Centering assembly method for a floating clamp mechanism

Abstract

This invention discloses a centering assembly method for a floating clamping mechanism. The assembly objects involved in this method include a fixed sleeve, a positioning block, and a floating clamping assembly composed of a floating sleeve, a fixed clamp, upper and lower steel ball adjusting rings, and rolling balls. During assembly, the alignment rod is first inserted into the guide hole of the fixed sleeve, so that each longitudinal groove is aligned with the screw hole. Then, each ball screw is screwed in until the head ball contacts the outer circumference of the longitudinal groove without pressure. After the alignment rod is removed, the apexes of the ball screws in the same circle that extend into the guide hole are located on the same circumference, completing the centering pre-assembly of the fixed sleeve. Subsequently, the floating sleeve and the second steel ball adjusting ring are inserted in sequence, the first steel ball adjusting ring is inserted from above, and the fixed clamp is installed to form the rear limiting part. Finally, the rolling balls are inserted and the mounting cavity is closed with the positioning block. This method uses the longitudinal groove of the alignment rod as a common limiting reference, and all ball screws can be calibrated simultaneously with one insertion, which significantly improves the assembly efficiency and calibration accuracy, and ensures that a precise radial positioning reference is obtained after the floating sleeve is inserted.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of tooling assembly, and in particular to a centering assembly method for a floating clamping mechanism. Background Technology

[0002] In the fields of precision mechanical assembly and automated machining, it is often necessary to embed rod-shaped components such as locating pins, electrode rods, inspection probes, and shaft cores into vertical holes in workpieces to achieve positioning, conduction, inspection, or subsequent assembly functions. During this process, the perpendicularity of the rod-shaped component relative to the workpiece is a core indicator determining assembly quality: if the rod-shaped component enters the vertical hole at an angle, it can lead to increased insertion resistance and scratches on the hole wall, or even render the rod-shaped component or the workpiece unusable. Even if it is forcibly inserted, the angled rod-shaped component will introduce positional deviations in subsequent processes, affecting the final product yield.

[0003] To address this issue, technicians proposed a floating clamping mechanism. However, during the installation of this floating clamping mechanism, it is necessary to ensure that the floating sleeve, which serves as the clamping body, can automatically center itself after adaptive adjustment. Therefore, a corresponding centering mechanism needs to be set up and the centering installation can be completed through a simple assembly method. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the problems in the prior art, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a centering assembly method for a floating clamping mechanism.

[0005] The technical solution provided by the present invention to solve the above-mentioned technical problems is: a centering assembly method for a floating clamping mechanism, wherein the assembly objects include a fixed sleeve, a positioning block and a floating clamping component; The fixing sleeve has an installation cavity with an opening at the top, a guide hole on the bottom wall of the fixing sleeve, and a plurality of screw holes that are evenly distributed circumferentially and extend radially. The floating clamping assembly includes a floating sleeve, a fixed clamp, a first steel ball adjusting ring, a second steel ball adjusting ring, and rolling balls. The floating sleeve has a column and a front limiting part located at the lower end of the column. Assembly steps include: Step A: Use a centering rod to install the ball screws into each of the screw holes to complete the centering pre-assembly of the fixing sleeve; the centering rod includes multiple longitudinal grooves evenly distributed around the circumference and longitudinal ribs between adjacent longitudinal grooves, the outer circumferential surface of each longitudinal groove is located on a first cylindrical surface, the outer circumferential surface of each longitudinal rib is located on a second cylindrical surface coaxial with the first cylindrical surface, and the second cylindrical surface is adapted to the guide hole; Step A includes: Step A1: Insert the calibration centering rod into the guide hole, and make the outer peripheral surface of each of the longitudinal grooves face the corresponding screw hole; Step A2: Screw each ball screw into the corresponding screw hole until the ball head of each ball screw makes no pressure contact with the outer circumferential surface of the corresponding longitudinal groove. Step A3: Remove the calibration centering rod so that the apexes of the ball screws of the same circle that extend into the guide hole are located on the same circumference, thus completing the centering pre-assembly of the fixing sleeve; Step B: Slide the second steel ball adjusting ring onto the upper end of the floating sleeve's column, and insert the floating sleeve with the second steel ball adjusting ring onto the fixed sleeve from the lower end of the guide hole, so that the second steel ball adjusting ring is located between the front limiting part and the lower end face of the fixed sleeve, and the head of each ball screw contacts the outer peripheral surface of the floating sleeve's column. Step C: Insert the first steel ball adjusting ring into the upper end of the column of the floating sleeve through the upper opening of the mounting cavity, and install the fixing clip on the upper end of the column to form a rear limiting part, so that the first steel ball adjusting ring is located between the rear limiting part and the bottom wall of the mounting cavity; Step D: Assemble the ball into the countersunk hole at the upper end of the column, and seal the mounting cavity with the positioning block, so that the ball is clamped between the floating sleeve and the lower end face of the positioning block.

[0006] The preferred technical solution provided by the present invention to solve the above-mentioned technical problems is as follows: the fixing sleeve is provided with an avoidance channel, and in step C, the fixing clip is installed on the upper end of the column through the avoidance channel.

[0007] The preferred technical solution provided by the present invention to solve the above-mentioned technical problems is as follows: the fixing clamp includes a first limiting clamp and a second limiting clamp, and the first limiting clamp and the second limiting clamp are locked by a clamping screw to clamp the column of the floating sleeve; In step C, the first limiting clamp and the second limiting clamp are first closed and clamped on the column of the floating sleeve, and the clamping screw mounting hole is aligned with the clearance channel. Then, the clamping screw is screwed into the clamping screw mounting hole from the outside of the fixed sleeve through the clearance channel.

[0008] The preferred technical solution provided by the present invention to solve the above-mentioned technical problem is as follows: In step A2, visual observation or image measurement confirms that the head ball of each ball screw contacts the bottom surface of the corresponding longitudinal groove without causing compression.

[0009] The preferred technical solution provided by the present invention to solve the above-mentioned technical problem is as follows: In step A2, a 0.02 mm thick feeler gauge is used to test between the head ball of the ball screw and the bottom surface of the longitudinal groove. If the feeler gauge can pass through, it is determined that the requirements are met; if the feeler gauge cannot pass through, the ball screw is unscrewed outward and the above steps are repeated until the feeler gauge can pass through.

[0010] The preferred technical solution provided by the present invention to solve the above-mentioned technical problem is as follows: In step C, after the first steel ball adjusting ring is fitted, a steel ball rolling pad is fitted on top of it, and then the fixing clamp is pressed down to fix it, so as to eliminate the axial movement gap of the steel balls in the first steel ball adjusting ring.

[0011] The preferred technical solution provided by the present invention to solve the above-mentioned technical problems is as follows: the front end of the front limiting part of the floating sleeve is provided with an annular cover plate, and the upper end surface of the annular cover plate is provided with an annular groove surrounding the clamping hole of the floating sleeve; In step E, the tension sealing ring is first embedded into the annular groove, and then the annular cover plate with the tension sealing ring is fixed to the front limiting part. Step E may be performed before step B, or at any stage of steps B to D, or after step D.

[0012] The preferred technical solution provided by the present invention to solve the above-mentioned technical problems is as follows: the fixing sleeve is provided with an upper ring ball screw group and a lower ring ball screw group at intervals along the axial direction, the two rings of ball screw groups have the same number of ball screws and are staggered in the circumferential direction, the stagger angle is α; the longitudinal groove and the longitudinal rib adjacent to the calibration centering rod are staggered by an angle of α. In step A, after inserting the alignment rod into the guide hole once, the assembly of one turn of the ball screw group is completed first. Then, the alignment rod is rotated by an angle α to complete the assembly of the other turn of the ball screw group. Finally, the alignment rod is pulled out all at once.

[0013] The preferred technical solution provided by the present invention to solve the above-mentioned technical problems is as follows: the assembly object further includes a protective sleeve, the protective sleeve being sleeved on the outside of the fixed sleeve and extending to the positioning block at its upper end; Step F is performed after step D. In step F, the protective sleeve is fixedly connected to the positioning block. The lower end of the protective sleeve has an opening for exposing the opening of the clamping hole of the floating sleeve.

[0014] The preferred technical solution provided by the present invention to solve the above-mentioned technical problems is as follows: Compared with existing technologies, the advantages of this invention are as follows: Step A achieves high-precision centering pre-assembly of the ball screws through the calibration centering rod. The precise cylindrical surface formed by the longitudinal groove of the calibration centering rod serves as a common limiting reference for all ball screws, uniformly calibrating the screw-in depth of each ball screw to the same reference surface. Since this calibration reference surface is coaxial with the guide hole, after calibration, the envelope circle formed by the head balls of each ball screw is coaxial with the guide hole, thus providing a precise radial positioning reference for the subsequently installed floating sleeve. Compared to the traditional method of adjusting each screw individually based on experience, this method can simultaneously calibrate all ball screws by inserting the calibration centering rod once, significantly improving assembly efficiency and calibration accuracy. In the above assembly method, steps B and C achieve precise installation of the ball bearing adjusting rings through a reasonable assembly sequence. First, before the floating sleeve is inserted into the fixed sleeve, the second ball bearing adjusting ring is inserted into the column, and positioned using the space between the front limiting part and the lower end face of the fixed sleeve. Then, after the floating sleeve is inserted, the first ball bearing adjusting ring is inserted into the upper end of the column through the upper opening of the mounting cavity, and positioned using the fixing clamp to form the rear limiting part. This sequence solves the installation problem of the ball bearing adjusting ring in the closed cavity, ensuring that both the upper and lower sets of ball bearing adjusting rings can be accurately positioned. Attached Figure Description

[0015] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will understand that these drawings are drawn only for the purpose of explaining the preferred embodiments and therefore should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. Furthermore, unless specifically indicated, the drawings are only schematic representations of the composition or structure of the described objects and may contain exaggerated depictions, and the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0016] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of the floating clamping mechanism; Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the floating clamping mechanism; Figure 3 A schematic diagram for calibrating the centering rod; Figure 4 Top view for calibrating the centering rod; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of installing a ball screw in a fixed sleeve using a calibration centering rod; Figure 6 A cross-sectional view of the ball screw installed in the fixed sleeve using a calibration centering rod; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the fit between the alignment rod and the ball screw. Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of step B of the floating clamping mechanism; Figure 9A schematic diagram of the floating clamping mechanism after assembly in step B; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of step C of the floating clamping mechanism; Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram showing the assembly in step C with the balls inserted into the countersunk hole. Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram showing the assembly after steps D and E; Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of step F of the floating clamping mechanism.

[0017] Figure label: Fixed sleeve 1; Positioning block 2; Floating clamping assembly 3; Ball screw 4; Upper ring ball screw group 4a; Lower ring ball screw group 4b; Protective sleeve 5; Clamping screw 6; Steel ball rolling washer 7; Alignment centering rod 9; Mounting cavity 11; Guide hole 13; Clearance channel 15; Floating sleeve 31; First steel ball adjusting ring 32; Second steel ball adjusting ring 33; Ball 35; Head ball 41; Column 311; Rear limit part 312; Front limit part 313; Clamping hole 314; Countersunk hole 315; Annular retainer 321; Steel ball 322; First limit clamp 3121; Second limit clamp 3122; Annular cover plate 3131; Annular groove 3132; Longitudinal groove 91; Longitudinal rib 92; Rod-shaped member 100. Detailed Implementation

[0018] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that these descriptions are merely descriptive and exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

[0019] It should be noted that similar labels in the following figures indicate similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it may not be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0020] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "upper," "lower," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship commonly used when the product of the invention is in use. They 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. In addition, the terms "first," "second," etc., are only used to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0021] In the description of this invention, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation" and "connection" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0022] In this invention, the term "rod-shaped component" refers to various slender rod-shaped workpieces, including but not limited to cylindrical pins, locating pins, punches, ejector pins, guide pins, electrical connector pins, and other rod-shaped components that need to be clamped and pressed into the target station or target hole.

[0023] This embodiment provides a centering assembly method for a floating clamping mechanism. The structure of the assembly object involved in this method is first fully described below, and then the assembly process is described step by step according to the method.

[0024] like Figures 1 to 2 As shown, the assembly objects involved in this centering assembly method mainly include a fixed sleeve 1, a positioning block 2, and a floating clamping assembly 3.

[0025] The fixing sleeve 1 has a mounting cavity 11 with an opening at the top, which is used to accommodate the upper part of the floating clamping assembly 3. The bottom wall of the fixing sleeve 1 has a guide hole 13, which is used to accommodate the lower part of the floating clamping assembly 3. The solid part of the fixing sleeve 1 in the area where the guide hole is located also has a plurality of screw holes that are evenly distributed circumferentially and extend radially, and each screw hole is used to install ball screws 4.

[0026] The floating clamping assembly 3 includes a floating sleeve 31 with clamping holes, a fixed clamp, a first steel ball adjusting ring 32, a second steel ball adjusting ring 33, and rolling balls 35. The floating sleeve 31 has a column 311 and a front limiting part 313 located at the lower end of the column 311. The column 311 is clearance-fitted with the guide hole 13, that is, the outer diameter of the column 311 is smaller than the inner diameter of the guide hole 13, and there is a small radial gap between them. The typical value of this gap is 0.05mm to 0.5mm, and the specific value is determined by a combination of accuracy requirements and target hole position tolerances. The existence of this gap allows the column 311 to produce limited displacement in any radial direction within the guide hole 13, which is the structural basis for providing motion space for "radial floating". The outer diameter of the front limiting part 313 is larger than the diameter of the guide hole 13, thereby limiting the lower end of the floating sleeve 31 in the axial direction.

[0027] Both the first steel ball adjusting ring 32 and the second steel ball adjusting ring 33 include an annular retainer 321 and a plurality of steel balls 322. The annular retainer 321 has a plurality of longitudinal circular holes evenly spaced along its circumference, each containing a steel ball 322, with both ends of each steel ball 322 protruding from the upper and lower surfaces of the annular retainer 321. This structure allows the steel balls 322 to rotate freely within the longitudinal circular holes, and the protruding upper and lower portions of the steel balls 322 form rolling contact with adjacent contact surfaces.

[0028] Based on the structure of the assembled object mentioned above, such as Figures 1 to 2 As shown, the centering assembly method of this embodiment includes the following steps: Step A: As Figures 3 to 7 As shown, the ball screw 4 is installed into each screw hole using the alignment rod 9 to complete the centering pre-assembly of the fixing sleeve 1.

[0029] Step B: As Figures 8 to 9 As shown, the second steel ball adjusting ring 33 is inserted from the upper end of the column 311 of the floating sleeve 31, and the floating sleeve 31 with the second steel ball adjusting ring 33 is inserted into the fixed sleeve 1 from the lower end of the guide hole 13, so that the second steel ball adjusting ring 33 is located between the front limit part 313 and the lower end face of the fixed sleeve 1, and the head ball 41 of each ball screw 4 contacts the outer peripheral surface of the column 311 of the floating sleeve 31.

[0030] Step C: As Figures 10 to 11 As shown, the first steel ball adjusting ring 32 is inserted into the upper end of the column 311 of the floating sleeve 31 through the upper opening of the mounting cavity 11, and the fixing clip is installed on the upper end of the column 311 to form the rear limiting part 312, so that the first steel ball adjusting ring 32 is located between the rear limiting part 312 and the bottom wall of the mounting cavity 11.

[0031] Step D: As Figures 11 to 12 As shown, the ball bearing 35 is assembled into the countersunk hole 315 at the upper end of the column 311, and the mounting cavity 11 is closed by the positioning block 2, so that the ball bearing 35 is clamped between the floating sleeve 31 and the lower end face of the positioning block 2.

[0032] Among them, such as Figures 3 to 7 As shown, the alignment rod 9 in step A includes multiple circumferentially distributed longitudinal grooves 91 and longitudinal ribs 92 between adjacent longitudinal grooves 91. The outer circumferential surface of each longitudinal groove 91 is located on a first cylindrical surface, and the outer circumferential surface of each longitudinal rib 92 is located on a second cylindrical surface coaxial with the first cylindrical surface. The second cylindrical surface is adapted to the guide hole 13. In other words, the outer contour of the alignment rod 9 has an alternating high and low structure in the circumferential direction. The diameter of the second cylindrical surface where the longitudinal ribs 92 are located is adapted to the inner diameter of the guide hole 13 to form a small clearance fit with the inner wall of the guide hole 13; while the diameter of the first cylindrical surface where the longitudinal grooves 91 are located is smaller than the diameter of the second cylindrical surface, forming a recessed area.

[0033] like Figures 3 to 7 As shown, step A specifically includes the following sub-steps: Step A1: Insert the alignment rod 9 into the guide hole 13, ensuring that the outer peripheral surface of each longitudinal groove 91 is aligned with the corresponding screw hole. In this state, because the outer peripheral surface (first cylindrical surface) of the longitudinal groove 91 is recessed inward relative to the inner wall of the guide hole 13, the front end of the ball bearing 41 of each ball screw 4 can extend into the space formed by the longitudinal groove 91 when screwed into the screw hole.

[0034] Step A2: Screw each ball screw 4 into its corresponding screw hole until the ball head 41 of each ball screw 4 makes no pressure contact with the outer circumferential surface of the corresponding longitudinal groove 91. "No pressure contact" means that the ball head 41 is just in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the longitudinal groove 91, but has not yet undergone elastic compression deformation; that is, the contact force is zero or close to zero. In this operation, since the outer circumferential surfaces of each longitudinal groove 91 are located on the same cylindrical surface, and the axis of the alignment rod 9 coincides with the axis of the guide hole 13, when the ball head 41 of each ball screw 4 is just in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the longitudinal groove 91, the depth to which each ball head 41 extends into the guide hole 13 is the same; that is, the apex of each ball head 41 is located on the same circumference.

[0035] Step A3: Remove the alignment rod 9. After the alignment rod 9 is removed, since the screw depth of each ball screw 4 in the same circle has been precisely unified by the alignment rod 9, the apex of each ball 41 extending into the guide hole 13 is located on the same circumference, thus completing the centering pre-assembly of the fixing sleeve 1.

[0036] Through these steps, step A achieves high-precision centering pre-assembly of the ball screws 4 using the alignment rod 9. The precise cylindrical surface formed by the longitudinal groove 91 of the alignment rod 9 serves as a common limiting reference for all ball screws 4, uniformly calibrating the screw-in depth of each ball screw 4 to the same reference surface. Since this calibration reference surface is coaxial with the guide hole 13, after calibration, the envelope circle formed by the head ball 41 of each ball screw 4 is coaxial with the guide hole 13, thus providing a precise radial positioning reference for the subsequently installed floating sleeve 31. Compared to the traditional method of adjusting each screw individually based on experience, this method calibrates all ball screws 4 simultaneously with a single insertion of the alignment rod 9, significantly improving assembly efficiency and calibration accuracy.

[0037] In the above assembly method, such as Figures 10 to 12As shown, steps B and C achieve precise installation of the ball bearing adjusting ring through a reasonable assembly sequence. First, before the floating sleeve 31 is inserted into the fixed sleeve 1, the second ball bearing adjusting ring 33 is fitted into the column 311, and positioned using the space between the front limiting part 313 and the lower end face of the fixed sleeve 1. Then, after the floating sleeve 31 is inserted, the first ball bearing adjusting ring 32 is fitted into the upper end of the column 311 through the upper opening of the mounting cavity 11, and positioned using the fixing clamp to form the rear limiting part 312. This sequence solves the installation problem of the ball bearing adjusting ring in the closed cavity, ensuring that both the upper and lower sets of ball bearing adjusting rings can be accurately positioned.

[0038] After the second steel ball adjusting ring 33 is sleeved on the column 311, its lower surface forms a rolling contact with the upper end face of the front limiting part 313 through the protruding steel ball 322, and its upper surface forms a rolling contact with the lower end face of the fixed sleeve 1 through the protruding steel ball 322. During the subsequent radial floating process of the floating sleeve 31, the relative movement between the upper end face of the front limiting part 313 and the lower end face of the fixed sleeve 1 is achieved by the rolling of the steel ball 322, which transforms sliding friction into rolling friction and greatly reduces the floating resistance. At the same time, since the centering pre-assembly of each ball screw 4 has been completed in step A, the apex of each head ball 41 is located on the same circumference and coaxial with the guide hole 13. Therefore, when the column 311 is inserted into the guide hole 13, each head ball 41 applies radial preload from multiple directions on the outer circumferential surface of the column 311 simultaneously.

[0039] The structure of the first steel ball adjusting ring 32 is the same as that of the second steel ball adjusting ring 33. After being sleeved on the column 311, it is located between the rear limiting part 312 and the bottom wall of the fixed sleeve 1. The upper surface of the first steel ball adjusting ring 32 forms rolling contact with the lower end face of the rear limiting part 312 through the protruding steel ball 322, and its lower surface forms rolling contact with the upper surface of the bottom wall of the fixed sleeve 1 through the protruding steel ball 322. The first steel ball adjusting ring 32 and the second steel ball adjusting ring 33 are symmetrically arranged at the upper and lower ends of the floating sleeve 31, and together they constitute the floating guide and rolling support system of the floating sleeve 31. The fixing clip is installed on the upper end of the column 311 to form the rear limiting part 312. The outer diameter of the fixing clip is larger than the diameter of the guide hole 13, thereby limiting the upper end of the floating sleeve 31 in the axial direction.

[0040] In both steps, the annular retainer 321 is first inserted, and then the corresponding steel balls are placed into the annular retainer 321 one by one.

[0041] like Figures 11 to 12As shown, in the specific operation of step D, the top of the floating sleeve 31 is provided with a countersunk hole 315 communicating with the clamping hole 314, and a ball 35 is placed inside the countersunk hole 315. The diameter of the ball 35 is larger than the depth of the countersunk hole 315, so that the upper part of the ball 35 protrudes from the opening of the countersunk hole 315. When the positioning block 2 is fixed at the upper opening of the fixed sleeve 1, the lower end face of the positioning block 2 contacts the upper vertex of the ball 35 and presses the ball 35 downward into the countersunk hole 315, so that the ball 35 is clamped between the countersunk hole 315 and the lower end face of the positioning block 2, and an axial positioning reference for rolling contact is formed at the top through the ball 35. The ball 35, the steel ball adjusting ring, and the ball screw 4 achieve the synergistic effect of the triple rolling friction pair, which makes the floating sleeve 31 have minimal motion resistance, sensitive response, and smooth automatic return to center during radial floating, and can effectively resist overturning moment, always keeping the axis perpendicular, thereby ensuring that the clamped rod-shaped part enters the target hole in the correct vertical posture.

[0042] As a further preferred embodiment, in step A2, visual observation or image measurement confirms that the head ball 41 of each ball screw 4 contacts the bottom surface of the corresponding longitudinal groove 91 without causing compression.

[0043] Specifically, the operator can use visual aids such as a magnifying glass, endoscope, or high-resolution industrial camera to observe the contact state between the head ball 41 and the outer peripheral surface of the longitudinal groove 91 from the outside of the fixed sleeve 1. When the two are observed to fit perfectly together, it is the ideal "pressure-free contact" state.

[0044] Visual observation or image measurement is a non-contact inspection method that can determine the contact state between the head ball 41 and the bottom surface of the longitudinal groove 91 without interfering with the position of the assembled parts. This method is simple to operate, intuitive and reliable, and can ensure the consistency of the screw depth of each ball screw 4. It avoids prestress deviation caused by excessive screwing and compression of the head ball 41, or loss of calibration significance due to insufficient screwing and failure of the head ball 41 to contact the calibration reference surface.

[0045] Based on the above, step A2 further determines the installation depth of the ball screw 4 by using a feeler gauge. In step A2, a 0.02 mm thick feeler gauge is used to check between the head ball 41 of the ball screw 4 and the outer peripheral surface of the longitudinal groove 91. If the feeler gauge can pass through, it is determined that the requirements are met; if the feeler gauge cannot pass through, the ball screw 4 is unscrewed outward and the above steps are repeated until the feeler gauge can pass through.

[0046] Specifically, even ultra-lightweight ball screws require approximately 3 Newtons of force to compress. A two-thread feeler gauge cannot compress the ball screw. If the feeler gauge cannot pass through, it indicates that the ball screw 4 is screwed in too deeply, causing compression. The ball screw 4 needs to be unscrewed and the above steps repeated until the feeler gauge can pass through. Feeler gauge testing is a simple, low-cost, and reliable mechanical testing method. Using a feeler gauge thickness of 0.02 mm as a benchmark ensures sufficient testing sensitivity without making the test results difficult to interpret due to excessive feeler gauge thickness. This method does not require expensive optical testing equipment, is easy to operate, and has good repeatability, making it suitable for widespread application on mass assembly lines. It effectively ensures the consistency of the screw depth of each ball screw 4.

[0047] like Figure 11 As shown, as a further preferred embodiment, the fixing sleeve 1 is provided with a clearance channel 15. In step C, the fixing clip is installed on the upper end of the column 311 via the clearance channel 15.

[0048] Specifically, the clearance channel 15 penetrates the side wall of the fixing sleeve 1, providing a dedicated access channel for operating tools. Since the rear limiting part 312 (i.e., the fixing clamp) is located inside the mounting cavity 11 of the fixing sleeve 1, and the mounting cavity 11 is a cylindrical cavity with an inner diameter only slightly larger than the outer diameter of the rear limiting part 312, in conventional designs, inserting tools into the mounting cavity 11 to operate the fasteners of the fixing clamp would be limited by the space of the inner wall of the mounting cavity 11, making the insertion direction and operating space of the tools extremely limited. By providing the clearance channel 15 on the side wall of the fixing sleeve 1, the operator can insert tools such as screwdrivers or Allen wrenches into the mounting cavity 11 from the outside through the clearance channel 15 without disassembling the fixing sleeve 1, directly acting on the fasteners of the fixing clamp to achieve tightening or loosening operations.

[0049] like Figure 2 , Figure 11 As shown, further, as a further preferred embodiment, the fixing clamp includes a first limiting clamp 3121 and a second limiting clamp 3122. The first limiting clamp 3121 and the second limiting clamp 3122 are locked together by a clamping screw 6 to clamp the column 311 of the floating sleeve 31. The first limiting clamp 3121 and the second limiting clamp 3122 have opposing semi-circular holes. When they are closed, they are clamped to the outside of the column 311 to form a rear limiting portion 312.

[0050] In step C, the first limiting clamp 3121 and the second limiting clamp 3122 are first closed and clamped on the column 311 of the floating sleeve 31, and the mounting hole of the clamping screw 6 is aligned with the clearance channel 15. Then, the clamping screw 6 is screwed into the mounting hole of the clamping screw 6 from the outside of the fixed sleeve 1 through the clearance channel 15.

[0051] It should be understood that this split-type clamping structure solves the assembly problem of the first steel ball adjusting ring 32. During the assembly of the floating sleeve 31, the first steel ball adjusting ring 32 needs to be inserted into the column 311 from the upper end, and then the rear limiting part 312 is installed to axially limit the first steel ball adjusting ring 32. If the rear limiting part 312 and the column 311 are integrally formed, the first steel ball adjusting ring 32 cannot be inserted into the column 311 from the upper end through the rear limiting part 312 with a larger outer diameter. However, with the split-type clamping structure, during assembly, the first steel ball adjusting ring 32 is first inserted into the column 311 from the upper end and moved to the predetermined position. Then, the first limiting clamp 3121 and the second limiting clamp 3122 are closed and clamped from both sides of the column 311. Finally, the clamping screw 6 is screwed in and locked through the clearance channel 15. Meanwhile, the operation of the clamping screw 6 does not require disassembling the fixing sleeve 1, realizing online assembly and maintenance, which greatly simplifies the assembly process.

[0052] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 10 As shown, as a further preferred embodiment, in step C, after the first steel ball adjusting ring 32 is fitted, a steel ball rolling pad 7 is fitted on top of it, and then the fixing clamp is pressed down to fix it, so as to eliminate the axial movement gap of the steel ball 322 of the first steel ball adjusting ring 32.

[0053] The ball bearing rolling pad 7 is an annular thin sheet made of wear-resistant metal, such as bearing steel or tool steel, with high flatness and low surface roughness on its upper and lower surfaces. The ball bearing rolling pad 7 is positioned between the ball 322 of the first ball bearing adjusting ring 32 and the lower end face of the fixing clamp. When the fixing clamp is pressed downwards, the ball bearing rolling pad 7 is clamped between the ball 322 and the lower end face of the fixing clamp.

[0054] The introduction of the ball bearing rolling shim 7 has multiple functions: First, by selecting ball bearing rolling shims 7 of different thicknesses, the axial preload of the first ball bearing adjusting ring 32 can be finely adjusted, thereby eliminating the axial movement gap of the ball bearing 322 and ensuring that the ball bearing 322 is always in contact with the upper and lower end faces, thus avoiding the floating response delay caused by the existence of axial gap; Second, as a sacrificial wear-resistant layer, the ball bearing rolling shim 7 prevents the ball bearing 322 from directly contacting the lower end face of the fixed clamp and causing wear, thus extending the service life of the floating sleeve 31; Third, when the ball bearing rolling shim 7 wears out, only the ball bearing rolling shim 7 needs to be replaced to restore the original floating accuracy and performance, without having to replace the entire fixed clamp or floating sleeve 31, resulting in low maintenance costs and simple operation.

[0055] like Figure 1 , Figure 2As shown, as a further preferred embodiment, the front end of the front limiting part 313 of the floating sleeve 31 is provided with an annular cover plate 3131, and the upper end surface of the annular cover plate 3131 is provided with an annular groove 3132 surrounding the clamping hole 314 of the floating sleeve 31.

[0056] like Figure 12 As shown, in step E, the tension sealing ring 34 is first embedded into the annular groove 3132, and then the annular cover plate 3131 with the tension sealing ring 34 is fixed on the front limiting part 313.

[0057] Regarding the timing of step E, step E can be performed before step B, at any stage from step B to step D, or after step D. That is, the assembly timing of the tension sealing ring 34 and the annular cover plate 3131 is quite flexible and can be arranged flexibly according to the specific assembly line layout and process requirements.

[0058] The tension sealing ring 34 is used to clamp and fix the rod-shaped member 100 to its outer circumference through its own elastic deformation after the rod-shaped member 100 is inserted into the clamping hole 314. The structural design of the annular cover plate 3131 moves the installation position of the tension sealing ring 34 from inside the clamping hole 314 to the front end face of the front limit part 313, so that the machining of the annular groove 3132 is an external surface machining, which is simple and easy to ensure accuracy. At the same time, the assembly sequence of the tension sealing ring 34 is flexible. If step E is arranged before step B, the annular cover plate 3131 can be installed in a completely open space before the floating sleeve 31 is installed into the fixed sleeve 1, with the most sufficient operating space. If step E is arranged after step D, the tension sealing ring 34 can be installed last after the basic assembly of the entire floating clamping assembly 3 is completed, which facilitates the inspection and adjustment of the tension sealing ring 34 in the later stage of assembly.

[0059] like Figure 2 As shown, in a further preferred embodiment, the fixing sleeve 1 is provided with an upper ring ball screw group 4a and a lower ring ball screw group 4b spaced apart along the axial direction. The two ring ball screw groups have the same number of ball screws and are staggered in the circumferential direction by an angle of α. The angle of misalignment between the adjacent longitudinal groove 91 and longitudinal rib 92 of the calibration centering rod 9 is α.

[0060] In step A, after inserting the alignment rod 9 into the guide hole 13 once, the assembly of one ring of ball screws is completed first, that is, all the ball screws 4 of that ring are screwed into place according to the method of step A2. Then, the alignment rod 9 is rotated about its axis by an angle α, so that the position originally occupied by the longitudinal rib 92 is now switched to the longitudinal groove 91, so that the screw holes of the other ring of ball screws are aligned with the outer circumferential surface of the longitudinal groove 91, and the assembly of that ring of ball screws is completed in the same way. Finally, the alignment rod 9 is pulled out all at once.

[0061] Therefore, by rotating and positioning the centering rod 9 twice, the precise calibration of the two staggered sets of ball screws can be completed simultaneously without the need to design a separate calibration tool for each set. This ensures both the calibration accuracy within each set and the precision of the circumferential misalignment between the two sets. Simultaneously, the two sets of ball screws are spaced apart axially, applying radial support forces at two different axial positions of the column 311, forming a two-point support structure for the column 311. This effectively constrains the deflection degree of freedom of the column 311, making the radial floating of the floating sleeve 31 more stable and smooth.

[0062] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, as a further preferred embodiment, the assembly object also includes a protective sleeve 5, which is sleeved on the outside of the fixed sleeve 1 and extends to the positioning block 2 at its upper end.

[0063] like Figure 1 , Figure 13 As shown, step F is performed after step D. In step F, the protective sleeve 5 is fixedly connected to the positioning block 2. The lower end of the protective sleeve 5 is provided with an opening, which is used to expose the opening of the clamping hole 314 of the floating sleeve 31.

[0064] The protective sleeve 5 covers the outside of the fixed sleeve 1, providing an additional protective layer for the fixed sleeve 1. On the one hand, the protective sleeve 5 can prevent external dust, oil, or other contaminants from entering the mounting cavity 11 of the fixed sleeve 1, avoiding the steel balls 322 of the first steel ball adjusting ring 32 and the second steel ball adjusting ring 33 from getting stuck or experiencing accelerated wear due to contamination, thus ensuring the long-term operational reliability and floating sensitivity of the floating clamping assembly. On the other hand, the lower opening of the protective sleeve 5 only exposes the opening area of ​​the clamping hole 314, that is, only allowing the rod-shaped piece 100 to enter and exit the clamping hole 314, while shielding the internal moving parts such as the front limiting part 313 of the floating sleeve 31 and the second steel ball adjusting ring 33 inside the protective sleeve 5, preventing these moving parts from being damaged or changing the floating parameters due to accidental collisions with external objects during operation. The protective sleeve 5 is fixedly connected to the positioning block 2, so that the fixed sleeve 1, the positioning block 2, and the protective sleeve 5 form a rigid whole, ensuring that the protective sleeve 5 will not move or fall off relative to the fixed sleeve 1 during use.

[0065] The foregoing has provided a detailed description of the centering assembly method for a floating clamping mechanism provided by the present invention. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the invention. The descriptions of the embodiments above are merely for the purpose of helping to understand the invention and its core ideas. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various improvements and modifications to the invention without departing from its principles, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the protection scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A centering assembly method for a floating clamping mechanism, characterized in that: The assembly objects include a fixed sleeve, a positioning block, and a floating clamping assembly; The fixing sleeve has an installation cavity with an opening at the top, a guide hole on the bottom wall of the fixing sleeve, and a plurality of screw holes that are evenly distributed circumferentially and extend radially. The floating clamping assembly includes a floating sleeve, a fixed clamp, a first steel ball adjusting ring, a second steel ball adjusting ring, and rolling balls. The floating sleeve has a column and a front limiting part located at the lower end of the column. Assembly steps include: Step A: Use a centering rod to install the ball screws into each of the screw holes to complete the centering pre-assembly of the fixing sleeve; the centering rod includes multiple longitudinal grooves evenly distributed around the circumference and longitudinal ribs between adjacent longitudinal grooves, the outer circumferential surface of each longitudinal groove is located on a first cylindrical surface, the outer circumferential surface of each longitudinal rib is located on a second cylindrical surface coaxial with the first cylindrical surface, and the second cylindrical surface is adapted to the guide hole; Step A includes: Step A1: Insert the calibration centering rod into the guide hole, and make the outer peripheral surface of each of the longitudinal grooves face the corresponding screw hole; Step A2: Screw each ball screw into the corresponding screw hole until the ball head of each ball screw makes no pressure contact with the outer circumferential surface of the corresponding longitudinal groove. Step A3: Remove the calibration centering rod so that the apexes of the ball screws of the same circle that extend into the guide hole are located on the same circumference, thus completing the centering pre-assembly of the fixing sleeve; Step B: Slide the second steel ball adjusting ring onto the upper end of the floating sleeve's column, and insert the floating sleeve with the second steel ball adjusting ring onto the fixed sleeve from the lower end of the guide hole, so that the second steel ball adjusting ring is located between the front limiting part and the lower end face of the fixed sleeve, and the head of each ball screw contacts the outer peripheral surface of the floating sleeve's column. Step C: Insert the first steel ball adjusting ring into the upper end of the column of the floating sleeve through the upper opening of the mounting cavity, and install the fixing clip on the upper end of the column to form a rear limiting part, so that the first steel ball adjusting ring is located between the rear limiting part and the bottom wall of the mounting cavity; Step D: Assemble the ball into the countersunk hole at the upper end of the column, and seal the mounting cavity with the positioning block, so that the ball is clamped between the floating sleeve and the lower end face of the positioning block.

2. The centering assembly method of a floating clamping mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fixing sleeve is provided with a clearance channel, and in step C, the fixing clip is installed on the upper end of the column through the clearance channel.

3. The centering assembly method for a floating clamping mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that: The fixing clamp includes a first limiting clamp and a second limiting clamp, which are locked together by a clamping screw to hold the column of the floating sleeve. In step C, the first limiting clamp and the second limiting clamp are first closed and clamped on the column of the floating sleeve, and the clamping screw mounting hole is aligned with the clearance channel. Then, the clamping screw is screwed into the clamping screw mounting hole from the outside of the fixed sleeve through the clearance channel.

4. The centering assembly method for a floating clamping mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step A2, visual observation or image measurement confirms that the head ball of each ball screw contacts the bottom surface of the corresponding longitudinal groove without causing compression.

5. The centering assembly method for a floating clamping mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that: In step A2, a 0.02 mm thick feeler gauge is used to check between the head ball of the ball screw and the bottom surface of the longitudinal groove. If the feeler gauge can pass through, it is determined that the requirements are met; if the feeler gauge cannot pass through, the ball screw is unscrewed and the above steps are repeated until the feeler gauge can pass through.

6. The centering assembly method for a floating clamping mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step C, after the first steel ball adjusting ring is fitted, a steel ball rolling shim is fitted on top of it, and then the fixing clamp is pressed down to fix it, so as to eliminate the axial movement gap of the steel balls in the first steel ball adjusting ring.

7. The centering assembly method for a floating clamping mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The front end of the front limiting part of the floating sleeve is provided with an annular cover plate, and the upper end surface of the annular cover plate is provided with an annular groove surrounding the clamping hole of the floating sleeve. In step E, the tension sealing ring is first embedded into the annular groove, and then the annular cover plate with the tension sealing ring is fixed to the front limiting part. Step E may be performed before step B, or at any stage of steps B to D, or after step D.

8. The centering assembly method of a floating clamping mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fixing sleeve is provided with an upper ring of ball screws and a lower ring of ball screws spaced apart along the axial direction. The number of ball screws in the two rings of ball screws is the same and they are staggered in the circumferential direction with a stagger angle of α. The longitudinal groove and the longitudinal rib adjacent to the calibration centering rod are staggered by an angle of α. In step A, after inserting the alignment rod into the guide hole once, the assembly of one turn of the ball screw group is completed first. Then, the alignment rod is rotated by an angle α to complete the assembly of the other turn of the ball screw group. Finally, the alignment rod is pulled out all at once.

9. The centering assembly method for a floating clamping mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The assembly object also includes a protective sleeve, which is fitted over the outside of the fixing sleeve and extends to the positioning block at its upper end; Step F is performed after step D. In step F, the protective sleeve is fixedly connected to the positioning block. The lower end of the protective sleeve has an opening for exposing the opening of the clamping hole of the floating sleeve.

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