Abstract
This invention relates to a wedge drive 1 for converting a vertical press force into a horizontal linear working movement, the wedge drive 1 comprising a slider element 2, a driver element 4 and a slider element receptacle 3, wherein the slider element 2 is placed vertically between the driver element 4 and the slider element receptacle 3, wherein the slider element 2 and the slider element receptacle 3 are designed as two guiding elements 2, 3 on which a sliding plate formation 5, 6, 7 is placed, wherein the sliding plate formation is surrounded by a guiding device that is designed for the linear guiding of the slider element 2 along the slider element receptacle 3 in a sliding direction X. The guiding device comprises a central element that is provided on a first of the two guiding elements 2, 3 on its side pointing to a second of the two guiding elements 2, 3, wherein the sliding plate formation 5, 6, 7 comprises at least two side sliding plates 5, 6 that are fixed to a second of the two guiding elements 2, 3 and that are spaced from each other in a cross direction Y that is perpendicular to the sliding direction X, wherein the central element 7 is placed in the cross direction between the side sliding plates 5, 6, wherein the second guiding element 2, 3 has two steps spaced from each other in the cross direction Y, wherein each of the two side sliding plates 5, 6 closely fits to respectively one of the two steps with a form fit acting in the cross direction Y.
Claims
1. Wedge drive for converting a vertical press force into a horizontal linear working movement, the wedge drive comprising a slider element, a driver element and a slider element receptacle, wherein the slider element is placed vertically between the driver element and the slider element receptacle, wherein the slider element and the slider element receptacle are designed as two guiding elements on which a sliding plate formation is placed, wherein the sliding plate formation is surrounded by a guiding device that is designed for the linear guiding of the slider element along the slider element receptacle in a sliding direction (X), wherein the guiding device comprises a central element that is provided on a first of the two guiding elements on its side pointing to a second of the two guiding elements, wherein the sliding plate formation comprises at least two side sliding plates that are fixed to a second of the two guiding elements and that are spaced from each other in a cross direction (Y) that is perpendicular to the sliding direction (X), wherein the central element is placed in the cross direction between the side sliding plates, wherein the second guiding element has two steps spaced from each other in the cross direction (Y), wherein each of the two side sliding plates closely fits to respectively one of the two steps with a form fit acting in the cross direction (Y).
2. Wedge drive according to claim 1, characterized in that the central element is placed directly on the two side sliding plates with a clearance in the cross direction (Y) of less than 0.04 mm, in particular of less than 0.02 mm.
3. Wedge drive according to claim 1, characterized in that the guiding device is designed in such a manner that the first guiding element can slide to the second guiding element over a sliding length extending in the sliding direction (X), wherein the sliding length is at least 0.5 time, in particular between 0.5 and 3 times the extension of the slider element in the cross direction (Y), wherein in particular the sliding plate formation has a constant cross-section perpendicularly to the sliding direction at least in one sliding section that extends in the sliding direction (X) and that has at least the sliding length.
4. Wedge drive according to claim 1, characterized in that a return stroke section is provided on the side of the central element that points to the second guiding element, this return stroke section having two retaining sections that protrude in the cross direction (Y) beyond the central element and that extend in the cross direction (Y) in sections along the two side sliding plates.
5. Wedge drive according to claim 4, characterized in that the return stroke section extends from the first guiding element towards the second guiding element beyond the side sliding plates, wherein the retaining sections extend respectively along a section in the cross direction (Y) between the side sliding plates and the second guiding element.
6. Wedge drive according to claim 1, characterized in that each side sliding plate bears at least with two bearing surfaces on the second guiding element, wherein a first bearing surface extends in the cross direction (Y) and the side sliding surface is pressed with its first bearing surface against the second guiding element by one or more fasteners and wherein a second bearing surface extends perpendicularly to the cross direction, wherein each side sliding plate bears with at least one sliding plate bearing surface on the central element, wherein the sliding plate bearing surface extends perpendicularly to the cross direction (Y), wherein the sliding plate bearing surface and the second bearing surface are situated on two opposed sides of the respective side sliding plate that are facing away from each other and wherein the first bearing surface of the respective side sliding plate extends in an area that extends in the cross direction between the sliding plate bearing surface and the second bearing surface.
7. Wedge drive according to claim 6, characterized in that the first bearing surface is spanned across a plane that is spanned across the cross direction (Y) and the sliding direction (X) and that the second bearing surface and the sliding plate bearing surface are respectively spanned across a plane that is spanned across the transverse cross direction (Z) and the sliding direction (X).
8. Wedge drive according to claim 1, characterized in that each side sliding plate has a third bearing surface with which it bears on the second guiding element, wherein the third bearing surface extends from the second bearing surface in the cross direction away from the first bearing surface, wherein in particular the third bearing surface is spanned across a plane that is spanned across the cross direction (Y) and across the sliding direction (X).
9. Wedge drive according to claim 1, characterized in that each side sliding plate has a return stroke bearing surface that extends in the cross direction (Y) between the sliding plate bearing surface and the first bearing surface and that is spanned across a plane that is spanned across the cross direction (Y) and the sliding direction (X), wherein the return stroke bearing surface is smaller than the first bearing surface.
10. Wedge drive according to claim 1, characterized in that the central element is designed as a central sliding plate that is surrounded by the sliding plate formation, wherein the first guiding element has stepped surface shape along the cross direction (Y) on its surface facing the central sliding plate and the central sliding plate has on its surface pointing to the first guiding element a surface shape corresponding to the stepped surface shape, wherein a form fit between the first guiding element and the central sliding plate that acts in the cross direction (Y) is ensured by the surface shapes corresponding to each other.
11. Wedge drive according to claim 10, characterized in that the stepped surface shape of the first guiding element is formed at least partially by three fixing surfaces of the guiding element, wherein a first fixing surface is placed in the cross direction (Y) between a second and a third fixing surface, wherein the first fixing surface is spanned across a plane that is spanned across the cross direction (Y) and across the sliding direction (X) and wherein the second and the third fixing surface are spanned respectively across a plane that is spanned across the transverse cross direction (Z) and across the sliding direction (X), wherein in particular the second and the third fixing surface extend from the first fixing surface to the second guiding element, wherein the central sliding plate is placed between the second and the third fixing surface and wherein the central sliding plate bears on the three fixing surfaces with their corresponding surface shape and is pressed against the first fixing surface by one or more fasteners.
12. Wedge drive according to claim 1, characterized in that the guiding device consists of the central element and the two side sliding plates and in particular of a return stroke section designed as a separate component, wherein in particular the central element is designed as central sliding plate and the sliding plate formation consists of the two side sliding plates and the central sliding plate.
13. Wedge drive according to claim 1, characterized in that all the surfaces by which the first guiding element and the second guiding element are in contact with the sliding plates of the sliding plate formation for guiding the slider element to the slider element receptacle are designed as even surfaces that extend either perpendicularly to the cross direction (Y) or perpendicularly to the transverse cross direction (Z).
14. Wedge drive according to claim 1, characterized in that the slider element is designed as the first guiding element and the slider element receptacle as the second guiding element.
15. Wedge drive according to claim 1, characterized in that the side sliding plates differ in their length of extension in a direction that is perpendicular to the sliding direction (X) and perpendicular to the cross direction (Y) by less than 0.01 mm, wherein this length of extension is at least 10 mm.
16. Wedge drive according to claim 1, characterized in that the side sliding plates bear respectively on the first guiding element, on the central element and on the second guiding element, wherein the central element bears on the first guiding element and on the side sliding plates and in particular on the second guiding element.
17. Wedge drive according to claim 1, characterized in that slider sliding plates are provided on the slider element and driver sliding plates on the driver element, wherein the slider sliding plates and the driver sliding plates form a driver guiding for the linear guiding of the slider element along the driver element in a driver sliding direction, wherein the driver sliding direction extends in a plane that is perpendicular to the cross direction (Y), wherein the driver sliding direction forms an angle of at least 20, in particular between 30 and 120 with the sliding direction (X).
18. Method for manufacturing a wedge drive according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the two side sliding plates that the length of extension of the side sliding plates defines in a direction that is perpendicular to the sliding direction and perpendicular to the cross direction, when the side sliding plates are mounted in the wedge drive, is simultaneously and jointly adjusted by a tool, wherein in particular the width of exactly one of the side sliding plates that the length of extension of these side sliding plates defines along the cross direction, when this side sliding plate is mounted in the wedge drive, is adjusted by taking into account the distance between the steps of the second guiding element in the cross direction and the length of extension of the central element and of the other side sliding plate in the cross direction.
Description
[0031] The invention shall be explained below in more detail with reference to four figures.
[0032] FIG. 1 shows schematic views from different angles of an embodiment of a wedge drive according to the invention in different schematic diagrams.
[0033] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a first component of the embodiment according to FIG. 1 in a schematic diagram.
[0034] FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a further component of the embodiment according to FIG. 1 in a schematic diagram.
[0035] FIG. 4 shows a section of the cross-section of the embodiment according to FIG. 1 perpendicularly to the sliding direction in a schematic diagram.
[0036] FIG. 5 shows a section of the cross-section perpendicularly to the sliding direction of a further embodiment in a schematic diagram.
[0037] An embodiment of a wedge drive 1 according to the invention is schematically represented in FIG. 1 that comprises the FIGS. 1a, 1b and 1c in different schematic diagrams from different angles. It can be seen in FIG. 1 that a wedge drive according to the invention comprises a slider element 2 that is placed vertically between a slider element receptacle 3 and a driver element 4. A guiding device that, in this case, comprises a sliding plate formation that consists of three sliding plates, namely a central sliding plate 7 and two side sliding plates 5, 6, connects the slider element 2 with the slider element receptacle 3. Moreover, the slider element 2 is connected with the driver element 4 by a driver guiding that comprises the slider sliding plates 22 that are placed on the side of the slider element 2 that is facing the driver element 4. Moreover, the slider element 2 is connected with the driver element 4 by a return stroke device 21 that ensures that the slider element 2 remains connected with the driver element 4 even during a return stroke during which the slider element receptacle 3 is moved vertically away from the driver element 4.
[0038] The basic structure of a wedge drive 1 according to the invention can thus clearly be seen in FIG. 1. The driver element 4 is fixed by fixing means, in this case fixing screws 400, to a bottom element of a pressing tool. The slider element receptacle 3 has in FIG. 1 visible feedthroughs by which it can be fixed to a movable press element of the pressing tool by means of fixing means such as, for example, screws. During operation, the movable pressing element moves during a working stroke vertically with respect to the bottom element to which the driver element 4 is fixed. During a working stroke, the movable press element moves towards the bottom element, i.e. towards the driver element 4 while, during a return stroke, it moves vertically away from the bottom element, i.e. from the driver element 4.
[0039] It can be seen in FIG. 1 that the guiding device between the slider element 2 and the slider element receptacle 3 ensures a linear guiding of the slider element 2 along the slider element receptacle 3 along a sliding direction X that forms an angle of approx. 30 to the vertical direction. The driver guiding ensures a linear guiding of the slider element 2 along the driver element 4 along a driver sliding direction that forms an angle of approx. 80 to the vertical direction. The driver sliding direction and the sliding direction X form an angle of approx. 50 to each other. It results from this constructive assembly of the wedge drive 1 that can be seen in FIG. 1 that the slider element 2 carries out a horizontal linear working movement between the slider element receptacle 3 and the driver element 4 when the slider element receptacle 3 is moved vertically towards the driver element 4. The return stroke device 21 simultaneously ensures that the slider element 2 carries out a horizontal linear return movement between the slider element receptacle 3 and the driver element 4 during a return stroke, i.e. when the slider element receptacle 3 is moved vertically away from the driver element 4, this return movement constituting the negative reproduction of the linear working movement during a working stroke. This being, the return stroke device 21 is firmly fixed to the slider element 2 and engages corresponding sliding protrusions that are placed on the driver element 4 so that the slider element 2 always remains connected with the driver element 4 during a return stroke. The embodiment of a wedge drive 1 according to the invention that is represented in FIG. 1 further comprises a first supporting element 31 and a second supporting element 32 that are firmly fixed to the slider element receptacle 3. The second supporting element 32 limits the return movement of the slider element 2 during a return stroke since the second supporting element 32 provides a limit stop for the central sliding plate 7 that is fixed to the slider element 2. The first supporting element 31 serves for the support of a return spring, for example a gas pressure spring. Such a return spring is supported on the first supporting element 31 and is compressed during a working stroke and contributes to the fact that the slider element 2 moves back during a return stroke to its starting position in which it bears on the second supporting element 32 with the central sliding plate 7 fixed thereto.
[0040] When examining FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 together, the structure and the function of the guiding device of the represented embodiments of the wedge drive 1 according to the invention become particularly clear. The guiding device comprises a sliding plate formation that consists of the central sliding plate 7 and of the two side sliding plates 5, 5. The two side sliding plates 5, 6 are fixed to the slider element receptacle 3 that acts as second guiding element, whereas the central sliding plate 7 is fixed to the slider element 2 that acts as first guiding element. In the embodiment described, the central sliding plate 7 of the sliding plate formation thus forms the central element 7. It can be fundamentally seen in the figures that all the surfaces by which the slider element 2 and the slider element receptacle 3 are in contact with the sliding plates 5, 6, 7 and the sliding plates 5, 6 with each other are spanned across planes, i.e. are designed as even surfaces that extend either perpendicularly to the cross direction Y or perpendicularly to the transverse cross direction Z. This being, the transverse cross direction Z is defined in that it extends perpendicularly to the cross direction Y and perpendicularly to the sliding direction X.
[0041] The fixing of the central sliding plate 7 to the slider element 2 can be seen particularly clearly when examining FIGS. 2 and 4 together. The slider element 2 has a stepped surface shape that is formed by three fixing surfaces 71, 72, 73. The first fixing surface 71 is situated in the cross direction between the second and the third fixing surfaces 72, 73. The first fixing surface 72 is spanned across a plane that is spanned across the cross direction Y and the sliding direction X. The second and the third fixing surfaces 72, 73 are spanned respectively across the transverse cross direction Z and across the sliding direction X and are also even. The central sliding plate has a surface shape that corresponds to the stepped surface shape of the slider element 2 while the central sliding plate 7 has, on its side facing the slider element 2, a cross-section perpendicularly to the sliding direction X that represents the section of a rectangle. The central sliding plate 7 can thus be inserted into the recess in the slider element 2 that is formed by the three fixing surfaces. This being, the dimensions in the cross direction of the central sliding plate 7 are such that it bears with its whole surface on all the three fixing surfaces. Moreover, the central sliding plate 7 is connected with the slider element 2 by screws that extend through feedthroughs in the central sliding plate 7 that are represented in FIG. 2. A corresponding screw is indicated in FIG. 4. The central sliding plate 7 is pressed against the first fixing surface 71 of the slider element 2 by these screws. A very resilient and rigid connection between the central sliding plate 7 and the slider element 2 is ensured by the combined effect of the pressing force exerted by the screws 700 onto the central sliding plate 7 towards the slider element 2 and the firm fixing in the cross direction Y of the central sliding plate 7 by the stepped surface shape that is formed by the three fixing surfaces 71, 72, 73.
[0042] The fixing of the side sliding plates 5, 6 on the slider element receptacle 3 can be seen particularly clearly when examining the FIGS. 3 and 4 together. The slider element receptacle 3 has two steps spaced from each other in the cross direction Y, wherein each of the side sliding plates 5, 6 bears on respectively one of the two steps. This being, each of the side sliding plates 5, 6 bears with a first bearing surface 51, 61, a second bearing surface 52, 62 and a third bearing surface 52, 62 on the slider element receptacle 3. The second bearing surface 52, 62 of the side sliding plates 5, 5 is respectively spanned across a plane that is spanned across the sliding direction X and the transverse cross direction Z and bears on the surface of the slider element receptacle 3 that forms the height difference of the respective step. The side sliding plates 5, 5 are pressed with their first bearing surface 51, 61 and their third bearing surface 53, 63 against the slider element receptacle respectively by a screw 500, 600. Due to the fact that the side sliding plates 5, 6 are pressed against the slider element receptacle 3 with their first and third bearing surfaces 51, 61, 53, 63 by the screws 500, 600 and simultaneously bear with their second bearing surfaces 52, 62 on the surface of the slider element receptacle 3 that forms the height difference of the step, which surface is also even and is spanned across the transverse cross direction Z across the sliding direction X, the sliding plates 5, 6 are so firmly fixed to the slider element receptacle 3 that a relative movement of the sliding plates 5, 6 along the cross direction Y relative to the slider element receptacle 3 is optimally avoided.
[0043] The single elements of the embodiment of the wedge drive 1 according to the invention are, as can be seen in particular in FIG. 4, adapted to each other in such a way that the central sliding plate 7 directly bears on the sliding plate bearing surfaces 55, 65 of the side sliding plates 5, 6 that surround it in the cross direction. In case of a sliding of the slider element 2 along the slider element receptacle 3 along the sliding direction X that extends for the cross-section according to FIG. 4 perpendicularly to the drawing layer, the central sliding plate 7 slides along the sliding plate bearing surfaces 55, 65 of the two side sliding plates 5. 6. Due to the fact that the central sliding plate 7 bears with its two opposite sides in the cross direction on the two side sliding plates 5, 6 and that moreover the side sliding plates have a sliding plate bearing surface 55, 65 respectively on one side in the cross direction and a second bearing surface 52, 62 on their opposite side in the cross direction, the central sliding plate 7 is thus firmly guided between the side sliding plates 5, 6 without the central sliding plate 7 being able to appreciably move in the cross direction Y relative to the slider element receptacle 3. Since furthermore the central sliding plate 7 is connected along the cross direction Y in two directions with a form fit with the slider element 2 and is fixed, as explained for the slider element 2, the described embodiment according to the invention thus ensures a linear guiding of the slider element 2 along the sliding direction X on the slider element receptacle 3 without the slider element 2 carrying out a movement with respect to the slider element receptacle 3 along the cross direction Y.
[0044] The return stroke section 74 of the central sliding plate 7 can be seen in particular when examining FIGS. 1 and 4 together. The return stroke section 74 has two retaining sections that extend respectively in the cross direction over a section along the two side sliding plates 5, 6, wherein they are placed in this section along the cross direction with respect to the transverse cross direction Z between the slider element receptacle 3 and the respective side sliding plates 5, 6. The side sliding plates 5, 6 thus bear with a return stroke bearing surface 54, 64 respectively on a retaining section of the return stroke section of the central sliding plate 7. It is herewith ensured that, in case of a return stroke during which the slider element receptacle 3 is moved vertically upwards away from the driver element 4, the slider element receptacle 3 is also impinged with a force acting in vertical direction upwards over the contact between the central sliding plate 7 and side sliding plates 5, 6 over the retaining sections and the return stroke bearing surfaces 54, 64 so that the slider element 2 is forced back to its starting position in which the central sliding plate 7 bears on the second supporting element 32.
[0045] The cross-section perpendicularly to the sliding direction X of a further embodiment of a wedge drive 1 according to the invention is schematically represented in FIG. 5. An essential difference between the embodiment according to FIG. 5 and the embodiment represented in FIGS. 1 to 4 consists in that the central element 7 is formed in one piece with the slider element 2, i.e. that the slider element 2 and the central element 7 are designed as an integrally manufactured component, in this case as a cast metal body. As explained for the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 4, for the embodiment according to FIG. 5 a stable linear guiding of the slider element 2 is also ensured along the sliding direction X on the slider element receptacle 3, wherein the central element 7 is placed in the cross direction Y between the two side sliding plates 5, 6, wherein the side sliding plates 5, 6 bear respectively with their sliding plate bearing surfaces 55, 65 on the central element 7 with an extremely low clearance of less than 0.02 mm. As for the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 4, for the embodiment according to FIG. 5, the pressing force arising during a working stroke is also transmitted by the slider element receptacle 3 onto the slider element 2 by the side sliding plates 5, 6. This being, this force transmission takes place over the first bearing surfaces 51, 61 from the slider element receptacle to the side sliding plates 5, 6 and then from the side sliding plates 5, 6 to the slider element 2 over two sliding plate bearing surfaces that extend parallel to the first bearing surfaces 51, 61 and that are placed, with respect to the transverse cross direction Z, at the ends of the side sliding plates 5,6 that are opposed to the first bearing surfaces 51, 61. A problematic force for the linearity of the guiding between the slider element 2 and the slider element receptacle 3 along the transverse cross direction Y is absorbed by the guiding device of the embodiment according to FIG. 5, while the side sliding plates 5, 6 guide the central element 7 over their sliding plate bearing surfaces 55, 65 and are themselves form fitted in the transverse cross direction Y to the slider element receptacle 3 with their second bearing surfaces 52, 62 on the steps of the slider element receptacle 3.
[0046] Furthermore, a return stroke section 74 designed as a separate component is provided in the embodiment according to FIG. 5. This return stroke section 74 is firmly fixed to the central element 7 by screws 700 and has two retaining sections that extend respectively with a section along the transverse cross direction Y along one of the two side sliding plates 5, 6. As explained for the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 4, due to the arrangement of the return stroke section 74 on the central element 7 with its relative position to the side sliding plates 5, 6, it is ensured that, in case of a return stroke taking place after a working stroke, the slider element 2 is forced back into its starting position before the working stroke is carried out, starting position in which, in a not represented embodiment, the central element 7 bears on the second supporting element 32 as explained above. In the embodiment represented in FIG. 5, the return stroke section 74 is designed as an independent sliding plate, the surface of which is designed in such a way that a very small friction force exists during the return stroke with which the return stroke section 74 slides in sections along the side sliding plates 5, 6. In the described embodiment, the return stroke section 74 is designed as a sliding plate made of bronze.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0047] 1 Wedge drive [0048] 2 Slider element [0049] 3 Slider element receptacle [0050] 4 Driver element [0051] 5 Side sliding plate [0052] 6 Side sliding plate [0053] 7 Central sliding plate [0054] 21 Return stroke device [0055] 22 Slider sliding plates [0056] 31 First supporting element [0057] 32 Second supporting element [0058] 51, 61 First bearing surface [0059] 52, 62 Second bearing surface [0060] 53, 63 Third bearing surface [0061] 54, 64 Return stroke bearing surface [0062] 55, 65 Sliding plate bearing surface [0063] 71 First fixing surface [0064] 72 Second fixing surface [0065] 73 Third fixing surface [0066] 74 Return stroke section [0067] 400 Fixing screw [0068] 500 Screw [0069] 600 Screw [0070] 700 Screw
