Radial press

Abstract

The invention relates to a radial press (1) comprising a frame structure (2), a press tool (3) which is received therein, and a drive unit. The press tool comprises at least four base jaws (5) which are arranged about a press axis (4) and can be moved radially towards or away from the press axis in a synchronized manner by means of the drive unit in order to open or close the press tool and to which a respective press jaw head (6) is replaceably attached that comprises a press surface (7) designed to act on a workpiece to be arranged in the region of the press axis. Each of the press jaw heads is designed as a composite component and comprises a longitudinal structure that extends along the press axis and a plurality of lamellas (8) that are stacked one on top of the other in the direction of the press axis and are connected together by means of the longitudinal structure in order to form a block. The lamellas are attached to the longitudinal structure in a replaceable matter and are connected to the longitudinal structure in a form-fitting manner perpendicularly to the press axis.

Description

[0001] Radial press

[0002] The present invention relates to a radial press with a frame structure, a pressing tool accommodated therein and a drive unit, wherein the pressing tool comprises at least four base jaws arranged around a press axis, which can be moved synchronously radially towards or away from the press axis by means of the drive unit for closing or opening the pressing tool and to each of which a pressing jaw head with a pressing surface intended for acting on a workpiece to be arranged in the region of the press axis is replaceably attached.

[0003] Radial presses, which are suitable for radial pressing of various types (e.g. the permanent attachment of connection fittings to the end of a hose piece for the production of a hydraulic hose line), are known in various concepts (e.g. hollow piston press, pressure plate press and yoke press) and various designs. Reference should be made, for example, to DE 20 2016 100 660 Ul, DE 20 2016 008 097 Ul, DE 10 2016 106 650 Al, DE 10 2014 014 585 B3, DE 10 2014 012 485 B3, DE 10 2014 008 613 Al, DE 10 2011 015 770 Al, DE 10 2011 015 654 Al, DE 10 2009 057 726 Al, DE 10 2005 041 487 Al, DE 10 2005 034 260 B3, DE 601 21 915 T2, DE 298 24 688 Ul, DE 199 44 141 CI, DE 199 40 744 B4, DE 101 49 924 Al, DE 41 35 465 Al and DE 35 13 129 Al.

[0004] Regardless of their respective design and other technical features, the known radial presses often agree that a plurality of base jaws, which are evenly distributed around the press axis and have a roughly wedge-shaped cross-section - eight base jaws are the most common - are moved uniformly radially in the direction of the press axis by means of a (typically hydraulic) drive.

[0005] Often, press jaw heads can be interchangeably attached or fastened radially inside the base jaws, which press jaw heads have a pressing surface adapted to the geometry (in particular the diameter) of the workpiece to be pressed.

[0006] So-called profiled press jaw heads are used in particular when the cross-section of the workpiece changes along the press axis and / or the press jaw heads are to be designed so that the workpiece is supported (or hits) the press jaw heads during pressing for better positioning in the direction of the press axis. A profiled press jaw head does not have a pressing surface that is partially cylindrical or flat over its entire axial extent. Instead, the (profiled) pressing surface of a profiled press jaw head is made up of several separate pressing surface segments (pressing surfaces), which can themselves be partially cylindrical or flat. Profiled press jaw heads are expensive and complex to manufacture due to the complex design of the profiled pressing surface.

[0007] Each workpiece requires press jaw heads tailored to the specific workpiece. Especially with profiled press jaw heads, it is common for them to only be used in conjunction with a single, specific workpiece.

[0008] Before another workpiece can be pressed, a new set of appropriately adapted profiled pressing jaw heads must usually be provided, which usually involves waiting times for their production.

[0009] The user of a radial press must therefore maintain a variety of different press jaw heads in order to be able to press different workpieces. This results in high investment costs for the purchase of the various press jaw heads and requires a large amount of space for their storage.

[0010] The invention is based on the object of providing a radial press of the type described at the outset which is characterized by a higher degree of practical suitability, in particular with regard to the easier and faster adaptability of the radial press (in particular the pressing jaw heads) to the workpiece to be pressed, a lower investment outlay and a smaller space requirement.

[0011] The object is achieved by the radial press according to the invention with a frame structure, a pressing tool accommodated therein and a drive unit, wherein the pressing tool comprises at least four base jaws arranged around a press axis, which are movable synchronously radially towards or away from the press axis by means of the drive unit for closing or opening the pressing tool and to which a pressing jaw head with a pressing surface intended for acting on a workpiece to be arranged in the area of ​​the press axis is replaceably attached.

[0012] (attached), with the following features: the press jaw heads are each designed as a composite component and each comprise a longitudinal structure extending along the press axis and a plurality of slats layered on top of one another in the direction of the press axis and connected to one another to form a block by means of the longitudinal structure, the slats are replaceably attached to the longitudinal structure and are positively connected to the longitudinal structure perpendicular to the press axis (i.e. in the radial direction with respect to the press axis).

[0013] The inventors have recognized that a unique combination of advantages can be achieved through the synergistic interaction of the features according to the invention.

[0014] Firstly, the realization of the press jaw heads as composite parts made of layered lamellae enables their particularly cost-effective production. This is because the press jaw heads can be constructed from a number of individual parts that are very inexpensive to manufacture, e.g. from punched lamellae. They do not have to be manufactured as a single piece using complex and expensive processes, such as forging, casting, or milling from solid material, as is usually the case. This makes the production of the press jaw heads simpler and more cost-effective, thereby reducing the investment costs of the radial press.

[0015] On the other hand, the lamella structure of the pressing jaw heads enables simple and individual adaptation of the contour of the pressing surface to the workpiece to be pressed. In this way, profiled pressing jaw heads in particular can be produced very easily if, for example, the cross-section of the workpiece changes along the pressing axis, the axial extent of the workpiece changes and / or the pressing jaw heads are to be designed in such a way that the workpiece is supported on the pressing jaw heads (or on a lamella of the respective pressing jaw head) for better positioning in the direction of the pressing axis during pressing. According to the invention, profiled pressing jaw heads of this type can be provided by stacking lamellas with different radial extents on top of one another to form a block.

[0016] And because the lamellae are interchangeably attached (attached) to the longitudinal structure, the user of the radial press can independently, easily, quickly, and without resorting to machining processes, adapt the profile of the press jaw heads to the workpiece to be pressed. To do so, the user simply needs to adjust the order of the stacked lamellae or replace selected lamellae with lamellas with a different radial extension.

[0017] In this way, profiled press jaw heads adapted to the respective workpiece can be provided quickly, easily and as required, thus saving investment costs, storage space and time.

[0018] In the following, selected features of the radial press according to the invention and the terms used in this context will be discussed in more detail:

[0019] The wording that the slats are or can be attached to the longitudinal structure in an interchangeable manner expresses that the slats can be removed from the longitudinal structure as intended without the need for machining processes.

[0020] The term "the lamellae are positively connected to the longitudinal structure perpendicular to the press axis (i.e., in the radial direction relative to the press axis)" expresses that a positive connection between the respective lamellae and the longitudinal structure prevents any radial displacement relative to one another. Such a positive connection can be achieved, for example, by interlocking the longitudinal structure on the one hand and the lamellae on the other, thus preventing any radial displacement relative to one another.

[0021] According to the invention, the longitudinal structure extends along the press axis, connects the lamellae stacked in the direction of the press axis to form a block, and can be positively connected to the lamellae perpendicular to the press axis. This implies that the longitudinal structure extends along the lamellae.

[0022] According to a first preferred embodiment of the radial press according to the invention, the longitudinal structures of the press jaw heads each comprise a base structure extending along the press axis, which is replaceably attached (fastened) to one of the base jaws and (in the attached, fastened state) is in contact with the base jaw.

[0023] In this way, a radial press can be realized in which the pressing jaw heads can be quickly and easily attached to and removed from the base jaws. This is especially true if the base structures of the pressing jaws are provided with fastening elements that correspond to the corresponding receiving elements on the base jaws and ensure the fixation and positioning of the pressing jaw heads.

[0024] Particularly preferably, the slats are each positively connected to the basic structure by means of a dovetail connection perpendicular to the press axis.

[0025] In a dovetail joint, a (in cross-section) trapezoidal prong (tongue) of a first component engages in a corresponding trapezoidal groove (recess) of a second component in order to connect both components in a form-fitting manner in the trapezoidal plane. In this case, tongue-and-groove joints in which the tongue or prong (in cross-section) is not exactly trapezoidal, but rather, for example, fir-tree-shaped, circular or semi-circular, are also regarded as dovetail joints in the present sense, as long as they enable a form-fitting connection between two components in the cross-sectional plane.

[0026] It is irrelevant whether the tine is arranged on the lamella side or the basic structure side.

[0027] In this way, press jaw heads can be produced according to the invention in which the lamellae can be positively connected to the base structure in a particularly simple, reliable, and stable manner. A lamella can be removed from the base structure by "unthreading" the prong (or groove) of the respective lamella out of the corresponding groove (or prong) of the base structure in the direction of the press axis.

[0028] According to another equally preferred embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that the longitudinal structures of the press jaw heads are each designed as a support rod extending along the press axis, the lamellae are pushed ("threaded") onto the support rod through openings corresponding to the support rod and are in this way positively connected to the support rod perpendicular to the press axis.

[0029] The support rod and the corresponding openings can, in particular, have a rectangular, polygonal, round, or oval cross-section. Likewise, it can preferably be provided that the pressing jaw heads each have a profiled pressing surface that is partially cylindrical or flat, not continuously over their entire axial extent.

[0030] As already explained above, the advantages of the invention are particularly evident in such profiled pressing jaw heads.

[0031] The pressing surfaces are preferably composed of several pressing surface segments on different lamellas.

[0032] The lamellae differ particularly in their radial extension, so that they have pressing surface segments that are spaced at different distances from the press axis.

[0033] According to a further preferred embodiment, the pressing surface segments are spaced apart from one another by accommodating lamellae without pressing surface segments (spacer lamellae) between the lamellae having pressing surface segments (press lamellae).

[0034] The spacer lamellas are thus spaced further from the pressing axis than the pressing lamellas and do not come into contact with the workpiece during pressing. Thus, the spacer lamellas do not have a pressing surface segment.

[0035] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that the lamellae of a pressing jaw head are made of different materials. In this way, the pressing properties can be optimized for each lamella and / or particularly cost-effective pressing jaw heads can be provided. For example, by manufacturing only the pressing lamellae from a high-quality material with particularly good pressing properties, while the spacer lamellae, which are not subjected to radial stress (to the press axis) during pressing, are made from a more cost-effective material.

[0036] Furthermore, according to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that the pressing jaw heads have at least two clamping elements arranged at different ends of the longitudinal structure, and in particular one of the clamping elements is designed as a screw element.

[0037] This allows the slats to be fixed axially (relative to the pressing axis) in a particularly simple and effective manner. This prevents unwanted tilting of the slats from their vertical position (relative to the pressing axis) during pressing.

[0038] The present invention is further manifested in a press jaw head which is adapted for use in a radial press according to the invention.

[0039] In the following, several embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to the drawing.

[0040] Fig. 1 roughly schematic representation of a radial press according to the invention,

[0041] Fig. 2A & 2B show a first embodiment of a pressing jaw head of a radial press according to the invention in a lateral and a frontal sectional view, and

[0042] Fig. 3A & 3B show a second embodiment of a pressing jaw head of a radial press according to the invention in a lateral and a frontal sectional view.

[0043] Figure 1 shows a roughly schematic representation of a radial press 1 according to the invention. The radial press 1 has a frame structure 2, a pressing tool 3 received therein and a drive unit. The pressing tool 3 comprises eight base jaws 5 arranged around a press axis 4. The base jaws 5 can be moved synchronously radially towards or away from the press axis 4 by means of the drive unit in order to close or open the pressing tool 3. A pressing jaw head 6 is replaceably attached (fastened) to each base jaw 5. The pressing jaw heads 6 each have a pressing surface 7 which is intended to act on a workpiece (not shown in the drawing) to be arranged in the region of the press axis 4.

[0044] With reference to Figures 2A to 3B, the structure of two embodiments of a press jaw head 6 of a radial press 1 according to the invention will be explained in more detail.

[0045] The press jaw heads 6 are each designed as a composite component. They comprise a plurality of lamellae 8, which are connected to form a block by means of a longitudinal structure 9. The lamellae 8 are stacked one on top of the other in the direction of the press axis 4. The longitudinal structure 9 extends along (i.e., lengthwise) the press axis 4.

[0046] In the first exemplary embodiment of a press jaw head 6 shown in Figures 2A and 2B, the longitudinal structure 9 comprises a base structure 10 extending along the press axis 4, which base structure can be replaceably attached (fastened) to one of the base jaws 5 and is in contact with the latter when attached. The base structure 10 has a trapezoidal groove 11 which engages in corresponding trapezoidal tongues 12 of the slats 8. The dovetail connection formed in this way (by means of tongue and groove) connects the slats 8 in a form-fitting manner to the base structure 10 in a direction perpendicular to the press axis 4 (i.e. in the radial direction to the press axis 4).

[0047] At opposite ends of the base structure 10, a clamping element 13 designed as a screw element is arranged. The slats 8 can be clamped by means of the clamping elements 13 enclosing the slats 8 and thus fixed in their position in the direction of the press axis 4. If at least one of the screw elements is loosened and removed, the slats 8 can be removed from the base structure 10 and thus the slats 8 can be replaced. To do this, the springs 12 of the slats 8 must be removed (i.e. pulled or pushed) from the corresponding groove 11 along the press axis 4.

[0048] The pressing jaw head 6 shown in Figures 2A and 2B has a profiled pressing surface 7 which is composed of a plurality of partially cylindrical pressing surface segments 14 formed on different lamellae 8. The pressing surface 7 is therefore not partially cylindrical over its entire axial extent. Lamellae without pressing surface segments, so-called spacer lamellae 8A, are arranged between some lamellae 8 with pressing surface segments 14, the so-called pressing lamellae 8P. The spacer lamellae 8A have a smaller radial extent (in the direction of the press axis 4) than the pressing lamellae 8P. The second exemplary embodiment of a pressing jaw head 6 shown in Figures 3A and 3B differs from the first exemplary embodiment in the design of the longitudinal structure 9 and the pressing surface 7.

[0049] The longitudinal structure 9 is designed here as a support rod 15 with a rectangular cross-section extending along the press axis 4. The slats 8 have rectangular openings 16 corresponding to the support rod 16, through which the slats 8 are "threaded" onto the support rod 15. In this way, the slats 8 are positively connected to the support rod 15 in a direction perpendicular to the press axis 4.

[0050] At opposite ends of the support rod 15, a clamping element 13 designed as a screw element is arranged. The slats 8 can be clamped by means of the screw elements enclosing the slats 8 and thus fixed in their position in the direction of the press axis 4. If at least one of the screw elements is loosened and removed, the slats 8 can be removed from the support rod 15 and thus the slats 8 can be replaced.

[0051] The pressing jaw head 6 shown in Figures 3A and 3B also has a profiled pressing surface 7. However, the pressing surface 7 is composed of several flat pressing surface segments 14 formed on different lamellae 8. The pressing surface is therefore not continuously flat over its entire axial extent. List of reference symbols

[0052] Radial press 1

[0053] Frame structure 2

[0054] Press tool 3

[0055] Press axis 4

[0056] Base jaw 5

[0057] Press jaw head 6

[0058] Press area 7

[0059] Slat 8

[0060] Spacer slat 8A

[0061] Press lamella 8P

[0062] Longitudinal structure 9

[0063] Basic structure 10

[0064] Slot 11

[0065] Spring 12

[0066] Clamping element 13

[0067] Press surface segments 14

[0068] Support rod 15

[0069] Breakthrough 16

Claims

Claims 1. Radial press with a frame structure, a pressing tool received therein and a drive unit, wherein the pressing tool comprises at least four base jaws arranged around a press axis, which base jaws are moved synchronously radially towards or away from the press axis by means of the drive unit in order to close or open the pressing tool.are movable away from this and to each of which a press jaw head with a pressing surface intended to act on a workpiece to be arranged in the area of ​​the press axis is replaceably attached, with the following features: the press jaw heads are each designed as a composite component and each comprise a longitudinal structure extending along the press axis and a plurality of slats stacked on top of one another in the direction of the press axis and connected to one another to form a block by means of the longitudinal structure, the slats are replaceably attached to the longitudinal structure and are positively connected to the longitudinal structure perpendicular to the press axis.

2. Radial press according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal structures of the press jaw heads each comprise a base structure extending along the press axis, which is replaceably attached to one of the base jaws and is in contact with the base jaw.

3. Radial press according to claim 2, wherein the lamellae are each positively connected to the base structure by means of a dovetail connection perpendicular to the press axis.

4. Radial press according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal structures of the press jaw heads are each designed as a support rod extending along the press axis, the lamellae are pushed onto the support rod through openings corresponding to the support rod and are thus positively connected to the support rod perpendicular to the press axis.

5. Radial press according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the pressing jaw heads each have a profiled pressing surface which is not continuously cylindrical or flat over its entire axial extent.

6. Radial press according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the pressing surfaces are each composed of several pressing surface segments formed on different lamellae.

7. Radial press according to claim 6, wherein the pressing surface segments are spaced apart from one another by slats without pressing surface segments (spacer slats) being accommodated between the slats having pressing surface segments (pressing slats).

8. Radial press according to one of the preceding claims, wherein lamellae of a pressing jaw head consist of different materials.

9. Radial press according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the pressing jaw heads have at least two clamping elements arranged at different ends of the longitudinal structure, and in particular one of the clamping elements is designed as a screw element. 10 . Press jaw head set up for use in a Radial press according to one of the preceding claims.

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