Rotary clamp
AssigneeKosmek Ltd.
InventorsKeitaro Yonezawa, Hideaki Yokota, Yosuke Haruna
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A housing (3) has an upper end wall (3a) and a lower end wall (3b) which support an upper slide portion (11) and a lower slide portion (12) of a clamp rod (5) vertically movably, respectively. The rod (5) is moved downwards for clamping through a clamp spring (20). The lower slide portion (12) has an outer periphery provided with guide grooves (26), each of which comprises a helical rotary groove (27) and a straight groove (28), peripherally in plural number. Engaging balls (29) which are fitted into the respective guide grooves (26) are rotatably supported by through holes (31) provided in an upper portion of the lower end wall (3b). A sleeve (35) is externally fitted over the engaging balls (29) rotatably around an axis.
Claims6
A rotary clamp comprising:
- a housing (3) having a first end wall (3a), a second end wall (3b) and through holes (31);
- a clamp rod (5) having an outer periphery and being supported by the housing (3) axially movably and rotatably around the axis, the clamp rod (5) being movable for clamping from the first end wall (3a) to the second end wall (3b);
- guide grooves (26) formed in the outer periphery of the clamp rod (5) peripherally in plural number, each of the guide grooves (26) which comprises a rotary groove (27) and a straight groove (28) provided in continuity with each other from the second end wall (3b) to the first end wall (3a);
- engaging balls (29) fitted into the guide grooves (26) and rotatably supported by the through holes (31), respectively;
- and
- a sleeve (35) externally fitted over the engaging balls (29) rotatably around the axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.