CLAMPING ELEMENT AND MACHINING DEVICE COMPRISING THE SAME

Abstract

The invention relates to a clamping element, in particular a vacuum cup, which is used, for example, for holding a plate-shaped workpiece. The clamping element comprises a unit which is configured to detect individualised control signals transmitted via the power supply and to control the drive unit.

Claims

1. A clamping element, comprising: a contact area on which a section of a workpiece can be placed, at least one drive unit for moving the clamping element along a console of a machining device, wherein the clamping element comprises a unit which is configured to detect individualised control signals transmitted via the power supply and to control the drive unit.

2. The clamping element according to claim 1, wherein the drive unit comprises an engagement element in order to be able to move the clamping element relative to the console.

3. The clamping element according to claim 1, wherein the clamping element comprises a base with protruding sections which are configured to cover side walls of the console in sections.

4. The clamping element according claim 1, wherein the unit for detecting control signals is connected to a sliding contact.

5. The clamping element according to claim 1, wherein the drive unit is an electric drive unit.

6. The clamping element according to claim 1, wherein the clamping element comprises two or more drive units, the two or more drive units being configured to act at opposite sides of the console.

7. The clamping element according to claim 1, wherein the unit for detecting control signals is configured to connect, based on an activation key, the drive unit of the clamping element to a strip conductor of the console, in order to move the clamping element.

8. A machining device for machining a plate-shaped workpiece, comprising: a machine bed having at least one console extending in a first direction, at least one clamping element, wherein the clamping element comprises a drive unit for moving the clamping element along the console, and wherein the clamping element comprises a unit which is configured to detect individualised control signals transmitted via the power supply and to control the drive unit.

9. The machining device according to claim 8, wherein a strip conductor extends along the console, and a sliding contact of the clamping element being connected to the strip conductor.

10. The machining device according to claim 8, wherein a modular unit extends along the console, which modular unit comprises a grid with which an engagement element of the drive unit can engage.

11. The machining device according to claim 8, wherein the clamping element comprises two or more drive units, the two or more drive units being configured to act at opposite sides of the console.

12. The machining device according to claim 8, wherein the machining device comprises a control unit having an encoder, in order to modulate control signals for controlling the drive unit.

13. The machining device according to claim 8, wherein the console can be moved along the machining table in a second direction, a movement of the clamping element and the console to occur simultaneously at times.

14. A method for moving a clamping element along a console, wherein the clamping element comprises a drive unit for moving the clamping element and a unit for detecting control signals, comprising: detecting, by means of the unit, an individualised control signal transmitted via the power supply, and controlling the drive unit based on the control signal detected by the unit.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the unit connects, based on an activation key, the drive unit of the clamping element to a strip conductor of the console in order to move the clamping element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a clamping element according to an embodiment of the invention on a console of a machining device.

[0035] FIG. 2 shows a machining device having a plurality of clamping elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0036] In the following, a preferred embodiment of the invention will be described in detail on the basis of the enclosed drawings. Further modifications cited in this context of certain features can each individually be combined in order to form further embodiments of the invention.

[0037] The console 1 shown in FIG. 1 is part of a machining table of a machining device 100. The machining device 100 shown in FIG. 2 comprises a machine bed 101 which is provided with guides 102 for a plurality of consoles 1. The consoles 1 can be moved along the guides 102 in a translational direction.

[0038] Moreover, further guides 103 are attached on the machine bed 101 for a gantry 105. A machining assembly 106 can be moved along the gantry 105. Milling or drilling, for example, can be performed on a workpiece using the machining assembly 106.

[0039] In the following, a console 1 will be described in more detail on the basis of the view shown in FIG. 1.

[0040] A clamping element 10 is positioned on a contact face 1b of the console 1, which, as will be described in more detail in the following, can be moved along the Y direction (longitudinal direction of the console 1). In another application, the clamping element 10 can be detached from the console 1 and manually positioned on the contact face 1b of the console 1.

[0041] Moreover, a plurality of clamping elements (two, three or more, for example) may be provided on the console 1. An exemplary number of three clamping elements 10 is shown on the consoles 1 shown in FIG. 2; the number of clamping elements may be different, however. For the sake of clarity, just one clamping element 10 is shown in FIG. 1.

[0042] A modular element 20 is provided on each of two opposite side sections of the console 1 (just one side section 1a with a corresponding modular element 20 is shown in FIG. 1). In the present embodiment, the modular element 20 is connected (e.g. screwed) to the console 1, but may also be formed in part integrally with the console 1.

[0043] The modular element 20 comprises a strip conductor 21 and a grid 22. The strip conductor 21 is provided for transmitting power and data, while the grid 22 provides engagement sections for a drive unit provided on the clamping element 10.

[0044] In the present embodiment example, the strip conductor 21 and the grid 22 are arranged parallel to one another, although the strip conductor 21 and the grid 22 may also be formed as a common section, wherein this common section serves both as a grid and as a strip conductor.

[0045] The clamping element 10 comprises a contact area 11 on which a section of a plate-shaped workpiece, for example, can be placed. Such a plate-shaped workpiece may be, for example, a wooden panel, a chipboard panel, an MDF panel, an HDF panel, a panel made of composite material or similar.

[0046] Attached to the contact area 11 is a sealing element 11a, which surrounds an outer edge of the contact area 11. Furthermore, at least one vacuum opening is provided in the contact area 11, such that when the workpiece is mounted a vacuum is formed in the area of the clamping element 10 delimited by the sealing element 11a.

[0047] The contact area 11 of the clamping element 10 is supported by a support 12, which in turn is attached to a base 13. As in the case of the present embodiment example, the contact area 11, the support 12 and the base 13 can be formed of a plurality of parts or as one part.

[0048] Owing to protruding sections 13a, 13b, the base 13 is designed to be wider than the width of the contact face 1b of the console 1. Thus, the protruding sections 13a, 13b of the base 13 protrude beyond the side sections 1a of the console 1 when the clamping element 10 is mounted on a contact face 1b of the console 1.

[0049] Above this, the protruding sections 13a, 13b of the base 13 extend along the respective side section 1a of the console 1 and beyond the modular element 20 when the clamping element 10 is mounted on the console 1. Thus, the base 13 of the clamping element 10 surrounds the console 1 in sections.

[0050] A drive unit is provided in each of the sections 13a, 13b of the base 13, which is in contact with the strip conductor 21 via a sliding contact and which engages with the grid 22 of the modular element 20 by way of a respective engagement element (e.g. a gear wheel, not shown). Since the drive units are provided in sections 13a, 13b and therefore on both sides and since the drive movements thereof are synchronised, the clamping element 10 is prevented from jamming during the movement thereof along the console 1.

[0051] The respective drive unit comprises one or two electric motors per side, an electronic control unit in which a unit for detecting control signals (decoder) which may comprise a decoder, for example, is located, and optionally one or more additional devices for determining the position of the clamping element 10 on the console 1. The unit for detecting control signals interprets signals transmitted via the strip conductor 21 and received by the sliding contacts. If an individualised signal is detected, the unit for detecting control signals can, for example, control or activate the drive units of the clamping element, such that the clamping element is moved and re-positioned.

[0052] Moreover, according to a further modification it is possible to provide a drive unit in the base 13, for example in the centre thereof, wherein an engagement element (such as a gear wheel) is provided on both sides in the region of sections 13a, 13b of the base 13. The engagement elements are connected to one another via a gear mechanism and in this way they can be operated synchronously.

[0053] A permanent voltage (12V, for example) is applied to the strip conductor 21. The unit for detecting control signals (decoder) separates, in idle mode, the voltage from the drive unit of the clamping element 10 (the electric motors). Where necessary, information in the form of bits is transmitted on the strip conductor 21 by means of an external control unit, such as a control unit of the machining device 100. This is achieved by way of NRZ, RZ or Manchester encoding. In this way, it is ensured that a specific clamping element can be addressed.

[0054] In order for a desired clamping element 10 to respond, the data sets must initially contain a corresponding key which is uniquely assigned. If an activation key is detected by a unit for detecting control signals of a clamping element 10, the drive unit of the corresponding clamping element (electric motors) is connected to the strip conductor 21 and the clamping element 10 is moved.

[0055] Thus, any number of clamping elements 10 can be moved along the console 1 independently from one another by a control unit of the machining device transmitting one or more signals, in each case corresponding to a clamping element 10, via the strip conductor 21 and the respective sliding contact to the unit for detecting control signals, which in turn controls the respective drive unit.

[0056] According to a method of the invention, the position of a clamping element 10 on a contact face 1b of the console 1 is adjusted as follows.

[0057] A desired positioning of one or more clamping elements is input manually or on the basis of set-up data in a control program of the machining device. In order to achieve the positioning of the one or more clamping elements, the respective console can first of all be moved along the machine bed 101 if necessary.

[0058] Simultaneously, or subsequent to the movement of the console 1, the clamping element 10 (or plurality of clamping elements) provided on the console 1 is moved by modulating control signals on the electric strip conductors 21, which signals can be read out by the unit for detecting control signals of a drive unit of the clamping element. The activation or deactivation of a respective drive unit of the clamping element 10 is carried out based on the output of the unit for detecting control signals.

[0059] Although in the context of the present embodiment a grid 22 has been described for providing an engagement area for an engagement element, in order to ensure the movability of the clamping element 10 it is also possible to provide for the movement of the clamping element along the console by way of a linear motor.

[0060] Although the clamping element according to the present embodiment is designed as a vacuum cup/vacuum block, according to further embodiments the clamping element may be a claw in which a workpiece is clamped between clamping jaws.