Electromechanical workpiece clamping device and autonomous workpiece clamping process

Abstract

Electromechanical workpiece clamping device, wherein movable clamping jaws are moved against workpieces to be machined, positioning and fixing them, characterized in that the electromechanical workpiece clamping device is structured as a self-sufficient electrical energy system of an industrial production plant, wherein an electrical energy system (2) of • an electrical energy storage and supply module (3), which is a body-integrated or adjacent part of a clamping jaw holding and guiding body (5), • an electromotive movement drive (4) for a movement and clamping spindle (8), with which at least one movable clamping jaw (6) is arranged to be movable, linearly directed towards and away from a fixed clamping jaw (7), and consisting of a control module with • an arrangement of sensors for determining and detecting the clamping states of each movable clamping jaw (6) and for detecting the electrical charge state of existing electrical energy in an electrical energy storage and supply module (3), whereby these can be transmitted wirelessly as current clamping state information by means of radio signals to signal receivers on machine controls, robot controls and control station computers, that an electrical energy storage and supply module (3) is designed to be self-sufficient, without line and cable network connections to an industrial building and to a production plant, for a continuous electrical energy supply and that one or more clamping jaw holding and guiding bodies (5) are arranged on and in a clamping body (11) and can be operated with an electrical energy storage and supply module (3).

Description

[0001] The invention is based on the electromechanical workpiece clamping device defined in the preamble of patent claim 1 and the self-sufficient workpiece clamping method defined in the preamble of patent claim 4.

[0002] The known state of the art depends on the state of process and data networking in workpiece clamping devices with production machines, handling robots and control stations as well as the process sequences coordinated by these work equipment, in particular in methods of intelligent workpiece clamping, and can be represented with the patent applications listed below, as examples for further publications.

[0003] Electromechanical workpiece clamping devices are known whose clamping drive for a machine vice or for a parallel jaw clamp is an AC or three-phase gear motor connected to the electrical network in industrial plants or to a production machine. • DE 2117 550 C3, • DD 34169 and in • DE 650 097.

[0004] These slow-running electric motors are located both within the clamping body, connected to the screw and clamping spindle, and behind the clamping body in a longitudinal connection, coaxial with the screw and clamping spindle. These electromechanical workpiece clamping devices are heavy and oversized. They lack any elements for process and data networking.

[0005] Electro-hydraulic workpiece clamping devices have, among others, • DE 20 2012 010 722 U1 and in • DE 20 2004 009 339 U1 described by a self-sufficient hydraulic pressure generation system operated by an integrated electric motor, whereby the integrated electric motor is also connected to an electrical network.

[0006] For intelligent workpiece clamping devices, • DE 10 2012 014 617 B3 and • DE 10 2013 015 764 A1 a power supply module to enable the supply of electrical energy and the transmission of data and control signals to and from a production machine control system.

[0007] Furthermore, an autonomous signal transmission is known as a cable-guided and wireless data network between clamping devices with radio signal transmission, among others from • DE 10 2013 009 021 B3 and from • DE 10 2013 106 226 B4.

[0008] An autonomous electrical energy supply for movement functions is only possible with lightweight hand tools, as for example in • DE 10 2004 024 724 A1 described, known.

[0009] Autonomous designs of workpiece clamping systems are, as in • DE 10 2011 100 184 B3 shown, an optical signal evaluation of the respective clamped, unclamped and support state of the workpiece as operating information, in • DE 10 2010 052 676 B4 Process steps of workpiece clamping carried out as process control by a production manager with a mobile computer or in • DE 10 2013 001 187 B3 as unnetworked information and signal detections that an operator perceives and evaluates separately on the production machine, handling robot and clamping device.

[0010] The disadvantage of these training courses is • a non-uniform form of energy or electrical energy used on a variety of scales, • over-dimensioning of electric drives for workpiece clamping devices, • a lack of self-organising communication between workpiece clamping device, production machine, handling robot and control station computer and • excessive electrical energy consumption for electromechanical and electrohydraulic workpiece clamping devices and the clamping process,

[0011] The named problems of the prior art in the design of electromechanical workpiece clamping devices are solved by the features of patent claim 1 and the problems of the design of self-sufficient workpiece clamping methods that can be implemented with electromechanical workpiece clamping devices are solved by the features of patent claim 4.

[0012] The electrical energy system required for this purpose consists of • an electrical energy storage and supply module, • a low-voltage DC motor and • an arrangement of micro switches, sensors and a control module.

[0013] The electrical energy storage and supply module is a body-integrated, body-attached, or body-near part of a clamping jaw holding and guiding body of the workpiece clamping device. A low-voltage DC motor is the electromotive motion drive for a screwing movement and clamping spindle, with which at least one movable clamping jaw can be moved linearly toward and away from a fixed clamping jaw, or two movable clamping jaws can be moved in a centering manner. With the arrangement of micro-probes and sensors, the clamping states of each movable clamping jaw are • End position tensioned, • Clamping stroke, • End position released and as • Clamping force on the workpiece or on the fixed clamping jaw in a certain order of magnitude In addition, the • electrical charge level of existing electrical energy in an electrical energy storage and supply module and the • Current clamping status information can be transmitted wirelessly to signal receivers on machine controls, robot controls and control station computers using radio signals.

[0014] An electrical energy storage and supply module is designed to be self-sufficient and provide a continuous supply of electrical energy without any line or cable connections to an industrial building or production facility.

[0015] Several clamping jaw holding and guiding bodies are arranged on and in a clamping tower-like and multi-sided clamping body and can be operated with an electrical energy storage and supply module

[0016] The additional features mentioned in patent claims 2 and 3 relate to • the design and arrangement of an electrical energy storage and supply module and • the information content of the arranged micro switches and sensors.

[0017] A characteristic of a self-sufficient workpiece clamping process to be carried out on electromechanical workpiece clamping devices with a self-sufficiently structured electrical energy system is that only one low-voltage DC motor can be used at the same time • at least one workpiece is fixed and clamped by means of a fixed and a movable clamping jaw or by means of two clamping jaws, each performing a centering movement, • all clamping state information has been determined and established and • a current sufficient charge level of a self-sufficient electrical energy storage and supply module has been determined and all status information can be continuously sent as networked data to the controls of a production machine, a workpiece handling robot and an operator station computer as radio signals and actuator action information can be received from these as radio signals.

[0018] With an autonomously structured electrical energy system of an electromechanical work piece clamping device, the electrical energy required for a decentralized, communicating, intelligently controlled and self-organized controllable process sequence is provided as low voltage in an autonomous and externally energy-independent manner.

[0019] The invention is illustrated in a simplified structure using arrangement examples in the figures and is explained in more detail in the following description.

[0020] They show as 3D views Fig. 1: a separate arrangement of the most important functional components Fig. 2: a two-component clamp on a common base plate Fig. 3 and Fig. 4: a two-component clamp as a clamping tower-like clamping body

[0021] The Fig. 1 shown electromechanical workpiece clamping devices 1 essentially consists of one • Electrical energy storage and supply module 3, • electromotive motion drive 4, in a • Clamping jaw holding and guiding body 5 is incorporated and designed as a low-voltage DC motor and consists of a • Electrical energy system 2 refers to the line and cable connection between a battery stack element (not shown) arranged in the electrical storage and supply module 3 and a low-voltage electric motor (also not shown in detail). This is arranged in the housing of the workpiece clamping devices 1 and, as their electromechanical movement drive 4, is mounted in the clamping jaw holding and guide body 5.

[0022] The electromechanical movement drive further comprises the movement and clamping spindle 8, with whose screwing movement the movable clamping jaw 6 can be moved linearly towards the fixed clamping jaw 7 in marked clamping directions or away from it.

[0023] It is also possible to use the electromagnetic motion drive for a centering clamp in which two movable clamping jaws are arranged, which realize synchronized movements towards or away from each other in order to clamp a workpiece.

[0024] On the body of the electromechanical workpiece clamping device 1, directed toward the location of a production machine (not shown) and its machine control system, a transmitter 9 for radio signals is arranged, which communicates with a receiver 10 of these radio signals located on the machine control system. In the case of reciprocal communication, the respective transmitter is also the receiver of the radio signals. The contents of these radio signals include the status information "end position released" of the movable clamping jaw 6, "end position clamped" and clamping force = X KN" on the fixed clamping jaw 7, and, for example, "low-voltage direct current present" in the energy storage and supply module 3. This module includes at least one battery stack element, which is electrically insulated by a lockable encapsulation of the receiving box.

[0025] Two clamping components and an electrical energy storage and supply module 3, which are connected to one another via an electrical energy system 2, together with a clamping body 11 form the arrangement variants of the electromechanical workpiece clamping devices 1 shown in Figs. 2 to 4.

[0026] In Fig. 2, the two clamping components, each with a horizontal clamping direction, are arranged at the same level on a base plate as a clamping body 11.

[0027] The two clamping components are arranged in a vertical arrangement with vertical, top-down clamping direction of the movable clamping jaws 6 in the Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 shown, arranged

[0028] In Fig. In Figure 3, the clamping body 11 is shown as a four-sided body with a base plate. The energy storage and supply module 3, which is connected to the two clamping components as an electrical energy system 2, is arranged as a head section on the four-sided body.

[0029] In Fig. In Figure 4, the clamping body 11 is shown as a three-sided hollow body with a base plate adapted to it. The energy storage and supply module 3, which is connected to the two clamping components as an electrical energy system 2, is arranged here integrated into the hollow space of the hollow body.

[0030] The fixed clamping jaws 7 and the movement and clamping spindles 8 in the clamping jaw holding and guide bodies 5 are also arranged following a vertical clamping and unclamping direction. List of reference symbols 1 electromechanical workpiece clamping device 2 electrical energy system of 1 3 Electrical energy storage and supply module of 2 4 electric motor drive 5 clamping jaw holding and guiding bodies 6 movable clamping jaw(s) 7 fixed clamping jaw(s) 8 (screwing) movement and clamping spindle for 6 9 transmitters (of radio signals) 10 receivers (of radio signals) 11 clamping bodies QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 2117 550 C3

[0003] DD 34169

[0003] DE 650 097

[0003] DE 20 2012 010 722 U1

[0005] DE 20 2004 009 339 U1

[0005] DE 10 2012 014 617 B3

[0006] DE 10 2013 015 764 A1

[0006] DE 10 2013 009 021 B3

[0007] DE 10 2013 106 226 B4

[0007] DE 10 2004 024 724 A1

[0008] DE 10 2011 100 184 B3

[0009] DE 10 2010 052 676 B4

[0009] DE 10 2013 001 187 B3

[0009]

Claims

[1] Electromechanical workpiece clamping device, in which movable clamping jaws are moved against workpieces to be machined, positioning and fixing them, characterized by that the electromechanical workpiece clamping device is structured as a self-sufficient electrical energy system of an industrial production plant, wherein an electrical energy system (2) consists of • an electrical energy storage and supply module (3), which is a body-integrated or adjacent part of a clamping jaw holding and guiding body (5), • an electromotive movement drive (4) for a movement and clamping spindle (8), with which at least one movable clamping jaw (6) is arranged to be movable, linearly directed towards and away from a fixed clamping jaw (7), and consisting of a control module with • an arrangement of sensors for determining and detecting the clamping states of each movable clamping jaw (6) and for detecting the electrical charge state of existing electrical energy in an electrical energy storage and supply module (3), whereby these can be transmitted wirelessly as current clamping state information by means of radio signals to signal receivers on machine controls, robot controls and control station computers, that an electrical energy storage and supply module (3) is designed to be self-sufficient, without line and cable network connections to an industrial building and to a production plant, for a continuous electrical energy supply and that one or more clamping jaw holding and guiding bodies (5) are arranged on and in a clamping body (11) and can be operated with an electrical energy storage and supply module (3). [2] Electromechanical workpiece clamping device according to claim 1, characterized bythat the electrical energy system (2) consists of a low-voltage DC motor as an electromotive movement drive (4) for a screwing movement and clamping spindle (8), with which two clamping jaws are movably arranged, each carrying out a linear centering movement relative to one another. [3] Electromechanical workpiece clamping device according to claims 1 and 2, characterized by that an electrical energy storage and supply module (3) • a battery, another structured battery stack element or a single element with an energy safety reserve, which is safely encapsulated and held in a box, • integrated or housed in a clamping jaw holding and guiding body (5), • on the frontal outer surfaces or in a central cavity of a clamping body (11), which is a base plate or a body with multi-sided design and is independent of external energy • at least one low-voltage DC motor, a screwing movement and clamping spindle (8) for driving at least one movable clamping jaw (6) and for generating the clamping force and • a control module with microswitches and sensors, evaluation unit and suitable signal transmission paths for the control signals and • the transmission and reception of evaluation and control radio signals is made possible by electroenergetically arranged transmitters (9) and receivers (10). [4] Electromechanical workpiece clamping device according to claims 1 to 3, characterized by that at the same time • using two micro switches and / or electronic sensors, the two end positions “stroke end position released” and “stroke end position clamped” of the movable clamping jaw (6) can be displayed as correct or not correct, • the spindle rotation of the movement and clamping spindle (8) can be detected in continuously adjustable swivel positions using a sensor, preferably a Hall sensor, and • the clamping force of a low-voltage direct current motor acting on the clamping surface of the movable clamping jaw (6) can be determined and controlled in a coordinated manner using the control module and an associated sensor. [5] Electromechanical workpiece clamping device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the movable clamping jaws are driven by an electric motor and moved in a linear direction by means of a screw spindle against the workpieces to be machined, position and fix them and at the same time sensor-determined clamping state information is transmitted as networkable data to machine controls, robot controls and operator station computers, evaluated there and used by them for actuator actions. [6] Electromechanical workpiece clamping device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the electromotive movement drive (4) is a low-voltage DC motor. [7] Electromechanical workpiece clamping device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the movement and clamping spindle (8) is designed as a screwing movement and clamping spindle (8). [8] Electromechanical workpiece clamping device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the arrangement for determining and detecting the clamping states of each movable clamping jaw (6) is designed as an arrangement of micro-probes and sensors. [9] Electromechanical workpiece clamping device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the clamping states of each movable clamping jaw (6) are • End position tensioned, • End position released, • Clamping stroke, • Clamping force on the workpiece and on the respective clamping jaw (7) in a certain order of magnitude as the current clamping state information can be transmitted wirelessly to the signal receivers on the machine controls, the robot control and to the operator station computer using radio signals. [10] Electromechanical workpiece clamping device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the clamping body (11) is designed like a clamping tower and has multiple sides.

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