Adjustable clamping tool for machining process-step-free box body of wind power gear box
The adjustable clamping fixture solves the problems of unstable clamping and poor versatility in the processing of wind turbine gearboxes without process steps, achieving a stable and convenient clamping method, reducing costs and adapting to the processing needs of different models.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-03-31
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-03
AI Technical Summary
Existing wind turbine gearboxes without process steps suffer from problems such as unstable clamping, high cost, and poor versatility during processing, especially in narrow nacelle spaces where they are difficult to fix and process effectively.
An adjustable clamping fixture is used, which achieves four-point contact fixation through a combination structure of fixture base plate, fixture base, fixture bolts and fixture pressure plate. The length can be adjusted by the fixture round head bolts to adapt to different models. Combined with the fixing method of jacks and T-bolts, the box is stably clamped.
It achieves stable clamping of wind turbine gearbox housings, reduces clearance risks during processing, improves the versatility of tooling, saves costs, and is simple and convenient to operate.
Smart Images
Figure CN223960924U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to the field of wind turbine gearbox processing tooling, specifically an adjustable clamping tooling for processing wind turbine gearbox housings without process steps. Background Technology
[0002] Gears, as one of the most common components in mechanical products, are crucial. Gearboxes, as protective and supporting components of gear assemblies, also hold a vital position. Gearbox structures are generally divided into upper / lower and front / rear structures. In wind turbine gearboxes, bearing holes and end faces require rough and fine machining after the upper and lower housings are assembled, or the front cover and middle housing are assembled. Therefore, tooling fixtures are needed to clamp and secure the gearbox housing. For conventional upper / lower structure gearboxes, designers typically pre-design four process steps on the lower housing for easier machining. However, due to the limited space in some wind turbine nacelles, these steps are often removed before installation to prevent interference between the pre-designed process steps and the internal structure of the nacelle. As gearboxes operate for longer periods, the number of malfunctions requiring maintenance increases, making the maintenance of gearboxes with the removed process steps a significant challenge for some models.
[0003] The existing technical solution is:
[0004] After the process steps are removed, the lower housing has an arc-shaped outer shell. Since there is no flat surface for support, it can only be supported by V-blocks with a certain opening angle. After the lower housing is placed on the V-blocks, tooling screws placed at a certain height on both sides pass through the pressure plate. After tightening the nuts on the screws, the pressure plate presses the back of the mating surfaces of the upper and lower housings together, fixing the housing onto the machine tool's worktable for processing.
[0005] Generally, there are no machining requirements for the outer contour of the lower box, so the shape of the lower box is directly cast. Due to the relatively large casting error, there may be a gap when the overall V-block comes into contact with the lower box. If they cannot make contact, the shape of the lower box may even need to be machined before it can be placed on the V-block.
[0006] The overall V-block and the outer contour of the lower housing only make point or line contact. This clamping method is not stable enough. Different models have different outer contours, so the overall V-block is not very versatile and can easily increase the cost of tooling. Utility Model Content
[0007] This utility model provides an adjustable clamping fixture for machining the stepless gearbox housing of wind turbines. Its purpose is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a fixture that can effectively clamp the stepless gearbox housing of wind turbines during machining and has strong versatility.
[0008] The technical solution adopted by this utility model to solve its technical problem is:
[0009] An adjustable clamping fixture for machining the stepless gearbox housing of a wind turbine, characterized in that:
[0010] The tooling base plate is fixedly connected to the machine tool worktable;
[0011] Two sets of tooling bases are fixed on the tooling base plate, one in front and one in back. Each set of tooling bases includes two tooling bases on the left and one in the right.
[0012] The upper surfaces of the two tooling bases on the left and right are set opposite each other, and tooling bolts are installed on the threaded holes on the inclined surfaces;
[0013] After the upper and lower housings are assembled, the outer circle of the blank of the lower housing is placed on the tooling round head bolts on the left and right sides, and the tooling bolts contact the outer circle of the blank of the lower housing.
[0014] The upper and lower housings are fixedly connected to the machine tool worktable.
[0015] The tooling bolts installed on the threaded holes on the inclined plane are tooling round head bolts.
[0016] The fixture base plate is fixedly connected to the machine tool worktable as follows: the fixture base plate is placed on the machine tool worktable, the T-head of the T-bolt is installed in the T-slot on the machine tool worktable, the other side of the T-bolt passes through the through hole on the fixture base plate, and the round nut is screwed on the T-bolt and presses the worktable base plate.
[0017] The structure for fixing the fixture base on the fixture base plate is as follows: the lower part of the fixture base extends to both sides, and the bolts pass through the through holes on the fixture base and are screwed into the threaded holes on the fixture base plate.
[0018] The upper and lower housings are fixedly connected to the machine tool worktable as follows: a tooling pad is placed on the machine tool worktable, a jack is placed on the tooling pad, one side of the tooling pressure plate is placed on the flange surface on the back of the upper housing, and the other side is placed on the jack. The T-head of the T-bolt is installed into the T-slot of the machine tool worktable, and the other side passes through the waist-shaped hole on the tooling pressure plate. The round nut is screwed onto the T-bolt and tightly abuts against the tooling pressure plate.
[0019] The advantages of this utility model are:
[0020] 1) With the tooling of this patent, the box can be placed directly on the round head bolt of the tooling. By adjusting the extension length of the round head bolt of the tooling, the contact with the outer circle of the box is controlled. The four-point contact makes the installation convenient and solves the problem of gaps that existed when the box was placed directly on the V-block.
[0021] 2) The tooling of this patent can be applied to the processing of housings of different machine models, making it more versatile and effectively saving tooling costs;
[0022] 3) This fixture has a simpler structure and can be operated by a single person. Disassembly and assembly of parts before and after processing are more convenient, saving time and effort. Attached Figure Description
[0023] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.
[0024] Figure 1 A simplified diagram of the tooling structure used for clamping during the processing of the upper and lower structure box of this utility model;
[0025] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A-direction view. Detailed Implementation
[0026] To more clearly illustrate the technical solution of this utility model, the accompanying drawings used in the description will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other embodiments can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort. To facilitate understanding of this utility model, a more detailed description of this utility model will be provided below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.
[0027] It should be noted that when an element is described as being "fixed to" another element, it can be directly on the other element, or one or more intermediate elements may exist between them. When an element is described as being "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element, or one or more intermediate elements may exist between them. The terms "upper," "lower," "inner," "outer," "bottom," etc., used in this specification indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," "third," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.
[0028] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown:
[0029] This utility model is an adjustable clamping fixture for machining the gearbox body of a wind turbine without process steps.
[0030] The fixture base plate 2 is placed on the machine tool worktable 1. The T-head 41 of the T-bolt 4 is installed into the T-slot 100 on the machine tool worktable 1. The other side of the T-bolt 4 passes through the pre-machined through hole 20 on the fixture base plate 2. The fixture base plate 2 is fixed to the machine tool worktable 1 by screwing the round nut 3 onto the T-bolt 4 and pressing the fixture base plate 2 tightly. This utility model requires the use of two fixture base plates 2, and the fixing method is consistent with that of the machine tool worktable 1.
[0031] The lower part of the fixture base 5 extends to both sides as base 51. A through hole 52 is pre-drilled on the top of the base 51. Bolts 6 are passed through the through hole 52 on the base 51 and then screwed into the pre-machined threaded hole 22 on the fixture base plate 2. By tightening the bolts 6, the fixture base 5 is fixed to the fixture base plate 2. Each fixture base 5 requires two bolts 6 of the same specification on the left and right sides for fixation. The upper end of the fixture base 5 has a slope 50 at a certain angle. A threaded hole 53 is pre-machined on the slope 50 perpendicular to the fixture base 5. A fixture round-head bolt 7 is installed into the threaded hole 53 on the slope 50 of the fixture base 5. By setting the slopes 50 of two fixture bases 5 of the same specification opposite each other, a fixture resembling a V-shaped iron structure is formed.
[0032] The box to be processed consists of two parts: an upper box body 9 and a lower box body 8. As shown in the figure, after the upper box body 9 and the lower box body 8 are assembled, the outer diameter 80 of the blank of the lower box body 8 is placed on the tooling round head bolts 7 on both sides. By adjusting the extension length of the tooling round head bolts 7, the contact between the tooling round head bolts 7 and the outer diameter 80 of the blank of the lower box body 8 is controlled at the most suitable position. This utility model uses two sets of tooling bases 5, front and rear. Each set of tooling bases 5 includes two tooling bases 5 on the left and right sides. This utility model uses a total of four tooling bases 5 and four tooling round head bolts 7. The structure of the rear tooling bases 5 is consistent with that of the front. Figure 1 In the middle, the structure behind is obscured by the front, and only two tooling bases 5 and two tooling round head bolts 7 can be seen.
[0033] The tooling pad 10 is used to place on the machine tool worktable 1. The jack 11 is placed on the tooling pad 10. One side of the tooling pressure plate 12 is placed on the flange face 90 on the back of the upper housing 9, and the other side is placed on the jack 11. The center of the tooling pressure plate 12 has a waist-shaped hole 121. The T-head 131 of the T-bolt 13 is installed into the T-slot 100 of the machine tool worktable 1, and the other side passes through the waist-shaped hole 121 on the tooling pressure plate 12. Two round nuts 14 are screwed on the T-bolt 131 and pressed tightly against the tooling pressure plate 12 to press and fix the tooling pressure plate 12, thereby fixing the housing 1. Since this utility model uses a total of 4 tooling bases 5 for support, in order to ensure uniform force distribution, this utility model needs to use 4 sets of clamping modules composed of tooling pads 10, jacks 11, tooling pressure plates 12, T-bolts 13, and round nuts 14.
[0034] For box-shaped housings without a bottom processing step, the existing processing method involves directly placing the housing onto a V-block and then clamping it tightly on both sides using long tooling bolts and tooling plates. Since the housing's outline is directly cast, gaps may exist between the housing's outline and the V-block, leading to uneven stress and unstable clamping. This fixture, however, uses a clamping method similar to the original V-block fixing method, replacing the integral V-block with two symmetrical and independent tooling bases. Each independent tooling base is equipped with a tooling round-head bolt, with through holes controlling the bolt's extension length and ensuring optimal contact with the housing. This invention uses four tooling round-head bolts, creating four points of contact on the housing (top, bottom, left, and right). This results in more even stress distribution and greater clamping stability. Furthermore, pre-processing workpiece alignment is much easier.
[0035] Furthermore, the fixture base used under this fixture can be replaced at any time. For different models, the span between the two fixture bases can be adjusted. Because this fixture is highly versatile, it effectively saves on fixture costs.
[0036] The advantages of this utility model tooling are:
[0037] Simple in structure and easy to process and manufacture;
[0038] It is more versatile and saves on tooling costs;
[0039] It can be operated by a single person, reducing labor costs.
[0040] The various embodiments described in this specification are presented in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on its differences from other embodiments. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to interchangeably. The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to implement or use this invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention. Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.
Claims
1. An adjustable clamping fixture for machining a wind turbine gearbox housing without process steps, characterized in that: The fixture base plate is fixedly connected to the machine tool worktable; two sets of fixture bases are fixed on the fixture base plate, each set of fixture bases includes two fixture bases on the left and right; the inclined surfaces of the upper surfaces of the two fixture bases on the left and right are set opposite each other, and fixture bolts are installed on the threaded holes on the inclined surfaces; after the upper box and the lower box are combined, the blank outer circle of the lower box is placed on the fixture round head bolts on the left and right sides, and the fixture bolts are in contact with the blank outer circle of the lower box; the upper box and the lower box are fixedly connected to the machine tool worktable.
2. The adjustable clamping fixture for machining the stepless gearbox housing of a wind turbine as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The tooling bolts installed on the threaded holes on the inclined plane are tooling round head bolts.
3. The adjustable clamping fixture for machining the stepless gearbox housing of a wind turbine as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The fixture base plate is fixedly connected to the machine tool worktable as follows: the fixture base plate is placed on the machine tool worktable, the T-head of the T-bolt is installed in the T-slot on the machine tool worktable, the other side of the T-bolt passes through the through hole on the fixture base plate, and the round nut is screwed on the T-bolt and presses the worktable base plate.
4. The adjustable clamping fixture for machining the stepless gearbox housing of a wind turbine as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The structure for fixing the fixture base on the fixture base plate is as follows: the lower part of the fixture base extends to both sides, and the bolts pass through the through holes on the fixture base and are screwed into the threaded holes on the fixture base plate.
5. The adjustable clamping fixture for machining the stepless gearbox housing of a wind turbine as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The upper and lower housings are fixedly connected to the machine tool worktable as follows: a tooling pad is placed on the machine tool worktable, a jack is placed on the tooling pad, one side of the tooling pressure plate is placed on the flange surface on the back of the upper housing, and the other side is placed on the jack. The T-head of the T-bolt is installed into the T-slot of the machine tool worktable, and the other side passes through the waist-shaped hole on the tooling pressure plate. The round nut is screwed onto the T-bolt and tightly abuts against the tooling pressure plate.