Coupling device

Abstract

In a coupling device (1), in particular for a man-machine interface (21) for operating inductively operated chucks (2), the coupling device comprising: an inductively operated chuck (2) for centering a workpiece (3) to be machined in space with at least one movable clamping jaw (4), an electric motor (6) drivingly connected to each of the said jaws (4), the said electric motor (6) being incorporated in the said chuck (2) and each jaw (4) being driven or fixed by the said electric motor (6), a first inductive transmission device (7) assigned to the chuck (2), a carrier or machine frame (10) spatially separated from the chuck (2), a second inductive transmission device (8) assigned to the frame (10), which is arranged in the region of the first inductive transmission device (7) of the chuck and exchanges measuring signals and voltages inductively therewith, and an external control device (11), by means of which command and monitoring data required for the operation and setting of the clamping jaws (4) and for the operation and locking of the electric motors (6) can be entered and/or read, the intention is to ensure that, independently of the customer-specific electrical devices, complete operation of the chuck (2) and its monitoring during a machining operation is achieved immediately after coupling of the control devices (11) provided by the customer with the chuck. This is achieved in that at least one programmable interface (21), which is electrically connected to the second inductive transmission device (8) and the control device (11), is provided between the second inductive transmission device (8) and the control device (11), each interface (21) has one or more command and control programs by means of which the chuck (2) can be set or selected by the control device (11), a plurality of measuring sensors (22) are provided which are assigned to the clamping jaws (4), electric motors (6) and/or the chuck (2) and by means of which their operating states are detected and transmitted to the respective interface (21), in that the respective interface (21) compares the actual data stored in the command programs with the measurement data determined by the measuring sensors (22), and in that this comparison of the selected operating state of the chuck (2) with an actual operating state generates data records which are evaluated by the respective interface (21) and forwarded to the control device (11) of the chuck (2), the clamping jaws (4) or the electric motors (6).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.