] The labels in the attached diagram are as follows: 1-base, 2-cylinder, 3-connector, 4-first rack, 5-gear, 6-second rack, 7-first claw, 8-second claw, 9-first slide groove, 10-second slide groove, 321-moving space, 11-gap, 31-fixed part, 32-moving part, 3211-moving cavity, 3212-threaded hole, 21-cylinder body, 22-front cover, 23-rear cover, 24-piston, 25-connecting rod, 26-push-pull rod, 27-moving block, 271-external thread, 12-screw, 781-sliding part, 782-clamping part, 13-dustproof plate, 783-clamping groove, 784-extension. Detailed Implementation
[0030] The present invention will now be further described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.
[0031] Contents not described in detail in this specification are prior art known to those skilled in the art. In the description of this invention, it should be understood that terms such as "center," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing the 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, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. Furthermore, terms such as "first," "second," and "third," etc., are only used to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.
[0032] like Figures 1 to 6 As shown, the tooling fixture provided in this embodiment includes a base 1, a cylinder 2, a connector 3, a first rack 4, a gear 5, a second rack 6, a first claw 7, and a second claw 8. The cylinder 2 is located at the right end of the base 1. The top of the base 1 has a first sliding groove 9. The first claw 7 and the second claw 8 are both slidably connected to the first sliding groove 9. The first claw 7 is located to the left of the second claw 8. The first rack 4 is fixed to the first claw 7. The inner bottom wall of the base 1 has a second sliding groove 10, and the second rack 6 is slidably connected to... In the second slide groove 10, the gear 5 is rotatably connected to the inside of the base 1 and meshes with the first rack 4 and the second rack 6 respectively. The lower part of the second claw 8 extends into the inside of the base 1 and is fixed with a connector 3. The left end of the connector 3 is fixedly connected to the second rack 6. The right end of the connector 3 is provided with a movable space 321. The push-pull end of the cylinder 2 extends into the movable space 321 and is provided with a movable block 27. The movable block 27 and the push-pull end of the cylinder 2 are both separated from the movable space 321 by a gap 11.
[0033] This embodiment also provides a method for using a tooling fixture, applied to the above-mentioned tooling fixture, including the following steps:
[0034] During clamping operations, the object to be clamped is placed between the first jaw 7 and the second jaw 8. The cylinder 2 extends, causing the second jaw 8 to move to the left, and simultaneously causing the second rack 6 to move to the left. This causes the gear 5 to rotate clockwise, causing the first rack 4 to move to the right, which in turn causes the first jaw 7 to move to the right. The first jaw 7 and the second jaw 8 then move towards each other to clamp the object. When it is necessary to remove the clamped object, the cylinder 2 retracts, causing the second jaw 8 to move to the right, and simultaneously causing the second rack 6 to move to the right. This causes the gear 5 to rotate counterclockwise, causing the first rack 4 to move to the left, which in turn causes the first jaw 7 to move to the left. The first jaw 7 and the second jaw 8 then move away from each other, removing the clamped object.
[0035] Thus, only the extension and retraction of cylinder 2 is needed to simultaneously bring the first claw 7 and the second claw 8 closer together or move away from each other, making operation simple. Furthermore, the push-pull end of cylinder 2 is not rigidly connected to the connecting member 3. Through the cooperation of the movable block 27 and the movable space 321 of the connecting member 3, the push-pull end of cylinder 2 and the connecting member 3 are movably connected, allowing for adaptive adjustment. This avoids the problem of cylinder 2 being unable to push the first claw 7 and the second claw 8 due to misalignment between the connecting member 3 and cylinder 2. Not only are the structural precision requirements low, but the installation technology requirements are also low, making installation convenient.
[0036] The connector 3 includes a fixed part 31 and a movable part 32. The fixed part 31 is fixed to the lower part of the second claw 8, and its left end passes through the second claw 8 and is fixedly connected to the second rack 6. The right end of the fixed part 31 passes through the second claw 8 and is fixed to the movable part 32. A movable space 321 is formed in the movable part 32. The fixed part 31 connects the second claw 8 and the second rack 6 into one unit, allowing them to move synchronously. The movable space 321 of the movable part 32 cooperates with the movable block 27 and the push-pull end of the cylinder 2 to achieve a movable connection between the cylinder 2 and the connector 3, ensuring the push-pull operation of the connector 3.
[0037] The movable space 321 includes a movable cavity 3211 and a threaded hole 3212. The movable cavity 3211 is located inside the movable part 32. The right side wall of the movable part 32 has a threaded hole 3212 that communicates with the movable cavity 3211. The movable block 27 is located inside the movable cavity 3211. The movable block 27 has an external thread 271 that is threadedly engaged with the threaded hole 3212. The cylinder 2 includes a cylinder body 21, a front cover 22, a rear cover 23, a piston 24, a connecting rod 25, and a push-pull rod 26. The right end of the base 1 is provided with the front cover 22, the right end of the front cover 22 is provided with the cylinder body 21, and the right end of the cylinder body 21 is provided with the rear cover 23. The piston 24 is slidably connected inside the cylinder body 21. The connecting rod 25 is fixed to the piston 24, and the left end of the connecting rod 25 passes through the front cover 22 and is fixed with the push-pull rod 26. The left end of the push-pull rod 26 passes through the threaded hole 3212 and extends into the movable cavity 3211 where a movable block 27 is fixed. There is a gap 11 between the movable block 27 and the movable cavity 3211, and there is a gap 11 between the push-pull rod 26 and the threaded hole 3212. The gap 11 between the movable block 27 and the movable cavity 3211 allows the movable block 27 to move left and right within the movable cavity 3211, with a 360-degree adjustment range in all directions. The gap 11 between the push-pull rod 26 and the threaded hole 3212 also allows for a 360-degree adjustment range between the push-pull rod 26 and the threaded hole 3212. During installation, the external thread 271 of the movable block 27 is aligned with the threaded hole 3212 and screwed through the threaded hole 3212. At this time, the movable block 27 is located within the movable cavity 3211. Due to the arrangement of the external thread 271 and the threaded hole 3212, after the movable block 27 is installed within the movable cavity 3211, it cannot disengage from the movable cavity 3211 during left and right movements.
[0038] The front cover 22 is detachably fixed to the right end of the base 1 by screws 12, making installation convenient.
[0039] Both the first claw 7 and the second claw 8 include a sliding portion 781 and a clamping portion 782. The clamping portion 782 is fixed to the top of the sliding portion 781, and the sliding portion 781 is slidably connected to the first slide groove 9. A dustproof plate 13 is provided on the top of the first slide groove 9, and the dustproof plate 13 is located between the two clamping portions 782. An extension portion 784 is fixed to the bottom of the sliding portion 781 of the second claw 8, and a fixing portion 31 is fixed to the lower part of the extension portion 784. The dustproof plate 13 serves to prevent dust and extend the service life.
[0040] The clamping part 782 has a clamping groove 783 on its inner sidewall. The clamping groove 783 overcomes the drawbacks of traditional planar clamping. It can accommodate workpieces of different shapes. In this embodiment, the clamping groove 783 has a rectangular cross-section, making it suitable for clamping cylindrical workpieces. In other embodiments, the clamping groove 783 can also have other shapes.
[0041] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.
Claims
1. A tooling fixture, characterized in that: It includes a base, a cylinder, a connector, a first rack, a gear, a second rack, a first claw, and a second claw; A cylinder is provided at the right end of the base; The base has a first groove at its top, and both the first claw and the second claw are slidably connected to the first groove, with the first claw located to the left of the second claw; The first rack is fixed to the first claw; The inner bottom wall of the base has a second sliding groove, and the second rack is slidably connected to the second sliding groove; The gear is rotatably connected to the interior of the base and meshes with the first rack and the second rack respectively; The lower part of the second claw extends into the interior of the base and is fixed with a connector. The left end of the connector is fixedly connected to the second rack, and the right end of the connector has an opening for movement. The push-pull end of the cylinder extends into the movable space and is provided with a movable block. Both the movable block and the push-pull end of the cylinder have gaps with the movable space.
2. The tooling fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that: The connector includes a fixed part and a movable part; The fixing part is fixed to the lower part of the second claw, and the left end passes through the second claw and is fixedly connected to the second rack; The right end of the fixed part is fixed to the movable part by passing through the second claw; The activity space is located in the activity department.
3. The tooling fixture according to claim 2, characterized in that: The active space includes an active cavity and a threaded hole; The movable cavity is formed inside the movable part, and a threaded hole is formed on the right side wall of the movable part, which communicates with the movable cavity; The movable block is located inside the movable cavity.
4. The tooling fixture according to claim 3, characterized in that: The cylinder includes a cylinder body, a front cover, a rear cover, a piston, a connecting rod, and a push-pull rod; A front cover is provided at the right end of the base, a cylinder is provided at the right end of the front cover, and a rear cover is provided at the right end of the cylinder. A piston is slidably connected inside the cylinder; The connecting rod is fixed to the piston, and the left end of the connecting rod passes through the front cover and is fixed with a push-pull rod; The left end of the push-pull rod passes through the threaded hole and extends into the movable cavity where the movable block is fixed. There is a gap between the movable block and the movable cavity, and there is a gap between the push-pull rod and the threaded hole.
5. The tooling fixture according to claim 4, characterized in that: The movable block has an external thread, which engages with the threaded hole.
6. The tooling fixture according to claim 4, characterized in that: The front cover is detachably fixed to the right end of the base by screws.
7. The tooling fixture according to claim 2, characterized in that: Both the first claw and the second claw include a sliding part and a clamping part; The clamping part is fixed to the top of the sliding part; The sliding part is slidably connected to the first sliding groove; An extension is fixed to the bottom of the sliding part of the second claw; The fixing part is fixed to the lower part of the extension.
8. The tooling fixture according to claim 7, characterized in that: A dustproof plate is provided on the top of the first chute, and the dustproof plate is located between the left and right clamping parts.
9. The tooling fixture according to claim 7, characterized in that: The inner wall of the clamping part is provided with a clamping groove.
10. A method of using a tooling fixture, characterized in that, The tooling fixture described in any one of claims 1-9 comprises the following steps: During the clamping operation, the object to be clamped is placed between the first and second jaws. The cylinder extends, causing the second jaw to move to the left, which in turn causes the second rack to move to the left, making the gear rotate clockwise. This causes the first rack to move to the right, which in turn causes the first jaw to move to the right. The first and second jaws then move towards each other to clamp the object. When it is necessary to remove the clamped object, the cylinder contracts, causing the second claw to move to the right, which in turn causes the second rack to move to the right, making the gear rotate counterclockwise. This causes the first rack to move to the left, which in turn causes the first claw to move to the left. The first and second claws then move away from each other, removing the clamped object.