METHOD FOR ACTUATING A TAPPET IN A LIFTING OR CLAMPING DEVICE, ESPECIALLY FOR FOLDING SHEET METALS IN CAR MANUFACTURE

DISPOSITIF DESTINE A ACTIONNER UN COULISSEAU DANS UN DISPOSITIF DE LEVAGE OU DE SERRAGE, EN PARTICULIER POUR L'AGRAFAGE DE TOLES DANS LA CONSTRUCTION AUTOMOBILE

English Abstract

The present invention pertains to a device for actuating a slide (1) in a
lifting or clamping device,
especially for folding sheet metals in automobile manufacture, wherein a slide
(1) that can be driven is
guided in a base (3).
The inventions provides for that that the slide (1) is supported on two wedges
(17, 18) with oppositely
situated wedge surfaces (7) that can simultaneously be adjusted in the
opposite direction by means of
an electric motor via a threaded gear (20) with anti-clockwise and clock-wise
thread, acting on a wedge
(1) with allocated wedge surfaces (25) that is connected with the slide.

French Abstract

L'invention concerne un dispositif destiné à actionner un coulisseau dans un dispositif de levage ou de serrage, en particulier pour l'agrafage de tôles dans la construction automobile. Un coulisseau (1) pouvant être entraîné et guidé dans une structure de base (3) portant le banc d'agrafage, presse les tôles à agrafer contre des outils d'agrafage fixes. Selon l'invention, ledit coulisseau (1) s'appuie sur au moins une surface d'appui (7) réglable au moyen d'un moteur électrique.

Claims

-5-
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege
is
claimed are defined as follows:
1. A device for actuating a slide in a lifting or clamping device, for folding
sheet
metals in automobile manufacture, wherein the slide can be driven and is
guided in a
base;
said device further comprising two wedges with oppositely arranged wedge
surfaces to
support said slide;
wherein said wedge surfaces can simultaneously be adjusted in opposite
direction by
means of an electric motor via a threaded drive with anti-clockwise and
clockwise thread
and which act on a wedge with allocated wedge surface, said wedge being
connected to
said slide.
2. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the wedges having said wedge
surfaces are guided at said base.
3. A device in accordance with claim 1 or 2, wherein said wedges are
adjustable
substantially orthogonally to the working direction of said slide.
4. A device in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein threaded nuts
for
the threaded drive guided therein and drivable by an electric motor are
arranged at said
wedges.
5. A device in accordance with claim 4, wherein the threaded nuts are
accommodated in a recess of said wedges.
6. A device in accordance with claim 4 or 5, wherein said threaded nuts have a
recirculating ball thread.
7. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the threaded drive includes a
spindle connected via a coupling to an electric motor.

Description

CA 02380448 2008-05-09
-1-
METHOD FOR ACTUATING A TAPPET IN A LIFTING OR CLAMPING DEVICE,
ESPECIALLY FOR FOLDING SHEET METALS IN CAR MANUFACTURE
Description:
The present invention pertains to a device for actuating a slide in a lifting
or clamping device,
especially for folding sheet metals in automobile manufacture, wherein a slide
that can be driven is
guided in a base.
In a prior-art device of the class described in the introduction (US 5 150
508), the folding stroke 3un.d
the needed folding force are brought about by a central hydraulic cylinder
located under the slide. In
another eznbodizu.ent, a compressed air cushion is located under the slide (DE
197 47 291). The slide
moves the folding bed and the work piece (body sheet metal) located therein
against the stationary
prefolding and finishing folding tools, which are fastened to displaceable and
pivotable means.
WO-A-97/49128 describes a press device, wherein the press slide is supported
on a wedge surface,
which can be adjusted by an electric motor on a gliding surface to actuate the
slide.
The object of the present invention is to dispense with hydraulic or pneumatic
systems for generating
and transmitting the necessary force.
This object is solved in that the slide is supported on two wedges with
oppositely situated wedge
surfaces that can simultaneously be adjusted in the opposite direction by
means of an electric motor via

CA 02380448 2007-05-17
-2-
a threaded gear with anti-clockwise and clockAvise thread, acting on a wedge
with allocated wedge
surfaces that is connected with the slide.
On rotation of the spindle, which is driven by an electric motor, the two
wedges are pushed together
and/or moved apart by the anti-clock-wisc and clock-wise thread of the spindle
via the threaded nuts.
Consequently, the wedges, which are connected with the slide, are accordingly
moved to and fro.
In particular, the wedges featuring the wedge surface can be guided at the
base.
The wedges arc preferably adjustable essentially orthogonally to the working
direction of the slidc.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, threaded nuts for a
threaded drive guided therein
and drivable by an electric motor are arranged at the wedges. The wedgcs arc
adjusted during the
rotation of the spindle and the slide is thus raised or lowered, respectively.
In addition, each
wedge may include a recess to accommodate the threaded nuts.
The threaded nuts preferably have a recirculating ball thread.
The spindle of the threaded drive can be connect.ed via a coupling to an
electric motor. A frequency
converter preferably controls the electric motor. A transmission gear may
advantageously be linked
between the electric motor and the coupling. Tbe spindle may be guided in a
self-aligning roller thrust
beating on the motor side.
The device, which is preferably called an electromechanical lifting unit,
can.be used, among other
things, in the fields of clamping technique, folding and hemming technique and
also in special arcas of
material handling technology.

26-JUN-2002 14:33 TK TECHNOLOGIES PATENTE +49 201 1063473 S.04i08
13893/GB
26.06.02 - 3 -
The present invention will be explained in greater below as an example on the
basis of Figures 1 and 2,
where
Figure 1 shows the embodiment being the subject of this invention, using two
wedges (17,18)
displaceable in opposite directions in the lower position of the wedge (19),
and
Figure 2 shows the embodiment according to Figure 2 in the upper position of
the wedge (19).
These figures show a slide 1, which can be moved vertically up and down and
carries on the topside a
folding bed not shown here for the body sheet metals to be folded. Stationary
folding tools, not shown,
are located above the folding bed. The slide 1 is guided in a base 3.
Horizontally adjustable wedges 17,
18, which are guided on gliding plates 6 arranged at the base 3, are located
below the slide 1. The
slide I is supported on oblique wedge surfaces 7 facing the slide 1,
A left-hand lower wedge 17 and a right-hand lower wedge 18 with wedge surfaces
7 sloped in
opposite directions can be moved in opposite directions by zneans of a common
threaded drive 20 with
threaded nuts 21, 22 with anti-clockwise and clockwise threads. The threaded
drive 20 is driven by a
common electric motor 16 via the coupling 14 and has the bearings 23 and 24 on
the end side. To lift
the slide 1, the two wedges 17, 18 are moved simultaneously toward each otlter
by means of the
threaded drive 20, and the corresponding wedge surfaces 7 of the wedges 17, 18
glide on the wedge
surfaces 25 of the upper wedge 19 and thus lift the slide 1. After reversal of
the direction of rotation of
the threaded drive 20, the wedges 17, 18 are again moved apaxt and the slide 1
is thus lowered.
CA 02380448 2002-08-20

26-JUN-2002 14:34 TK TECHNOLOGIES PATENTE +49 201 1063473 S.05%08
13893/GB
26,06.02 - 4 -
List of Reference Numbers
I Slide
3 Base
6 Gliding plate
7 Wedge surface
14 Coupling
16 Electric motor
17 Left-hand wedge (bottom)
18 Right-hand wedge (bottom)
19 Wedge (top)
20 Threaded drive with anti-clockwise and clockwise threads (spindle)
21 Threaded nut with anti-clockwise thread
22 Threaded nut with clockwise thread
23 Bearing of 20
24 Bearing of 20
25 Wedge surfaces at 19
CA 02380448 2002-08-20

Representative Drawing