Rotary metering head

Abstract

A rotary metering head comprises a platform which is rotatable about an axis of rotation and on which a jet valve is arranged that serves for the jetting of fluid materials.

Claims

1. A rotary metering head for jetting fluid materials, the rotary metering head comprising, a rotary platform which is rotatable about an axis of rotation, which is freely rotatable by 360° about the axis of rotation, and on which a jet valve that has a metering axis is arranged such that a point of intersection between the metering axis and the axis of rotation remains unchanged on a rotation of the rotary platform, an electric motor mounted on the rotary platform, said electric motor rotating the rotary platform about the axis of rotation by 360°, a cartridge holder mounted on the rotary platform, a rotary leadthrough freely rotatable by 360° for an electrical supply and a separate fluidic supply of the rotary metering head, and an entrainer provided between the rotary platform and a rotatable part of the rotary leadthrough to transmit rotation of the rotary platform to the rotatable part, thereby facilitating co-rotation of the rotary platform and the rotatable part.

2. The rotary metering head in accordance with claim 1, wherein the jet valve is adjustably fastened to the rotary platform such that said jet valve is adjustable in the longitudinal direction in parallel with the metering axis and such that the angle between the metering axis and the axis of rotation can be set.

3. The rotary metering head in accordance with claim 2, wherein the angle between the metering axis and the axis of rotation can be set between at least 0° and 45°.

4. The rotary metering head in accordance with claim 2, wherein the point of intersection between the metering axis and the axis of rotation remains unchanged on an adjustment in the longitudinal direction and/or on an angular adjustment.

5. The rotary metering head in accordance with claim 2, wherein a scale is provided for the adjustment in the longitudinal direction and/or for an angular adjustment.

6. The rotary metering head in accordance with claim 1, wherein the rotary platform is driven via a sprocket.

7. The rotary metering head in accordance with claim 6, wherein the sprocket has internal teeth.

8. The rotary metering head in accordance with claim 1, wherein the electrical supply includes a plurality of sliding contacts.

9. The rotary metering head in accordance with claim 1, wherein the rotary leadthrough includes a first rotary leadthrough providing the electrical supply and a second rotary leadthrough providing the fluidic supply.

10. The rotary metering head in accordance with claim 1, wherein the electrical supply channels electrical power to the jet valve.

11. The rotary metering head in accordance with claim 1, wherein the electrical supply channels electrical power the electric motor.

Description

(1) The present invention will be described in the following purely by way of example with reference to an advantageous embodiment and to the enclosed drawings; there are shown:

(2) FIG. 1 a perspective view of a rotary metering head;

(3) FIG. 2 a partly sectioned view of the rotary metering head of FIG. 1 without an inserted cartridge; and

(4) FIG. 3 a perspective view of the jet valve of the rotary metering head of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.

(5) The rotary metering head 10 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 serves for the jetting of fluid materials, for example adhesives, and comprises a rotary platform 12 which is rotatable about an axis of rotation A (FIG. 2), which is freely rotatable by 360° about the axis of rotation A, and on which a jet valve 14 that has a metering axis D is arranged. Very small quantities of fluid to be metered are ejected (jetted) onto a workpiece (not shown) along the metering axis D.

(6) The metering platform 12 is arranged on a holder 16 approximately of L shape in cross-section, wherein the assembly platform 12 is located in the limb of the holder 16 that is horizontal in the Figures. The vertical limb of the holder 16 can be fastened to a metering robot. A further, likewise substantially L-shaped support 18 is fastened to the upper side of the vertical limb of the holder 16 and has a collar arm 20 which projects over the rotary platform 12 and to whose free end a rotary leadthrough 22 freely rotatable by 360° is fastened such that its axis of rotation extends coaxially to the axis of rotation A (FIG. 2). The rotary leadthrough 22 has a plurality of electrical sliding contacts 24 and a rotary leadthrough 26 for a fluidic supply of the rotary metering head that opens into a stub 28. An electrical supply of the rotary metering head can take place via the sliding contacts 24, namely a control of an electric drive and a control of the jet valve 14. The fluid to be jetted can be acted on by pressure via the fluidic leadthrough.

(7) As FIG. 1 illustrates, a cartridge holder 30 into which a cartridge 32 filled with fluid can be inserted is provided on the rotary platform 12. The fluid present in the cartridge can be acted on by pressure, on the one hand, and can be conveyed to the jet valve 14, on the other hand, by hose connections, not shown in more detail, between the cartridge 32 and the jet valve 14 as well as between the stub 28 of the rotary leadthrough 22 and a stub 33 of the cartridge. In order in this respect to relieve the hose connection present between the cartridge 33 and the rotary leadthrough 22 and the electrical lines present between the rotary platform 12 and the rotary leadthrough 22 on a rotation, an entrainer 34 is provided between the cartridge holder 30 and a rotatable part 23 of the rotary leadthrough 22 such that the rotatable part 23 of the rotary leadthrough 22 rotates about the axis of rotation A together with the rotary platform 12. An electric motor 36 is provided on the rotary platform 12 for a drive of the rotary platform 12 about the axis of rotation A, said electric motor 36 engaging via a toothed wheel into a sprocket 38 that has internal teeth 40 and that is fastened on the horizontal limb of the holder 16. The rotary platform 12 supported in a ball bearing 42 thus rotates about the axis A on the drive of the electric motor 36.

(8) FIG. 3 shows an enlarged perspective representation of the jet valve 14 that has a plug 44 for an electrical supply at its upper side and has a lateral stub 46 for the supply of the medium to be jetted. An outlet nozzle 48 is adjustably arranged at the jet valve 14 and can be adjusted along the metering axis D with the aid of an adjustment lever 50, wherein a scale 52 is provided for a simplified setting. The metering spacing, i.e. the spacing between the nozzle tip 48 and the point of intersection between the metering axis D and the axis of rotation A (metering point), can be adjusted in this manner.

(9) The jet valve 14 is furthermore fastened to the rotary platform 12 such that the angle between the axis of rotation A and the metering axis D can be set manually. Indicators 54 are in this respect provided at the jet valve 14 for a simplified setting such that the set angle can be read off at a scale that is not recognizable in the Figures.

(10) Due to the above-described rotary metering head, a control of the metering robot of very little complexity can take place since the robot always has to travel the same distance even with a changed metering spacing, a new nozzle geometry, a changed rotation or a changed metering angle without the robot control having to perform a compensation.