Information
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Patent Grant
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6769350
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Patent Number
6,769,350
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Date Filed
Thursday, April 4, 200222 years ago
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Date Issued
Tuesday, August 3, 200420 years ago
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Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
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CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 092 51
- 092 52
- 092 117 R
- 092 117 A
- 092 152
- 091 169
- 091 207
- 091 216 R
- 091 217
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International Classifications
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Abstract
This invention relates to a linear path slide (10) with a slide (26) which is arranged slidingly movable in a housing (12) along a sliding guide (20) and safe against torsion and with a hydraulic driving gear (40) integrated into the slide (26) for a shifting movement of the slide (26), whereby a working piston of the hydraulic driving gear (40) is configured with at least two stages, whereby each stage of the working piston forms a partial hydraulic driving gear (40′, 40″) of the hydraulic driving gear (40) so that higher actuation forces can thus be realized.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a linear path slide with a slide which is arranged slidingly movable in a housing along a sliding guide and safe against torsion and with a hydraulic driving gear integrated into the slide for a shifting movement of the slide.
Linear path slides of the type according to the kind are known. They are used in particular as actuators in different devices for the processing and machining of metallic materials and plastic or plastic composite materials. The functions of these structural components typically include the pressing, forming, stamping, bending, beading, punching, cutting, jointing, jointing pressing as well as the carrying out of feeding functions with special requirements. Particular requirements are made to the properties of linear path slides among which, in particular, a very high energy density, a very high guiding exactitude as well as a very high stiffness against transverse loads and torsion are to be found. Furthermore, linear path slides should be constructed as compact as possible and allow, as standardized basic structural components, a flexible universal range of application. Moreover, properties such as maintenance-freedom during the whole lifetime, a robust construction for the use in polluted environment, the possibility of any fitting position, absolute tightness (for example by overhead mounting) and not least a low-cost production are desirable.
Different configurations of linear path slides are known. Because of the required high energy density, they are preferably hydraulic devices. However, basically the design as a pneumatically driven device is also possible.
From the EP 1 050 685 A2, we know a linear path slide in which a hydraulic driving gear is integrated into the slide for obtaining a compact construction and a reduced volume and thus a reduced weight.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The aim of this invention is to create a linear path slide of the type according to the kind which can realize high actuation forces by maintaining a compact construction.
According to the invention, this aim is achieved by a linear path slide with the characteristics indicated in claim 1. By the fact that a working piston of the hydraulic driving gear is configured at least with two stages, whereby each stage of the working piston forms a partial hydraulic driving gear of the hydraulic driving gear, it is advantageously reached that an increase of the actuation force of the linear path slide is obtained according to the selected multiple-stage design. The actuation forces applied by the individual partial stages are superimposed and thus result in a higher total actuating force.
Thus, due to such linear path slides, high processing forces are applied by maintaining an exact guiding and a high stiffness against transverse loads, for example for cutting tools.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided for that the working piston comprises a guiding element guided slidingly along the housing, guiding element which coaxially encompasses a piston rod fixed with respect to the housing, whereby the guiding element constitutes two inner spaces axially spaced to the piston rod and sealed against each other. Due to such a configuration, it is advantageously reached to use the size available for constituting the partial hydraulic driving gears. In particular, there results then a parallel efficacy of the partial hydraulic driving gears so that the increase of the actuation force of the linear path slide can be obtained in a simple way.
According to a further preferred embodiment, two hydraulic working spaces sealed against each other are respectively configured in each of the inner spaces of the guiding element sealed against each other, whereby these working spaces can be optionally charged with hydraulic oil under pressure. Thus, it is advantageously reached that either the adjusting movement of the linear path slide, or the reset movement of the linear path slide can be hydraulically activated.
Further preferred embodiments of the invention result from the other characteristics indicated in the subclaims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be explained in detail below with an embodiment with reference to the corresponding drawing which shows in
FIG. 1
a longitudinal section through a linear path slide.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1
shows a longitudinal path slide designated as a whole as
10
. The longitudinal path slide
10
comprises a housing
12
which constitutes an inner space
14
. The inner space
14
is configured symetrically to a longitudinal axis
16
. An inner wall
18
of the inner space
14
is provided with a slideway
20
which is preferably produced by a casting method in a known way.
When we consider the housing
12
in cross section, it is formed for example cylindrically, in particular however as a right parallelepiped. Correspondingly, the inner space
14
, considered in cross section, has a round or preferably a rectangular cross-sectional area. An outer face
22
of the housing
12
preferably forms a mounting surface and possesses a groove
24
for receiving a feather key or the like which serves for positioning and for absorbing the shifting forces.
A slide
26
which is guided completely free from backlash in the slideway is placed inside the housing
12
, thus in the inner space
14
. Considered in cross section, the slide
26
possesses a contour which is adapted to the inner space
14
, is thus preferably configured as a right parallelepiped. The slide
26
forms a prismatic slide. The slide
26
possesses a section
28
, protruding lengthwise over the housing
12
, which constitutes an actuation surface
30
. The actuation surface
30
serves for example for receiving tools which are not represented in detail, for example cutting tools or the like, or as a pressure or as a pressing surface which is brought into a bearing contact with a subject to be machined.
The forces which the slide
26
must apply in axial direction and resulting transverse forces are within the range of 10 KN to 150 KN, in individual cases also up to 250 KN. Because of an off-center load of the slide
26
during the working process, in particular for cutting tools placed on the slide
26
, transverse forces which act onto the slide
26
can be a multiple of the nominal longitudinal force.
The housing
12
is closed at its end opposite the section
28
of the slide
26
by a sealing flange
32
. The sealing flange
32
is connected with the housing
12
by intercalating an intermediate plate
34
over connecting means
36
. Thus, the inner space
14
becomes a blind opening so that a motion stopper is constituted for the slide
26
by the sealing flange
32
or the intermediate plate
34
.
The slide
26
forms for its own part a blind opening
38
which is open in direction of the intermediate plate
34
. The blind opening
38
serves for receiving a hydraulic driving gear designated as a whole as
40
. The hydraulic driving gear
40
is thus integrated into the slide
26
.
The blind opening
38
of the slide
26
forms the cylinder of the hydraulic driving gear which receives a working piston. The working piston comprises a piston rod
42
which engages with an ring shoulder
44
into a ring groove
46
constituted correspondingly by the sealing flange
32
and the intermediate plate
34
. The piston rod
42
is thus positioned aligned with the longitudinal axis
16
. The piston rod
42
is thus placed fixed, i.e. not movable lengthwise.
The piston rod
42
is coaxially encompassed by a guiding element
48
which constitutes a first section
50
forming a cylinder tube
50
′ and a second section
52
. The sections
50
and
52
have a circumferential backlash of approximately 0.5 mm to the inner wall
54
of the blind opening
38
of the slide
26
. A guiding without any backlash is also possible. It comes to the formation of an ring space
56
between the guiding element
48
and the piston rod
42
.
The section
50
of the guiding element
48
is closed pressure sealed by a plug
58
at its front side turned to the section
28
of the slide
26
. The plug
58
is screwed into the cylinder tube
50
′, i.e. it is screwed by means of an external thread
60
into an internal thread of the cylinder tube
50
′. A gasket
62
which is outlined here is additionally provided.
The sections
50
and
52
of the guiding element
48
are non-positively connected with each other, for example over a thread connection
64
. For this purpose, the sections
50
and
52
are provided with respective corresponding recesses at their ends which are turned to each other.
The piston rod
42
possesses a first section
66
with a smaller diameter and a second section
68
with a bigger diameter. A transition piece
70
is placed on the section
66
, this transition piece being placed tightly to the piston rod
42
with a gasket
72
and to the guiding element
48
with gaskets
84
. Thus, there comes to the constitution of a first inner space
74
and of a second inner space
76
of the ring space
56
. The transition piece
70
thus forms a bulkhead wall between the inner spaces
74
and
76
. The transition piece
70
engages with a ring shoulder
78
into a corresponding ring recess
80
between the sections
50
and
52
of the guiding element
48
. Thus, the guiding element
48
and the transition piece
70
are placed in such a way that they are not movable in relation to each other.
The piston rod
42
carries a first piston
82
fixedly placed thereon which is placed opposite the plug
58
. The piston
82
is guided by gaskets
84
on the section
50
of the guiding element
48
so that it comes to the constitution of a hydraulic working space
86
between the piston
82
and the plug
58
.
Due to the arrangement of the piston
82
and of the transition piece
70
, the inner space
74
also simultaneously forms a hydraulic working space
75
.
The piston rod
42
carries a second piston
88
which is also fixedly placed on the piston rod
42
. The piston
88
is guided by means of gaskets
90
on the section
52
of the guiding element
48
. Thus, there comes to the constitution of a hydraulic working space
92
between the piston
88
and the transition piece
70
.
Furthermore, the piston rod
42
is encompassed by a screwed connection
94
which is tightly placed on the piston rod
42
by means of gaskets
96
. The screwed connection
94
simultaneously forms a front side seal for the guiding element
48
and the slide
26
. Due to the arrangement of the screwed connection
94
, the inner space
76
simultaneously also forms a hydraulic working space
77
.
The piston rod
42
possesses a first axial bore hole
100
and a second axial bore hole
102
. The axial bore hole
100
runs on the one side into the hydraulic working space
86
and over a radial bore hole
104
into the hydraulic working space
92
. The axial bore hole
102
runs over a radial bore hole
106
into the hydraulic working space
74
and over a radial bore hole
108
into the hydraulic working space
76
. The axial bore holes
100
or
102
are respectively connected with a hydraulic oil connecting flange
110
or
112
. The connecting flanges
110
or
112
are connected with not represented hydraulic oil sources.
The linear path slide
10
represented in
FIG. 1
shows the following functions.
For drawing out the slide
26
, hydraulic oil is set under pressure at the connecting flange
110
. Due to the pressure connection over the axial bore hole
100
, the pressure builds up in the hydraulic working space
86
and over the radial bore hole
104
additionally in the hydraulic working space
92
. Thus, a force of pressure orientated to the left—according to the representation of FIG.
1
—is exerted onto the plug
58
and the transition piece
70
. An actuation force resulting herefrom depends on the pressure head and on the pressure loaded surface. Thus, there results the surface of the plug
58
which is turned to the hydraulic working space
86
as pressure loaded surface and the surface of the transition piece
70
which is turned to the hydraulic working space
92
as pressure loaded surface. These pressure loaded surfaces add up to a whole pressure loaded surface so that, compared with the known linear path slides, a higher actuation force can be applied. However, the surface of the transition piece
70
is not completely integrated into the increase of force but must be reduced by the cross section of the section
66
of the piston rod
42
.
The force which is building up is transferred over the plug
58
and the guiding element
48
to the slide
26
so that the slide is submitted to a corresponding axial adjusting movement along the longitudinal axis
16
. The maximal stroke of the slide
26
is predetermined here by the axial distance of the piston
82
to the transition piece
70
or of the piston
88
to the screwed connection
94
.
A reset movement of the slide
26
is possible in that hydraulic oil under pressure is applied to the connecting flange
112
. This pressure builds up over the axial bore hole
102
and the radial bore holes
106
and
108
in the hydraulic working spaces
75
and
77
. A restoring force orientated to the right—according to the representation in FIG.
1
—builds up according to the pressure loaded surface of the transition piece
70
which is turned to the hydraulic working space
75
and to the pressure loaded surface of the screwed connection
94
which is turned to the hydraulic working space
77
, whereby this restoring force moves the slide
26
into the housing
12
. The screwed connection
94
constitutes simultaneously with the ring shoulder
44
of the piston rod
42
a reset stopper.
It is clear that, due to the arrangement of two pistons
82
or
88
on the piston rod
42
—by intercalating a transition piece
70
—the hydraulic driving gear
40
is configured with two stages so that there results an increase of the pressure loaded surface and thus an increase of the actuation force. The piston
82
constitutes in connection with the hydraulic working space
86
and with the section
50
of the guiding element
48
a first partial hydraulic driving gear
40
′, while the piston
88
in connection with the transition piece
70
and the guiding element
48
constitutes a second partial hydraulic driving gear
40
″.
With respect to the further advantages of the linear path slide
10
, in particular with respect to its compact construction and to the fundamental advantages of a hydraulic driving gear
40
integrated into the housing
12
, we refer to the EP 1 050 685 A2, the content of which is made herewith to the content of disclosure of this invention.
The invention self-evidently is not limited to the represented embodiment. So, multiple stage constructions (with more than two stages) are also conceivable. It comes then either to a reduction of the maximal stroke of the linear path slide, or to a bigger axial extension of the linear path slide.
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List of reference numerals
|
|
|
10
Linear path slide
|
12
Housing
|
14
Inner space
|
16
Longitudinal axis
|
18
Inner wall
|
20
Slideway
|
22
Outer face
|
24
Groove
|
26
Slide
|
28
Section
|
30
Actuation surface
|
32
Sealing flange
|
34
Intermediate plate
|
36
Connecting means
|
38
Blind opening
|
40
Hydraulic driving gear
|
40′
First partial hydraulic driving gear
|
40″
Second partial hydraulic driving gear
|
42
Piston rod
|
44
Ring shoulder
|
46
Ring groove
|
48
Guiding element
|
50
First section
|
52
Second section
|
54
Inner wall
|
56
Ring space
|
58
Plug
|
60
External thread
|
62
Gasket
|
64
Threaded connection
|
66
First section
|
68
Second section
|
70
Transition piece
|
72
Gasket
|
74
First inner space
|
75
Hydraulic working space
|
76
Second inner space
|
77
Hydraulic working space
|
78
Ring shoulder
|
80
Ring recess
|
82
Piston
|
84
Gaskets
|
86
Hydraulic working space
|
88
Piston
|
90
Gaskets
|
92
Hydraulic working space
|
94
Screwed connection
|
96
Gaskets
|
100
First axial bore hole
|
102
Second axial bore hole
|
104
Radial bore hole
|
106
Radial bore hole
|
108
Radial bore hole
|
110
Connecting flange
|
112
Connecting flange
|
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Claims
- 1. A linear path slide, comprising: a housing; a sliding guide arranged in the housing; a slide arranged to beslidingly movable in the housing along the sliding guide and prevented from rotation; and a hydraulic driving gear integrated into the slide for a shifting movement of the slide, the hydraulic driving gear having a working piston configured with two stages, whereby each stage of the working piston forms a partial hydraulic driving gear of the hydraulic driving gear, the working piston including a piston rod fixed with respect to the housing and a guiding element guided slidingly along the housing, the guiding element coaxially encompassing the piston rod, the guiding element forms two inner spaces axially spaced to the piston rod and sealed against each other, the guiding element is closed and pressure sealed at one end by a plug and at another end by a screwed connection, and has a transition piece that forms the inner spaces, the guiding element has two sections between which the transition piece is held, the piston rod has a first, smaller diameter section and a second, larger diameter section, the transition piece being arranged in the first section, the transition piece being placed tightly to the piston rod and the guiding element by gaskets so as to form a first of the inner spaces and a second of the inner spaces, the sections of the guiding element each have a circumferential backlash to an inner wall of a blind opening in the slide, the guiding element being positioned together with the plug, the transition piece and the screwed connection to be movable lengthwise with respect to the piston rod, the piston rod carries a first piston placed in a first of the inner spaces and a second piston placed in a second of the inner spaces so as to divide the inner spaces into hydraulic working spaces.
- 2. A linear path slide according to claim 1, wherein the sections have a circumferential backlash of 0.5 mm.
- 3. A linear path slide according to claim 1, wherein the piston rod has a first axial bore hole that is connected with a first hydraulic connecting flange and runs into the hydraulic working spaces.
- 4. A linear path slide according to claim 3, wherein the piston rod has a second axial bore hole that is connected with a second hydraulic connecting flange and runs into the hydraulic working spaces.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
201 06 043 U |
Apr 2001 |
DE |
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US Referenced Citations (6)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
9315211 |
Dec 1993 |
DE |