Coupling Device

Abstract

A coupling device for coupling a hollow shaft taper to a receiver provided on the machine tool, having a collet and a tension rod by means of which the collet can be brought into a release position or a clamping position. The collet is embodied in one piece and has several clamping segments extending in its longitudinal direction. Upon moving the collet into the clamping position, said clamping segments are moved in a radial direction against spring forces exerted by the spring element. The spring elements are an integral part of the collet. Each spring element between two adjacent clamping segments is provided to extend in the longitudinal direction of the latter.

Claims

1. A coupling device (1) for coupling a hollow shaft coupling (2) to a receiver (3) provided on the machine tool side, having a collet (6) and a tension rod (4) by means of which the collet (6) can be moved into a release position of a clamping position, with the collet (6) being embodied in one piece and having several clamping elements (8) extending in its longitudinal direction, with said clamping elements, upon moving of the collet (6) into the clamping position, being moved in a radial direction against spring forces exerted by the spring element (9), with the spring elements (9) being an integral part of the collet (6), characterized in that each spring element (9) is provided to extend between two adjacent clamping segments (8) in their longitudinal direction.

2. The coupling device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the clamping segments (8) are embodied identically.

3. The coupling device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the spring elements (9) are embodied identically.

4. The coupling device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the clamping segments (8) and the spring elements (9) form a rotation-symmetrical arrangement relative to the longitudinal axis of the collet (6).

5. The coupling device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that each clamping segment (8) forms a joint (10) at its rear end.

6. The coupling device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that each clamping segment (8) has at its front end a collar segment (13), with the collar segment (13) having a slanted surface (15) against which rests a head (4a) of the tension rod (4), and with the collar segment (13) having a contact surface (14) against which rests a segment of the hollow shaft coupling (2).

7. The coupling device (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that a spring element (9) extends from the joint (10) to the collar segment (13) of a clamping segment (8).

8. The coupling device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the spring elements (9) extend over the entire length of the clamping segments (8).

9. The coupling device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the spring elements (9) embody leaf spring elements.

10. The coupling device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that each spring element (9) has two arms at a distance from each other that are connected with each other by means of a connecting web (17) at a longitudinal end of the spring element (9).

11. The coupling device (1) according to claim 10, characterized in that one arm (16) each is arranged on the edge of a clamping segment (8) of two adjacent clamping segments (8).

12. The coupling device (1) according to claim 11, characterized in that each arm (16) is molded at its free end to the associated clamping segment (8).

13. The coupling device (1) according to claim 10, characterized in that the spring element (9) embodies a mirror-symmetrical arrangement with its two arms (16).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] The invention is explained below based on the drawings. The following is shown in:

[0032] FIG. 1: an exemplary embodiment of the coupling device according to the invention with a collet in its clamping position;

[0033] FIG. 2: an arrangement according to FIG. 1 with the collet in its release position;

[0034] FIG. 3: a first perspective view of the collet of the coupling device according to FIGS. 1 and 2;

[0035] FIG. 4: a second perspective view of the collet of the coupling device according to FIGS. 1 and 2;

[0036] FIG. 5: a cross-section view of the collet according to FIGS. 3 and 4;

[0037] FIG. 6: a first longitudinal section view of the collect according to FIGS. 3 and 4;

[0038] FIG. 7: a second longitudinal section view of the collect according to FIGS. 3 and 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0039] FIGS. 1 and 2 show an exemplary embodiment of the coupling device 1 according to the invention. The coupling device 1 is used for coupling a hollow shaft taper 2 to a receiver 3 of a machine tool. In the hollow shaft taper 2, a tool (not shown) can be supported.

[0040] The receiver 3 contains a through-bore in the axial direction, in which a tension rod 4 is shiftably supported in its longitudinal direction. The tension rod 4 has a head 4a at its front end.

[0041] The tension rod 4 is embodied in the shape of a hollow body, with a guide 5 of the hollow shaft taper 2 protruding into the hollow body. The tension rod 4 can thus slide on the guide 5, rendering said rod positively guided.

[0042] The coupling device 1 further has a collet 6, with a part of the collet 6 being supported in a sleeve 7 arranged in the receiver 3. By sliding the tension rod 4, the collet 6 is movable between a clamping position and a release position.

[0043] FIG. 1 shows the collet 6 in its clamping position. In this clamping position, the collet 6 is engaged with the tapered front part 2a of the hollow shaft taper 2, so that the hollow shaft taper 2 is held in place in its target position at the receiver 3. Thus, machining processes can be performed with a tool supported inside the hollow shaft taper 2.

[0044] FIG. 2 shows the collet 6 in its release position. In this release position, the collet 6 is no longer engaged with the tapered front part 2a of the hollow shaft taper 2, so that the hollow shaft taper 2 can now be removed from the receiver 3.

[0045] FIGS. 3 through 6 each show the collet 6 of the coupling device 1 in an individual view. As can be seen from these views, the collet 6 is embodied to be rotation-symmetrical relative to its longitudinal axis. The collet 6 has, in this case, six identically embodied clamping segments 8, which are connected solely by means of the spring elements 9, which are also identically embodied. The collet 6 can generally also have a different number of clamping segments 8 and spring elements 9. The collet 6 embodied thus is embodied in one piece and advantageously consists of a cast metal part.

[0046] The longitudinal axes of the clamping segments 8 run in parallel with each other and in parallel with the longitudinal axis of the collet 6.

[0047] Each clamping segment 8 has a central segment 8a having an essentially constant cross-section. The outer surfaces of these spacers of the clamping segments 8 lie on a cylindrical jacket surface of the collet 6.

[0048] At the rear end of each clamping segment 8, a joint 10 is embodied. This joint 10 is embodied in the shape of a broadened cross-section of the clamping segment 8. The joint 10 has a rounded contour. Each joint 10 is supported in a recess 11 in the receiver 3. Thus, each clamping segment 8 is pivotably supported in the receiver 3, with the pivot axis running through the joint 10.

[0049] At a small distance from the joint 10, an annular segment 12 abuts that protrudes from the outside of the central segment 8a of a clamping segment 8. The annular segments 12 of all the clamping segments 8 complement each other to form an annular structure which, as shown by FIGS. 1 and 2, rests against a step of the sleeve 7 when the joint 10 is inserted in the recess 11 of the receiver 3.

[0050] At the front end of each clamping segment 8, a collar segment 13 is provided that protrudes over the outside of the central segment. Here, at the border between the collar segment 13 and the central segment, a contact surface 14 in the shape of a step is embodied.

[0051] The inside of the collar segment 13 is embodied in the shape of a slanted surface 15. This slanted surface 15 matches the contour of the head 4a of the tension rod 4.

[0052] As shown in FIGS. 3 through 7, each spring element 9 extends in the space between two adjacent clamping segments 8. The spring element 9 extends in the longitudinal direction of the clamping segment 8 and extends here from the collar segment 13 to the joint 10 of a clamping segment 8, with the spring element 9 extending over the entire length of the clamping segment 8 in this case.

[0053] Generally, the spring element 9 can also extend merely over part of a clamping segment 8.

[0054] In this case, each spring element 9 is embodied as a leaf spring element. The spring element 9 embodied thus has two arms 16 extending essentially in parallel at a distance from each other and being connected at one of their longitudinal ends by means of a connecting web 17. The arms 16 are embodied to be mirror-symmetrical relative to a mirror plane. Each arm 16 is molded at its free end to its associated clamping element 16, with a bulge 18 which protrudes for this purpose on the free end of the arm 16 forming the connection to the clamping segment 8. Thus, each arm 16 extends, starting from this connecting spot, at a small distance from its associated clamping segment 8.

[0055] The mode of functioning of the collet 6 embodied thus in the coupling device 1 is such that when the collet 6 is moved into its clamping position by means of the tension rod 4 by inserting the head 4a of the tension rod 4 into the cavity of the collet 6, a force impinging radially from this head 4a is exerted on the slanted surfaces 15 of the clamping segments 8 such that these are pushed radially outward. Due to this, the clamping segments 8 perform pivoting motions relative to the pivot axis running through the joints 10. Here, the spring elements 9 are spread out, thus exerting reset forces countering this motion.

[0056] When, as the FIG. 1 shows, the clamping position of the collet 6 has been reached, the contact surfaces 14 of the clamping segments 8 rest against a step of the cone-shaped front part 2a of the hollow shaft taper 2, causing it to be held in place in the receiver 3.

[0057] When the tension rod 4 is then moved back in order to release the hollow shaft taper 2, the clamping segments 8 return into their original position due to the return forces of the spring elements 9. The collet 6 is then in the release position shown in the FIG. 2, in which it releases the hollow shaft taper 2.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0058] (1) coupling device [0059] (2) hollow shaft taper [0060] (2a) front part [0061] (3) receiver [0062] (4) tension rod [0063] (4a) head [0064] (5) guide [0065] (6) collet [0066] (7) sleeve [0067] (8) clamping segment [0068] (8a) segment [0069] (9) spring element [0070] (10) joint [0071] (11) recess [0072] (12) annular segment [0073] (13) collar segment [0074] (14) contact surface [0075] (15) slanted surface [0076] (16) arm [0077] (17) connecting web [0078] (18) bulge