US 12,508,721 B2Granted

Disconnectable adapter and method for disconnection

OwnerMartin Zimmer, Günther Zimmerinventors

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Abstract

A disconnectable adapter for the adaptation of a tool to an industrial robot has a first part and a second part connected detachably to the first part. The adapter is designed with at least two locking parts which engage behind the first part or the second part in a spring-loaded manner and are mounted displaceably or pivotably in the second part or first part behind which the locking parts do not engage. To disconnect the first part and the second part of the adapter from each other, all the locking parts are loaded simultaneously relative to the first part and to the second part or relative to one another by means of an external force applied as a compressive force. With the present disclosure, a disconnectable adapter which can be operated both manually and automatically is developed.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A method for manually or automatically disconnecting a disconnectable adapter (10) having

a first part (20), and
a second part (60) connected detachably to the first part (20),
with at least two locking parts (91;
111) that engage behind the first part (20) or the second part (60) in a spring-loaded manner and are mounted displaceably or pivotably in the second part (60) or first part (20) behind which the locking parts do not engage,
wherein each of the at least two locking parts (91;
111) engages around a respective guide element (121;
131) that is arranged in the respective part (20;
60) supporting the locking part (91, 111) and that engages in a positive-locking manner in a respective guide element receptacle (47;
48), which is arranged in the respective part (20;
60) not supporting the locking part (91;
111), the method comprising:
simultaneously loading the at least two locking parts (91, 111) relative to the first part (20) and to the second part (60) or relative to one another by an external force applied as a compressive force;
displacing or pivoting each of the at least two locking parts (91, 111) relative to the first part (20) and to the second part (60) by the external force, and thereby additionally increasing a load on a spring element (112, 118, 119) loading the at least two locking parts (91, 111);
detaching a rear grip of a respective locking part (91;
111) with the first part (20) or with the second part (60) upon the displacing or pivoting of the respective locking part (91;
111);
and
disconnecting the first part (10) and the second part (60) from one another in an assembly direction (13) oriented opposite to a longitudinal direction (12) of the adapter (10), whereby the guide elements (121;
131) and the guide element receptacles (47, 48) disengage.

16 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.