Clamp device
AssigneePascal Engineering Corporation
InventorTakayuki Kawakami
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A clamp device includes a clamp main body, an engagement assembly, a clamp rod, a drive mechanism, and a support mechanism. The engagement assembly can be changed over between a diameter-expanded state in which it engages with an inner circumferential surface of an aperture in a workpiece, and a diameter-reduced state in which it does not so engage. The clamp rod is engaged with an interior of the engagement assembly. The drive mechanism drives the clamp rod to and from the clamp main body. The support mechanism supports the engagement assembly with a pneumatic force of pressurized air. At least a part of the pneumatic force is released after the engagement assembly has been expanded in diameter.
Claims8
A clamp device comprising:
- a clamp main body;
- an engagement assembly that can be changed over between a diameter-expanded state in which the engagement assembly engages with an inner circumferential surface of an aperture in a workpiece and a diameter-reduced state in which the engagement assembly does not so engage;
- a clamp rod that is engaged with an interior of the engagement assembly;
- a drive means for driving the clamp rod to and from with respect to the clamp main body;
- a support mechanism that, when said engagement assembly is expanded in diameter and is engaged with said inner circumferential surface, supports the engagement assembly with a pneumatic force of pressurized air at a first pressure;
- and
- a pneumatic force release means that, when the clamp rod is driven for clamping by said drive means, releases at least a part of the pneumatic force of said support mechanism after said engagement assembly has been expanded in diameter to engage with said inner circumferential surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.