Abstract
A device and a method can be utilized to measure concentricity of an internal toothing of a component. Such a device may include a determination segment, which can determine a concentricity deviation, that includes a spindle unit comprising a tapping spindle with a gauge gear wheel arranged thereon and intended for tapping the concentricity of the internal toothing, and an output spindle for transmitting the tapped concentricity from the tapping spindle to a measuring unit. The output spindle may be arranged directly or indirectly on the tapping spindle. A spindle holder may hold and position the tapping spindle, the output spindle, or the spindle unit. An adjusting element may position the gauge gear wheel, and the measuring unit may compare the tapped concentricity with reference values.
Claims
1.-15. (canceled)
16. A device for measuring concentricity of an internal toothing of a component, the device comprising a determination segment for determining a concentricity deviation, the determination segment comprising: a spindle unit including a tapping spindle with a gauge gear wheel disposed on a first end of the tapping spindle and configured for tapping the concentricity of the internal toothing of the component, and an output spindle for transmitting the tapped concentricity from the tapping spindle to a measuring unit, wherein the output spindle is disposed directly or indirectly on a second end of the tapping spindle opposite the first end; a spindle holder for holding and positioning the tapping spindle, the output spindle, or the spindle unit; an adjusting element for positioning the gauge gear wheel; and the measuring unit for comparing the tapped concentricity with reference values.
17. The device of claim 16 comprising a component-receiving segment for receiving the component, wherein the component-receiving segment comprises at least two bearing elements that are configured to be axially spaced apart and are for bearing and allowing a rotational movement of the component about a longitudinal axis of the component.
18. The device of claim 17 wherein at least one of the at least two bearing elements is a steady rest.
19. The device of claim 17 wherein the component-receiving segment comprises a drive unit for rotationally driving the component about the longitudinal axis of the component.
20. The device of claim 16 wherein the spindle holder comprises: a spindle holder support for receiving the tapping spindle and the output spindle; and a spindle holder base for moving the spindle unit.
21. The device of claim 20 wherein the spindle holder base is elastically deformable about an axis of rotation.
22. The device of claim 20 wherein the spindle holder base comprises a lever arm construction having support rods that cross one another in a plane extending in an axial direction of a longitudinal axis of the spindle unit.
23. The device of claim 22 wherein at least one of the support rods comprises a spring joint.
24. The device of claim 20 wherein the spindle holder base is a plate section construction having plate sections that cross one another in a crossing axis, wherein the crossing axis extends horizontally and orthogonally to a longitudinal axis of the spindle unit.
25. The device of claim 16 wherein the spindle holder is disposed on a carriage that is movable in an axial direction along a longitudinal axis of the spindle unit.
26. The device of claim 16 comprising a component-receiving segment for receiving the component, wherein the determination segment or the component-receiving segment is disposed on a holding table that is steplessly movable in at least one degree of freedom.
27. The device of claim 16 wherein the adjusting element and the measuring unit are disposed on and operatively connected to the output spindle.
28. A method for measuring concentricity of an internal toothing of a component, the method comprising: a) actuating an adjusting element to deflect a spindle unit such that a gauge gear wheel moves from an inoperative position into a retracted position; b) introducing the gauge gear wheel into a cavity that includes the internal toothing to be measured; c) renewed actuating of the adjusting element for renewed deflection of the spindle unit such that the gauge gear wheel moves from a retracted position into an engagement position in which the gauge gear wheel comes into at least partial meshing engagement with at least a portion of the internal toothing; d) driving the component to generate a rotational movement of the component about a longitudinal axis of the component; and e) detecting the concentricity of the internal toothing by way of the gauge gear wheel.
29. The method of claim 28 wherein before introducing the gauge gear wheel into the cavity, the method comprises introducing the component into a component-receiving segment and orienting the component in the component-receiving segment such that the longitudinal axis of the component and a non-deflected spindle unit longitudinal axis are aligned or extend parallel to one another.
30. The method of claim 29 wherein after detecting the concentricity, the method comprises transmitting the detected concentricity from the gauge gear wheel and a tapping spindle to the output spindle to the output spindle such that a measuring unit operatively connected to the output spindle detects deviations in the concentricity.
Description
[0026] Embodiments of a device according to the invention for measuring the concentricity of an internal toothing and also steps of the method according to the invention for measuring the concentricity of an internal toothing are explained in more detail below on the basis of drawings, in which in each case schematically:
[0027] FIG. 1 shows in a lateral sectional illustration one embodiment of a device according to the invention for concentricity measurement having a gauge gear wheel situated in the inoperative position,
[0028] FIG. 2 shows in a perspective view the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 of a device according to the invention,
[0029] FIG. 3 shows in a lateral sectional illustration the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of a device according to the invention for concentricity measurement having a gauge gear wheel situated in a retracted position,
[0030] FIG. 4 shows in a perspective view the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 of a device according to the invention,
[0031] FIG. 5 shows in a lateral sectional illustration the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 of a device according to the invention for concentricity measurement having a gauge gear wheel situated in the engagement position,
[0032] FIG. 6 shows in a lateral sectional illustration the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 of a device according to the invention for concentricity measurement having a gauge gear wheel situated in the retracted position,
[0033] FIG. 7 shows in a lateral sectional illustration the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 6 of a device according to the invention for concentricity measurement having a gauge gear wheel situated in the engagement position,
[0034] FIG. 8 shows in a lateral sectional illustration a further embodiment of a device according to the invention for concentricity measurement having a gauge gear wheel situated in the engagement position,
[0035] FIG. 9 shows in a cross-sectional illustration a section A-A of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 of a device according to the invention for concentricity measurement with one embodiment of a gauge gear wheel situated in the engagement position,
[0036] FIG. 10 shows in a perspective view the embodiment shown in FIG. 9 of a gauge gear wheel,
[0037] FIG. 11 shows in a cross-sectional illustration the embodiment shown in FIG. 10 of a gauge gear wheel,
[0038] FIG. 12 shows a section B-B of the gauge gear wheel shown in FIG. 11,
[0039] FIG. 13 shows in a cross-sectional illustration a section A-A of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 of a device according to the invention for concentricity measurement with a further embodiment of a gauge gear wheel situated in the engagement position,
[0040] FIG. 14 shows in a perspective view the embodiment shown in FIG. 13 of a gauge gear wheel,
[0041] FIG. 15 shows in a cross-sectional illustration the embodiment shown in FIG. 14 of a gauge gear wheel, and
[0042] FIG. 16 shows a section C-C of the gauge gear wheel shown in FIG. 15.
[0043] Elements having the same function and mode of operation are each provided with the same reference signs in FIGS. 1 to 16.
[0044] FIGS. 1 to 7 illustrate one embodiment of the device 1 according to the invention for measuring the concentricity of an internal toothing 22 of a component 20, such as a shaft shown here. The device 1 comprises a determination segment 2 and a component-receiving segment 3. The determination segment 2 comprises a spindle unit 4 which comprises a tapping spindle 5 and an output spindle 6. The tapping spindle 5 is arranged or received in the spindle holder 7, in particular in the spindle support holder 8, so as to be rotatable about the spindle unit longitudinal axis 30. For this purpose, it is conceivable that the spindle holder support 8 comprises a bearing element, such as a sliding bearing, a rolling bearing or a steady rest (not shown here). However, it is also possible that the tapping spindle 5 is at least partially arranged so as to be rotatable in the output spindle 6, as is visible in FIGS. 1, 3, 5, 6 and 7. Accordingly, the output spindle 6 forms a bearing portion 6.1 for bearing the rotatable output spindle 5. The spindle holder support 8 is advantageously designed in the geometric shape of a parallelepiped, but can also comprise a cylindrical shape. Of relevance for the spindle holder support 8 is at least the configuration of either a through-hole or one or more cavities or depressions by means of which an arrangement of the spindles, in particular the tapping spindle 5 and the output spindle 6, is made possible. The bearing element for bearing the rotatable tapping spindle 5 is advantageously arranged in a portion of such a hole, in particular the through-hole or continuous cavity or in one of the cavities. The output spindle 6 is advantageously connected to the spindle holder support 8 in a torsionally rigid manner. The output spindle 6 is advantageously clamped or pressed into the spindle holder support 8, in particular into a corresponding cavity provided for this purpose, or connected to the spindle holder support 8 in another force-fitting, form-fitting or integrally bonded manner. A gauge gear wheel 13 is arranged on a distal end or an axial end of the tapping spindle 5. This axial end is situated opposite to the axial end of the tapping spindle 5 by means of which the latter is connected to the spindle holder support 8. The gauge gear wheel 13 has advantageously been pressed onto the tapping spindle 5. However, it is also conceivable that the gauge gear wheel 13 is connected to the tapping spindle 5 in another form-fitting, force-fitting or even integrally bonded manner. The spindle holder support 8 is connected to the spindle holder base 9 of the spindle holder 7. The spindle holder base 9 comprises for example plate sections 10 which cross one another, in particular two plate sections 10.1 and 10.2 which cross one another, or support rods 11 which cross one another and are in each case arranged in two planes, in particular two support rods 11.1 and 11.2 which cross one another. When using two plate sections 10 which cross one another, one of the plate sections 10, for example the first plate section 10.1, extends through an opening (not shown here) in the other, in particular second plate section 10.2. At least one of the plate sections 10, particularly advantageously the first plate section 10.1, and advantageously also both plate sections 10, is/are advantageously elastically resilient plate sections 10 which are produced for example from a spring steel. The plate sections 10 each extend in a plane which, on the one hand, fans out orthogonally to the spindle unit longitudinal axis 30 and, on the other hand, fans out in the vertical direction. The plate sections 10 themselves run obliquely vertically in this plane at a defined angle.
[0045] In the configuration of support rods 11 as spindle holder base 9, instead of a plate section construction 10, as indicated for example schematically in FIG. 1, two support rods 11.1 and 11.2 are arranged in each plane, of a total of at least two planes, with only one of the planes being visible here. The support rods 11.1 and 11.2 for each plane cross one another at a coupling point or rotation point 18. The support rods 10 extend at a defined angle obliquely vertically between the spindle holder support 8 and a bottom element, such as for example a carriage 12 shown in FIGS. 1 to 7. At least one of the support rods 11 for each plane, particularly advantageously the first support rod 11.1 or else both support rods 11.1 and 11.2, advantageously comprises a spring joint in order to allow elastic bending or deformation of the support rods 11 and therefore deflection of the spindle unit 4 about an axis of rotation 19 which substantially continuously adapts itself during the movement of the device 1. It is also conceivable that a joint is formed at the rotation point 18, about which joint at least an upper V-shaped part of the support rods 11 can be rotated or tilted. For this purpose, a lower part of the support rods 11 is also formed as an inverted V, with the result that the two support rod portions meet at the rotation point 18. In this configuration, it is conceivable that the axis of rotation 19 is formed as a rigid, that is to say immovible, axis of rotation.
[0046] A displacement of the carriage 12 along the spindle unit longitudinal axis 30 also causes the entire spindle holder 7 to be displaced. This displacement allows an adjustment or setting of the desired or required axis of rotation 19 (as shown in FIG. 1) of the spindle unit 4 during its deflection. The excursion or the deflection of the output spindle 6 can advantageously also be set or adjusted by the movement of the carriage 12. The carriage 12 advantageously runs in linear rails (not shown here) which likewise extend along the spindle unit longitudinal axis 30.
[0047] Furthermore, the determination segment 2 comprises an adjusting element 14 and a measuring unit 15 which are each operatively connected to the output spindle 6. The adjusting element 14 is for example a cylinder, such as a pneumatic pressure cylinder, and serves to deflect the spindle unit 4, and therefore the gauge gear wheel 13 connected to this spindle unit 4, from an inoperative position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 or 6, into a retracted position, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and from a retracted position into an engagement position, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7. The measuring unit 15 is for example a measuring sensor which, during the measurement of the concentricity of the internal toothing 22 of the component 20, detects the deflections transmitted via the tapping spindle 5 to the output spindle 6 starting from the gauge gear wheel 13. It is conceivable that, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, the measuring unit 15 and the adjusting element 14 are arranged on a holding table 16. The holding table 16 is preferably displaceable in the direction of the spindle longitudinal axis 30. The holding table 16 is particularly advantageously movable in more than one degree of freedom, but can also additionally be moved in the horizontal direction, orthogonally to the spindle unit longitudinal axis and/or vertically and/or be tilted, in particular tilted forward and/or tilted laterally. It is conceivable that the carriage 12 is arranged on the holding table 16 and is advantageously movable thereon in the spindle unit longitudinal direction 30.
[0048] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, the device 1 also comprises a component-receiving segment 3 which serves to receive the component 20 and to hold it in a defined position, advantageously to rotate it about its component longitudinal axis 31. The component-receiving segment 3 comprises at least one bearing element 17, advantageously two bearing elements 17 which are configured to be spaced apart from one another as viewed in the direction of the component longitudinal axis 31, in order to allow sufficient process-reliable mounting of the component 20.
[0049] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and 6, the spindle unit 4, and accordingly the gauge gear wheel 13, are situated in an inoperative position. In this position, the spindle unit 4 is not deflected and the gauge gear wheel 13 is not in engagement with the internal toothing 22, which is to be measured, of the component 20. In FIGS. 3 and 4, by contrast, a movement of the adjusting element 14, that is to say an activation or deactivation of the adjusting element 13 (depending on which tool is chosen as adjusting element), causes the spindle unit 4 to be deflected, that is to say moved or pivoted about a preferably nonrigid axis of rotation 19, as schematically shown in FIG. 1. As a result, the gauge gear wheel 13 is moved upward, in particular raised, substantially in the vertical direction. After a deflection of the spindle unit 4 has occurred, the holding table 16 is advantageously activated to carry out a movement along the spindle unit longitudinal axis 30 in the direction of the component-receiving segment 2. As a result, the gauge gear wheel 13 is introduced into a cavity 21 of the component 20, in which cavity the internal toothing 22 to be measured is formed. After positioning the gauge gear wheel 13 in a retracted position and introducing this gauge gear wheel 13 into the cavity 21 of the component 20, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a renewed deflection of the spindle unit 4 occurs. This renewed deflection of the spindle unit 4 is again effected by the adjusting element 14 which, depending on the configuration of the tool, is activated or deactivated. During the renewed deflection, the spindle unit 4, and therefore the gauge gear wheel 13, are moved from the retracted position into an engagement position, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7. A movement therefore again takes place here, in particular a tilting of the spindle unit about the nonstatic axis of rotation 19, as schematically shown in FIG. 1, with the result that the gauge gear wheel 13 is moved downward in the vertical direction. After the movement has been executed, the teeth of the gauge gear wheel 14 advantageously come into meshing engagement with a portion of the internal toothing 22 of the component 20, as also shown in FIGS. 5 and 7 and also in the following FIGS. 8, 9 and 13.
[0050] It is conceivable that the gauge gear wheel 13 is brought into engagement with the internal toothing 22 of the component 20 in such a way that it lies on a lower region of the internal toothing 22, as viewed in the vertical direction, through its weight force alone or advantageously in combination with the spring force of the spindle holder base 9 in order to have a required pressing force. This can be seen in particular in FIG. 5. An alternative to this is shown in FIG. 7. In this configuration, the gauge gear wheel 13 is brought into engagement with the internal toothing 22 of the component 20 in such a way that it engages in an upper region of the internal toothing 22, as viewed in the vertical direction. For this purpose, it is required to generate a corresponding contact pressure. The pressing force of the gauge gear wheel 13 that is required for this purpose is generated for example by means of the spindle holder 7, in particular the spindle holder base 9 in active cooperation with the adjusting element 14, which can exert a defined tensile force on the spindle unit 4 and therefore on the output spindle 6. Just as in the arrangement of the gauge gear wheel 13 in the lower region of the internal toothing 22, the application of the gauge gear wheel 13 needs to be preceded by a deflection or pivoting of the spindle unit 4 from an inoperative position, as shown in FIG. 6. In addition, it is also possible to move the entire holding table 16 upward in the vertical direction in order to allow process-reliable engagement of the gauge gear wheel 12 in the internal toothing 22. Furthermore, it is advantageous if the bearing element 17 is arranged above the arranged component 20 in order to allow a defined counterpressure when applying the contact pressure by the gauge gear wheel 13 to the internal toothing 22 at least during the measuring operation. The bearing element 17 can take the form of a steady rest.
[0051] It should accordingly be noted that, for the determination of the concentricity of an internal toothing 22 and in particular the detection of concentricity defects of this internal toothing 22 of a component 20, it is not relevant in which portion of the internal toothing 22, as viewed in the circumferential direction, the gauge gear wheel 13 is brought into meshing engagement with the internal toothing 22.
[0052] FIG. 8 shows a further embodiment of the device 1 according to the invention. This embodiment differs from the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 by virtue of a differently designed spindle holder base 9. The spindle holder base 9 shown in FIG. 8 is advantageously configured as a measuring carriage 23. Its measuring tip can advantageously pick up the gauge gear wheel 13. The measuring carriage can likewise comprise support rods 11.1 and 11.2, with these, however, being arranged parallel to one another. An adjustment and positioning of the spindle unit 4 relative to the internal toothing 22 to be measured is advantageously also conceivable by means of these support rods 11.1 and 11.2
[0053] FIGS. 9 to 12 show an embodiment of a gauge gear wheel 13 which comprises an involute toothing. This advantageously allows a constant transmission ratio with optimal running smoothness between the internal toothing 22 of the component 20 and the external toothing 13.1 of the gauge gear wheel 13.
[0054] An alternative configuration of the gauge gear wheel 13 is shown in FIGS. 13 to 16. The external toothing 13.1 of the gauge gear wheel 13 advantageously comprises so-called circular arc flanks. These circular arc flanks, analogously to a measuring ball, produce contact only in a center plane of the gauge gear wheel 13.
[0055] The two depicted configurations of the gauge gear wheel 13 comprise tooth heads which extend in rounded-off fashion in the axial direction of the gauge gear wheel 13. This advantageously also allows process-reliable engagement of the external toothing 13.1 of the gauge gear wheel 13 in the internal toothing 22 of the component 20 with tolerable deviations with regard to the parallelism of the spindle unit longitudinal axis 30 of the spindle unit 4 in relation to the component longitudinal axis 31 of the component 20.
LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS
[0056] 1 Device [0057] 2 Determination segment [0058] 3 Component-receiving segment [0059] 4 Spindle unit [0060] 5 Tapping spindle [0061] 6 Output spindle [0062] 6.1 Bearing portion [0063] 7 Spindle holder [0064] 8 Spindle holder support [0065] 9 Spindle holder base [0066] 10 Plate sections [0067] 10.1 First plate section [0068] 10.2 Second plate section [0069] 11 Support rod [0070] 11.1 First support rod [0071] 11.2 Second support rod [0072] 12 Carriage [0073] 13 Gauge gear wheel [0074] 13.1 External toothing of the gauge gear wheel [0075] 14 Adjusting element [0076] 15 Measuring unit [0077] 16 Holding table [0078] 17 Bearing element [0079] 18 Rotation point [0080] 19 Axis of rotation [0081] 20 Component [0082] 21 Cavity [0083] 22 Internal toothing [0084] 23 Measuring carriage [0085] 30 Spindle unit longitudinal axis [0086] 31 Component longitudinal axis [0087] A-A Section [0088] B-B Section [0089] C-C Section
