METHOD AND MACHINING DEVICE FOR CLAMPING AND MACHINING AN ELECTRICAL ENCLOSURE COMPONENT

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and machining device for clamping and machining a control cabinet component in a machining device. The method includes the following steps: Arranging a workpiece executed as a control cabinet component on a work surface of a machining device; clamping the workpiece on the work surface, wherein a supporting unit with at least one clamping device arranged on it, is shifted to an edge of the workpiece using an actuator-driven shifting unit and a clamping element of the at least one clamping device is shifted from a released position to a clamped position when guided towards the edge of the workpiece, meaning that the clamping element comes to rest at multiple contact points on the workpiece so that the clamping element secures the workpiece in a machining position, preventing it from shifting perpendicularly to the work surface, and machining the workpiece using a machining tool.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. A method for clamping and machining a control cabinet component in a machining device, the method comprising the steps of: arranging a workpiece executed as a control cabinet component on a work surface of a machining device, clamping the workpiece on the work surface, wherein a supporting unit, with at least one clamping device arranged on it, is shifted to an edge of the workpiece, and a clamping element of the at least one clamping device is shifted from a released position to a clamped position when guided towards the edge of the workpiece, and machining the workpiece using a machining tool, wherein the supporting unit with the at least one clamping device is shifted to the clamped position at the edge of the workpiece using an actuator-driven shifting unit, in the clamped position, the clamping element comes to rest at multiple contact points on the workpiece so that the clamping element secures the workpiece in a machining position, preventing it from shifting perpendicularly to the work surface, and the clamping element is swivel mounted on a pivotal axis and, when the workpiece is clamped to the work surface, a proximal and a distal section of the clamping element, which are formed on opposite sides of a segment cutout of the clamping element, come to rest on the workpiece in such a way that the edge of the workpiece initially comes to rest in the clamping element's proximal section and the clamping element swivels into the clamped position against the edge of the workpiece when the clamping element continues to be operated; meaning that the clamping element's distal section comes to rest on the workpiece, in addition to the proximal section.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the clamping element presses the workpiece against the work surface in the clamped position.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the supporting unit with the at least one clamping device is shifted vertically using the shifting unit.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein multiple clamping devices are arranged on the supporting unit where the clamping element is shifted from the released position to the clamped position when the workpiece is being clamped.

20. The method according to claim 16, wherein the clamping element independently moves itself back to the released position when the at least one clamping device is removed from the workpiece to release it.

21. The method according to claim 16, wherein contact areas between the workpiece's neighboring edges are formed in the clamped position.

22. The method according to claim 16, wherein a mounting position of the at least one clamping device on the supporting unit is adjustable.

23. The method according to claim 16, wherein the workpiece is arranged and clamped on an upright work surface.

24. The method according to claim 16, wherein shifting the supporting unit with the at least one clamping device between shifting positions which are arranged out of people's reach, at a height of at least 200 cm above the machining device's floor space, is carried out using the shifting unit.

25. The method according to claim 16, wherein the shifting unit is operated using a pneumatic actuator.

26. A machining device for clamping and machining a control cabinet component featuring a work surface which is equipped for receiving a workpiece which is executed as a control cabinet component for machining, at least one clamping device which is arranged at a supporting unit, and a clamping element of the clamping device which is formed with a proximal and a distal section, arranged on opposite sides of a segment cutout of the clamping device, and a shifting unit which is equipped to shift at least one clamping device to different shifting positions relative to the workpiece, wherein the machining device is equipped to carry out a method for clamping and machining a control cabinet component according to one of the preceding claims.

27. The machining device according to claim 26, wherein the pivotal axis is formed on a fork mount in which the clamping element is arranged.

28. The machining device according to claim 26, wherein the supporting unit with the at least one clamping device arranged thereon as well as the shifting unit are detachably mounted onto the work surface.

29. The machining device according to claim 27, wherein the supporting unit with the at least one clamping device arranged thereon as well as the shifting unit are detachably mounted onto the work surface.

Description

DRAWINGS

[0038] The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0039] The following is a more precise description of further embodiments which reference figures in a drawing. These are:

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a machining device for clamping and machining a control cabinet component with an upright work surface,

[0041] FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of the upright work surface,

[0042] FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of a clamping device from the side,

[0043] FIG. 4 shows a schematic illustration of clamping device elements from the side, where a clamping element is spring mounted,

[0044] FIG. 5 shows a schematic illustration from above of a configuration with a guide rail and a carriage or glide pad arranged therein, and

[0045] FIG. 6 shows a section of the configuration in FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0047] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a machining device 1 for clamping and machining a control cabinet component 2. The control cabinet component 2 is clamped in a work surface 3 area in order to be machined with a machining tool 4 which may have a laser cutting head, for instance. The work surface 3 is upright in the shown embodiment so that the control cabinet component 2 can be clamped and machined in an upright position. The control cabinet component 2 can be a flat component, such as a mounting plate, a door or a side wall for the control cabinet which is being made.

[0048] In the work surface 3 area, the control cabinet component 2 is arranged on supporting elements 5 which may comprise pins and/or brush strips. By means of the supporting units 5, the control cabinet component 2 is kept spaced from the surface area and the work surface 3.

[0049] There is a clamping system 6 arranged in the top area of the work surface 3, which will be explained later. FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of the work surface 3 and FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of the clamping system 6 from the side.

[0050] The clamping devices 8, 9 are arranged on a mounting rail 7 (see FIG. 2). The clamping devices 8, 9 are removably mounted on the work surface 3 area on the mounting rail 7 by means of a securing device 10 (see FIG. 3). The mounting rail 7 can be shifted vertically relative to the work surface 3 and the control cabinet component 2 which arranged is upon it. A guide carriage system can be used for this, for example, for which a pneumatic, electric or solenoid drive are options for the driving force for shifting the mounting rail 7 with the clamping devices 8, 9 towards and away from the control cabinet component 2. This is indicated in FIG. 2 using arrow A. Alternatively, an extending and contracting supporting arm, which holds the mounting rail 7, can be provided to shift the clamping devices 8, 9 relative to the control cabinet component 2.

[0051] According to FIG. 3, the clamping device 8 has a pedestal component 11 and a shifting unit 12 arranged thereupon which carries a holding device 13, upon which a clamping element 14 is pivoted/swivel mounted on a rotation or pivotal axis 15. The shifting unit 12 is provided in addition to the shifting unit shown in the embodiment in FIG. 3 with which the mounting rail 7 with the clamping devices 8, 9 is shifted. In an alternative embodiment, the shifting unit 12 is not included or only shifts the clamping element 14 to make it clamp and release.

[0052] The clamping element 14 has a circular segment cutout 16 on which a proximal section 17 and a distal section 18 are formed. The clamping element 14 is arranged opposite an edge 19 of the control cabinet component 2 according to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 shows the clamping element 14 in a released position, meaning it is spaced out and not touching the edge 19.

[0053] In order to clamp the control cabinet component 2, the mounting rail 7 with the clamping devices 8, 9 and therefore the clamping element 14 is moved towards the edge 19 so that the edge 19 comes into contact with the proximal section 17, resulting in the clamping element 14 rotating or swiveling on the axis 15 (see arrow D in FIG. 3) in order to bring the distal section 18 into contact with the control cabinet component 2 in the surface area of a component 20.

[0054] If the control cabinet component 2 is to be released after being machined, the mounting rail 7 with the clamping devices 8, 9 and therefore the clamping element 14 is moved away from the edge 19 by means of the shifting unit actuating the mounting rail 7, whereupon the clamping element 14 rotates/swivels itself back into the released position show in FIG. 3 using gravity.

[0055] In the shown embodiment, the relevant clamping element 14 for the clamping devices 8, 9 can be driven along a linear axis (arrow B) against the edge 19 of the control cabinet component 2 from above by means of the relevant shifting unit 12 for clamping, optionally in addition to shifting the mounting rail 7 as such.

[0056] The clamping devices 8, 9 are shiftably mounted on the mounting rail 7, which is schematically shown in FIG. 2 using arrow C.

[0057] FIG. 4 shows a schematic illustration of clamping device 40 elements from the side, whereby an allocated, pivotable clamping element 41 is spring mounted by means of a spring device 42 which is formed in the shown embodiment with a spring. When driving towards the edge 19, the clamping element 41 is pressed against the force of the spring device 42, particularly against the direction of approach.

[0058] FIGS. 5 and 6 show schematic illustrations of a guide rail 50 configuration from above and in cross-section, which has been executed in the indicated embodiment as a C-rail, with an attached carriage or glide pad 51 which can be shifted along the guide rail 50. In order to secure the carriages' 51 shifting position along the guide rail 50, particularly against slipping, a locking wedge 52 is inserted into a slit opening 53 which has a chamfer 54 so that the carriage or glide pad 51 is stuck in the guide rail 50, whereby the carriage is spread by the locking wedge 52.

[0059] The embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 can be used to receive the mounting rail 7 on the carriage 51. For example, the configuration in FIGS. 5 and 6 can be implemented in the machining device in FIG. 1 by means of the guide rails 3a arranged on the work surface 3. The guide rails 3a in the embodiment in FIG. 1 are executed as multi-functional rails. The guide rails 3a help to shiftably receive the manual clamping elements 3b.

[0060] The features revealed in the preceding description, claims and drawings can be of significance both individually as well as in any desired combination to realize the different embodiments.

[0061] The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.