Quick coupling system

Abstract

To expand an application range of a quick coupling system for changing an attachment of a construction machine.SOLUTION: A quick coupling system (1) contains a quick coupler (3) arranged on a support (2) so as to be rotatable about a rotary axis (5) by means of a rotary drive (4) and / or pivotable about a swivelling axis (7) by means of a swivel drive (6). A gripping tong arrangement (23) which can be actuated by means of a gripper drive (29, 30) is arranged on the quick coupler (3) and has a plurality of gripper arms (24, 25) which can be moved against each another, and exchangeable gripper elements (32) are arranged on the gripper arms (24, 25).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The invention relates to a quick coupling system for changing attachments of a construction machine according to the preamble of claim 1. [Background technology]

[0002] Such quick coupling systems are used in excavators or other comparable construction machines between the attachments and the tools of the construction machines as rotating-swivel units for expanding the movement options. Such quick coupling systems usually comprise a quick coupler arranged in the connection so that it can be rotated about a rotation axis by a hydraulic rotation drive and swiveled about a swivel axis perpendicular to the rotation axis by a hydraulic swivel drive, the quick coupler having a receptacle for releasably holding an attachment coupled to the quick coupler and at least one locking element. By means of such a quick coupling system, attachments coupled to the quick coupler, such as swivel buckets, grippers, scissors, compactors, magnets, hydraulic hammers, etc., can be rotated not only about a swivel axis arranged transversely to the longitudinal axis of the excavator stick, but also about a swivel axis perpendicular to this swivel axis. Such a quick coupling system is known from US Pat. No. 5,399,363. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] DE 10 2020 127 313 A1 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The object of the present invention is to create a quick coupling system of the type mentioned at the outset, which allows for an expanded range of applications. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] This problem is solved by a quick coupling system having the features of claim 1. Useful and advantageous further embodiments of the invention are set out in the dependent claims. The quick coupling system according to the invention for changing an attachment of a construction machine comprises a quick coupler for coupling a tool or attachment part, which is arranged on a support so that it is rotatable about a rotation axis by a rotary drive and / or pivotable about a pivot axis by a swivel drive. To expand the range of applications, a gripping tongs device with several gripper arms movable relative to one another is arranged on the quick coupler, which are actuated by a gripping tongs drive and can be easily retrofitted as required. This makes it possible, for example, to grip and transport pipes, rings, bars, stones, etc. In order to adapt the gripping tongs device to different requirements relatively easily and cost-effectively, replaceable gripper elements are arranged on the gripper arms. This facilitates an expansion of the range of applications. It is not necessary to reconstruct or modify the entire gripping tongs device to adapt to different requirements and application areas. Only the gripper elements arranged separately on the gripper arms have to be exchanged.

[0006] In a preferred embodiment, the quick coupler on which the gripping tongs device is arranged is arranged on the support so that it can be rotated about a rotation axis by a rotary drive and pivoted about a swivel axis perpendicular to the rotation axis by a swivel drive, whereby the gripping tongs device can be tilted as well as rotated. However, the quick coupler can also be arranged on the support so that it can only be rotated or tilted.

[0007] The gripper tongs apparatus preferably has two gripper arms arranged on the support structure so that they can pivot relative to one another, however, the gripper tongs apparatus could also include three or more gripper arms.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment, the gripper elements, which are individually adapted to the desired application area, can be attached to the gripper arm via a non-destructively removable connection. This allows the gripper elements to be replaced or exchanged particularly quickly and without significant conversion efforts. However, it is also possible to weld or fasten the gripper elements to the gripper arm in another suitable manner. In that case, the gripper elements can still be exchanged with only somewhat greater efforts. It is not necessary to exchange the entire gripper arm in order to adapt it to a specific application area.

[0009] In one practical embodiment, the gripper element has an outer clamping surface for gripping the component on the inside. The gripper element may also have a stop surface and a protrusion protruding outwards. In a further advantageous embodiment, an elastic pressure body may be arranged on the gripper element. This makes it possible to grip sensitive components, such as marbles, for example.

[0010] In an advantageous embodiment, the gripper tongs drive may comprise a first gripper cylinder for driving the first gripper arm and a second gripper cylinder for driving the second gripper arm, however, the gripper tongs drive may also be designed differently.

[0011] The support preferably has two parallel side plates with openings for receiving two parallel bolt-shaped connecting elements, which allow the support to be placed directly on the excavator arm or to be coupled to a quick coupler placed on the excavator arm via the bolt-shaped connecting elements.

[0012] Further special features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following description of preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a quick coupling system having a gripping tongs arrangement. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a gripping tongs device in a perspective view. [Diagram 3] FIG. [Figure 4] 3 is a detailed view of a gripper arm of the gripping tongs device shown in FIG. 2. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a detailed view of a gripper arm in a further design. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] 1 shows a quick coupling system 1, also known as a tiltrotator, for changing an attachment of an excavator or a comparable construction machine. The quick coupling system 1 comprises a quick coupler 3 arranged on a support 2 so that it can be rotated and swiveled by a rotary and swivel drive and designed for automatic or manual coupling of an attachment. In the illustrated embodiment, the quick coupler 3 is arranged on the support 2 so that it can be rotated 360° about a rotation axis 5 by a hydraulic rotary drive 4 and swiveled about a swivel axis 7 perpendicular to the rotation axis 5 by a hydraulic swivel drive 6, the support being able to be coupled directly or via a hydraulically actuated quick coupler to an excavator stick or another attachment element of the construction machine.

[0015] The quick coupling system 1, here designed as a tiltrotator, comprises a drive housing 8, in which the quick coupler 3 is mounted so that it can rotate 360° around a rotation axis 5, which is aligned here vertically. In the drive housing 8 there is also a hydraulic rotation feedthrough, not visible here, in which a stator is arranged in the drive housing 8 so as to be non-rotatable relative to the drive housing 8 and a rotor is rotatably mounted inside the stator for supplying hydraulic fluid to the quick coupler 3. The rotary drive 4 comprises a hydraulic motor 9, designed as a hydraulic drive, by which the quick coupler 3 can be rotated 360° around the rotation axis 5 relative to the drive housing 8 via a gearbox having a worm wheel arranged inside the drive housing 8 and a drive worm rotatable by the hydraulic motor 9.

[0016] The drive housing 8 is arranged on the support 2 via a laterally projecting bearing pin 10 in two spaced apart bearing eyes 11, so that the drive housing 8 can be swiveled about a pivot axis 7 perpendicular to the rotation axis 5 and can be swiveled about + / - 45° relative to the quick coupling system 1 from the position shown in Figures 1 and 2 about the pivot axis 7 via the hydraulic swivel drive 6. The quick coupling system 1, here designed as a tiltrotator, allows the attachment coupled to the quick coupler 3 not only to rotate about the rotation axis 5 but also to tilt relative to the support 2 about the pivot axis 7 perpendicular to the rotation axis 5, thus increasing the range of movement and therefore the area of ​​application. However, the quick coupling system 1 could also be designed to only either rotate or swivel the quick coupler 3.

[0017] In the embodiment shown, the support 2 has two parallel side plates 12 and a front and a rear crosspiece 13 in which bearing eyes 11 are arranged. The drive housing 8 is pivotally mounted about the pivot axis 7 via two bearing pins 10 in the bearing eyes 11 of the front and rear crosspieces 13. The two side plates 12 of the shown quick coupling system 1 are provided with four openings 14 for receiving two parallel bolt-shaped connecting elements.

[0018] The manually or hydraulically actuable quick coupler 3 designed for coupling attachments or tools comprises a housing 15 with a second receptacle 16 open on one side for receiving and holding a first bolt-shaped coupling element on the tool side and a second receptacle on the other side, not visible here, for receiving and holding a second bolt-shaped coupling element on the tool side. An exemplary embodiment of a hydraulically actuated quick coupler 3 for automatically coupling tools is disclosed in DE 10 2018 128 479 A1. With regard to the known structure and mode of operation of such a hydraulically actuated quick coupler, explicit reference is made to this publication. However, the quick coupler 3 can also be designed as a manually operated quick coupler. Examples of embodiments of manually operated quick couplers are disclosed, for example, in DE 20 2017 001 992 A1.

[0019] In the illustrated embodiment, the swivel drive 6 is formed by two double-acting actuating cylinders 17 and 18, each having a cylinder housing 19 attached to the respective side plate 12 of the support 2 and a hydraulically movable piston rod 20 slidably arranged in the cylinder housing 19. The free end of the piston rod 20 is connected to the drive housing 8 via a hinge eye 21 and a corresponding holder 22. By correspondingly extending and retracting the two piston rods 20 of the actuating cylinders 17 and 18, the drive housing 8, with the quick coupler 3 rotatably mounted therein, can be tilted relative to the support 2. However, the swivel drive 6 can also be formed by a hydraulic motor or another suitable hydraulic drive.

[0020] A gripping tongs device 23 with two gripper arms 24 and 25 that can be pivoted relative to one another is also arranged in the housing 15 of the quick coupler 3 and can easily be retrofitted or removed again if necessary. The two gripper arms 24 and 25 are arranged on a support structure 26, also shown in FIG. 2, in such a way that they can be pivoted about an axis 27 or 28, respectively, and can be opened and closed via a hydraulic gripper tongs drive formed here by two double-acting gripper cylinders 29 or 30. One of the two gripper arms 24 and 25 has a slot-like recess 31 for receiving the other gripper arm 24 or 25. This allows the two gripper arms 24 and 25, which can be pivoted by the gripper cylinders 29 or 30, respectively, to move into one another when closing and to be completely closed. In contrast to FIG. 1, in which the gripper arm 24 provided with the slot-shaped recess 31 is arranged on the left side of the support structure 26, in the embodiment of FIG. 2 the gripper arm 24 provided with the slot-shaped recess 31 is arranged on the right side of the support structure 26. The support structure 26 is symmetrical so that it can be easily mounted to the quick coupler 3 in two different positions, i.e. rotated 180°.

[0021] As can be seen from Figures 1 and 2, separate replaceable gripper elements 32 are arranged on the two gripper arms 24 and 25. In the example embodiment shown, the gripper elements 32 are attached to the gripper arms 24 and 25 via screws 33 or another non-destructively removable connection. The gripper arm 24, which is provided with a slot-like recess 31, is fitted with two gripper elements 32, one above and one below the recess 31, whereas the other gripper arm 25 is fitted with only one gripper element 32.

[0022] The gripper elements 32 shown in Figures 1 and 2 are designed to grip, for example, the inside of manhole rings, pipes, etc. As can be seen especially from the enlarged views in Figures 4 and 5, these gripper elements 32 have a linear outer clamping surface 34 and an outwardly projecting nose 35 with a stop surface 36. By separating the two gripper arms 24 and 25, the mutually parallel clamping surfaces 34 of the two gripper elements 32 can be used, for example, to clamp a manhole pipe or other part from the inside and hold it for transport. In the embodiment shown in Figure 4, the gripper element 32 is removably attached to the gripper arm via a screw 33 and can therefore be easily replaced or exchanged. However, the gripper element 32 could also be welded or fixed to the gripper arm in another suitable way, as shown in Figure 5. The gripper element 32 can then be exchanged or modified to fit different requirements. However, this modification involves more effort.

[0023] Instead of the gripper element 32 shown in figures 1 and 2, other gripper elements adapted to special application areas can of course also be mounted on the gripper arms 24 and 25. In figure 3, for example, a gripper element 38 provided with a rubber buffer or other elastic pressure body 37 is mounted on the gripper arms 24 and 25. This makes it possible to grip sensitive components, for example consisting of marbles, etc. Other specially adapted gripper elements can also be easily and quickly mounted. [Explanation of symbols]

[0024] 1 Excavator Attachment 2 Support 3 Quick Coupler 4 Rotation drive unit 5 Rotation Axis 6 Swivel drive unit 7 Swivel Axis 8 Drive housing 9. Hydraulic Motor 10 Bearing pin 11 Bearing eye 12 Side Panel 13 Cross Piece 14 Openings 15 Housing 16 Receptacle 17 First working cylinder 18 Second working cylinder 19 Cylinder housing 20 Piston rod 21 Hinge Eye 22 Holder 23 Gripping tong device 24 First Gripper Arm 25 Second Gripper Arm 26 Support structure 27 First Axis 28 Second Axis 29 First gripper cylinder 30 Second gripper cylinder 31 Recess 32 Gripper elements 33 Screw 34 Clamping surface 35 Protrusion 36 Stopping surface 37 Pressing body 38 Gripper Elements

Claims

1. 1. A quick coupling system (1) for changing an attachment of a construction machine, comprising a quick coupler (3) for coupling a tool or attachment part, arranged on a support (2) so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis (5) by a rotation drive (4) and / or pivotable about a pivot axis (7) by a swivel drive (6), characterized in that a gripping tongs device (23) having a plurality of gripper arms (24, 25) movable relative to one another, which can be actuated by a gripping tongs drive (29, 30), is arranged on the quick coupler (3), and further in that replaceable gripper elements (32, 38) are arranged on the gripper arms (24, 25).

2. 2. The quick coupling system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the quick coupler (3) on which the gripping tongs device (23) is arranged is arranged on the support (2) so as to be rotatable about the rotation axis (5) by the rotary drive (4) and pivotable about a swivel axis (7) perpendicular to the rotation axis (5) by the swivel drive (6).

3. 3. A quick coupling system (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the gripping tongs device (23) comprises two gripper arms (24, 25) arranged on a support structure (26) so as to be pivotable relative to one another.

4. 3. A quick coupling system (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the gripper elements (32, 38) are attached to the gripper arms (24, 25) via non-destructively detachable connections.

5. 3. A quick coupling system (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the gripper elements (32, 38) are welded to the gripper arms (24, 25).

6. 3. A quick coupling system (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the gripper elements (32, 38) comprise outer clamping surfaces (34) for internal gripping of a component.

7. 3. A quick coupling system (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the gripper elements (32, 38) comprise outwardly projecting projections (35) having stop surfaces (36).

8. 3. A quick coupling system (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that an elastic pressure body (37) is arranged on the gripper element (32, 38).

9. 3. A quick coupling system (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the gripping tongs drive (29, 30) comprises a first gripper cylinder (29) for driving the first gripper arm (24) and a second gripper cylinder (30) for driving the second gripper arm (25).

10. 3. A quick coupling system (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the support (2) comprises two parallel side plates (12) having openings (14) for accommodating two parallel bolt-shaped connecting elements.

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