Device for cleaning a workpiece

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for cleaning a workpiece (1), which is equipped with at least one cleaning chamber (3, 4) for receiving the workpiece (1), optionally arranged on a workpiece holder. Furthermore, at least one pressure device is provided for generating a cleaning airflow that passes through openings in the cleaning chamber (3, 4). Additionally, a motion unit (2) is provided that acts on the cleaning chamber (3, 4) and / or the workpiece holder and / or the workpiece (1) to generate a relative movement of the workpiece (1) with respect to the openings. The motion unit (2) operates at least rotaryally. According to the invention, the motion unit (2) has several roller bodies (2) on which the workpiece (1), optionally including the workpiece holder, is received.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a device for cleaning a workpiece, comprising at least one cleaning chamber for receiving the workpiece, optionally arranged on a workpiece holder, further comprising at least one pressure device for generating a cleaning air flow passed through openings in the cleaning chamber, and comprising a movement unit acting on the cleaning chamber and / or the workpiece holder and / or the workpiece for generating a relative movement of the workpiece with respect to the openings, wherein the movement unit operates at least in a rotational manner.

[0002] Devices for cleaning workpieces are known in a variety of forms. In this regard, reference is generally made to DE 10 2020 103 090 B3 or DE 10 2021 132 066 A1. The workpieces are typically, and not necessarily, rotationally symmetrical. In any case, the cleaning devices generally remove most of the chips adhering to them from a previous clamping operation, as well as any rinsing and lubricating fluids. This allows the workpiece to be used for further processing.

[0003] In the generic prior art according to WO 2020 / 225 407 A1, the cleaning chamber is designed to be largely closed. Furthermore, a holder for the workpiece in question is provided within the cleaning chamber. Using an adjustment device, the workpiece can be rotated around a rotational axis to even out the cleaning effect. This has proven to be generally effective.

[0004] However, the known procedures require more or less complicated devices for loading the respective cleaning chamber with the workpiece and removing the workpiece from the cleaning chamber. This leads to relatively long cycle times and is detrimental to today's requirements for fast and effective cleaning. The further prior art according to CN 112 893 310 A does not fundamentally change this fundamental problem. This is because it concerns a device for removing dust from glass fibers wound into a spool by means of an air stream guided through a cleaning chamber. As in the preamble of claim 1, the movement unit is implemented as a rotating device with three roller bodies.

[0005] The invention is based on the technical problem of further developing such a device for cleaning a workpiece in such a way that the removal and loading of the device with the workpiece to be cleaned is simplified while maintaining the cleaning effect as much as possible. To solve this technical problem, the invention proposes that, in a generic device, the movement unit comprise several roller bodies on which the workpiece, optionally including the workpiece holder, is received. The roller bodies are designed to be inclined relative to a vertical line.

[0006] According to the invention, the workpiece to be cleaned, which is generally rotationally symmetrical, or the workpiece holder, is still rotated in the same way as in the prior art in order to even out the overall cleaning effect. However, the procedure is now such that the movement unit is equipped with several roller bodies that are inclined relative to the vertical, onto which the workpiece is placed. Since the roller bodies are inclined relative to the vertical according to the invention, the typically rotationally symmetrical workpiece or workpiece holder is simultaneously centered without the need for additional measures to align the workpiece or for holders during rotation. Rather, the workpiece rests on the roller bodies, which are inclined relative to the vertical, due to its own weight.

[0007] For this purpose, the roller body in question generally has a circumferential groove for the edge of the workpiece or workpiece holder received therein. The edge of the workpiece or workpiece holder is held securely by the circumferential groove, and consequently the rotationally symmetrical workpiece or rotationally symmetrical workpiece holder can be easily and simply set into the desired rotations. At the same time, due to the multiple roller bodies realized at this point, the workpiece or workpiece holder is centered when placed on the roller bodies, so that complex alignment measures are not necessary. Rather, the device according to the invention for cleaning a workpiece can advantageously be equipped with a removal / loading device for the workpieces, which in the simplest example is or can be a robot arm.With its help, the rotationally symmetrical workpiece or workpiece holder can typically be placed axially onto the inclined roller bodies and lifted off again after cleaning, thus achieving the desired short cycle times while simultaneously ensuring perfect cleaning. These are the key advantages.

[0008] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the roller bodies generally form a triangle when viewed from above. This means that the invention typically uses three roller bodies, which together define and describe the previously mentioned triangle. The triangle can be an equilateral triangle.

[0009] The respective roller body is spring-mounted in its entirety, specifically in its axial direction, thus preventing any damage to the roller body or its bearings during loading and unloading of the rotationally symmetrical workpiece. Rather, the spring-loaded bearings acting in the axial direction ensure that neither the roller bodies nor the workpiece or the workpiece holder, or its edge, are damaged during loading and unloading using the unloading / loading device.

[0010] The workpiece or the workpiece holder is advantageously placed with its edge on the

[0011] The weight of the workpiece and, if applicable, the workpiece holder, combined with the friction between the edge and the roller body, is sufficient in this context to transfer the required rotational movement to the rotationally symmetrical workpiece via the one or more roller bodies. For this purpose, the roller body can be made entirely of plastic or coated with a plastic. In any case, this process results in a mutual rolling movement between the inclined roller body on the one hand and the edge of the rotationally symmetrical workpiece or the workpiece holder on the other.

[0012] To drive the workpiece, at least one roller body is equipped with a rotary drive. Furthermore, the design is advantageously such that at least one roller body is radially movable. This allows the arrangement of the roller bodies, and thus the movement unit as a whole, to be easily adapted to different diameters of the rotationally symmetrical workpieces or workpiece holders. Furthermore, the possibility of radial movement of at least one roller body opens up the further option of being able to particularly easily implement and carry out the removal of the workpiece from the roller bodies or the loading of the workpiece onto the roller bodies. In this case, an additional procedure is often provided so that the radially movable roller body also has the rotary drive.

[0013] This allows the two remaining roller bodies in the example to remain stationary in place, while only the roller body equipped with the rotary drive is moved, for example, to adapt to different workpiece diameters. - As already explained, each roller body is equipped with a circumferential groove for the workpiece edge accommodated therein. Such a design variant can be realized and implemented particularly easily if the roller body is made entirely or partially of plastic. This is because the roller body with the circumferential groove can then be easily manufactured, for example, by injection molding.

[0014] The cleaning chamber is now adapted to the specific movement unit, which is designed according to the invention in the form of the roller bodies. In fact, the cleaning chamber has longitudinal openings for the workpiece rotating through them. This means that the cleaning chamber typically extends over a partial circumferential section of the workpiece and only encompasses such a partial circumferential section of the workpiece. Consequently, and in contrast to the generic prior art according to WO 2020 / 225407 A1, it is not designed to completely enclose the workpiece to be cleaned.

[0015] This makes it possible to construct the cleaning chamber in two parts, with a central chamber and a peripheral chamber. The central chamber and the peripheral chamber can be moved relative to each other, predominantly radially. When moved apart, the central chamber and the peripheral chamber define an annular gap for the workpiece to pass axially through.

[0016] Because the cleaning chamber only applies pressure to a partial circumferential section of the rotationally symmetrical workpiece, the two components of the cleaning chamber can be moved apart as described. The annular gap created in this way now enables the removal of the workpiece as well as the loading of the inclined roller bodies with the workpiece in question. To do this, the workpiece is fed axially along the length of the cleaning chamber through the annular gap onto the inclined roller bodies using the removal / loading device and placed onto the inclined roller body. The workpiece is now prepared for cleaning and the central chamber and the peripheral chamber can be moved towards each other and closed. The cleaning air flow then ensures that the workpiece is subjected to the desired dry cleaning with the help of the air flow.The cleaning chamber generates a cleaning air stream that impinges largely tangentially on the workpiece. This can be either a positive pressure air stream or a negative pressure air stream. It is also possible to add an additional cleaning agent to the cleaning air stream if necessary.

[0017] As a result, a device for cleaning a workpiece is provided and implemented according to the invention, which operates with particularly short cycle times and is optimized with regard to workpiece loading and unloading. This can ultimately be attributed to the roller bodies being inclined relative to the vertical, as well as to the fact that the cleaning chamber is designed in two parts with a central chamber and a peripheral chamber. As a result, the rotationally symmetrical workpiece is only cleaned along a partial circumference, but due to the rotational impact on the workpiece, this is sufficient for cleaning the entire surface. These are the key advantages.

[0018] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing which merely represents an exemplary embodiment; in the drawings: Figure 1 the device according to the invention in operation, Figure 2 the object according to Figure 1 for loading with the workpiece, Figure 3 the movement unit with the inclined roller bodies in a perspective view and Figure 4 the object after the Figure 3 in the area of ​​an inclined roller body with the workpiece in a schematic side view.

[0019] The figures show a device for cleaning a workpiece 1. In the exemplary embodiment, the workpiece 1 is a rotationally symmetrical workpiece 1, which in the example shown is designed as a cylindrical bushing or similar. The workpiece 1 is held on a movement unit 2, with the aid of which the workpiece 1 is set in rotation. According to the exemplary embodiment and the invention, the movement unit 2 is equipped with several roller bodies 2 on which the workpiece 1 is held or rests. In addition, a workpiece holder can also be interposed, which rests on the roller bodies 2 in question and in turn supports the workpiece 1. This, however, is not shown.

[0020] A cleaning chamber 3, 4 ensures the cleaning of the rotating workpiece 1. According to the exemplary embodiment, the cleaning chamber 3, 4 is designed in two parts, and not restrictively, consisting of a central chamber 3 and a peripheral chamber 4, as will be explained in more detail below. The cleaning chamber 3, 4 serves to generate a cleaning air stream directed through openings not expressly shown, with the aid of which the workpiece 1 is acted upon according to the exemplary embodiment.

[0021] In fact, the overall embodiment operates in such a way that, with the help of the cleaning chamber 3, 4, a cleaning air stream is generated that impinges largely tangentially on the workpiece 1. This air stream can apply positive or negative pressure to the workpiece 1, but in any case ensures that any metal chips, liquid films, etc. adhering to the surface of the workpiece 1 are removed in a dry manner. This means that, with the help of the cleaning chamber 3, 4, the workpiece 1 is dry cleaned.

[0022] The aforementioned movement unit 2 or the roller bodies 2 ensure that the workpiece 1 moves relative to the openings for discharging the cleaning air stream and, according to the exemplary embodiment, relative to the otherwise stationary cleaning chamber 3, 4. As a result, the entire surface of the workpiece 1 is exposed to the tangentially directed cleaning air stream, namely, according to the exemplary embodiment, both the inner surface and the outer surface of the cylindrical workpiece 1 or the bushing considered at this point.

[0023] The roller bodies 2 already mentioned as components of the movement unit 2 not only hold the workpiece 1, but are also inclined relative to a vertical V according to the invention, as can be seen in particular from the side view in the Figure 4In fact, in the context of the example, an angle α is observed, which is located between a Figure 4 indicated axis of the inclined roller body 2 on the one hand and the relevant vertical V on the other. According to the exemplary embodiment, the angle α for the inclined position is approximately 30°, but can of course also take on other values.

[0024] Based on the Figure 4 It is also clear that the respective roller body 2 is spring-mounted, whereby at this point a spring 5 is provided which acts on the roller body 2 axially in the direction of its axis, as shown by an arrow in the Figure 4 As a result, the spring 5 in question, with its axially acting spring force, counteracts the weight force exerted by the workpiece 1 on the inclined roller body 2. In addition, the side view in the Figure 4that the respective roller body 2 is equipped with a circumferential groove 6 for the edge of the workpiece 1 received and identified therein. The circumferential groove 6 is largely rectangular in cross-section, so that the workpiece 1 is centered with its edge inside the circumferential groove 6.

[0025] The centering effect of the workpiece 1 relative to the roller bodies 2 is additionally supported and intensified by the fact that the roller bodies 2, according to the exemplary embodiment and in plan view, describe a triangle. Here, it is also particularly clear that at least one roller body 2 is equipped with a rotary drive 7. In addition, at least one of the roller bodies 2 can be moved radially, as shown by a double arrow emanating from the axis of the roller body 2 towards the center point M of the triangle formed by the roller bodies 2 in the Figure 3 This mobility can also be seen when comparing the Figure 1 and 2 .

[0026] The radially movable roller body 2 in the exemplary embodiment is, and is not limited to, the one equipped with the rotary drive 7. This allows the size of the triangle spanned by the three roller bodies 2 according to the exemplary embodiment with the center point M to be varied and adapted to the respective diameter of the workpiece 1. In addition, this makes it possible to simplify the loading of the roller bodies 2 with the workpiece 1 and its removal compared to the roller bodies 2, as is particularly shown in a Figure 2 shown loading position, which will be explained in more detail below.

[0027] The cleaning chambers 3, 4 each have a total of longitudinal openings 8 for the workpiece 1 rotating therethrough. This means that the longitudinal openings 8 of the cleaning chambers 3, 4 are arranged and oriented in the axial direction of the rotationally symmetrical workpiece 1. This allows the workpiece 1 to rotate with its circumference through the respective longitudinal openings 8.

[0028] As already explained in the introduction, the cleaning chamber 3, 4 is composed of two parts: the central chamber 3 and the peripheral chamber 4. The central chamber 3 is located in the center of the workpiece 1, or in the area of ​​the center point M of the triangle formed by the inclined roller bodies 2. In contrast, the peripheral chamber 4 is stationary and arranged radially outside the workpiece 1 and consequently also of the triangle formed by the roller bodies 2.

[0029] The central chamber 3 and the peripheral chamber 4 can be moved radially against each other. According to the embodiment and when comparing the Figure 1 and 2 It becomes clear that for this purpose the central chamber 3 is moved relative to the peripheral chamber 4, which is designed to be stationary. This can be done along a Figure 1 and 2 According to the exemplary embodiment, the roller body 2 with the rotary drive 7 can also be moved radially along the rail guide 9, as described with reference to Figure 3 has already been explained. In any case, the mobility between the central chamber 3 and the peripheral chamber 4 as both components of the cleaning chamber 3, 4 ensures that the two components 3, 4 of the cleaning chamber 3, 4, when moved apart, define an annular gap 10, which can be seen in the Figure 2This annular gap 10 opens up the possibility that in the extended state of the cleaning chamber 3, 4 in the Figure 2 the workpiece 1 can be lifted from the roller bodies 2 in its axial direction or placed onto the roller bodies 2. This may be ensured by a removal / feeding device not expressly shown, which is or may be, without limitation, a robot arm.

[0030] Inside the cleaning chamber 3, 4, a cleaning air stream is generated that impinges largely tangentially on the workpiece 1. This is not shown in detail, nor is the pressure device required for this, which may be an overpressure device. The cleaning air stream may impinge on both the outer circumference of the rotationally symmetrical workpiece 1 and its inner circumference. This is the case if, according to the exemplary embodiment, the central chamber 3 and the peripheral chamber 4 are coupled to each other.This is because the air flow generated by the pressure device (not shown) can then not only act tangentially on the outside of the workpiece 1, for example starting from the peripheral chamber 4, but then also flows from there via the closed connection to the central chamber 3 against the inside circumference of the workpiece 1 in question, so that the workpiece 1 is dry cleaned over its entire circumference as planned with the help of the cleaning air flow.

[0031] In this context, the cleaning chamber 3, 4 ensures that the workpiece 1 is exposed to cleaning air over a partial circumferential section. This means that the workpiece 1 is expressly and in accordance with the invention not completely enclosed, so that the central chamber 3 and the peripheral chamber 4 can be easily opened by defining the annular gap 10. This allows the workpiece 1 to be loaded in a position as shown in the Figure 2easily placed on the inclined roller bodies 2 and lifted off using the removal / loading device. It is sufficient if the workpiece 1 is inserted with its own weight into the corresponding circumferential groove 6 of the respective roller body 2. This immediately centers the workpiece 1 and allows the forces required to rotate the workpiece 1 to be easily transmitted via the inclined roller bodies 6.

Claims

1. A device for cleaning a workpiece (1), having: at least one cleaning chamber (3, 4) for receiving the workpiece (1), which may be arranged on a workpiece holder; also at least one pressure apparatus for generating a cleaning air flow, which is guided through openings in the cleaning chamber (3, 4); and a movement unit (2), which loads the cleaning chamber (3, 4) and / or the workpiece holder and / or the workpiece (1) in order to generate a relative movement of the workpiece (1) relative to the openings, wherein the movement unit (2) operates at least rotationally, wherein the movement unit (2) has multiple roller elements (2), on which the workpiece (1), optionally including the workpiece holder, is held, characterised in that the roller elements (2) are inclined to a vertical (V).

2. The device according to Claim 1, characterised in that the roller elements (2) describe a triangle when viewed from above.

3. The device according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that each roller element (2) is spring-mounted.

4. The device according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that at least one roller element (2) has a rotary drive (7).

5. The device according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that at least one roller element (2) is radially movable.

6. The device according to Claim 5, characterised in that the radially movable roller element (2) has the rotary drive (7).

7. The device according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterised in that each roller element (2) is provided with a circumferential groove (6) for the edge of the workpiece (1) that is accommodated therein.

8. The device according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the cleaning chamber (3, 4) is provided with longitudinal openings (8) for the workpiece (1) rotated through it.

9. The device according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the cleaning chamber (3, 4) is formed in two parts with a central chamber (3) and a circumferential chamber (4).

10. The device according to Claim 9, characterised in that the central chamber (3) and the circumferential chamber (4) can be moved relative to one another.

11. The device according to Claim 10, characterised in that the circumferential chamber (4) and the central chamber (3), when in the moved-apart state, describe an annular gap (10) for the workpiece (1), which can be guided axially through it.

12. The device according to one of Claims 1 to 11, characterised in that a removing / loading apparatus for the workpiece (1) is provided.

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