Adaptive support platform, clamping mechanism and clamping method

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of clamping mechanisms, and provides an adaptive support platform, clamping mechanism, and clamping method. The adaptive support platform includes a housing, a rod assembly, a receiving cavity, and a temperature-controlled medium channel. The housing has an internal accommodating space. The rod assembly includes multiple push rods disposed within the receiving space, with one end of each push rod extending out of the housing. The receiving cavity is disposed within the receiving space. The temperature-controlled medium channel penetrates the housing and is thermally coupled to the receiving cavity. This invention introduces gas as the driving medium through the temperature-controlled medium channel and utilizes the resulting gas spring effect to push the push rods to produce differentiated displacements when the workpiece is pressed into the rod assembly. This significantly reduces the dependence on the precision of the gas source control and greatly reduces the cost and debugging difficulty of the auxiliary pneumatic hardware.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of clamping mechanisms, and more specifically, to an adaptive support platform, a clamping mechanism, and a clamping method. Background Technology

[0002] In aerospace, automotive manufacturing, and precision mold making, efficient clamping and precision machining of irregularly shaped curved workpieces have always been key bottlenecks restricting production cycle time and machining quality. Although traditional dedicated fixtures can provide high rigidity support, each workpiece shape requires a custom-made fixture, resulting in high tooling costs, long changeover cycles, and difficulty in adapting to the trend of flexible manufacturing with multiple varieties and small batches.

[0003] To address these issues, the industry has developed two types of adaptive tooling solutions. The first type is a mechanically locking ejector pin clamp, which uses a spring-driven rod assembly to conform to the workpiece contour and then uses a mechanical locking block to fix its position. However, this type of solution relies on lateral compression for locking, resulting in insufficient rigidity and limited locking reliability under heavy-load cutting conditions. The second type is a phase-change tooling, which utilizes the solid-liquid phase change of a low-melting-point alloy to achieve free adjustment and solidification locking of the ejector pin, providing high locking rigidity. However, traditional designs often use resistance heating, which has a long heating time and high thermal inertia, severely restricting the clamping cycle time. Furthermore, the support and reset of the ejector pin usually rely on independent mechanical springs, increasing structural complexity and maintenance costs.

[0004] Therefore, how to achieve rapid phase transition switching, simplify the system structure, and reduce dependence on precision control components while ensuring high rigidity clamping capability is a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved in the field of adaptive support platforms. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, the present invention aims to provide an adaptive support platform, a clamping mechanism, and a clamping method.

[0006] An adaptive support platform provided by the present invention includes: A shell, the interior of which is defined to form a receiving space; The rod assembly includes multiple push rods slidably disposed within the receiving space along their respective axes, with one end of each push rod extending out of the housing to collectively form a workpiece fitting surface; A receiving cavity is disposed within the receiving space and at least partially covers the periphery of the movable stroke section of each of the push rods, and the receiving cavity is filled with a phase change material; A temperature-controlled medium channel, penetrating the housing and thermally coupled to the accommodating cavity, is configured to receive the introduction of temperature-controlled gas to drive the phase change material to undergo a solid-liquid phase change; The gas introduced through the temperature control medium channel also acts on the bottom end of each of the push rods, applying an axial air pressure support force to each push rod towards the workpiece mating surface, so as to form a gas spring effect on each push rod when the phase change material is in a liquid state.

[0007] Preferably, the accommodating cavity is configured as a plurality of sub-chambers distributed along the periphery of each of the top rods, with adjacent sub-chambers in fluid communication with each other via connecting channels, so that the phase change material is in a distributed, thin-layered layout.

[0008] Preferably, the phase change material in its solidified state forms an interference fit with the outer wall surface of each of the top rods, and the solidified phase change material constitutes an auxiliary load-bearing skeleton connecting the inner wall of the housing and each of the top rods.

[0009] Preferably, the temperature control medium channel includes a central air channel disposed inside the housing, a gas inlet disposed at the bottom of the housing, and a first branch air channel and a second branch air channel extending from the central air channel to the top rod side. Each of the second branch air channels exchanges heat with the accommodating cavity via a heat-conducting material, and the first branch air channel is connected to the bottom end of the top rod.

[0010] Preferably, the housing is further provided with a pressure relief port, which is connected to the central air passage, and a safety valve is also provided on the pressure relief port.

[0011] Preferably, the phase change material is selected from at least one of paraffin wax, bismuth-tin alloy, bismuth-lead-tin alloy, bismuth-indium alloy, or Wood's alloy.

[0012] Preferably, it has at least one of the following configurations: It also includes a sealing element disposed between each of the top rods and the through-hole of the housing to prevent the phase change material from leaking outward and to maintain the airtightness of the containment space; It also includes a base, which is detachably connected to the bottom of the housing. The gas inlet of the temperature control medium channel passes through the base. The outer surface of the base is provided with a standard interface, which is a zero-point quick-change interface or a standardized flange interface.

[0013] A clamping method using the adaptive support platform provided by the present invention includes the following steps: Phase change unlocking step: Heating gas is introduced through the temperature control medium channel, so that the phase change material in the accommodating cavity is heated and melted, and each of the push rods obtains the ability to slide freely along the axial direction. At the same time, the introduced gas applies air pressure support force to the bottom end of each of the push rods to form a gas spring effect. Adaptive bonding step: The workpiece is pressed in from the top of the rod assembly. Each of the top rods generates a differentiated axial displacement under the drive of the workpiece surface contour, and automatically bonds to the workpiece surface under the flexible resistance of the pneumatic support force to form an envelope support surface that matches the bottom contour of the workpiece. Phase change locking step: The gas introduced into the temperature control medium channel is switched to cooling gas, the phase change material is cooled and solidified, and each of the push rods is structurally locked in the current position; Processing steps: Machining the workpiece and removing the workpiece; Release and reset steps: After processing, heating gas is introduced again through the temperature control medium channel to melt the phase change material, and each of the push rods is reset to its initial position axially upward under the action of the bottom air pressure support force.

[0014] Preferably, in the adaptive bonding step, the gas introduced applies a uniform and continuous stepless flexible air pressure support force to the bottom end of each of the push rods, and each push rod stabilizes itself at an axial position corresponding to the surface contour of the workpiece under the balance of workpiece pressure and bottom air pressure support force.

[0015] According to the present invention, a clamping mechanism includes at least two clamping ends, each of which is provided with the adaptive support platform.

[0016] According to the present invention, a robot is equipped with the aforementioned clamping mechanism.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. This invention introduces gas as the driving medium through a temperature-controlled medium channel. The pressure of this gas does not require precise control. Combined with the flexible resistance provided by the gas spring effect formed by the gas in the temperature-controlled medium channel, when the workpiece is pressed into the rod assembly, the back pressure of the gas on each push rod is uniform and smooth. The slight difference in the surface contour of the workpiece only needs to overcome this uniform back pressure to drive the push rod to produce differentiated displacement. Without relying on high-precision proportional pressure regulating valves or closed-loop pressure feedback systems, all push rods can automatically form an envelope surface that perfectly fits the shape of the workpiece. While ensuring self-adaptive capability, it significantly reduces the dependence on the accuracy of gas source control, and greatly reduces the cost and debugging difficulty of auxiliary pneumatic hardware.

[0018] 2. This invention uses hot and cold gas to enter the temperature-controlled medium channel, combining the heat transfer medium and the mechanical buffer medium into one. On the one hand, the hot gas directly heats the accommodating cavity through convection, while the cold gas accelerates forced convection cooling, achieving rapid switching of phase change states. On the other hand, the introduced gas forms a controllable gas spring effect below the push rod. The "one thing, two uses" design in this invention avoids the need for additional independent heating rods, cooling water channels, mechanical springs, and hydraulic buffer cylinders. This not only simplifies the internal space of the tooling and reduces manufacturing costs, but also utilizes the low thermal inertia of the gas to achieve synchronous and rapid control of temperature and push rod support force.

[0019] 3. This invention employs a specific design for the structural layout of the accommodating cavity. The liquid metal is distributed around the movement path of the push rod to maximize the heat exchange area, resulting in a large heat exchange contact area between the liquid metal and the forced convection gas introduced through the temperature-controlled medium channel. Compared to traditional integral heating cavities, this distributed or thin-layered metal arrangement significantly shortens the heat transfer path from the gas to the metal core. In practical applications, both the heating / melting time and the cooling / solidification time are exponentially reduced, thereby significantly decreasing the single-clamping auxiliary time for "pressing in, solidification locking, processing, and melting / resetting," effectively improving processing efficiency.

[0020] 4. This invention not only uses liquid metal as the "locking medium" for the ejector pin, but also, through a specific structural arrangement (such as setting the accommodating cavity around the root of the ejector pin), allows the solidified metal to directly participate in the transmission path of cutting forces. After the phase change material solidifies, its high elastic modulus provides the ejector pin with a secondary auxiliary support frame, in addition to the mechanical housing and base. During milling or grinding processes that withstand large radial or axial cutting forces, this solidified metal layer effectively absorbs and disperses the lateral bending moment on the ejector pin, effectively suppressing fretting or retraction, and ensuring machining accuracy and surface quality under high cutting speeds.

[0021] 5. This invention uses gas introduced through a temperature-controlled medium channel to form a gas spring at the bottom of the push rod, replacing the mechanical helical spring in the traditional solution. The gas spring not only provides the push rod with restoring force and basic support force, but also has advantages such as no mechanical wear, long service life, fast response, and uniform force. Compared with the fatigue failure and force attenuation problems that may exist in mechanical springs, the reliability and stability of the gas spring are superior.

[0022] 6. This invention has a strong adaptability to workpiece shapes and can be applied to workpieces of different shapes, such as cylindrical parts, irregular parts, and free-form surfaces. When the workpiece is changed, the "heating → pressing → cooling" clamping cycle can be repeated to complete the adaptive clamping of the new workpiece. There is no need to redesign and manufacture special fixtures, which greatly reduces the fixture cost in multi-variety, small-batch production.

[0023] 7. This invention adopts a modular design, with a standard interface on the base, which can quickly adapt to the processing requirements of different workpieces and has good versatility and expandability. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Other features, objects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the adaptive support platform. Figure 2 This is a partial structural diagram of the push rod; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping mechanism; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping principle of the adaptive support platform.

[0025] The diagram shows: Casing 1; Accommodation space 11; Pressure relief port 12; Safety valve 121; Rod assembly 2; Top rod 21; end 22; 3. Phase change material 31; Temperature control medium channel 4; Central airway 41; First airway 42; Second airway 43; Gas inlet 44; Base 5; Standard interface 51; External air supply connector 52; Electromagnetic coil 521; Quick-connector assembly 53; Seal 6; Workpiece 7; Thermally conductive material 8; 9. Thermal insulation material; Clamping end 100. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to specific embodiments. These embodiments will help those skilled in the art to further understand the present invention, but do not limit the invention in any way. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make several changes and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention. These all fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0027] This invention provides an adaptive support platform, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the device includes a housing 1, a rod assembly 2, a receiving cavity 3, a temperature-controlled medium channel 4, a base 5, and a sealing element 6. The housing 1 internally defines a receiving space 11. The rod assembly 2 includes multiple push rods 21 slidably disposed within the receiving space 11 along their respective axial directions. One end of each push rod 21 extends out of the housing 1 to collectively form a workpiece fitting surface. The receiving cavity 3 is disposed within the receiving space 11 and at least partially covers the periphery of the movable stroke section of each push rod 21. The receiving cavity 3 is filled with a phase change material 31. The temperature-controlled medium channel 4 penetrates the housing 1 and is thermally coupled to the receiving cavity 3. The temperature-controlled medium channel 4 is configured to receive the introduction of temperature-controlled gas to drive the phase change material 31 to undergo a solid-liquid phase change. The base 5 is detachably connected to the bottom of the housing 1. The gas inlet 44 of the temperature-controlled medium channel 4 penetrates the base 5. The outer surface of the base 5 is provided with a standard interface 51, which is a zero-point quick-change interface or a standardized flange interface. The sealing element 6 is disposed between each push rod 21 and the through hole of the housing 1 to prevent the phase change material 31 from leaking outward and to maintain the airtightness of the containment space 11.

[0028] Furthermore, the gas introduced through the temperature control medium channel 4 also acts on the bottom end of each push rod 21, applying an axial air pressure support force to each push rod 21 towards the workpiece mating surface, so as to form a gas spring effect on each push rod 21 when the phase change material 31 is in a liquid state.

[0029] like Figure 1As shown, the housing 1 serves as the outer load-bearing frame of the entire tooling, and its interior defines a receiving space 11 for housing the main structure of the rod assembly 2, the receiving cavity 3, and the temperature-controlled medium channel 4. The temperature-controlled medium channel 4 also includes a first gas distribution channel 42 and a second gas distribution channel 43. The first gas distribution channel 42 connects to the bottom end of the push rod 21, forming a gas spring effect on each push rod 21 when the phase change material 31 is in a liquid state, and also assisting in heat exchange of the phase change material 31. The second gas distribution channel 43 extends to the periphery of the receiving cavity 3 and is mainly used to drive the phase change material 31 to undergo a solid-liquid phase change. In a preferred embodiment, the housing 1 is also equipped with a heat-insulating material 9 and a heat-conducting material 8. The heat-conducting material 8 is disposed on the heat transfer path between the receiving cavity 3 and the second gas distribution channel 43 to form a heat-conducting layer, which is used to efficiently conduct the heat of the temperature-controlled gas in the second gas distribution channel 43 to the phase change material 31 in the receiving cavity 3. Preferably, the thermally conductive material 8 is made of a metal material or a thermally conductive composite material with a high thermal conductivity, such as copper, aluminum, copper-graphite composite layer, carbon fiber-metal matrix composite material, etc. In this embodiment, the thermally conductive material 8 can be disposed on the outer wall surface of the second gas distribution channel 43 in the form of a thermally conductive bushing or a thermally conductive coating, and extends along the axial direction of the second gas distribution channel 43. Furthermore, the thermally conductive material 8 can extend to the bottom or side wall of the accommodating cavity 3, forming a thermally conductive enclosure structure surrounding the phase change material 31, thereby significantly increasing the heat transfer area from the temperature-controlled gas to the phase change material 31 and shortening the heat conduction path.

[0030] Furthermore, the heat insulation material 9 is disposed between the inner wall of the housing 1 and the accommodating cavity 3 and the second air distribution channel 43 to prevent heat dissipation from the accommodating cavity 3 and / or the temperature control medium channel 4 to the housing 1. Preferably, the heat insulation material 9 is made of a heat insulation material with a low thermal conductivity, such as aerogel felt, nanoporous heat insulation board, ceramic fiber felt, glass fiber reinforced resin composite material, etc. Furthermore, the heat insulation material 9 can also extend to the connection interface between the base 5 and the housing 1, and an annular heat insulation gasket is provided around the through hole of the top rod 21 to reduce heat conduction and dissipation to the external environment through the housing 1 and the top rod 21.

[0031] It is important to understand that the thermally conductive material 8 and the thermally insulating material 9 work synergistically, forming a complementary spatial arrangement: the thermally conductive material 8 is concentrated on the "thermal pathway" where heat needs to be transferred efficiently, i.e., from the temperature-controlled gas in the temperature-controlled medium channel 4 to the phase change material 31 in the accommodating cavity 3; while the thermally insulating material 9 is distributed on the "thermal barrier" where heat needs to be blocked, i.e., between the accommodating cavity 3, the temperature-controlled medium channel 4, and the shell 1. By adopting a synergistic thermal management architecture of directional heat conduction and peripheral insulation, the heat carried by the temperature-controlled gas is guided to the phase change material 31 for phase change driving to the maximum extent, while heat dissipation to the shell 1 and the external environment is significantly suppressed, thereby further improving heating and cooling efficiency and shortening the clamping cycle time.

[0032] like Figure 1 As shown, the rod assembly 2 includes multiple push rods 21 slidably disposed within the receiving space 11 along their respective axial directions. One end of each push rod 21 protrudes from the top surface of the housing 1 to collectively form a workpiece fitting surface, while the other end lies within the internal space of the receiving space 11. Each push rod 21 can be selected as a high-precision grinding rod with a cylindrical cross-section to ensure a precise sliding fit with the through-hole of the housing 1. In one embodiment, the push rods 21 are arranged in a matrix-like close array within the receiving space 11. In another embodiment, the push rods 21 are arranged in a honeycomb pattern to further increase the support point density per unit area.

[0033] like Figure 2 As shown, the ends 22 of each push rod 21 extending out of the housing 1 can be constructed as spherical, planar, or conical ends according to the surface characteristics of the workpiece. Spherical ends are suitable for flexible fitting of complex curved workpieces 7, planar ends are suitable for stable support of planar or small-curvature workpieces 7, and conical ends are suitable for special scenarios requiring precise positioning. The ends 22 can be surface hardened or coated with a wear-resistant coating to extend their service life and prevent indentations on the workpiece surface.

[0034] like Figure 1 As shown, the accommodating cavity 3 is disposed within the accommodating space 11 and at least partially covers the periphery of the movable stroke section of each push rod 21, and the cavity is filled with phase change material 31. The core design concept of the accommodating cavity 3 is to arrange the phase change material in a distributed, thin-layer form on the periphery of each push rod to maximize the heat exchange area and shorten the heat conduction path.

[0035] In a preferred embodiment, the accommodating cavity 3 is configured as multiple sub-chambers distributed around each push rod 21. Adjacent sub-chambers are fluidly connected to each other via connecting channels, allowing the phase change material 31 to flow freely and be uniformly distributed in its liquid state. The metal layer within each sub-chamber forms a thin-walled layer, enabling heat to reach the metal layer from the gas channel sidewall in a very short time. Compared to the traditional monolithic alloy casting scheme where the phase change material is stacked in a large volume, the distributed thin-layer layout of this invention significantly increases the heat exchange area and greatly shortens the phase change time under the same heating power, fundamentally solving the industry pain points of large thermal inertia and slow clamping cycle of traditional phase change fixtures.

[0036] The melting point range of the phase change material 31 is preferably 40°C to 90°C to ensure stability in the solidified state under normal industrial ambient temperatures, while keeping the phase change temperature within a range easily achievable by the temperature-controlled gas. In one embodiment, the phase change material 31 is selected from at least one of paraffin wax, bismuth-tin alloy, bismuth-lead-tin alloy, bismuth-indium alloy, or Wood's alloy. Material selection should comprehensively consider melting point, hardness after solidification, coefficient of thermal expansion, and wettability with the ejector pin material.

[0037] In its solidified state, the phase change material 31 forms an interference fit with the outer wall surface of each ejector rod 21. Preferably, the outer wall surface of the movable stroke section of each ejector rod 21 is provided with annular grooves or knurled textures distributed along the axial direction to increase the mechanical engagement area between the solidified phase change material and the ejector rod. Through this structural design, the solidified phase change material not only achieves axial position locking of each ejector rod, but also constitutes an auxiliary load-bearing skeleton connecting the inner wall of the housing 1 and each ejector rod, directly participating in the transmission path of cutting force during machining, and providing secondary rigid support for each ejector rod. This innovative structural arrangement allows the fixture to meet the high rigidity clamping requirements under heavy-duty cutting conditions such as milling and drilling, without completely eliminating the independent mechanical spring preload mechanism.

[0038] like Figure 1 As shown, the temperature control medium channel 4 includes a central air channel 41 disposed inside the housing 1, a gas inlet 44 disposed at the bottom of the housing 1, and a first branch air channel 42 and a second branch air channel 43 extending from the central air channel 41 to the top rod 21. Each second branch air channel 43 exchanges heat with the accommodating cavity 3 through a heat-conducting material 8. The first branch air channel 42 is connected to the bottom end of the top rod 21.

[0039] Specifically, the temperature control medium channel 4 penetrates the shell 1 and is thermally coupled to the accommodating cavity 3. It serves as the unified working medium input channel for the entire tooling, enabling the same temperature control gas to simultaneously perform heating, cooling, and pressure support functions.

[0040] Gas inlet 44 is connected to an external gas source system, which can accept compressed air or inert gas. In heating mode, the gas source system preheats the gas and then introduces it into the central gas channel 41 through gas inlet 44. The heated gas rises along the central gas channel 41 and diffuses to the periphery of the accommodating cavity 3 via the second branch gas channel 43, heating the phase change material 31 through forced convection. In cooling mode, either low-temperature gas or room-temperature compressed air is introduced to accelerate the heat dissipation and solidification of the phase change material 31 through forced convection. The temperature of the temperature-controlled gas is preferably 15°C to 50°C higher than the melting point of the phase change material 31 in heating mode, and preferably 10°C to 40°C lower than the melting point of the phase change material 31 in cooling mode, to ensure the reliability and rate of phase change driving.

[0041] After the temperature-controlled gas completes the heat exchange in the accommodating cavity 3, the gas in the first gas channel 42 continues to flow upward and acts on the bottom end face of each push rod 21, applying an axial air pressure support force to each push rod 21 towards the workpiece fitting surface. This air pressure support force is evenly distributed at the bottom end of each push rod, forming a flexible support effect similar to a gas spring. When the phase change material 31 is in a liquid state, this gas spring effect provides an initial upward support force for each push rod 21, keeping each push rod 21 in its initial extended position when there is no external load; when the workpiece 7 is pressed in from the top, each push rod 21 generates a differentiated axial displacement under the dynamic balance of the workpiece pressure and the bottom air pressure support force, automatically conforming to the surface contour of the workpiece 7. The thermodynamic function reuse design in this invention cleverly utilizes the same gas to achieve both heating and cooling and air pressure support functions, completely avoiding the need for additional independent functional components such as electric heating rods, cooling water channels, and hydraulic buffer cylinders, greatly simplifying the system structure.

[0042] like Figure 1 As shown, the seal 6 is disposed between each push rod 21 and the through hole of the housing 1 to prevent the phase change material 31 from leaking outward when it is in a liquid state, while maintaining the airtightness of the containment space 11 to ensure the stable establishment of the gas spring effect. In one embodiment, the seal 6 may be a high-temperature resistant O-ring, a polytetrafluoroethylene lip seal, or a metal corrugated seal structure, and the temperature resistance range of its material should cover the phase change temperature range of the phase change material 31. The seal 6 needs to ensure that each push rod 21 can slide freely in the axial direction, while preventing the leakage of molten metal and gas. Its coefficient of friction should be as low as possible to avoid generating excessive resistance to the adaptive movement of the push rod 21.

[0043] The base 5 is detachably connected to the bottom of the housing 1. The gas inlet 44 of the temperature control medium channel 4 passes through the base 5, allowing an external gas source to be accessed through the bottom or side of the base 5. A standard interface 51 is provided on the outer surface of the base 5 for quick positioning and connection. In a preferred embodiment, the standard interface 51 is a zero-point quick-change interface to enable rapid switching of the tooling between different workstations. In another embodiment, the standard interface 51 is a standardized flange interface, suitable for high-rigidity installation in fixed workstations. The base 5 is preferably made of high-strength steel or cast iron to withstand the cutting forces and clamping reactions during machining.

[0044] It should be noted that the standard interface 51 can form a quick-connect connector pair 53 with the compatible external air source connector 52 to achieve quick connection. A magnetic quick-connect structure can be set between the standard interface 51 and the external air source connector 52, with a permanent magnet on one side and a controllable electromagnetic attraction component on the other side. The connector can be quickly engaged and held by magnetic attraction, and quick disassembly can be achieved by changing the electromagnetic attraction state.

[0045] To improve the safety of the tooling, a pressure relief port 12 is also provided on the housing 1. The pressure relief port 12 is connected to the central air passage 41. A safety valve 121 is also provided on the pressure relief port 12. When the air pressure in the central air passage 41 exceeds the safety pressure, the pressure can be automatically released through the safety valve 121.

[0046] The present invention also provides a clamping method using an adaptive support platform, comprising the following steps: Phase change unlocking steps: Heating gas is introduced through the temperature control medium channel 4, so that the phase change material 31 in the accommodating cavity 3 is heated and melted, and each push rod 21 obtains the ability to slide freely along the axial direction. At the same time, the introduced gas applies air pressure support force to the bottom end of each push rod 21 to form a gas spring effect. Adaptive bonding step: Press the workpiece 7 into the top of the rod assembly 2. Each push rod 21 generates a differentiated axial displacement under the drive of the workpiece surface contour, and automatically bondes to the workpiece surface under the flexible resistance of the air pressure support force to form an envelope support surface that matches the bottom contour of the workpiece. Phase change locking step: The gas introduced into the temperature control medium channel 4 is switched to cooling gas, the phase change material 31 is cooled and solidified, and each push rod 21 is structurally locked in the current position; Processing steps: Machining workpiece 7 and removing workpiece 7; Release and reset steps: After processing, heating gas is introduced again through the temperature control medium channel 4 to melt the phase change material 31. Under the action of the bottom air pressure support force, each push rod 21 is reset to the initial position along the axial direction.

[0047] In the adaptive bonding step, the gas introduced applies a uniform and continuous stepless flexible air pressure support force to the bottom end of each push rod 21. Under the balance of the workpiece pressure and the bottom air pressure support force, each push rod 21 stabilizes itself at an axial position corresponding to the workpiece surface contour.

[0048] The present invention also provides a clamping mechanism, including at least two clamping ends 100, each clamping end 100 being equipped with an adaptive support platform, such as... Figure 3 As shown.

[0049] The present invention also provides a robot equipped with a clamping mechanism.

[0050] like Figure 4 As shown, the principle of the adaptive support platform clamping provided by this invention is as follows: First, phase change unlocking is performed. The fixture is mounted on the worktable via the standard interface 51 of the base 5, and heating gas is introduced through the gas inlet 44. The heating gas rises along the central gas channel 41 and diffuses to the periphery of the accommodating cavity 3 through the second branch gas channel 43, heating the phase change material 31 by forced convection. Due to the distributed thin-layer layout of the accommodating cavity 3, the radial thickness of the metal layer is small and the heat exchange area is large, so the phase change material is heated to above the melting point temperature and completely melts in a short time. At this time, each push rod 21 gains the ability to slide freely along the axial direction. At the same time, the introduced gas acts upward on the bottom end face of each push rod 21 after passing through the first branch gas channel 42, applying a uniform air pressure support force to each push rod 21, forming a gas spring effect, so that each push rod 21 remains in the initial extended position when there is no external load.

[0051] Next, the workpiece 7 to be processed is placed or pressed into the top of the rod assembly 2. The end 22 of each push rod 21 contacts the bottom surface of the workpiece. Since the bottom surface of the workpiece is an irregular curved surface, each push rod 21 generates a differentiated axial displacement under the drive of the workpiece surface contour. Under the dynamic balance of workpiece pressure and bottom air pressure support force, each push rod 21 stabilizes itself at an axial position corresponding to the workpiece surface contour, thereby automatically forming an envelope support surface that matches the bottom contour of the workpiece. Since the air pressure support force applied by the gas to the bottom end of each push rod is a uniform and continuous stepless flexible support, there is no need to adjust the pressure of each push rod 21 individually, nor is there a need for a high-precision proportional pressure regulating valve or a closed-loop pressure feedback system.

[0052] Next, phase change locking is performed by switching the gas introduced into the temperature control medium channel 4 from heating gas to cooling gas. The cooling gas flows through the first gas distribution channel 42 along the same path, accelerating the heat dissipation and solidification of the phase change material 31 in the accommodating cavity 3 through forced convection. After solidification, the phase change material forms a structural interlock with the outer wall surface of each push rod 21, reliably locking each push rod 21 in its current position. The solidified phase change material also forms an auxiliary load-bearing skeleton between each push rod 21 and the inner wall of the housing 1, directly participating in the transmission path of cutting force during subsequent processing, providing secondary rigid support for each push rod, and enabling the entire fixture to withstand heavy-duty cutting conditions such as milling and drilling.

[0053] Fourth, the workpiece 7 is firmly clamped under the dual rigid support of the push rods 21 and the solidified phase change material 31, and the machine tool performs machining operations such as milling, drilling, and grinding on the workpiece. During the machining process, the cutting force is transmitted through the workpiece 7 to the push rods 21, and then through the solidified metal skeleton to the housing 1 and the base 5, and finally borne by the worktable, and the machined workpiece 7 is taken out.

[0054] Finally, after processing, heating gas is introduced again through the temperature-controlled medium channel 4 to remelt the phase change material 31. After the position lock of each ejector rod 21 is released from solidified metal, it automatically resets to its initial extended position axially upward under the support of the bottom air pressure. The fixture then returns to its initial state and can directly enter the clamping cycle of the next workpiece.

[0055] This invention creatively achieves the dual functions of forced convection heat transfer phase change driving of phase change material 31 and pneumatic flexible support of rod assembly 2 by using temperature-controlled gas introduced through temperature-controlled medium channel 4 as the sole energy medium. By arranging liquid metal in a distributed thin-layer form around the movement path of each top rod 21, it not only solves the industry pain points of large thermal inertia and slow cycle time of traditional phase change fixtures, but also utilizes the structural rigidity of solidified metal to construct an auxiliary load-bearing frame. Under the premise of completely abandoning high-precision pneumatic control components, independent heating and cooling units and independent mechanical spring pre-tightening mechanisms, it takes into account the efficient adaptive fitting of irregular curved workpieces and the high rigidity clamping requirements under heavy-load cutting conditions.

[0056] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the tooling or component 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 this application.

[0057] Specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and those skilled in the art can make various changes or modifications within the scope of the claims, which do not affect the essence of the present invention. Unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be arbitrarily combined with each other.

Claims

1. An adaptive support platform, characterized in that, include: The shell (1) has an internally defined receiving space (11). The rod assembly (2) includes multiple push rods (21) slidably disposed in the receiving space (11) along their respective axes, with one end of each push rod (21) extending out of the housing (1) to jointly form a workpiece fitting surface; The accommodating cavity (3) is disposed within the accommodating space (11) and at least partially covers the periphery of the movable stroke section of each of the top rods (21). The accommodating cavity (3) is filled with phase change material (31). A temperature-controlled medium channel (4) penetrates the housing (1) and is thermally coupled to the accommodating cavity (3), and is configured to receive the introduction of temperature-controlled gas to drive the phase change material (31) to undergo a solid-liquid phase change; The gas introduced through the temperature control medium channel (4) also acts on the bottom end of each of the push rods (21) to apply a pneumatic support force along the axial direction and toward the workpiece mating surface to each of the push rods (21) so as to form a gas spring effect on each of the push rods (21) when the phase change material (31) is in a liquid state.

2. The adaptive support platform according to claim 1, characterized in that, The accommodating cavity (3) is configured as a plurality of sub-chambers distributed along the periphery of each of the top rods (21), with adjacent sub-chambers in fluid communication with each other via connecting channels, so that the phase change material (31) is in a distributed thin-layered layout.

3. The adaptive support platform according to claim 1, characterized in that, The phase change material (31) forms an interference fit with the outer wall surface of each of the top rods (21) in the solidified state. The solidified phase change material (31) constitutes an auxiliary load-bearing skeleton connecting the inner wall of the shell (1) and each of the top rods (21).

4. The adaptive support platform according to claim 1, characterized in that, The temperature control medium channel (4) includes a central air channel (41) disposed inside the housing (1), a gas inlet (44) disposed at the bottom of the housing (1), and a first branch air channel (42) and a second branch air channel (43) extending from the central air channel (41) to the top rod (21). Each second branch air channel (43) exchanges heat with the accommodating cavity (3) via a heat-conducting material (8). The first branch air channel (42) is connected to the bottom end of the top rod (21).

5. The adaptive support platform according to claim 4, characterized in that, The housing (1) is also provided with a pressure relief port (12), which is connected to the central air passage (41). A safety valve (121) is also provided on the pressure relief port (12).

6. The adaptive support platform according to claim 1, characterized in that, The phase change material (31) is selected from at least one of bismuth-tin alloy, bismuth-lead-tin alloy, bismuth-indium alloy, Wood's alloy, and paraffin wax.

7. The adaptive support platform according to claim 1, characterized in that, It has at least one of the following configurations: It also includes a sealing element (6), which is disposed between each of the top rods (21) and the through hole of the housing (1) to prevent the phase change material (31) from leaking outward and to maintain the airtightness of the accommodating space (11); It also includes a base (5), which is detachably connected to the bottom of the housing (1). The gas inlet (44) of the temperature control medium channel (4) passes through the base (5). The outer surface of the base (5) is provided with a standard interface (51), which is a zero-point quick-change interface or a standardized flange interface.

8. A clamping mechanism, characterized in that, It includes at least two clamping ends (100), each of which is provided with an adaptive support platform as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A clamping method using the clamping mechanism as described in claim 8, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Phase change unlocking step: Heating gas is introduced through the temperature control medium channel (4) to heat and melt the phase change material (31) in the accommodating cavity (3), and each of the push rods (21) obtains the ability to slide freely along the axial direction. At the same time, the introduced gas applies air pressure support force to the bottom end of each of the push rods (21) to form a gas spring effect. Adaptive bonding step: Press the workpiece (7) into the top of the rod assembly (2), each of the top rods (21) generates a differentiated axial displacement under the drive of the workpiece surface contour, and automatically bond to the workpiece surface under the flexible resistance of the air pressure support force to form an envelope support surface that matches the bottom contour of the workpiece. Phase change locking step: The gas introduced into the temperature control medium channel (4) is switched to cooling gas, the phase change material (31) is cooled and solidified, and each of the top rods (21) is structurally locked in the current position; Processing steps: Perform machining on the workpiece (7) and remove the workpiece (7); Release and reset steps: After processing, heating gas is introduced again through the temperature control medium channel (4) to melt the phase change material (31), and each of the top rods (21) is reset to the initial position along the axial direction under the action of the bottom air pressure support force.

10. The clamping method according to claim 9, characterized in that, In the adaptive bonding step, the gas introduced applies a uniform and continuous stepless flexible support force to the bottom end of each of the push rods (21). Under the balance of the workpiece pressure and the bottom end air pressure support force, each of the push rods (21) stabilizes itself at an axial position corresponding to the workpiece surface contour.

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