HOLDER FOR MACHINING UNITS

Abstract

The present application concerns a holder system for mounting and aligning a machining unit (30) to a machine (20), preferably to a rotary transfer machine. The holder system comprises a holder (1) with a first part (2) being mountable on a machine (20) or being part of a machine (20) as well as a second part (3) which is releasably coupled to said first part (2) in a defined first position. Said second part (3) is coupled to a third part (4), said third part including third coupling means (7) for coupling said third part (4) with a machining unit (30). Positioning means (5, 6) are located between said second part (3) and said third part (4) to allow moving said third part (4) relative to said second part (3) in at least one spatial direction. Further, the holder system comprises at least one alignment station, said alignment station comprising first coupling means for releasably coupling the second part (3) of the holder (1) to said alignment station in said first defined position and at least one measuring device arranged on said alignment station, said measuring device configured to measure the position of said third part (4) or of a machining unit (30) coupled to said third part (4) relative to the second part (3).

Claims

1. A system for mounting and aligning a machining unit to a machine, said system comprising: a) a holder including a first part, said first part being mountable on a machine or being part of a machine, a second part which is releasably coupled to said first part in a defined first position, said second part being coupled to a third part with third coupling means for coupling said third part with a machining unit, wherein positioning means are located between said second part and said third part to allow moving said third part relative to said second part in at least one spatial direction; and b) at least one alignment station, said alignment station comprising first coupling means for releasably coupling the second part of the holder to said alignment station in said first defined position and at least, one measuring device arranged on said alignment station, said measuring device configured to measure the position of said third part or of a machining unit coupled to said third part relative to the second part.

2. A holder for mounting and aligning a machining unit to a machine, said holder comprising: a) a first part with first coupling means, said first part being mountable on a machine or being part of a machine; b) a second part with second coupling means, said second coupling means being configured to interact with said first coupling means such as to releasably couple said second part to said first part in a first defined position; c) a third part coupled to said second part by means of positioning means located between said second part and said third part, said positioning means being configured such as to move said third part relative to said second part in at least one spatial direction; d) third coupling means arranged on said third part allowing to couple said third part to a machining unit.

3. The holder according to claim 2, wherein said positioning means are configured to move said third part relative to said second part at least along a linear axis and/or at least around one rotational axis.

4. The holder according to claim 2, wherein the positioning means comprise at least two translational elements, said translational elements being preferably selected from one of an eccentric bushing and/or a linear guide member.

5. The holder according to claim 2, wherein said first coupling means and said second coupling means comprise a plurality of screws and complementary screw holes.

6. A method for mounting and aligning a machining unit to a machine using a system according to claim 1, comprising the steps of: a) mounting the first part onto the machine; b) coupling the machining unit to the third part by means of said third coupling means; c) coupling said second part to the alignment station; d) aligning of said third part or of the machining unit relative to said second part by means of the positioning means and of the measuring device; e) removal of the second part from said alignment station; f) coupling of said second part to said first part in said first defined position relative to each other.

7. Machine comprising at least one holder according to claim 2.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein said machine is a rotary transfer machine.

9. A holder according to claim 2, wherein said machine is a rotary transfer machine.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] The drawings used to explain the embodiments show:

[0038] FIG. 1 A perspective view of an inventive holder;

[0039] FIG. 2 a profile view of the holder coupled to a machine;

[0040] FIG. 3 a cross-sectional representation of the holder according to FIG. 2;

[0041] FIG. 4 a simplified perspective view of a first part of an inventive holder mounted on a rotary transfer machine;

[0042] FIG. 5 a simplified perspective view of a machining unit coupled to a rotary transfer machine according to FIG. 1.

[0043] In the figures, the same components are given the same reference symbols.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0044] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an inventive holder 1 according to the present invention mounted on a rotary transfer machine 20. The holder 1 comprises a first part 2 and a second part 3. The first part 2 and the second part 3 are releasably coupled together with first coupling means and second coupling means engaged one into the other. The second part 3 is coupled to a third part 4 which includes third coupling means 7 to releasably couple said third part 4 to a machining unit. Positioning means 5, 6 are located between said second part 3 and said third part 4. Said positioning means 5, 6 allow moving said third part 4 relative to said second part 3. The first part 2 is attached to the rotary transfer machine by means of screws, of which only one screw 12.1 is visible in the figure.

[0045] In FIG. 2, the holder 1 according to FIG. 1 is shown in a profile view. While the first part 2 and the second part 3 are releasable from each other, the second part 3 and the third part 4 are coupled together in an essentially non-releasable way by means of the positioning means 5, 6. The first part 2 is releasably coupled to the rotary transfer machine 20 in the embodiment shown. Alternatively, the first part 2 may be part of the rotary transfer machine 20.

[0046] FIG. 3 shows the holder 1 according to FIGS. 1 and 2 in a cross-sectional representation. The first part 2 is connected with the rotary transfer machine 20 by means of several screws 12.1, 12.2, 12.3. First coupling means 8.1, 8.2, 13 are arranged on said first part 2 such as to allow a connection with the second part 3. Two first coupling means are configured as conical holes 8.1, 8.2, while two further first coupling means (arranged one after another in the direction of view) are configured as normal cylindrical screw holes 13, wherein said cylindrical screw holes comprise a thread in said first part.

[0047] The second part 3 comprises second connection means 9.1, 9.2, 10 which are insertable into said first connection means 8.1, 8.2, 13 of said first part 2. A first set of said second connection means are configured as conical pin 9.1, 9.2 which fit into said conical holes 8.1, 8.2, while a second set of second connection means (arranged one after another in the direction of view) are configured as screws 10 which are insertable into the cylindrical screw holes 13. The use of conical holes 8.1, 8.2 and conical pin 9.1, 9.2 allows an exact positioning of the second part 3 relative to said first part 2 in a defined first position.

[0048] The positioning means located between said second part 3 and said third part 4 are in the form of a rotational axis 6 and an eccentric coupling 5 which allows a limited movement of the third part 4 relative to the second part 3 around the rotational axis 6. Additionally, the position of the third part 4 relative to the second part 3 may be temporary fixed by means of fixation screws 11.1, 11.2. The third connection means are realized as an eccentric bushing 7 into which a machining unit may be inserted.

[0049] FIG. 4 shows a simplified perspective view of a first part 2 of an inventive holder 1 mounted on a rotary transfer machine 20. For reasons of simplicity, only the main parts of the rotary transfer machine 20 are shown. These are notably a base structure 21 onto which an indexing table 22 is rotatably supported. The indexing table 22 comprises a multitude of positions 23 for work piece holders. Such as to carry out subsequent machining operations, a machining unit is assigned to each working position into which the positions 23 may be rotated. In the example shown, a first part 2 of a holder 1 is mounted on the base structure 21 of the rotary transfer machine 20 at one position. However, as a person having skill in the art will recognize, a first part 2 of a holder 1 may be associated with every working position. The second part 2 is mounted to the base structure 21 by means of screws as shown in FIG. 1.

[0050] FIG. 5 shows a simplified perspective view of a machining unit 30 coupled to a rotary transfer machine 20 by means of an inventive holder 1. The machining unit 30 is coupled to the second part 3 by means of the eccentric bushing 7 acting as third coupling means. The machining unit 30 may be correctly positioned relative to the second part 3 and the rotary transfer machine 20, respectively, by means of the positioning means 5, 6.