Aerodynamic clamping device for tail wing products

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of tail wing product aerodynamic clamping devices, it is related to tail wing product clamping device field, including base structure, clamping structure and bearing structure.Gas hole and pressing ring are equipped on base structure.Clamping structure includes sealing body and telescopic rod, sealing body is embedded in bearing structure, telescopic rod is used to extrude tail wing piece of tail wing product from inside.Bearing structure includes bearing plate and lower backing plate, rudder is equipped below lower backing plate.Pressing ring is pressed in the edge of bearing plate, and air port is equipped thereon for blowing away debris.Pressing ring is detachably installed by connecting pad, and air port is cut off by connecting pad and can be independently controlled.The telescopic rod is clamped from inside by pneumatic drive to avoid clamping thin-walled structure;Automatic cleaning is realized by using partition air port combined with rotation, and positioning error caused by debris is eliminated;Multi-angle machining is realized by cooperating with rudder, and the overall structure is compact, cleaning is thorough, clamping is reliable, which significantly improves the processing yield and efficiency of tail wing product.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of tail wing product clamping devices, specifically a pneumatic clamping device for tail wing products. Background Technology

[0002] Many shell-type parts with aerodynamic configurations have tail fin structures circumferentially around their cylindrical or irregularly shaped shells. After molding, these products often require machining to ensure the dimensional tolerances and positional accuracy of mounting surfaces, mating holes, and profiles. However, due to their unique tail fin structure, machining and clamping present significant challenges, becoming a bottleneck restricting product processing quality and production efficiency.

[0003] First, the tail fin structure itself limits the choice of clamping points. Because tail fins are typically thin-walled, with some sections only a few millimeters or less thick, their rigidity is compromised, resulting in weak bending resistance. During conventional three-jaw chucks, flat-jaw vises, or specialized clamping plates, if the clamping force acts directly on the tail fin, the cutting forces, vibrations, and torque generated during machining will be transmitted to the tail fin. This not only easily leads to deformation or even breakage of the tail fin but also causes invisible damage due to stress concentration. If undetected, this can severely affect the product's aerodynamic performance and structural strength during subsequent use, causing incalculable consequences. Therefore, operators must deliberately avoid the tail fin and choose to clamp it on limited areas of the main body, which greatly limits the design of clamping solutions.

[0004] Secondly, to avoid the tail fin, fixture designs often employ irregularly shaped contoured structures or add numerous auxiliary supports. This design results in a complex fixture body structure, creating numerous narrow crevices, deep grooves, and dead angles. During wet cutting, the mixture of chips and cutting fluid easily enters these hidden areas. Due to the complex structure, conventional compressed air or high-pressure flushing is insufficient to completely remove the accumulated stubborn residues. When changing and clamping the next workpiece, residual chips will pad the positioning or clamping surfaces, causing slight workpiece displacement. This positioning error caused by chips not only results in dimensional deviations, but harder particles can also embed into the surface of soft shell materials, causing indentations or scratches, leading to a significant increase in scrap rate. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a pneumatic clamping device for tail fin products to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a pneumatic clamping device for a tail fin product, comprising a base structure, a clamping structure, and a supporting structure, wherein the base structure is mounted on the worktable of a processing equipment, and the clamping structure is disposed on the supporting structure; The base structure includes a base plate and a pressing ring. The base plate has air holes at its lower part and the pressing ring is located at the upper end of the base plate. The clamping structure includes a sealing body and a telescopic rod. The sealing body is embedded in the bearing structure, and one end of the telescopic rod is installed in the sealing body, while the other end extends out of the sealing body to compress the tail fin of the tail fin product. The supporting structure includes a supporting plate and a lower pad. The supporting plate is fixedly installed on the lower pad. A servo motor is provided below the lower pad. The lower pad can rotate at a set angle under the drive of the servo motor. The pressing ring presses against the edge of the support plate, and the pressing ring is provided with an air vent.

[0007] Preferably, the base plate has a guide rail at the root of its inner side wall.

[0008] Preferably, the pressing ring is provided with symmetrical connecting pads, and the pressing ring is detachably mounted on the base plate through the mounting holes on the connecting pads.

[0009] Preferably, the air vent is provided with a blocking pad at the opening, and the air vent is separated by a connecting pad, so that the separated air vent can independently perform air output and air extraction.

[0010] Preferably, the sealing body has an internal air cavity, which is connected to the cavity between the lower pad and the base plate through an air passage at the lower end of the sealing body and is finally connected to the air hole.

[0011] Preferably, the end of the telescopic rod is provided with a piston head, which is slidably connected in the air chamber. The telescopic rod is provided with a return spring, which is disposed between the piston head and the baffle plate. The baffle plate is fixedly installed on the end face of the sealing body of the air chamber.

[0012] Preferably, the support plate is provided with an air passage communicating with each sealing body, and the support plate is provided with a positioning groove that positions each sealing body.

[0013] Preferably, the bottom of the lower pad is provided with a retaining ring corresponding to the guide rail.

[0014] Preferably, the lower end of the lower pad is provided with a connecting shaft, which is connected to the output shaft of the servo motor.

[0015] Preferably, the servo motor is installed inside a sealed enclosure.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: 1. This invention uses a pneumatically driven telescopic rod to press the tail fin from the inside out, and the clamping force is evenly applied to the inner wall of the tail fin, which completely avoids the squeezing deformation, crushing or stress concentration of traditional external clamps on thin-walled tail fins, and effectively ensures the structural integrity and aerodynamic performance of tail fin products. 2. This invention features multiple independent air vents separated by connecting pads on the pressing ring, allowing for zoned control of air output or extraction. Combined with a servo motor driving the load-bearing structure to rotate, it can thoroughly remove chips and cutting fluid deposited in hidden gaps during processing, preventing chip elevation from causing positioning deviations or workpiece damage, and significantly reducing the scrap rate. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a top view of the present invention; Figure 3 for Figure 2 Cross-sectional view of the inner AA section; Figure 4 for Figure 3 Enlarged view of the structure at point B; Figure 5 Assembly drawings for clamping and load-bearing structures; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the clamping structure; Figure 7 This is an exploded view of the clamping structure. Figure 8 This is an exploded structural diagram of the present invention.

[0018] In the diagram: 1-Base structure; 11-Base plate; 111-Guide rail; 12-Pressing ring; 121-Connecting pad; 13-Air hole; 14-Air outlet; 2-Clamping structure; 21-Sealing body; 22-Telescopic rod; 221-Return spring; 222-Blocking plate; 3-Bearing structure; 31-Bearing plate; 32-Lower pad; 321-Snap ring; 33-Servo; 100-Tail fin product. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0020] Please see Figures 1 to 8This invention provides a technical solution: a pneumatic clamping device for a tail fin product, wherein the base structure 1 is integrally mounted on the worktable of a processing equipment. The base structure 1 includes a disc-shaped or rectangular base plate 11, which is fixed to the worktable by bolts or magnets. One or more air holes 13 are provided on the lower part of the base plate 11 for connecting to an external positive pressure air source. A pressing ring 12 is fixedly provided on the upper end of the base plate 11. The pressing ring 12 is an annular frame used to press down the subsequent supporting structure 3.

[0021] In this embodiment, the clamping structure 2 is integrally mounted on the supporting structure 3 and is used to directly clamp the tail fin of the tail fin product 100. The clamping structure 2 includes a sealing body 21 and a telescopic rod 22. The sealing body 21 has an air cavity inside and is embedded in the supporting structure 3. One end of the telescopic rod 22 is slidably installed in the air cavity of the sealing body 21, and the other end extends out of the sealing body 21. It is used to squeeze the tail fin of the tail fin product 100 from the inside out. Through the synchronous outward extension of the telescopic rod 22, combined with the wedge shape of the front end of the sealing body 21, the self-centering clamping of the tail fin product is achieved.

[0022] In this embodiment, the supporting structure 3* includes a supporting plate 31 and a lower pad 32. The supporting plate 31 is fixedly mounted on the lower pad 32, and the upper surface of the supporting plate 31 is used to place the tail fin product 100 and is provided with a positioning groove. A servo motor 33 is provided below the lower pad 32, and the output shaft of the servo motor 33 is connected to the lower pad 32, which can drive the lower pad 32 and the supporting plate 31 to rotate precisely at a set angle.

[0023] In this embodiment, the edge of the pressing ring 12 extends downward and presses against the upper surface edge of the support plate 31 to prevent the support structure 3 from warping or shifting during the rotation of the servo motor 33 or during processing. The pressing ring 12 is also provided with an air vent 14, which is connected to a compressed air or suction device to blow or suck air into the gap between the support plate 31 and the base plate 11 to remove chips and cutting fluid residues that fall in during processing.

[0024] During clamping, the tail fin product 100 is placed on the support plate 31, and compressed air is introduced through the air hole 13 to drive the telescopic rod 22 inside the sealing body 21 to extend and tighten the tail fin from the inside, thus avoiding the compression damage of the thin-walled tail fin by the external clamp.

[0025] During cleaning, high-pressure gas is blown out from the vent 14, and the servo motor 33 drives the bearing structure 3 to rotate, blowing away the chips and cutting fluid deposited in the gap between the bearing plate 31 and the sealing body 21, thus eliminating positioning errors caused by debris.

[0026] A guide rail 111 with an annular groove is machined at the root of the inner side wall of the base plate 11, that is, at the junction of the annular inner wall and the bottom surface of the base plate 11. The cross-section of the guide rail 111 can be rectangular, trapezoidal or semi-circular.

[0027] In this embodiment, the guide rail 111 slides in conjunction with the retaining ring 321 at the bottom of the lower pad 32, which serves two purposes: first, to provide radial guidance and support for the rotation of the bearing structure 3, preventing eccentric swaying during rotation; second, to limit the vertical movement of the bearing structure 3, so that even if subjected to cutting force or vibration, the bearing structure will not come off the base plate 11.

[0028] In this embodiment, the pressing ring 12 is an independent annular part with connecting pads 121 protruding symmetrically on it. Bolt mounting holes are provided on the connecting pads 121. Correspondingly, threaded holes are provided on the upper end face of the base plate 11. The pressing ring 12 is screwed into the threaded hole of the base plate 11 after passing a bolt through the mounting hole on the connecting pad 121, thus achieving detachable fixing.

[0029] The detachable design facilitates maintenance and cleaning. When it is necessary to replace the support plate 31 with a different size or to perform deep cleaning inside the base plate, the pressing ring 12 can be removed simply by loosening the bolts on the connecting pads 121. The symmetrical arrangement of multiple connecting pads 121 ensures that the clamping force is evenly distributed, preventing the pressing ring 12 from deforming due to force on one side.

[0030] Multiple air vents 14 are provided on the pressing ring 12, and a fine barrier pad is provided at the opening facing the gap between the support plate 31 and the sealing body 21 to prevent chips or debris from being sucked back into the pipeline.

[0031] Due to the presence of the connecting pad 121, the pressing ring 12 is divided into several independent arc segments. Each arc segment is provided with one or more air vents 14, and the air vents 14 in each arc segment are connected to an independent external air valve through a pipe. In this way, each isolated air vent area can be controlled to release or extract air independently without interference.

[0032] During machining, chips often concentrate in the area corresponding to the cutting zone. By controlling the zones independently, only that area can be cleaned with air, saving compressed air; or the air vents of the corresponding sectors can be opened simultaneously to achieve follow-up purging. Barrier pads prevent large particles from clogging the pipes.

[0033] In this embodiment, the sealing body 21 has a cylindrical air cavity inside. A vent hole is provided at the bottom of the sealing body 21, which connects to the air passage at the lower end of the sealing body 21. Specifically, the support plate 31 has a through air passage hole, and the lower pad 32 has a corresponding connecting air passage. When the sealing body 21 is embedded in the positioning groove of the support plate 31, the air passage at the lower end of the sealing body 21 is sealed and connected to the air passage hole of the support plate 31. The air passage of the support plate 31 then connects to the air passage of the lower pad 32, and a cavity is formed between the lower pad 32 and the base plate 11. This cavity is connected to an external air source through an air hole 13 on the base plate 11.

[0034] All air passages are internal channels, eliminating the need for external hose connections. This air passage design is particularly suitable for applications where the load-bearing structure 3 needs to rotate, avoiding hose entanglement issues. Simultaneously, it reduces leakage points and improves the reliability and response speed of the pneumatic system.

[0035] In this embodiment, a piston head is fixed to one end of the telescopic rod 22 located inside the sealing body 21. An O-ring is embedded around the piston head, which slides and seals against the inner wall of the air chamber. A baffle plate 222 is fixedly installed at the front end of the air chamber. The baffle plate 222 has a central opening for the telescopic rod 22 to pass through, but does not allow the piston head to pass through. A return spring 221 is fitted between the piston head and the baffle plate 222. One end of the return spring 221 abuts against the end face of the piston head, and the other end abuts against the end face of the baffle plate 222.

[0036] When compressed air is introduced through the air hole 13, the gas enters the rear side of the piston head in the air chamber, pushing the piston head forward, compressing the return spring 221, and extending the telescopic rod 22 to press against the tail fin.

[0037] When the pressure is released, the pressure in the air chamber decreases, the elastic force of the return spring 221 pushes the piston head to move backward, and the telescopic rod 22 automatically retracts, releasing the workpiece.

[0038] The return spring provides an automatic retraction function in case of power or gas outage, ensuring that the workpiece can be removed in the event of an unexpected shutdown, thus possessing fail-safe characteristics. Furthermore, by selecting return springs of different stiffnesses, the initial retraction force of the telescopic rod can be adjusted to accommodate workpieces of varying weights.

[0039] In this embodiment, the upper surface of the support plate 31 is machined with multiple positioning grooves according to the number and position of the tail fins of the tail fin product 100. The shape of each positioning groove matches the shape of the sealing body 21, which is used to precisely embed the sealing body 21 and prevent it from rotating. An air passage hole is provided on the bottom surface of the positioning groove, which is connected to the air passage inside the support plate 31. The air passage holes corresponding to multiple sealing bodies 21 are connected in parallel or in series inside the support plate 31, and then converge to one or more outlets, which are then connected to the air passage of the lower pad plate 32.

[0040] The positioning slots ensure that the radial and angular positions of each clamping structure 2 relative to the tail fin are precisely consistent, eliminating the need for individual adjustments. The integrated air passages inside the support plate allow multiple telescopic rods 22 to move synchronously, ensuring a uniform distribution of clamping force. When it is necessary to change the product model, simply replace the support plate 31 with one featuring a different positioning slot layout.

[0041] In this embodiment, a protruding retaining ring 321 is machined on the bottom of the lower pad 32. The retaining ring 321 is a complete annular boss or an intermittent ring composed of multiple arc-shaped blocks. The outer diameter of the retaining ring 321 matches the inner diameter or groove width of the guide rail 111 provided at the root of the inner sidewall of the base plate 11. During installation, the retaining ring 321 is embedded in the guide rail 111, and the two form a sliding fit.

[0042] In this embodiment, the retaining ring 321 and the guide rail 111 together form a rotary guide pair. On the one hand, it bears the weight of the bearing structure 3 and the workpiece and transmits the weight to the base plate 11; on the other hand, it restricts the radial movement of the bearing structure 3 and ensures that the rotation axis is concentric with the output shaft of the servo motor 33.

[0043] In this embodiment, a connecting shaft is integrally formed or fixed to the lower center of the lower pad 32 by bolts. The output shaft of the servo motor 33* is connected to the connecting shaft via a coupling or directly via a key. The housing of the servo motor 33 is fixed to a sealed box or bracket below the base plate 11.

[0044] The connecting shaft, acting as the medium for torque transmission, precisely transmits the rotational motion of the servo motor 33 to the lower pad 32 and the entire load-bearing structure 3. Since the cutting force generated during machining produces a certain torque, the connecting shaft needs to have sufficient torsional stiffness. In this embodiment, the connecting shaft has a diameter of not less than 30mm and is made of 40Cr material to ensure it does not deform under high torque.

[0045] In this embodiment, the servo motor 33 is installed in a closed, sealed enclosure. The enclosure is made of welded or cast metal plates, and the enclosure body is connected to the lower end face of the base plate 11 by sealing washers and bolts. The sides or bottom of the enclosure are provided with waterproof cable connectors and air passage holes, but all interfaces are sealed. A small amount of desiccant may also be filled inside the enclosure or a breather valve may be installed to prevent condensation inside.

[0046] In wet machining environments, cutting fluid splashes and chips fly everywhere. If the servo motor 33 is directly exposed, the cutting fluid will corrode the motor windings and encoder, and chips may get stuck in the reduction gears, causing damage to the servo motor or a decrease in accuracy. The sealed enclosure isolates the servo motor from the harsh external environment, significantly extending its service life and ensuring the long-term reliability of the equipment. At the same time, the sealed enclosure also helps reduce noise.

[0047] Working principle: 1. Clamping The tail fin product 100 to be processed is placed on the upper surface of the support plate 31. At this time, the inner side of each tail fin on the product is naturally aligned with the extension direction of the sealing body 21 and its telescopic rod 22 embedded in the support plate 31.

[0048] 2. Clamp After clamping is completed, the control system issues a clamping command, and an external air source is connected to the air hole 13 below the base plate 11 through a pipeline, introducing compressed air. The compressed air enters the cavity between the lower pad 32 and the base plate 11 through the internal channel of the base plate 11, and then is synchronously distributed to the air chambers of each sealing body 21 through the air passage holes inside the bearing plate 31. The air chamber pressure in each sealing body 21 increases simultaneously, pushing the piston head forward and compressing the return spring 221. The piston head drives the telescopic rod 22 to extend outward from the sealing body 21, and its end tightly abuts against the inner wall of the tail fin.

[0049] Meanwhile, the pressing ring 12 is pre-fixed to the base plate 11 by the connecting pad 121 and bolts. Its annular lower edge extends downward and evenly presses against the upper surface edge of the bearing plate 31 to prevent the bearing structure 3 from warping or axially moving due to cutting force or inertia during subsequent processing or rotation.

[0050] 3. Processing After the product is clamped, the processing equipment performs machining processes such as milling, drilling, and reaming on the tail fin product according to the preset program. During the processing, because the telescopic rod 22 provides uniform support force from the inside and the pressing ring 12 effectively limits the runout of the bearing plate 31, the product positioning accuracy can be maintained within ±0.01 mm.

[0051] 4. Cleaning Before changing the workpiece after machining, the system automatically starts the cleaning program. An external high-pressure air source is connected to the air vent 14 on the pressing ring 12. The opening of the air vent 14 is equipped with a fine metal baffle to prevent chips or debris from being sucked back into the pipeline. Since the pressing ring 12 is divided into several independent arc-shaped sectors by symmetrically arranged connecting pads 121, the air vent 14 in each sector is controlled by an independent external air valve. The control system opens the air valve of the corresponding sector according to the current angle of the servo motor 33, so that the high-pressure gas is blown in a direction towards the narrow gap between the support plate 31 and the sealing body 21, and between the support plate 31 and the base plate 11. At the same time, the servo motor 33 can drive the support structure 3 to rotate continuously at a low speed, so that the high-pressure airflow sweeps across the entire annular gap, completely blowing away the chips, cutting fluid and other residues deposited therein. For stubborn deposits, the system can also switch to pulse blowing or intermittent suction mode. The cleaning is thorough and eliminates the possibility of machining dimensional deviations or workpiece surface damage caused by chips raising the positioning surface.

[0052] 5. Disassembly After processing and cleaning are completed, the control system shuts off the compressed air supply to the air vent 13 and opens the exhaust valve. The pressure inside the air chamber of the sealing body 21 drops rapidly. At this time, the compressed return spring 221 returns to its original deformation, pushing the piston head backward and inward. The telescopic rod 22 automatically retracts from the inside of the tail fin into the sealing body 21. Since the elasticity of the return spring 221 is pre-designed to overcome the static friction between the piston head and the sealing ring in the absence of air, the telescopic rod 22 can reliably return to its initial position. The operator or the automatic part-removing mechanism can then easily remove the processed tail fin product 100 from the support plate 31. After disassembly, it is recommended to reopen the air vent 14 for a few seconds of final purging to prepare a clean positioning surface for the next clamping.

[0053] As is known from common technical knowledge, this invention can be implemented through other embodiments that do not depart from its spirit or essential characteristics. Therefore, the disclosed embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not exhaustive. All modifications within the scope of this invention or its equivalents are included in this invention.

Claims

1. A pneumatic clamping device for a tail fin product, characterized in that: It includes a base structure (1), a clamping structure (2) and a bearing structure (3), wherein the base structure (1) is mounted on the worktable of the processing equipment and the clamping structure (2) is mounted on the bearing structure (3); The base structure (1) includes a base plate (11) and a pressing ring (12). The base plate (11) has an air hole (13) at its lower part and the pressing ring (12) is located at the upper end of the base plate (11). The clamping structure (2) includes a sealing body (21) and a telescopic rod (22). The sealing body (21) is embedded in the bearing structure (3). One end of the telescopic rod (22) is installed in the sealing body (21), and the other end extends out of the sealing body (21) to squeeze the tail fin of the tail fin product (100) and achieve self-centering clamping. The supporting structure (3) includes a supporting plate (31) and a lower pad (32). The supporting plate (31) is fixedly installed on the lower pad (32). A servo motor (33) is provided below the lower pad (32). The lower pad (32) can rotate at a set angle under the drive of the servo motor (33). The pressing ring (12) presses against the edge of the bearing plate (31), and the pressing ring (12) is provided with an air vent (13).

2. The pneumatic clamping device for a tail fin product according to claim 1, characterized in that: The base plate (11) is provided with a guide rail (111) at the root of the inner side wall.

3. The pneumatic clamping device for a tail fin product according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pressing ring (12) is provided with symmetrical connecting pads (121), and the pressing ring (12) is detachably mounted on the base plate (11) through the mounting holes on the connecting pads (121).

4. The pneumatic clamping device for a tail fin product according to claim 3, characterized in that: The air vent (13) is provided with a blocking pad at the opening, and the air vent (13) is separated by a connecting pad (121). The separated air vent (12) can independently exhaust and extract air.

5. The pneumatic clamping device for a tail fin product according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sealing body (21) has an air cavity inside. The air cavity is connected to the cavity between the lower pad plate (32) and the base plate (11) through the air passage at the lower end of the sealing body (21) and is finally connected to the air hole (13).

6. The pneumatic clamping device for a tail fin product according to claim 5, characterized in that: The telescopic rod (22) is provided with a piston head at its end. The piston head is slidably connected in the air chamber. The telescopic rod (22) is provided with a return spring (221). The return spring (221) is located between the piston head and the baffle plate (222). The baffle plate (222) is fixedly installed on the end face of the sealing body (21) of the air chamber.

7. The pneumatic clamping device for a tail fin product according to claim 1, characterized in that: The support plate (31) is provided with an air passage communicating with each sealing body (21), and the support plate (31) is provided with a positioning groove that positions each sealing body (21).

8. The pneumatic clamping device for a tail fin product according to claim 2, characterized in that: The bottom of the lower pad (32) is provided with a retaining ring (321) corresponding to the guide rail (111).

9. The pneumatic clamping device for a tail fin product according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lower end of the lower pad (32) is provided with a connecting shaft, which is connected to the output shaft of the servo motor (33).

10. A pneumatic clamping device for a tail fin product according to claim 1, characterized in that: The servo motor (33) is installed inside a sealed box.

Images