Clamping drive and method for fixing a jaw carrier of a clamping drive

Abstract

The invention relates to a clamping drive (1) with a first clamping part (2) and a second clamping part (3), wherein the first clamping part (1) is connectable to a first jaw carrier (8) and wherein the second clamping part (3) is connectable to a second jaw carrier (10), wherein the first clamping part (2) and the second clamping part (3) are translationally movable relative to each other by means of a drive spindle (5), wherein the first jaw carrier (8) or the second jaw carrier (10) is attachable to a lower part (9), and wherein the first jaw carrier (8) or the second jaw carrier (10) is slid onto the lower part (9) in the direction of the translational movement of the first clamping part (2) and the second clamping part (3). In a clamping drive (1) that makes it possible to extend the clamping range of a clamping drive, in particular a clamping drive for a vise,To achieve the simplest possible conversion measures while maintaining high load-bearing capacity of the clamping drive, it is provided that at least one first clamping surface (12) is formed on the lower part (9) for fastening the first jaw carrier (8) or the second jaw carrier (10) to the lower part (9), that at least one second clamping surface (13) corresponding to the first clamping surface (12) of the lower part (9) is formed on at least one clamping nut (14) arranged on the jaw carrier (8, 10), that the first clamping surface (12) and the second clamping surface (13) are in contact when the jaw carrier (8, 10) is pushed onto the lower part (9), and that a clamping force between the first clamping surface (12) and the second clamping surface (13) can be achieved via the first clamping nut (14).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a clamping drive with a first clamping part and with a second clamping part, wherein the first clamping part is connectable to a first jaw carrier and wherein the second clamping part is connectable to a second jaw carrier, wherein the first clamping part and the second clamping part are translationally movable relative to each other by means of a drive spindle, wherein the first jaw carrier or the second jaw carrier is attachable to a lower part, wherein the first jaw carrier and / or the second jaw carrier is slid onto the lower part in the direction of the translational movement of the first clamping part and the second clamping part.

[0002] In addition, the invention relates to a method for attaching a jaw carrier of a clamping drive.

[0003] Clamping drives, particularly for vises, are known in the art in a variety of designs. Typically, the jaw carriers are moved relative to each other by rotating the drive spindle. One jaw carrier is fixed, while the other is moved by actuating the drive spindle. Clamping jaws are attached to the jaw carriers as standard, enabling the clamping of a workpiece. After rotation of the drive spindle, the clamping jaws rest against the workpiece to be clamped. With further rotation of the drive spindle, a clamping force builds up between the clamping elements, which is transmitted to the workpiece via the clamping jaws. A specific torque applied to the spindle of the clamping drive by a turning tool corresponds to a specific clamping force between the clamping elements.Depending on the geometry of the clamping jaws, this clamping force of the clamping drive results in a more or less large clamping force acting on the workpiece.

[0004] Depending on the workpiece's dimensions and geometry, clamping it between the jaws can be problematic if the workpiece dimensions exceed the travel of the jaw carriers or jaws. One solution involves extending the drive spindle to increase the clamping range of the clamping drive. Clamping drives with jaw carriers and jaws designed with such flexibility typically require complex modifications to adapt them to the specific conditions. Simultaneously, sufficient stability of the connections between the components must be ensured to guarantee reliable operation even under high clamping forces.

[0005] WO 2020216413A1 discloses a clamping device with a beveled base holder according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0006] This angled base mount is designed to enable the generation of greater clamping forces.

[0007] The invention is therefore based on the objective of providing a clamping drive and a method which makes it possible to extend the clamping range of a clamping drive, in particular a clamping drive for a vise, whereby the conversion measures should be as uncomplicated as possible while maintaining a high load-bearing capacity of the clamping drive.

[0008] In the present invention, this problem is solved by the features of the characterizing part of claim 1, in that at least one first clamping surface is formed on the lower part for fastening the first jaw carrier and / or the second jaw carrier to the lower part, that at least one second clamping surface corresponding to the first clamping surface of the lower part is formed on at least one clamping nut arranged on the jaw carrier, that the first clamping surface and the second clamping surface are in contact when the jaw carrier is pushed onto the lower part, and that a clamping force between the first clamping surface and the second clamping surface can be realized via the clamping nut.A through-hole is formed in the clamping nut in which a spindle is floatingly arranged, the through-hole extending approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the lower part, the through-hole forming a first clamping recess and a second clamping recess opposite the first clamping recess, a first fastening element being able to be inserted into the first clamping recess and a second fastening element being able to be inserted into the second clamping recess, and the first fastening element being displaceable in the opposite direction against a stop in the direction of the through-hole, so that a clamping force can be applied indirectly between the first clamping surface and the second clamping surface via the stop.

[0009] The clamping elements can be designed to fit snugly into the respective jaw carriers. Due to the positive locking and the clamping elements' attachment to the drive spindle, the drive spindle cannot be completely removed from the jaw carriers. Preferably, the clamping elements have a larger cross-section than the drive spindle or the extension element. The clamping elements can thus be inserted into a corresponding recess in the jaw carrier, with the recess simultaneously containing an opening for the drive spindle, the cross-section of which is smaller than the recess. Once the clamping element is inserted into the recess, the drive spindle cannot be moved further within the opening in the insertion direction.

[0010] The jaw supports can be attached to a base, for example, a support rail. Using the support rail, the jaw supports can be moved along the base in one direction without changing their orientation in other directions.

[0011] The drive spindle can be driven or rotated by means of an additional tool or, for example, a crank attached to the drive spindle. The drive spindle can essentially be cylindrical in shape.

[0012] When the jaw carrier is clamped to the lower part, the first and second clamping surfaces are in contact, with the clamping force being transmitted via these two surfaces. The clamping nut is designed to be movable within the jaw carrier independently of it, allowing a clamping force to be exerted on the lower part without deforming the jaw carrier.

[0013] Further preferred embodiments of the invention result from the other features mentioned in the dependent claims.

[0014] In a first embodiment of the clamping drive according to the invention, the first clamping surface and the second clamping surface are oriented such that the jaw carrier is engaged in an undercut with the lower part by the second clamping surface. When the jaw carrier is slid onto the lower part in the longitudinal direction of the lower part, the undercut ensures that the jaw carrier can be displaced in the longitudinal direction of the lower part, but cannot be lifted off the lower part. The jaw carrier can have a profile that corresponds to the cross-section of the lower part, so that a positive fit is formed when the jaw carrier is slid onto the lower part. The orientation of the clamping surface can, for example, create a dovetail-type connection.

[0015] In a further preferred embodiment of the clamping drive according to the invention, the first clamping surface is chamfered such that it is arranged at an angle of 45 degrees, preferably 30 degrees, and particularly preferably 20 degrees, relative to a plane defined by the longitudinal extent and height of the lower part. The clamping surface is thus tilted relative to the perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the lower part. This tilting action allows a clamping force to be applied laterally to the jaw carrier via the clamping nut. Simultaneously, it prevents the jaw carrier from being pushed upwards away from the lower part when a sufficiently large clamping force is applied.

[0016] In a further embodiment of the invention, the first clamping surface extends longitudinally along the lower part. This first clamping surface can extend over the entire length of the lower part, allowing the jaw carrier to be flexibly locked at any desired point on the lower part. Simultaneously, the corresponding jaw carrier can also be slid onto the lower part, where it is then slidably arranged on or against the lower part. This also provides guidance for the slidable jaw carrier.

[0017] According to the invention, the clamping drive is provided in that a through-hole is formed in the clamping nut, that a spindle is arranged floating in the through-hole, the through-hole extending approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the lower part, the through-hole forming a first clamping recess and a second clamping recess opposite the first clamping recess, wherein a first fastening element can be inserted into the first clamping recess and a second fastening element into the second clamping recess, and wherein the first fastening element and the second fastening element can be displaced in opposite directions against a stop in the direction of the through-hole, so that a clamping force can be applied indirectly between the first clamping surface and the second clamping surface via the stop.At least one stop can be formed on the clamping nut, so that a force is applied to the clamping nut via the fastening element, moving the clamping nut, or rather the second clamping surface, towards the first clamping surface on the lower part. In other words, the clamping nut is pulled inwards, along the longitudinal axis of the lower part, by the combination of the spindle and the fastening elements. Since the clamping nut can be movably mounted in the jaw carrier, with stops simultaneously provided that indirectly move the clamping nut, or rather the second clamping surface, towards the first clamping surface, a clamping force is exerted on the lower part such that the jaw carrier is also fixed in the longitudinal direction of the lower part. The second stop can, for example, be formed in the jaw carrier, creating a counter bearing that ultimately pulls the clamping nut inwards.

[0018] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the clamping drive according to the invention, two clamping nuts are provided, wherein the first clamping recess is formed in the first clamping nut and the second clamping recess is formed in the second clamping nut. The clamping nuts can then be arranged on opposite sides of the jaw carrier, with the clamping nuts moving towards each other when the fastening elements are inserted into the spindle. Correspondingly, a further first clamping surface and a further second clamping surface can also be provided, so that clamping by a clamping nut on opposite sides of the jaw carrier on the lower part can be achieved.

[0019] To improve handling when attaching the jaw carrier to the base, a further embodiment of the invention provides that the clamping nut can be inserted into the jaw carrier in a form-fitting manner, whereby the clamping nut is secured against displacement in the longitudinal direction of the base. The clamping nut may also have a dovetail-like contour. Due to the form-fitting, the clamping nut can only be moved into or out of the jaw carrier perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the base. The combination of the inserted spindle and fastening elements ensures that the clamping nut(s) are at least partially fixed perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the base.

[0020] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the clamping drive according to the invention, the fastening elements are designed as clamping screws that can be screwed into the spindle by means of a thread and a corresponding thread formed in the spindle. In this way, a user can easily screw the fastening elements into the spindle and thus continuously apply a clamping force to fix the jaw carrier. This minimizes the risk of applying excessive clamping force, which could damage the clamping drive.

[0021] The thread of the clamping screw can be designed such that, from a certain screw-in depth, approximately a quarter turn is sufficient to apply a torque of 50 Nm. The clamping force between the first clamping surface and the second clamping surface is indirectly transmitted via this torque.

[0022] Advantageously, in a further embodiment of the clamping drive according to the invention, a first clamping screw and a second clamping screw are provided, with the first clamping screw having a left-hand thread and the second clamping screw having a right-hand thread. In combination with the floating bearing of the spindle, the jaw carrier can thus be fastened from only one side, the floating bearing being able to compensate for any misalignment caused by different screw-in depths of the clamping screws.

[0023] In a further embodiment of the clamping drive according to the invention, the stop can be implemented by means of at least one stop screw, wherein the stop screw can be screwed into the jaw carrier in such a way that it is engaged in an undercut with the clamping nut. In this way, the clamping nut cannot be removed from the jaw carrier. A first limitation of the movement of the clamping nut is the stop, which prevents the clamping nut from falling out of the jaw carrier. A second stop in the opposite direction is formed by the first clamping surface or the second clamping surface.

[0024] The aforementioned problem is also solved by a method for attaching a jaw carrier of a clamping drive according to the invention, wherein the first jaw carrier and / or the second jaw carrier are slid onto the lower part and wherein the first jaw carrier or the second jaw carrier is fastened to the lower part via the clamping nut. The above descriptions concerning the clamping drive according to the invention also apply accordingly to the method according to the invention.

[0025] Unless otherwise stated in individual cases, the various embodiments of the invention mentioned in this application can be advantageously combined with one another.

[0026] The invention is explained below using exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. These show: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a clamping drive, Figure 2 is another perspective view of an embodiment of a clamping drive, showing only clamping nuts, and Figure 3 is a side view of the embodiment according to Figure 1 .

[0027] Figure 1Figure 1 shows a clamping drive 1 for a vise with a first clamping part 2 and a second clamping part 3. The first clamping part 2 and the second clamping part 3 are each connected to a jaw carrier 4. The first clamping part 2 and the second clamping part 3 are movable relative to each other by means of a drive spindle 5. The first clamping part 2 is arranged on a first end face 6 of the drive spindle 5. The second clamping part 3 is arranged on a second end face 7 of the drive spindle 5. The first clamping part 2 is detachably connected to the drive spindle 5. A first jaw carrier 8 is attached to a base 9 in the form of a support rail. A second jaw carrier 10 is arranged on the base 9 so as to be movable in the axial direction of the support rail. When the drive spindle 5 is actuated, the second jaw carrier 10 is moved so that the jaw carriers 4 are moved relative to each other. Clamping jaws 11 are arranged on the jaw carriers 4.The clamping jaws 11 are used to clamp a workpiece (not shown here) for further processing.

[0028] In Figure 2 is an excerpt of the embodiment according to Figure 1 shown. This is in Figure 2 It is evident how the first jaw carrier 8 is attached to the lower part 9. For this purpose, a first clamping surface 12 is formed on the lower part 9. Adjacent to this, a second clamping surface 13, corresponding to the first clamping surface 12 of the lower part 9, is formed on a clamping nut 14 located on the first jaw carrier 8. The first clamping surface 12 and the second clamping surface 13 are in contact when the first jaw carrier 8 is slid onto the lower part 9. A clamping force is applied between the first clamping surface 12 and the second clamping surface 13 via the clamping nut 14.

[0029] The first clamping surface 12 and the second clamping surface 13 are oriented such that the first jaw carrier 8 is engaged in an undercut with the lower part 9 by the second clamping surface 13. This allows the first jaw carrier 8 to be displaced longitudinally along the lower part 9, but prevents it from being lifted off the lower part 9. A corresponding profile 15 is formed in the clamping nut 14, which partially corresponds to the cross-section or contour of the lower part 9, so that when the first jaw carrier 8 is slid onto the lower part 9, a positive locking connection is formed partially via the clamping nut 14. The first clamping surface 12 is chamfered such that it is tilted at an angle of 30 degrees relative to a plane defined by the longitudinal extent and height of the lower part. This tilting angle allows a clamping force to be applied laterally to the first jaw carrier 8 via the clamping nut 14.At the same time, it is prevented that, in the case of a sufficiently large clamping force, the first jaw carrier 8 is pushed upwards away from the lower part 9.

[0030] The first clamping surface 12 extends longitudinally over the entire length of the lower part 9, allowing the first jaw carrier 8 to be flexibly locked to any section of the lower part 9. Simultaneously, the second jaw carrier 10 can also be slid onto the lower part 9, where it is then slidably positioned. This also enables the slidable second jaw carrier 10 to be guided.

[0031] To generate sufficient clamping force between the first jaw carrier 8 and the lower part 9, a through-bore 16 is formed in the clamping nut 14, with a spindle 17 floating in the through-bore 16. The through-bore 16 extends perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the lower part 9. In this embodiment, two clamping nuts 14 are provided, with a first clamping recess 18 formed in the first clamping nut 14 and a second clamping recess 19 formed in the second clamping nut 20. The clamping nuts 14 and 20 are arranged on opposite sides in the first jaw carrier 8.

[0032] A first fastening element 21 is inserted into the first clamping recess 18 and a second fastening element 22 into the second clamping recess 19. The first fastening element 21 and the second fastening element 22 are displaced in opposite directions against a stop 23 in the direction of the bore 16, so that a clamping force can be applied indirectly between the first clamping surface 12 and the second clamping surface 13 via the stop 23. The stops 23 are formed on the first clamping nut 14 and the second clamping nut 20, respectively. In this way, a force is applied to the first clamping nut 14 and the second clamping nut 20, respectively, via the first fastening element 21 and the second fastening element 22, whereby the second clamping surface 13 is moved in the direction of the first clamping surface 12 on the lower part 9.In other words, the first clamping nut 14 and the second clamping nut 20 are pulled inwards, in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the lower part 9, by the combination of the spindle 17 and the first fastening element 21 and the second fastening element 22, respectively. Since both the first clamping nut 14 and the second clamping nut 20 are movably mounted in the first jaw carrier 8, a clamping force is exerted on the lower part 9 such that the first jaw carrier 8 is also fixed in the longitudinal direction of the lower part 9.

[0033] The clamping nuts 14 and 20 move towards each other when the fastening elements 21 and 22 are inserted into the spindle 17. This creates a clamping connection by means of one clamping nut 14 and 20 on opposite sides of the first jaw carrier 8. The first clamping nut 14 and the second clamping nut 20 can be inserted into the first jaw carrier 8 in a form-fitting manner. In this way, the first clamping nut 14 and the second clamping nut 20 are secured against displacement in the longitudinal direction of the lower part 9. Due to the form-fitting, the first clamping nut 14 and the second clamping nut 20 can only be moved into or out of the first jaw carrier 8 perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the lower part 9. The combination of the inserted spindle 17 and the first fastening element 21 and the second fastening element 22 also at least partially fixes the clamping nuts 14 and 20 perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the lower part 9.

[0034] The fastening elements 21 and 22 are designed as clamping screws that can be screwed into the spindle 17 by means of a thread and a corresponding thread formed in the spindle 17. In this way, a user can easily screw the first fastening element 21 and the second fastening element 22 into the spindle 17 and thus continuously apply a clamping force to fix the first jaw carrier 8 to the base 9. This minimizes the risk of generating excessive torque, which could result in a large clamping force and damage the clamping drive 1. The first clamping screw, or first fastening element 21, has a left-hand thread. The second clamping screw, or second fastening element 22, has a right-hand thread.In combination with the floating bearing of the spindle 17, the first jaw carrier 8 can also be attached from only one side in this way, whereby the floating bearing can compensate for an offset caused by a different screw-in depth of the clamping screws.

[0035] To prevent the first clamping nut 14 and the second clamping nut 20 from falling out of the first jaw carrier 8, a further stop is provided by means of at least one stop screw 24. The stop screw 24 can be screwed into the first jaw carrier 8 such that it engages in an undercut with the first clamping nut 14 or the second clamping nut 20. In this way, the first clamping nut 14 or the second clamping nut 20 cannot be removed from the first jaw carrier 8. A first limit to the movement of the clamping nuts 14 and 20 is the further stop provided by the stop screw 24, which prevents the clamping nuts 14 and 20 from falling out of the first jaw carrier 8. A second stop in the opposite direction is formed by the first clamping surface 12 or the second clamping surface 13.

[0036] Figure 3Figure 1 shows a side view of the clamping drive 1, in which it can be seen that the first clamping nut 14 is positively inserted into the first jaw carrier 8. In this embodiment, the first clamping nut 14 has a dovetail-like cross-section. Accordingly, a recess 25 is formed in the first jaw carrier 8, the contour of which corresponds to the cross-section of the first clamping nut 14. Reference symbol list

[0037] 1 Clamping drive 2 First clamping part 3 Second clamping part 4 Jaw carrier 5 Drive spindle 6 First end face 7 Second end face 8 First jaw carrier 9 Lower part 10 Second jaw carrier 11 Clamping jaws 12 First clamping surface 13 Second clamping surface 14 First clamping nut 15 Profile 16 Through hole 17 Spindle 18 First clamping recess 19 Second clamping recess 20 Second clamping nut 21 First fastening element 22 Second fastening element 23 Stop 24 Stop screw 25 Recess

Claims

1. Clamping drive (1) comprising a first clamping part (2) and a second clamping part (3), the first clamping part (1) being able to be connected to a first jaw carrier (8) and the second clamping part (3) being able to be connected to a second jaw carrier (10), the first clamping part (2) and the second clamping part (3) being translationally movable relative to one another by a drive spindle (5), the first jaw carrier (8) or the second jaw carrier (10) being able to be fastened to a bottom part (9), the first jaw carrier (8) or the second jaw carrier (10) being able to be slid onto the bottom part (9) in the direction of the translational movability of the first clamping part (2) and the second clamping part (3), at least one first clamping surface (12) being formed on the bottom part (9) to fasten the first jaw carrier (8) or the second jaw carrier (10) to the bottom part (9), at least a second clamping surface (13) corresponding to the first clamping surface (12) of the bottom part (9) being formed on at least one clamping nut (14) arranged on the jaw carrier (8, 10), the first clamping surface (12) and the second clamping surface (13) being connected in the state in which the jaw carrier (8, 10) is slid onto the bottom part (9) and a clamping force being able to be produced between the first clamping surface (12) and the second clamping surface (13) by the first clamping nut (14), a through-hole (16) being formed in the clamping nut (14), characterized in that a spindle (17) is floatingly arranged in the through-hole (16), the through-hole (16) extending approximately perpendicularly to the longitudinal extension of the bottom part (9), a first clamping cut-out (18) and a second clamping cut-out (19) opposite the first clamping cut-out (18) being formed by the through-hole (16), a first fastening element (21) being able to be inserted into the first clamping cut-out (18) and a second fastening element (22) being able to be inserted into the second clamping cut-out (19), and the first fastening element (21) and the second fastening element (22) being able to be moved toward the through-hole (16) in opposite directions against a stop (22), so that a clamping force between the first clamping surface (12) and the second clamping surface (13) can be indirectly applied via the stop (22).

2. Clamping drive (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the first clamping surface (12) and the second clamping surface (13) are aligned such that the jaw carrier (8, 10) is brought into an undercut with the bottom part (9) by the second clamping surface (13).

3. Clamping drive (1) according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first clamping surface (12) is chamfered such that the first clamping surface (12) is arranged at an angle of 45 degrees, preferably 30 degrees, particularly preferably 20 degrees, relative to a plane spanned by the longitudinal extension of the bottom part (9) and the height of the bottom part (9).

4. Clamping drive (1) according to any of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the first clamping surface (12) extends in the longitudinal direction of the bottom part (9).

5. Clamping drive (1) according to Claim 4, characterized in that two clamping nuts are provided, the first clamping cut-out (18) being formed in the first clamping nut (14) and the second clamping cut-out (19) being formed in the second clamping nut (20).

6. Clamping drive (1) according to any of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the clamping nut (14) can be inserted into the jaw carrier (8, 10) in a form-fitting manner, the clamping nut (14) being secured against moving in the longitudinal direction of the bottom part (9).

7. Clamping drive (1) according to any of Claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the fastening elements (21, 22) are designed as clamping screws, which can be screwed into the spindle (17) by means of a thread and a corresponding thread formed in the spindle (17).

8. Clamping drive (1) according to Claim 7, characterized in that a first clamping screw and a second clamping screw are provided, and in that the first clamping screw has a left-hand thread and the second clamping screw has a right-hand thread.

9. Clamping drive (1) according to any of Claims 4 to 8, characterized in that a further stop is formed by means of at least one stop screw (24), the stop screw being able to be screwed into the jaw carrier (8, 10) such that it is brought into an undercut with the clamping nut (14, 20).

10. Method for fastening a jaw carrier (8, 10) of a clamping drive (1) according to any of Claims 1 to 9, wherein the first jaw carrier (8) or the second jaw carrier (10) are slid onto the bottom part (9), and wherein the first jaw carrier (8) or the second jaw carrier (10) are fastened to the bottom part (9) via the clamping nut (14).

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