FRICTION APPLICATION DEVICE

Abstract

A friction application device includes an application element which defines a rotational axis and which is movable by a moving device on a surface of a workpiece and in a relative movement with respect to the surface of the workpiece. At least one supporting tool is non-coaxial with the rotational axis and has an arcuate outer periphery in direct contact with the application element.

Claims

1. A friction application device comprising: an application element which defines a rotational axis and which is movable by a moving device on a surface of a workpiece and in a relative movement with respect to the surface of the workpiece; and at least one supporting tool that is non-coaxial with the rotational axis and having an arcuate outer periphery in direct contact with the application element.

2. The friction application device according to claim 1, wherein the rotational axis is a first rotational axis, wherein the supporting tool rotates about a second rotational axis, wherein and the first rotational axis is perpendicular to the second rotational axis.

3. The friction application device according to claim 1, wherein the supporting tool together with the application element is movable along the surface of the workpiece.

4. The friction application device according to claim 1, further comprising: a shaft upon which the application element is supported and co-rotatable therewith; a spindle coupled to a first end of the shaft for imparting rotation to the shaft; and a counter bearing rotatably supporting a second end of the shaft.

5. The friction application device according to claim 4, further comprising a slide containing a drive device for imparting rotation to the spindle, wherein the application element is positioned between the slide and the counter bearing in a direction along the rotational axis.

6. The friction application device according to claim 5, further comprising a bridge interconnecting the slide and the counter bearing, wherein the supporting tool is supported on the bridge.

7. The friction application device according to claim 6, wherein the application element is located between the bridge and the workpiece in a direction transverse to the rotational axis.

8. The friction application device according to claim 6, further comprising a bearing element mounted to a top surface of the bridge from which the supporting tool is rotatably supported, wherein the supporting tool is arranged adjacent a bottom surface of the bridge.

9. The friction application device according to claim 1, wherein the supporting tool is roll-shaped.

10. The friction application device according to claim 1, wherein the application element is configured as a disk having an arcuate outer peripheral surface, a first side adjacent the arcuate outer peripheral surface and transverse to the rotational axis, and a second side adjacent the arcuate outer peripheral surface and parallel with the first side, and wherein the arcuate outer periphery of the supporting tool is in direct contact with one of the first side or the second side of the application element.

11. The friction application device according to claim 1, wherein the friction application device is configured as a friction coating device or as a friction welding device.

12. The friction application device according to claim 1, wherein the supporting tool is made from a heat-insulating material or a material of poor heat conductivity.

13. A friction application device comprising: an application element which is movable by a moving device on a surface of a workpiece and in a relative movement with respect to the surface of the workpiece; and a first supporting tool and a second supporting tool, which form a gap therebetween in which the application element is arranged, each include an arcuate outer periphery in direct contact with the application element.

14. The friction application device according to claim 13, wherein the application element rotates about a first rotational axis, and wherein each of the first and second supporting tools rotates about a second rotational axis perpendicular to the first rotational axis.

15. The friction application device according to claim 13, wherein the first supporting tool, the second supporting tool, and the application element are movable together along the surface of the workpiece.

16. The friction application device according to claim 13, further comprising: a shaft upon which the application element is supported and co-rotatable therewith; a spindle coupled to a first end of the shaft for imparting rotation to the shaft; and a counter bearing rotatably supporting a second end of the shaft.

17. The friction application device according to claim 16, further comprising a slide containing a drive device for imparting rotation to the spindle, wherein the application element is positioned between the slide and the counter bearing in a direction along a rotational axis of the shaft and the application element.

18. The friction application device according to claim 17, further comprising a bridge interconnecting the slide and the counter bearing, wherein the first and second supporting tools are supported on the bridge.

19. The friction application device according to claim 13, wherein the application element is configured as a disk having an arcuate outer peripheral surface, a first side adjacent the arcuate outer peripheral surface and transverse to a rotational axis of the application element, and a second side adjacent the arcuate outer peripheral surface and parallel with the first side, and wherein the arcuate outer peripheries of the first and second supporting tools, respectively, are in direct contact with the first and second sides of the application element.

20. The friction application device according to claim 13, wherein the first and second supporting tools are made from a heat-insulating material or a material of poor heat conductivity.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] The invention shall now be described with reference to embodiments in combination with the drawing, in which:

[0016] FIG. 1 is a simplified sectional view of an application element according to the invention with bead formation;

[0017] FIG. 2 is a sectional view, by analogy with FIG. 1, of a further embodiment of an application element with bead formation;

[0018] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a friction application device according to the invention with supporting elements in the form of bars;

[0019] FIG. 4 is a perspective partial bottom view of the embodiment according to FIG. 3;

[0020] FIGS. 5 and 6 are views, by analogy with FIGS. 3 and 4, of a further embodiment with band-shaped supporting tools;

[0021] FIGS. 7 and 8 are views, by analogy with FIGS. 3 and 4, of a further embodiment with roll-shaped supporting tools;

[0022] FIGS. 9 and 10 are views, by analogy with FIGS. 3 and 4, of a further embodiment with cone-shaped or tapered supporting tools, and

[0023] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a friction application device according to the invention with an application element according to FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] FIG. 1 is a simplified sectional view of an application element 1 of the invention, which is configured in the form of a rod and is rotatable about its rotational axis 6. The free end portion of the application element 1 has a bead 5 which is due to deformation of the application element 1 when said element is pressed with a force along the rotational axis 6 against a workpiece surface (not shown) so as to apply material.

[0025] By analogy, FIG. 2 shows a disc-shaped application element 1 with a bead 5 on the outer circumferential surface, which is also in contact with a surface of a workpiece upon rotation about the rotational axis 6.

[0026] FIGS. 3 and 4 are each a perspective view of an embodiment of a friction application device according to the invention. Said device comprises a frame 7 with a table 8 which has positioned thereon a holder 9 on which a workpiece 2 is arranged. A support 12 which is only shown schematically and supports a slide 11 via suitable movement paths is formed on the frame 7. A turning spindle 10 on which a rod-shaped application element 1 is supported is arranged on the slide 11 (also only schematically shown). With the help of the turning spindle 10 the application element 1 is put into rotation to apply material by way of a friction contact with the surface of the workpiece 2. Hence, a material web can be applied to the workpiece 2 by way of a suitable movement of the slide 11 and/or of the support 12. The turning spindle 10 and/or the slide 11 are movable in vertical direction to track or reposition the application element 1 so as to implement the material application in this way.

[0027] In a schematic illustration, FIGS. 3 and 4 show a carrier device 4 which is also movable relative to the workpiece 2. In the illustrated embodiment, the carrier device 4 is plate-shaped; on its upper side, it carries a plurality of heating elements 13 which are also shown only schematically and heat the application element 1, for instance, by radiation heat.

[0028] In the illustrated embodiment, the bottom side of the carrier device 4 has arranged thereon two bar-shaped supporting tools 3 which form a gap 14 or have a mutual spacing in which the application element 1 is arranged in an accurately fitting manner. The two bar-shaped supporting tools thereby abut in the form of rails on the application element 1, which is rotating about its rotational axis 6.

[0029] According to the invention it is also possible to fix the rail-like supporting tools, as an alternative to the illustrated variant, also to the workpiece 2 and thus not, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, to move them together with the application element. The rail-shaped supporting tools may have a rectangular cross-section, but it is also possible to bevel them in the contact region with the application element 1 so as to counteract the formation of a bead more efficiently.

[0030] FIGS. 5 and 6 show a further embodiment, wherein, like in the preceding and the subsequent figures, like parts are provided with like reference numerals.

[0031] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the supporting tools are configured as surrounding boundary bands which are guided by means of a drive (not shown) around a support body 15. Owing to the movement of the band-shaped supporting tools 3 no relative movement occurs between the supporting tools 3 and the application element 1, so that the band-shaped supporting tools 3 carry out a rolling movement and thereby prevent bead formation.

[0032] In the embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8, three supporting tools 3 are provided that are configured in the form of rolls. The supporting tools 3 enclose the free end portion of the application element 1 and support the same, so that no bead is formed and/or that, as in the case of the previously described embodiments, the application element immediately resumes its shape upon bead formation.

[0033] In this embodiment, the supporting tools 3 are also rolling on the surface of the application element 1 in a way similar to the embodiment described in FIGS. 5 and 6, so that there is no relative movement, and chip formation caused by a shearing off of the material of the application element can thus not take place either.

[0034] FIGS. 9 and 10 show a further embodiment in which, by analogy with the embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8, three supporting tools 3 are provided that are cone-shaped or tapered and are inclined in their axes relative to the rotational axis 6 of the application element 1. In this embodiment, it is possible in a particularly efficient manner to avoid bead formation of the end portion of the application element 1, with the supporting tools 3 being not in contact or only in slight contact with the surface of the workpiece 2.

[0035] FIG. 11 shows a further embodiment of a friction application device according to the invention, wherein like parts are also provided with like reference numerals as in the preceding embodiments.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 2, the application element 1 is disc-shaped and is rotating about its rotational axis 6.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 11, a frame 7 has formed thereon a table 8 which carries a holder 9 on which a workpiece 2 is arranged. Said workpiece is friction-coated by contact with the rotating application element 1. For this purpose a shaft 16 which carries the application element 1 is supported on a turning spindle 10 which is supported in a slide 11. The slide 11 also comprises a drive device (not shown), as is also the case with the above-described embodiments. The slide 11 together with a counter bearing 17 supporting the shaft 16 is movable relative to the workpiece 2, either by movement of the holder 9 or by movement of the slide 11 and the counter bearing 17.

[0038] Roll-shaped supporting tools 3 are supported, for instance by means of bearing elements 18, on a bridge 19 which connects the slide 11 and the counter bearing 17. The supporting tools 3 roll on the respective surface of the application element and prevent the formation of a bead or the shaping of a bead portion.

[0039] Various features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.