Patent Application
20160256970
The subject matter herein generally relates to a positioning device for a process plant.
In manufacturing process, workpieces need to be located to reduce machining errors. The workpiece defines a location hole, and a locating pin can stretch into the location hole of the workpiece, whereby the workpiece can be located.
Implementations of the present technology will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached figures.
It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. Also, the description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts may be exaggerated to better illustrate details and features of the present disclosure.
Several definitions that apply throughout this disclosure will now be presented.
The term “coupled” is defined as coupled, whether directly or indirectly through intervening components, and is not necessarily limited to physical connections. The connection can be such that the objects are permanently coupled or releastably coupled. The term “substantially” is defined to be essentially conforming to the particular dimension, shape or other word that substantially modifies, such that the component need not be exact. For example, substantially cylindrical means that the object resembles a cylinder, but can have one or more deviations from a true cylinder. The term “comprising” when utilized, means “including, but not necessarily limited to”; it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion or membership in the so-described combination, group, series and the like.
The present disclosure is described in relation to a positioning device configured to position workpieces.
The pressing module 30 can number six, and each pressing module 30 can include a driving member 31 and pressing member 33 coupled to the driving member 31. In at least one embodiment, the driving member 31 can be a rotating telescopic cylinder.
Each driving member 31 can be fixed at the supporting portion 13 toward the accommodating space 15. The supporting portion 13 can further define six second through holes 131, and a driving end (not shown) of each driving member 31 can pass through the corresponding second through hole 131. When the driving member 31 drives the pressing member 33 to move away from the supporting portion 13, the pressing member 33 can move in a straight line, and then the pressing member 33 can rotate about the driving end of the driving member 31, and move away from the supporting portion 13 at the same time. When the driving member 33 drives the pressing member 33 to move toward the supporting portion 13, the pressing member 33 can rotate about the driving end of the driving member 31 and move toward the supporting portion 13 at the same time, and then the pressing member 33 can move in a straight line, until the pressing member 33 presses against a workpiece 200. In at least one embodiment, a rotating angle of each pressing member 33 can be 180 degrees.
The supporting portion 13 can further include six guide protrusions 135. Each guide protrusion 135 can be positioned near the corresponding second through hole 131. The guide protrusion 135 can be column shaped. Each pressing member 33 can include a guide portion 331 and a press portion 333. The guide portion 331 can be positioned near the corresponding guide protrusion 135, and a surface of the guide portion 331 toward the guide protrusion 135 can define a curved groove 3311. A distance between a rotating shaft of the pressing member 33 and an edge of the guide end 331 is smaller than a distance between the rotating shaft of the pressing member 33 and an edge of the press end 333. When the pressing member 33 moves in a straight line, each guide protrusion 135 can be at least partially received in the corresponding groove 3311. The guide protrusion 135 can abut the guide end 331, whereby the guide protrusion 135 can guide the movement of the pressing member 33, and the pressing member 33 would not shake.
The two manual valves 40 can be mounted on the two mounting portions 11. One manual valve 40 can be used to couple an gas pipe (not shown), and the six driving members 31 can be coupled to an external gas source (not shown). The other manual valve 40 can be used to couple another gas pipe (not shown), and the two driving portions 231 can be coupled to another external gas source (not shown). Therefore, the driving members 31 and the driving portions 231 can be controlled by the two manual valves 40.
In assembling the positioning device 100, the two manual valves 40, the locating module 20, and the pressing module 30 can be mounted on the supporting member 10, and the driving portions 231 of the locating module 20 and the driving members 31 of the pressing module 30 can be received in the accommodating space 15. The driving portions 231 can be coupled to one manual valve 40 by the gas pipe, and the six driving members 31 can be coupled to the other manual valve 40, thereby the two manual valves 40 can be communicated to the external gas source.
In operation, the pressing portions 333 can be positioned toward the an outer perimeter of the supporting portion 13 in an initial state, as shown in
The positioning device 100 can include the locating pins 233 for locating the workpiece 200, and the pressing member 33 for pressing the workpiece 200. After the workpiece 200 is positioned, the locating pins 233 can move out of the location holes 201 to prevent mistaken processing of the locating pins 233. Therefore, the locating pins 233 can be reused, and the cost is saved. Furthermore, the guide protrusions 135 can guide the linear movement of the pressing members 33, and prevent the pressing members 33 from shaking by external interference.
In other embodiments, the pressing module 30 can be one, two, three, or more than three.
In other embodiments, the positioning member 23 can be one or more.
In other embodiments, the manual valves 40 can be replaced by automatic valves, and the positioning device 100 can include two controllers (not shown) for controlling the automatic valves. The two controllers can be electrically coupled to the automatic valves. In other embodiments, the driving portion 231 and the driving member 31 can be motors, and the manual valves can be omitted.
In other embodiments, the driving portion 231 and the driving member 31 can be other driving components, such as linear motors, as long as the driving member 31 can drive the pressing member 33 to move toward or away from the supporting portion 13.
The embodiments shown and described above are only examples. Many details are often found in the art such as the other features of a positioning device for a process plant. Therefore, many such details are neither shown nor described. Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present technology have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the present disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in the detail, especially in matters of shape, size and arrangement of the parts within the principles of the present disclosure up to, and including, the full extent established by the broad general meaning of the terms used in the claims. It will therefore be appreciated that the embodiments described above may be modified within the scope of the claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 201510095688.0 | Mar 2015 | CN | national |
