Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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26221-84
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A MODULAR SYSTEM, IN PARTICULAR FOR CLAMPING
WORK PIECES
TEC~NICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a modular system as de~ined in the
preambl~ to patent claim 1.
PRIOR ART
In a known device of this kind, the base plate o~ the device
incorporates T-grooves that are so arranged as to cross each
other to ~or~ a grid and serve to accommodate a T-nut that has an
interior thread. The area of the T-groove that faces upwards,
and which is restricted, is not only designed to allow screws to
pass through it but is, at the same time, de~igned as a fitting
groove. The clamping part, which lies upon the supporting
sur~ace of the base plate o~ the device has, on its underneath
supporting sur~ace a T-groove that form a ~irror image o~ the ~ --
~irst T-groove re~erred to above. A double-T-nut, which is a
precise fit, is inserted into the ad~acent and aligned T-grooves.
The double-T-nut is designed so a-~ to be divided and the part~
are drawn together by a common connecting screw. The stability
Or this connection is determined, eæsentially, by the strength o~
the screw connection. The double-T-nut, which is a ~itting and
clamping element, must accommodate the shear ~orce~ in the X-
direction or the Y-direction. The greater the number of ~ -
connections of this kind that are incorporated in the structure,
the greater the errors in precision and losses o~ stability. A
further, signi~icant disadvantage of the known device is the fact
that drilled holes and grooves are required to provide
accessibility to the connecting elements. These serve
exclusively to secure the parts of the device to each other. The
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work piece or device supports that are so constructed are o~
limited use because o~ the openings that have to be provided.
In addition, DE-PS 34 07 003 describes a clamping device for
machine tools, in which the strength o~ the connection between
the base part and the clamping part or between the members
themselv~s is not determined by screws. This known device
incorporates an arrangement of parallel dove-tail grooves in the
base part. Narrower ribs or rails of the associated counterpart,
that are, however, complementary to the ~irst-named groove~ as
~ar as arrangement and shape are concerned, engage in these
first-named grooves. The angles of the slanting edges o~ the
grooves are identical. The grooves are selected so as to be wide
enough that the rails can always be inserted into the grooves
from above. The space in the corresponding groove that is left
~ree by the complementary rail is filled by a clamp strip in
order to connect the two parts to each other rigidly and
immovably onca ad~ustment ha~ been completed. Although the
strength Or the connection between the base part and the
associatQd counterpart or clamping part is not determinod by th~
strength of a screw connection, in this instance, there are,
however, no reference sur~aces that extend in the Z-direction.
The incorporation o~ inclined referQnce surfaces not only
restricts the ~lexibility of this known system very considerably
in comparison to the known solution that incorporatQs double-T-
nuts; the known syste~ with inclined reference sur~aces on dove-
tailed grooves i8 also comparatively costly to manufacture.
THE INVENTION
Proceeding ~rom this state of the art, it i8 the task of the
present invention to combine the advantages o~ various systems
with each other without incorporating the disadvantages o~ each.
The modular system that is to be created is meant to provide
great ~lexibility in positioning or in determining position. - -
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Furthermore, the new modular system is intended to provide ~or
rapid replication, with a high degree of stability and
consistency, without any need for supplementary measuring means
or measure~Qnts. The modular systQm according to the pre~ent
inv~ntion is intended to make secure and reliable connection by
means of connecting elements that engage positively between the
base part and the clamping part.
According to the present invention, this has been done in that on
each elevation there are, in each instance, two eparate
re~erence sur~aces are arranged so as to be spaced apart from
each other, and are spaced apart above each other by
undercutting.
In a preferred embodiment, the re~erence sur~aces are aligned.
.
Pre~erred configurations o~ the present invention are described ~-
in th~ subordinate claims.
The provision o~ two re~erence surfaces that are o~set relative
to each other in the Z-direction and are both recessed behind the
supporting sur~ace of the base part entails the advantage that
extremely solid bracing with contact on the reference sur~aces is
made pocsible. The clamping part is pressed under VQrV high
pressure against the re~erence surfaces by means of a filler
piece, ~or example, a wedge. When this is done, the connecting
element may be inserted parallel to the X-Y axis, with the result
that it is possible to produce very high structures in the Z-
direction and that these require comparatively little space in
the area where they are connected to the base part. The
symmetrical arrangement of the re~erence surfaces relative to the
undercut area or groove ensures the optimal trans~er Or ~orce
between the base part and the clamping part. The ~eatures o~ the
present invention provide a verv high level o~ rigidity and
accuracy o~ the connection.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ~RAWINGS
Preferred embodiments o~ the present invention will be described
in greater detail below on the basis of the drawings appended
hereto. These drawings show the ~ollowing:
Figure 1: a perspective view of a base part;
Figure 2: a perspective view o~ an arrangement o~ various
clamping parts on the base part;
Figures 3 to 8: di~erent embodiments o~ the elevations that are
arrang~d in a grid pattern on th~ base part;
Figure 9: a cross-section through a special con~iguration o~ the
elevation;
Figure 10: a plan view of the elevation as in ~igure 9;
Figure 11: a porspectlve view o~ a clamping wedge in the
assembled state;
Figure 12: an exploded view o~ another clamping wedge;
Figure 13: an embodiment o~ a di~ferently shaped clamping wedgs,
in perspective;
Figure 14: a perspective view o~ an embodiment of another
clamping wedge;
Figure 15: a view from the ~ront of an elevation at the edge o~ a
base part with an attached auxiliary component, both
sides being coupled by means of a specially formed
connecting element;
Figure 16: a perspective drawing of the connecting element;
Figure 17: a front view of a clamping part that is fixed in
position by a connecting element; ~--
Figure 18: a perspective view of another arrangement;
Figure 19: a perspective view of the arrangement of a further
arrangement shown by way o~ example;
Figure 20: a perspective view o~ a specially shaped base part;
Figure 21: a perspective view of another base paxt shown as an .
example~
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2 ~ X 3
igure 22: a perspective view o~ a structural situation of the
two base parts 20 and 21;
Figure 23: a plan view of a base part with a supplementary
structural member fixed thereon.
THE B~ST MODE FOR CARRYING O~T ~ YENTIO~
In the various embodiments that are shown, identical or
corresponding parts are in each case identified by the same
re~erence numbers. I~ necessary, they are distinguished only by
the number of apostrophes following the reference numbers.
Figure 1 is a perspective ViQW 0~ a base part that bears the
collective reference number 1. This base part 1 incorporates
elevations 3 that are arranged in a regular grid pattern. Viewed
from above, the elevations 3 have a square surface. The
elevations have supporting surfaces 4 on their upper sides. At
their sides, the elevations have two reference surfaces 5 and 6
that are provided on all four side~ and separated from each other
by a circumferential groove 7. A reference surface 11 extends
between the elevations, parallel to the supporting sur~ac~ 4.
The reference surfaces 5 and 6 serve as r~ference surfaces for
measurements taken in the X-direction and the Y-direction. The
referencQ surface 11 serves as a reference surface for
measuremQnts made in the Z-direction. The reference surfaces 5
and 6 that ar~ so arranged a3 to be spaced one abov~ tha oth~r
each lie in common planes.
Figure 2 6hows an Qxemplary arrangement of the clamping means or
supporting members on the base part.
Flat bars 21, the width tflank spacing] of which corresponds to
the spacing between the reference surfaces 6, 5, respectively, o~
ad~acent elevations 3, are arranged parallel to each other on the
reference surface 11 of the base part. Flat bars 20, the width
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of which corresponds to the spacing between the base of the
grooves of two opposing grooves 7 of the elevations 3, lie on
tbese lower flat rods 21. The thicknesn of the flat rod 21
corresponds to the height o~ the reference sur~ace 6. The
thickne~s of the flat rod 20 corresponds to the depth of the
groove 7. Two additional flat rods 21, the surfaces o~ which are
~lush wlth the supporting surface 4 o~ the elevation~ 3 are
arranged parallel to each other and transversely to the flat rods
20 and 21. The di~erent ~lat rods 20 and 21 can be pinned
together permanently, when they are then fixed immovably in the
base part.
Figure~ 3 to 8 show di~erent forms and arrangements both of the
grooves and of the reference sur~aces. The outline shape of the
elevations 3 can vary, ~or example, it can be round instead o~
square. In the embodiment shown in ~igures 3, 4, and 5, the
re~erence ~ur~acen 5 and 6 are configured 80 as to be rectilinear
in the Z-direction. In the embod$ment shown ln figure 6, the
re~erence surfaces 5' and 6' ars rounded. Pigure~ 7 and 8 ~how
the reference sur~aces 5'' and 6'' in an embodiment in which only .:
the central area of the reference surfaces is rectilinear in the
Z-direction, whereas there are in each instance ad~acent bevelled ~ -
sur~aces above and ~elow.
~igures 9 and 10 show an elevation 3 which is o~ square outline
and which each have at the centre of the.reference surfaces 5 and
6 that are arranged around the circum~erence, a square half-
groove 22 that continues in the base part 1 in a square
continuous groove 23.
.
Figures 11, 12, 13, 14, and 16 show di~ferent shapes o~ -
connecting elements that are in the ~orm o~ clamping wedges. The
shape of the connecting elements corresponds to the shape of the
grooves which, on the one hand, are provided in the elevations 3
of the base part, and to the grooves in the clamping parts 2 that
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are meant to be secured to the base part l, said grooves being ~-
disposed at the same height. Figure 17 shows the arrangement of
a clamping part 2 between two opposing elevations 3. The
clamping part 2 is only shown in part. It lies with its lower
~ace surface on the reference surface ll of the base part l and
has rectangular grooves 2c which extend at the ~ame height as the
opposing grooves 7, in its side faces. In the embodiment shown,
clamping wedges 8' are used as the connecting elements between
th~ clamping part 2 and the elevations 3; these clampinq wedges
clamp in the direction o~ the resultant C (see the force diagram,
~igure 17) when the tightening screws 8a that extend axially are
drawn tight~
In the embodiment shown in ~igure 18, the clamping part consi~ts
o~ two wedge-shaped, complementary plates 2a and 2b. The plates
2a and 2b are ~ixed in the X plane and the Y plane between the
opposing re~erence surfaces o~ opposing elevations 3 by
appropriate displacement in the longitudinal direction. They are
prevented from ~oving in the Z-direction by the continuous
connecting elements that are configured as bars 8, which are
inserted into the grooves in the clamping part halves and thQ
elevations 3 that are opposite each oth~r in each instance.
In the embodiment shown in figure 19, four base parts, each
having four ~levations 3'', are arranged on a co~mon supporting
plate 22 which may be, for example, a machine table. The
arrangement o~ the four base parts 1'' is such as to result in a
completely uniform grid between all sixteen elevatlons 3''.
Bensath the re~erence sur~ace ll' there are two inters~cting
channels 23 on each base part l''. Two intersecting but lower
channels 24 are formed between the four base parts 1''. Filings,
chips, and ~imilar machine waste, diluted soluble oil, cutting
oil, and th~ like can run o~ through the channels 23 and 24. -~
~ 7
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The clamping part 2'' that can be secured by conventional
connecting el~ments, for example, bars, between the elevations
3'' is, in its turn, provided with additional grooves and that
extend in the Z-direction, and matching reference surfaces.
Other clamping parts or attachments can be secured to the
clamping part 2'' in the same or a similar manner as the clamping
part 2'' is itsel~ secured to the base part 1''.
Figure 20 shows a base part 1' that incorporates elevation3 3'
that ~ace downwards and an elevation 3''' which ~aces upwards.
All o~ the elevations incorporate the reference sur~aces 5 and 6
referred to hereto~ore as well as the grooves 7 that run between
these.
Figure 21 shows an additional base part 1'' t~at incorporates two
elevations 3'. There is a groove 7a beneath the reference
sur~ace 6.
Figure 22 shows how the two base parts 1' and 1'' are assembled
using bars 8 that serve as connecting elements. In this
arrangement it is possible that one element 1' be regarded as a
base part and the second element 1'' be regarded as the clamping
part. In this sense, in this solution too, a base part 1' is
connected to a clamping part 1'' through connecting elements 8.
Figure 23 shows a further design variation in which one base part
1 i8 provided with ~levation~ 3. A base part 1' with ~levations
3' is ~ixed in plac~ on this base part. This ~ixing is ef~ected
by way o~ connecting elements 8 and 8' as well as by the locking
parts 18 and 19.
The modular system according to the present invention is o~
universal application. It can also be used, to great advantage,
to produce modular toys and toy building blocks.
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