A universal bridge plate for four-axis machining centers

Abstract

This utility model discloses a four-axis universal bridge plate for machining centers, comprising a base, with a first base and a second base respectively disposed at both ends of the base. A first locking support is horizontally fitted at the top of the first base, and a rotary servo motor is horizontally fixed at the top of the second base. A second locking support is connected to the output shaft of the rotary servo motor facing the first locking support. A pneumatic locking assembly is connected to the opposite ends of the first and second locking support. This technical solution, through the combination of the fourth axis rotation and the universal bridge plate, realizes the completion of multiple sides of the workpiece with one clamping; it eliminates the reference conversion error and cumulative error caused by multiple disassembly and reassembly and repeated alignment, greatly improves the consistency of multi-sided machining and dimensional accuracy, and systematically ensures the product qualification rate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of machining center bridge plate technology, specifically to a four-axis universal bridge plate for machining centers. Background Technology

[0002] In the machining, irregular parts manufacturing, and engraving industries, three-axis vertical machining centers are widely used due to their mature structure and relatively simple operation. These machines complete the cutting of workpieces by moving the tool in the X, Y, and Z linear directions. However, with the increasing demand for complex parts in the manufacturing industry (such as workpieces with multiple irregular surfaces, curved surfaces, or workpieces requiring multi-angle machining), the limitations of the traditional three-axis machining mode are becoming increasingly prominent, mainly in the following aspects:

[0003] Multi-faceted machining is difficult and involves cumbersome procedures. For workpieces requiring machining five or more complex angles, three-axis machine tools cannot complete all processes in a single setup. Operators must repeatedly interrupt machining, manually disassemble the workpiece, and re-clamp, align (commonly known as "dimension adjustment"), and set the tool, among other operations. This repeated clamping not only significantly reduces production efficiency and extends the product manufacturing cycle, but more seriously, each repositioning may introduce new clamping errors.

[0004] Secondly, the machining accuracy is difficult to guarantee. Since the workpiece needs to be disassembled and assembled multiple times, its positioning datum needs to be re-established each time it is clamped. Factors such as differences in human operation and the limitations of the repeatability of the fixture itself will lead to an increase in cumulative error, which will significantly increase the risk of the workpiece's form and position tolerances (such as parallelism, perpendicularity, and position) and dimensional accuracy exceeding the tolerance, directly affecting the product's pass rate and quality stability.

[0005] Furthermore, specialized tooling fixtures lead to low efficiency and high costs. In existing technologies, to handle multi-faceted machining of specific workpieces, a "one workpiece, one fixture" approach is typically adopted, meaning that a corresponding positioning plate (or bridge plate) and fixture are specially designed and manufactured for each product. This approach has inherent drawbacks: First, when changing the model of the product being machined, the machine must be stopped and the entire set of specialized fixtures replaced, with a changeover time of several hours, which severely restricts equipment utilization and production flexibility, and cannot adapt to the modern production trend of small batches and multiple varieties. Second, the design, manufacturing, and maintenance costs of specialized fixtures are high, placing a heavy economic and management burden on enterprises, especially small and medium-sized enterprises.

[0006] The aforementioned process of multiple clamping, tool setting, and frequent fixture changes is highly dependent on the skills and experience of the operators, resulting in a low degree of automation. This not only leads to high labor intensity and labor costs, but also makes it difficult to effectively guarantee the stability and consistency of the entire processing flow.

[0007] To partially address the aforementioned issues, existing technologies include adding a CNC indexing head or a fourth-axis (A-axis) rotary table to the machining center's worktable. By rotating the workpiece, multiple sides can be machined in a single setup, reducing the number of setups. However, these solutions often only address the "rotation" issue and do not fundamentally solve the core pain points of "rapid changeover" and "tooling standardization." Even with a fourth axis, most of the tooling fixtures are still dedicated, and the disassembly and replacement of the entire fixture remains a challenge when changing products, thus the difficulty of rapid positioning and clamping persists.

[0008] Therefore, there is an urgent need in this field for a new type of universal tooling solution that can be organically integrated with a fourth axis, enabling both multi-faceted precision machining and rapid changeover while reducing tooling costs. Utility Model Content

[0009] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this utility model provides a four-axis universal bridge plate for machining centers, which features universality, easy quick changeover, and reduced tooling costs.

[0010] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a four-axis universal bridge plate for machining centers, comprising a base, wherein a first base and a second base are respectively provided at both ends of the base, a first locking support is horizontally fitted at the top of the first base, a rotary servo motor is horizontally fixed at the top of the second base, a second locking support is connected to the output shaft of the rotary servo motor facing the first locking support, and a pneumatic locking assembly is connected to the opposite ends of the first locking support and the second locking support;

[0011] A bridge plate body is fixedly connected to the pneumatic locking assembly. The pneumatic locking assembly includes a lever cylinder. A support rod is connected to the output end of the lever cylinder. A pressure plate is rotatably connected to one end of the support rod via a rotating shaft. A hinge rod is rotatably connected to the middle of the pressure plate via a rotating shaft. A limiting plate is also fixedly installed on the lever cylinder. The bottom end of the hinge rod is connected to the limiting plate via a rotating shaft. An air supply pipe is connected to the side surface of the lever cylinder.

[0012] As a preferred technical solution of the four-axis universal bridge plate for machining centers according to this utility model, two through slots are symmetrically arranged on the upper surface of the bridge plate body. The support rod, pressure plate and hinge rod at the top of the pneumatic locking assembly can extend from the inside of the through slots. The pressure plate locks the bridge plate body under the push of the support rod.

[0013] As a preferred technical solution of the four-axis universal bridge plate for machining centers according to this utility model, the upper surface of the base is provided with several guide grooves, and the bottom ends of the first base and the second base are fitted and locked inside the guide grooves and can slide along the guide grooves.

[0014] As a preferred technical solution of the four-axis universal bridge plate for machining centers according to this utility model, the output shaft of the rotary servo motor and the central axis of the first locking support are on the same axis. The rotary servo motor is electrically connected to the outside. The first locking support can be fitted into the first base and rotate along the axis.

[0015] As a preferred technical solution of the four-axis universal bridge plate for machining centers according to the present invention, the first locking support and the second locking support are provided with a groove for limiting the pneumatic locking component at one end opposite to the first locking support and the second locking support. The pneumatic locking component is fitted and locked in the groove and fixedly connected to the first locking support and the second locking support by bolts respectively.

[0016] As a preferred technical solution of the four-axis universal bridge plate for machining centers according to this utility model, the upper surface of the bridge plate body is provided with several through holes for positioning and positioning columns for supporting the workpiece.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are:

[0018] 1. This technical solution combines the fourth axis rotation with a universal bridge plate to achieve one-time clamping and multi-face completion of the workpiece; this fundamentally eliminates the datum conversion error and cumulative error caused by multiple disassembly and reassembly and repeated alignment, and greatly improves the consistency of form and position tolerances (such as perpendicularity, parallelism, and position) and dimensional accuracy of multi-face machining (especially irregular parts and curved parts), and the product qualification rate is systematically guaranteed.

[0019] 2. This technical solution can significantly reduce clamping auxiliary time, minimizing the time spent on workpiece assembly / disassembly, dial indicator setup, and tool setting—traditional machining processes that account for a large proportion of time. The pneumatic clamping mechanism achieves workpiece locking and unlocking within seconds, making operation extremely convenient and enabling rapid changeovers. For different products within the same model series, no changes are needed; positioning can be achieved directly using the corresponding locating pins on the bridge plate. Even when changing to different models, only the entire prefabricated bridge plate needs to be replaced. Compared to the disassembly and installation of traditional dedicated fixtures, changeover time can be reduced by several times or even tens of times. This makes flexible production of small batches and multiple varieties possible.

[0020] 3. This technical solution is a highly efficient machine tool enabling tool that can quickly upgrade ordinary three-axis machining centers into "quasi-four-axis" machine tools with multi-face machining capabilities, greatly expanding the processing capabilities of existing equipment and enabling it to handle the machining of complex parts such as curved surfaces and irregular shapes. At the same time, this technical solution has built a standardized production interface, enabling the production line to respond quickly to market changes and flexibly switch between different products, greatly improving the company's market responsiveness and competitiveness. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To make the contents of this utility model easier to understand, the present utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of this utility model;

[0023] Figure 2 In this utility model Figure 1 Schematic diagram of structural separation;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the bridge plate body structure in this utility model;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the pneumatic locking assembly structure in this utility model;

[0026] In the diagram: 1. Base; 2. Guide groove; 3. First base; 4. First locking support frame; 5. Second base; 6. Rotary servo motor; 7. Second locking support frame; 8. Bridge plate body; 9. Pneumatic locking assembly; 10. Lever cylinder; 11. Limiting plate; 12. Support rod; 13. Pressure plate; 14. Hinge rod. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0028] Example

[0029] like Figure 1-4As shown, the present invention provides a four-axis universal bridge plate for machining centers, including a base 1. A first base 3 and a second base 5 are respectively provided at both ends of the base 1. A first locking support 4 is horizontally fitted at the top of the first base 3. A rotary servo motor 6 is horizontally fixed at the top of the second base 5. A second locking support 7 is connected to the output shaft of the rotary servo motor 6 facing the first locking support 4. A pneumatic locking assembly 9 is connected to the opposite end of the first locking support 4 and the second locking support 7.

[0030] A bridge plate body 8 is fixedly connected to the pneumatic locking assembly 9. The pneumatic locking assembly 9 includes a lever cylinder 10. A support rod 12 is connected to the output end of the lever cylinder 10. A pressure plate 13 is rotatably connected to one end of the support rod 12 via a rotating shaft. A hinge rod 14 is rotatably connected to the middle of the pressure plate 13 via a rotating shaft. A limiting plate 11 is also fixedly installed on the lever cylinder 10. The bottom end of the hinge rod 14 is connected to the limiting plate 11 via a rotating shaft. An air supply pipe is connected to the side surface of the lever cylinder 10.

[0031] Specifically, two through slots are symmetrically arranged on the upper surface of the bridge plate body 8. The support rod 12, pressure plate 13 and hinge rod 14 at the top of the pneumatic locking assembly 9 can extend from the inside of the through slots. The pressure plate 13 locks the bridge plate body 8 under the push of the support rod 12. In this embodiment, the pneumatic locking assembly 9 keeps the bridge plate body 8 stable when it is running.

[0032] Specifically, the upper surface of the base 1 is provided with several guide grooves 2. The bottom ends of the first base 3 and the second base 5 are fitted into the guide grooves 2 and can slide along the guide grooves 2. In this embodiment, the guide grooves 2 facilitate the first base 3 and the second base 5 to remain on the same straight line during displacement.

[0033] Specifically, the output shaft of the rotary servo motor 6 is on the same axis as the central axis of the first locking support frame 4. The rotary servo motor 6 is electrically connected to the outside. The first locking support frame 4 can be fitted into the first base 3 and rotate along the axis. In this embodiment, the rotary servo motor 6 can adjust the rotation of the bridge plate body 8 during operation, thereby adjusting the angle of the bridge plate body 8.

[0034] Specifically, the first locking support frame 4 and the second locking support frame 7 have a groove at one end for limiting the pneumatic locking component 9. The pneumatic locking component 9 is fitted into the groove and fixedly connected to the first locking support frame 4 and the second locking support frame 7 respectively by bolts. In this embodiment, the pneumatic locking component 9 is fixed in this way, which can further improve the structural stability.

[0035] Specifically, the upper surface of the bridge plate body 8 is provided with several through holes for positioning and positioning posts for supporting the workpiece. In this embodiment, by setting multiple sets of positioning holes, the compatibility of the bridge plate body 8 can be effectively improved.

[0036] The working principle and usage process of this utility model are as follows: During the implementation of this technical solution, the operator places the bridge plate body 8 above the base 1. The two ends of the bridge plate body 8 are fitted onto the pneumatic locking assembly 9. The pneumatic locking assembly 9 is connected to an external air supply device through an air supply pipe. When the pneumatic locking assembly 9 is running, it pushes the support rod 12 upward, and then the support rod 12 drives the other end of the pressure plate 13 downward, so that the end of the pressure plate 13 locks the bridge plate body 8. In this technical solution, the pneumatic locking assembly 9 is used to clamp and release the bridge plate body 8, which effectively facilitates the automated operation of the equipment and improves the clamping and releasing efficiency. When the rotary servo motor 6 is powered on, it can drive the second locking lifting frame 7 to rotate and adjust the angle, thereby driving the bridge plate body 8 to adjust the angle in the same way.

[0037] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model and is not intended to further limit the present utility model. All equivalent changes made based on the description and drawings of the present utility model are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A four-axis universal bridge plate for machining centers, comprising a base (1), characterized in that: The base (1) has a first base (3) and a second base (5) respectively at its two ends. The top of the first base (3) is horizontally fitted with a first locking support (4). The top of the second base (5) is horizontally fixed with a rotary servo motor (6). The output shaft of the rotary servo motor (6) facing the first locking support (4) is connected to a second locking support (7). The ends of the first locking support (4) and the second locking support (7) opposite to each other are connected to a pneumatic locking assembly (9). The pneumatic locking assembly (9) is fixedly connected to a bridge plate body (8). The pneumatic locking assembly (9) includes a lever cylinder (10). A support rod (12) is connected to the output end of the lever cylinder (10). A pressure plate (13) is rotatably connected to one end of the support rod (12) via a rotating shaft. A hinge rod (14) is rotatably connected to the middle of the pressure plate (13) via a rotating shaft. A limiting plate (11) is also fixedly installed on the lever cylinder (10). The bottom end of the hinge rod (14) is connected to the limiting plate (11) via a rotating shaft. An air supply pipe is connected to the side surface of the lever cylinder (10).

2. A four-axis universal bridge plate for machining center according to claim 1, characterized in that: Two through slots are symmetrically arranged on the upper surface of the bridge plate body (8). The support rod (12), pressure plate (13) and hinge rod (14) at the top of the pneumatic locking assembly (9) can extend out from the inside of the through slots. The pressure plate (13) locks the bridge plate body (8) under the push of the support rod (12).

3. A four-axis universal bridge plate for machining center according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper surface of the base (1) is provided with several guide grooves (2). The bottom ends of the first base (3) and the second base (5) are fitted into the inside of the guide grooves (2) and can slide along the guide grooves (2).

4. A four-axis universal bridge plate for machining center according to claim 1, characterized in that: The output shaft of the rotary servo motor (6) is on the same axis as the central axis of the first locking support frame (4). The rotary servo motor (6) is electrically connected to the outside. The first locking support frame (4) can be fitted into the first base (3) and rotate along the axis.

5. A four-axis universal bridge plate for machining centers according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first locking support (4) and the second locking support (7) have a groove at one end for limiting the pneumatic locking assembly (9). The pneumatic locking assembly (9) is fitted into the groove and fixedly connected to the first locking support (4) and the second locking support (7) by bolts.

6. A four-axis universal bridge plate for machining center according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper surface of the bridge plate body (8) is provided with several through holes for positioning and positioning columns for supporting the workpiece.

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