Clamping apparatus
AssigneeHonda Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorsRyu Okubo, Toshihiko Aoki, Hiromi Ohshima
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A clamping apparatus detachably clamps a work on a pallet. When a second pressing plate moves down from the unclamped state of a first position, elastic force of a first elastic member acts on a shaft through a first retainer and first operating balls so that a clamping arm is pressed down. When a first pressing plate moves down by a short distance, the first operating balls shift to the position of an unlocking segment of a sleeve, and a second operating balls are also located at an unlocking segment of a clamping case, to realize a releasing position. When the shaft is located at the releasing position where the first and second operating balls are not engaged with the shaft, the shaft can be removed from the clamping case.
Claims10
A clamping apparatus, comprising:
- a clamping case;
- a shaft mounted in the clamping case for sliding movement in an axial direction of the shaft, wherein said shaft is pushed with a first pushing member;
- a clamping arm attached to the shaft, wherein a work is disengageably clamped by the clamping arm;
- a first engaging member disposed within the clamping case;
- a first retainer, wherein the first engaging member is engaged with the shaft by the first retainer in a first stroke;
- a first elastic member with a first spring constant and providing a first elastic force, wherein the first elastic force of the first elastic member is transmitted to the shaft through the first retainer in the first stroke, and wherein the first elastic member coaxially receives a first portion of the shaft;
- a second engaging member disposed within the clamping case;
- a second retainer slidably disposed in the clamping case, wherein said second retainer is pushed with a second pushing member, and wherein the second engaging member is engaged with the shaft by the second retainer in a second stroke;
- and
- a second elastic member with a second spring constant and providing a second elastic force, wherein the second elastic force of the second elastic member is transmitted to the shaft through the second retainer in the second stroke and the second spring constant is larger than the first spring constant, and wherein the second elastic member coaxially receives a second portion of the shaft,
- wherein said first pushing member is a rod that is aligned with said second pushing member, said second pushing member being a circular protrusion that is detached from said clamping case, and said shaft is actuated by contact with the first pushing member;
- wherein in a releasing position in which the shaft is not engaged with either the first engaging member and the second engaging member the first engaging member is held in the first retainer, the second engaging member is held in the second retainer and the shaft is adapted to be detachable from the clamping case.
A clamping apparatus, in which an object to be clamped is disengageably clamped by a clamping arm provided to a shaft mounted in a clamping case slidably in an axial direction, said shaft pushed by a first pushing member, the clamping apparatus comprising:
- a first elastic member with a first spring constant and providing a first elastic force;
- a first retainer for transmitting the first elastic force of the first elastic member to the shaft by engaging a first engaging member to the shaft in a first stroke from a maximum separating position between the clamping arm and the object to be clamped to a position in vicinity of the object to be clamped;
- and
- a second elastic member with a second spring constant and providing a second elastic force, wherein the second spring constant is larger than the first spring constant;
- a second retainer for transmitting the second elastic force of the second elastic member to the shaft by engaging a second engaging member to the shaft in a second stroke in which the clamping arm moves from the position in vicinity of the object to be clamped to the object to be clamped, wherein the second retainer is pushed by a second pushing member,
- wherein a releasing position in which the shaft is not engaged with either of the first engaging member and the second engaging member is disposed between the first stroke and the second stroke,
- wherein a first pushing member is a rod that is aligned with a second pushing member, said second pushing member being a circular protrusion that is detached from said clamping case, and said shaft is actuated by contact with the first pushing member;
- in the releasing position, the first engaging member is held in the first retainer, the second engaging member is held in the second retainer, and the shaft is adapted to be detachable from the clamping case.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.