CYLINDER HOLDER FOR A HYDROFORMING DEVICE, AND HYDROFORMING DEVICE

Abstract

A cylinder holder for a hydroforming device has a substantially cuboid cylinder holder body with a hydraulic cylinder seat to which a hydraulic cylinder can be fixed. The hydraulic cylinder is configured to supply a hydroforming fluid to a workpiece to be shaped. The cylinder holder further includes a base plate to which the cylinder holder body is fixed at a predetermined angle with an anti-rotation lock unit.

Claims

1. A cylinder holder for a hydroforming device, comprising: a substantially cuboid cylinder holder body which comprises a hydraulic cylinder seat to which a hydraulic cylinder can be fixed which is configured to supply a hydroforming fluid to a workpiece to be shaped, the hydraulic cylinder seat extending substantially from a first face of the cylinder holder body to a second face, opposite the first face, of the cylinder holder body; a base plate is arranged on a third face positioned between the first face and the second face, wherein the base plate comprises a device base connection to fix the base plate to a device base, and wherein the cylinder holder body is fixed to the base plate at a predetermined angle with an anti-rotation lock unit.

2. The cylinder holder of claim 1 wherein the anti-rotation lock unit comprises a projection which is arranged on one of the third face of the cylinder holder body and the base plate and is not rotationally symmetrical about an anti-rotation lock axis, and an opening which geometrically corresponds to the projection and is arranged on the other of the cylinder holder body and the base plate, the projection being received in the opening at the predetermined angle.

3. The cylinder holder of claim 2 wherein the projection and the opening have a substantially polygonal, in particular quadrangular, cross-section.

4. The cylinder holder according to claim 2, wherein the opening is arranged substantially obliquely to a lateral edge of the base plate or of the cylinder holder body.

5. The cylinder holder of claim 1 wherein the anti-rotation lock unit comprises a projection which is arranged on one of the third face of the cylinder holder body and the base plate and is rotationally symmetrical about an anti-rotation lock axis, and an opening which geometrically corresponds to the projection and is arranged on the other of the cylinder holder body and the base plate, the projection being received in the opening, and the cylinder holder body being clamped to the base plate with a clamp.

6. The cylinder holder of claim 5 wherein the clamp is bolted to the base plate and a clamping surface on a clamp side engages a clamping surface on the cylinder holder body side.

7. The cylinder holder of claim 6 wherein the clamping surface on the cylinder holder body side is a lateral surface of a clamping groove, the clamping groove being arranged on a fourth face positioned between the first, second, and third faces of the cylinder holder body.

8. The cylinder holder of claim 7 wherein the fourth face is substantially a circular cylinder lateral surface portion, arranged with a circular cylinder radius about the anti-rotation lock axis, and the clamp is substantially arcuate, an arc radius substantially corresponding to the circular cylinder radius.

9. The cylinder holder of claim 5 wherein the clamp is a gripping claw.

10. The cylinder holder of claim 1 wherein the anti-rotation lock unit comprises a first toothing on the cylinder holder body side, arranged on the third face of the cylinder holder body, and a second toothing on the base plate side, the first and second toothings engaging with one another at the predetermined angle.

11. The cylinder holder of claim 10 wherein the toothings on the cylinder holder body side and on the base plate side are arranged substantially along a toothing circle extending about an anti-rotation lock axis and having a toothing circle radius.

12. The cylinder holder of claim 11 wherein the toothing on the cylinder holder body side is formed by at least one toothing arc segment having the toothing circle radius, and the toothing on the base plate side is formed by at least one toothing arc segment, in particular a closed toothing ring, having the toothing circle radius.

13. The cylinder holder of claim 12 wherein the cylinder holder body comprises a round bottom plate which is received within an interior of the toothing ring.

14. The cylinder holder of claim 10 wherein the toothings are Hirth couplings.

15. The cylinder holder of claim 1 wherein the anti-rotation lock unit comprises at least two positioning openings on a cylinder holder body side, arranged on the third face of the cylinder holder body, and at least two positioning openings on a base plate side, arranged on the base plate, each positioning opening on the cylinder holder body side being associated with a respective positioning opening on the base plate side, and the associated positioning openings being connected with each other by a pin, in particular a dowel pin.

16. The cylinder holder of claim 15 wherein the at least two positioning openings on each of the cylinder holder body side and the base plate side are arranged on a respective hole circle having a hole circle radius arranged about the anti-rotation lock axis.

17. The cylinder holder of claim 16 wherein a plurality of positioning openings is arranged at least in sections on the hole circle on the base plate side and/or on the cylinder holder body side, adjacent positioning openings being spaced apart from each other by a hole circle circumference increment.

18. The cylinder holder of claim 1 wherein, in addition to the base plate arranged on the third face, a second base plate is arranged on a face opposite the third face, and the second base plate is fixed to the cylinder holder body at a predetermined angle with an anti-rotation lock unit, the anti-rotation lock unit comprising a projection which is arranged on one of the third face of the cylinder holder body and the base plate and is not rotationally symmetrical about an anti-rotation lock axis, and an opening which geometrically corresponds to the projection and is arranged on the other of the cylinder holder body and the base plate, the projection being received in the opening at the predetermined angle.

19. A hydroforming device comprising: a cylinder holder comprising a substantially cuboid cylinder holder body which comprises a hydraulic cylinder seat to which a hydraulic cylinder can be fixed which is configured to supply a hydroforming fluid to a workpiece to be shaped, the hydraulic cylinder seat extending substantially from a first face of the cylinder holder body to a second face, opposite the first face, of the cylinder holder body; a base plate which is arranged on a third face positioned between the first face and the second face, wherein the base plate comprises a device base connection to fix the base plate to a device base, and the cylinder holder body is fixed to the base plate at a predetermined angle with an anti-rotation lock unit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] The invention will be described below with reference to various exemplary embodiments, which are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a top view of a hydroforming device according to the invention, with two cylinder holders according to the invention;

[0032] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a cylinder holder according to the invention;

[0033] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a cylinder holder according to a first embodiment of the invention;

[0034] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a cylinder holder according to a second embodiment of the invention;

[0035] FIG. 5 shows a further perspective view of a cylinder holder according to the second embodiment of the invention;

[0036] FIG. 6 shows a detail from FIG. 5 of the cylinder holder according to the invention;

[0037] FIG. 7 shows an exploded illustration of a cylinder holder according to the second embodiment of the invention;

[0038] FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of a cylinder holder body of a cylinder holder according to the second embodiment of the invention;

[0039] FIG. 9 shows a top view of a cylinder holder body of a cylinder holder according to the second embodiment of the invention;

[0040] FIG. 10 shows a side view of a cylinder holder body of a cylinder holder according to the second embodiment of the invention;

[0041] FIG. 11 shows an upper base plate of a cylinder holder according to the second embodiment of the invention;

[0042] FIG. 12 shows a lower base plate of a cylinder holder according to the second embodiment of the invention;

[0043] FIG. 13 shows an exploded illustration of a cylinder holder according to a third embodiment of the invention; and

[0044] FIG. 14 shows an exploded illustration of a cylinder holder according to a fourth embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] FIG. 1 shows a hydroforming device 10 having a hydroforming tool 12 and two cylinder holders 14. The hydroforming device 10 is arranged on a slotted table 16.

[0046] Each of the cylinder holders 14 has a hydraulic cylinder 18 held therein. The hydraulic cylinders 18 are configured to supply a hydroforming fluid, not shown in more detail, to a workpiece 20 to be shaped.

[0047] The workpiece 20 is arranged within the hydroforming tool 12, which is of a modular design in the embodiment shown.

[0048] Each cylinder holder 14 is built up of a substantially cuboid cylinder holder body 22 (FIG. 2), at least one base plate 24. and an anti-rotation lock unit 26.

[0049] In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the cylinder holder 14 comprises two base plates 24 and two associated anti-rotation lock units 26. The cylinder holder body 22 is fixed to the base plates 24 at a predefined angle with the anti-rotation lock units 26.

[0050] A hydraulic cylinder seat 28 for fixing the associated hydraulic cylinder 18 is arranged within the cylinder holder body 22 (see FIG. 1).

[0051] The hydraulic cylinder seat 28 here extends from a first face 30 of the cylinder holder body 22 up to a second face 32 (FIG. 3) of the cylinder holder body 22, the second face 32 being opposite the first face 30. The base plates 24 are each arranged on a third face 34 which is positioned between the first face 30 and the second face 32. In the event that the cylinder holder 14 comprises two base plates, these are arranged on opposite third faces 34.

[0052] Furthermore, each base plate 24 comprises a device base connection 36 by which the base plate 24 can be fixed to a device base, for example the slotted table 16.

[0053] FIG. 3 shows a first embodiment of the cylinder holder 14.

[0054] In this embodiment, the anti-rotation lock unit 26 comprises a substantially quadrangular projection 38 which is arranged on the third face 34 of the cylinder holder body 22. The projection 38 engages into a geometrically corresponding opening 40. The opening 40 is realized in the base plate 24.

[0055] Neither the opening 40 nor the projection 38 is rotationally symmetrical with respect to an anti-rotation lock axis 42.

[0056] By the projection 38 being received within the opening 40, the cylinder holder body 22 may be arranged at a predetermined angle relative to the base plate 24. In particular, the opening 40 is arranged obliquely to a lateral edge of the base plate 24. Any desired predetermined angle may be realized by the arrangement of the opening 40 in the base plate 24.

[0057] Alternatively, the projection 38 may, of course, also be arranged on the base plate 24, and the opening 40, for example in the form of a depression, may be arranged in the cylinder holder body 22.

[0058] For an implementation of different angles between the base plate 24 and the cylinder holder body 22, in the illustrated embodiment different base plates 24 may be produced which differ in the arrangement of the opening 40 in relation to the anti-rotation lock axis 42.

[0059] If it is intended to change the angle between the base plate 24 and the cylinder holder body 22, the base plate 24 needs to be exchanged.

[0060] The base plates 24 are bolted to the cylinder holder body 22.

[0061] The first embodiment of the cylinder holder 14 comprises two base plates 24 and two associated anti-rotation lock units 26. It is, of course, also possible that the cylinder holder 14 includes only one single base plate 24 and one single associated anti-rotation lock unit 26.

[0062] FIGS. 4 to 12 illustrate a second embodiment of the cylinder holder 14.

[0063] In this embodiment, the anti-rotation lock unit 26 comprises a projection 44 which is rotationally symmetrical with respect to the anti-rotation lock axis 42 and is arranged on the cylinder holder body 22. The projection 44 is arranged within an opening 46 which is likewise rotationally symmetrical about the anti-rotation lock axis 42 and is provided in the base plate 24.

[0064] The projection 44 and the opening 46 therefore constitute a rotational guide, by which the cylinder holder body 22 can be rotated relative to the base plate 24.

[0065] The cylinder holder body 22 is additionally clamped to the base plate 24. To this end, clamping elements 48 are used, which in the illustrated embodiment are in the form of gripping claws.

[0066] In the embodiment shown, the cylinder holder 14 comprises two base plates 24, each of which is clamped to the cylinder holder body 22 with two clamping elements 48. Each of the clamping elements 48 is bolted to the associated base plate 24 with bolts 49, for example.

[0067] A clamping surface 50 (see FIG. 7) on the clamping element side engages a clamping surface 52 on the cylinder holder body side. Here, the clamping surface 52 on the cylinder holder body side is a lateral surface of a clamping groove 54 which is arranged on a fourth face 56 of the cylinder holder body 22.

[0068] The fourth face 56 is positioned between the first face 30, the second face 32, and the third face 34.

[0069] The fourth face 56, more particularly, is not flat here, but is a circular cylinder lateral surface portion which is arranged with a circular cylinder radius 58 about the anti-rotation lock axis 42. Furthermore, the clamping elements 48 are substantially arcuate, the arc radius substantially corresponding to the circular cylinder radius 58.

[0070] For adjusting the angle between the base plate 24 and the cylinder holder body 22, in this embodiment the clamping elements 48 need to be loosened by untightening the bolts 49.

[0071] The cylinder holder body 22 can then be rotated in relation to the base plate 24, utilizing the rotational guide formed by the projection 44 and the opening 46.

[0072] As soon as the predefined angle between the cylinder holder body 22 and the base plate 24 has been set, the bolts 49 are tightened. The cylinder holder body 22 is then fixed to the base plate 24 with the clamping elements 48. The angle may be continuously adjustable.

[0073] A cylinder holder 14 is shown here which comprises two base plates 24 and two associated anti-rotation lock units 26. But it is just as conceivable that the cylinder holder 14 has only one base plate 24 and one associated anti-rotation lock unit 26.

[0074] FIG. 13 shows a third embodiment of the cylinder holder 14.

[0075] In this embodiment the anti-rotation lock unit 26 comprises a toothing 60 on the cylinder holder body side and a toothing 62 on the base plate side. The two toothings 60, 62 engage with each other at a predetermined angle.

[0076] Here, the toothings 60, 62 are arranged substantially along a toothing circle extending about the anti-rotation lock axis 42 and having a toothing circle radius 64.

[0077] The toothing 60 on the cylinder holder body side is formed by two toothing arc segments 65 having the toothing circle radius 64.

[0078] The toothing 62 on the base plate side comprises a closed toothing ring 66, which likewise has the toothing circle radius 64.

[0079] In addition, the cylinder holder body 22 has a round bottom plate 67 arranged thereon, which in the mounted condition is received within an interior of the toothing ring 66 which forms the toothing 62 on the base plate side. In this way, a rotational guide is produced between the cylinder holder body 22 and the base plate 24.

[0080] Both the toothing 60 on the cylinder holder body side and the toothing 62 on the base plate side may be configured as so-called Hirth couplings.

[0081] The cylinder holder body 22 and the base plate 24 may additionally be fixed against each other in the direction of the anti-rotation lock axis 42, e.g. by bolts or gripping claws. This is not illustrated in FIG. 13.

[0082] The predefined angle between the base plate 24 and the cylinder holder body 22 may be effected by rotating the toothing arc segments 65 in relation to the toothing ring 66.

[0083] In doing so, the tooth width used determines the pitch, that is, the increments by which the rotation can take place.

[0084] To adjust the predefined angle, the base plate 24 needs to be slightly lifted off from the cylinder holder body 22.

[0085] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 13, the cylinder holder 14 comprises two base plates 24 and two anti-rotation lock units 26. For reasons of clarity, however, the upper base plate 24, the upper toothing ring 66 and the upper bottom plate 67 are not illustrated.

[0086] FIG. 14 shows a fourth embodiment of the cylinder holder 14.

[0087] In this embodiment, the cylinder holder 14 comprises two different anti-rotation lock units 26.

[0088] The anti-rotation lock unit 26 shown in the top portion of FIG. 14 here corresponds to the anti-rotation lock unit 26 from FIG. 13. Reference is made to the above explanations in this respect.

[0089] The anti-rotation lock unit 26 illustrated in the bottom portion of FIG. 14 comprises a plurality of positioning openings 68 on the cylinder holder body side. The positioning openings 68 are arranged in a bottom plate 70, which is firmly connected with the cylinder holder body 22.

[0090] Furthermore, positioning openings 72 on the base plate side are arranged in the base plate 24.

[0091] Here, at least one of the positioning openings 68 on the cylinder holder body side is assigned to one of the positioning openings 72 on the base plate side and is connected with a pin 74. The base plate 24 and the bottom plate 70 and therefore the cylinder holder body 22 are thus connected with, or more precisely, pinned to, each other at a predetermined angle about the anti-rotation lock axis 42.

[0092] In the embodiment shown, two pins 74 are used.

[0093] The positioning openings 72 on the base plate side here are located on a hole circle oriented about the anti-rotation lock axis 42 and having a hole circle radius 76.

[0094] The same applies to the positioning openings 68 arranged in the bottom plate 70. The hole circles each comprise a plurality of positioning openings 68, 72, with neighboring positioning openings being spaced apart from each other by a hole circle circumference increment 78.

[0095] In order to adjust a predefined angle between the base plate 24 and the cylinder holder body 22, the base plate 24 and the cylinder holder body 22 with the bottom plate 70 are therefore positioned in relation to each other such that at least one positioning opening 72 on the base plate side and at least one positioning opening 68 on the cylinder holder body side are positioned one above the other and can be connected by the pin 74.

[0096] To change the angle between the base plate 24 and the cylinder holder body 22, the pin 74 is removed from at least one of the positioning openings 68, 72 and, after the desired angle has been adjusted, is inserted into appropriate positioning openings 68, 72 again.

[0097] As could be seen from the Figures, the cylinder holder 14 may comprise one or two base plates 24. The number of anti-rotation lock units 26 corresponds to the number of base plates 24 here. In a cylinder holder 14 having two anti-rotation lock units 26, the illustrated embodiments of the anti-rotation lock unit 26 may be combined as desired.

[0098] Although an embodiment of this invention has been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this disclosure. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this disclosure.