Linear path slide

Details Linear path slide Linear path slide

2001-12-05

2004-07-13

Look, Edward K. (Department: 3745)

Expansible chamber devices

Mutually relatively movable cylinder or sleeve, member...

C092S052000, C092S11700R, C091S196000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06761104

ABSTRACT:

The present invention relates to a linear path slide with a slide which is arranged with a sliding guide slidingly movable in a housing and with a hydraulic driving gear which causes the movement of the slide and which has a piston arranged slidingly movable in a cylinder by constituting a hydraulic working space.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Linear path slides of the above mentioned type are used as actuators in different devices for the processing and machining of metallic materials and plastic or plastic composite materials. The functions of these structural components typically include the pressing, forming, stamping, bending, beading, punching, jointing, jointing pressing as well as the carrying out of feeding functions with special requirements. Particular requirements are made to the properties of linear path slides among which especially a high energy density, a very high guiding exactitude as well as a very high stiffness against transverse loads and torsion are to be found. Furthermore, they should be constructed as compact as possible and allow, as standardized basic structural components, a flexible universal range of application. Moreover, properties such as maintenance-freedom during the whole lifetime, a robust construction for the use in polluted environment, the possibility of any fitting position, absolute tightness (for example by overhead mounting) and not least a low-cost production are desirable.
Different configurations of linear path slides are known. Because of the required high energy density, they are preferably hydraulic devices. However, basically the design as a pneumatically driven device is also possible.
Especially combinations of customary linear cylinders are known as compact built-in modules which are formed with stiff linear guiding units by “saddle-mounting” or by constituting a constructional longitudinal combination.
From DE-GM 71 04 168, we know a hydraulically or pneumatically acting slide for translating or swivelling blades, flaps or containers for which the hydraulic working spaces are configured in the stemple of the device. In order to protect the piston rod of the device used in severe conditions against dirt, faling rocks and the like, it is surrounded by a protecting sheath. The slide is guided only by the piston rod and thus does not show any torsion stiffness. Therefore, it is appropriate only for receiving linear forces.
Moreover, hydraulic block cylinders are known, the housings of which have additional bore holes for guiding rods which are placed parallel to the actual hydraulic cylinder. The piston rod head and one to usually four guiding rods at the most are screwed to each other in a top plate resistant to bending. This arrangement guarantees flexural strength and torsional strength.
Furthermore, from DE 295 17 615 U1, we know a linear path slide with a slide, which is placed slidingly movable in a housing with guide rollers and resistant to torsion, and with a hydraulic driving gear which causes the displacing of the slide and which shows a piston placed slidingly movable in a cylinder by constituting a hydraulic working space. Due to the only point support of the slide valve on the rollers, the torsional strength and the capacity of absorbing transverse loads are however limited.
Moreover, the linear path slide shows a relatively big axial overall length.
Another configuration of a linear path slide (Manufacturer Heidel GmbH und Co, KG, Viersen, Germany) is known for the particularly high requirements in the field of cutting tools. This embodiment is characterized by a prismatical slide with an usually right-angled cross-section. The slide core is guided with a cast housing absolutely free from backlash and maintenance-free (for lifetime) due to a special heavy-load slideway technique. The slide shows a pocket into which a special hydraulic cylinder is inserted laterally to the movement axis. This hydraulic cylinder shows a piston with two continuous piston rods or with a piston rod and a driving slot which act onto the front sides of the pocket in the slide and thus transfer the forces of pressure onto the slide for a forward and a back motion. The hydraulic special cylinder is provided on one longitudinal side with a mounting flange by means of which it is screwed on the slide housing. For this purpose, the slide housing has an opening on its upper longitudinal side. The hydraulic oil connections are also on this mounting flange. There is a lateral connection as well as a connection orientated upwards with a corresponding guiding of the pipes in order to be adapted to different confined mounting conditions. The described linear path slide is characterized by its heavy-load capacity and the precise slideway of the prismatical slide. However, its useability is limited in some cases by its size and weight. Moreover, a repair of the linear path slide is relatively complicated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The aim of the invention is to obtain, for a linear path slide of the above mentioned type, a compacter construction with a reduced volume and a reduced weight. Simultaneously, the linear path slide should be easier to repair and should be flexibler in its useability. Not least the manufacturing costs should also be reduced.
Accordingly, the linear path slide contains in a known way a slide which is arranged slidingly movable in a housing with a sliding guide as well as a hydraulic driving gear which causes the displacing of the slide and which has a piston arranged slidingly movable in a cylinder by constituting a hydraulic working space. Accordingly, this linear path slide is characterized in that the cylinder and the working space are configured in the slide and the piston is fixed with respect to the housing.
Here, by “cylinder”, we do not necessarily understand a cylinder in the mathematical sense, i.e. with a circular cross-section, but any working space limited by parallel walls in which a piston, the cross-section of which corresponds to the cross-section of the working space, can move parallel to the walls. Besides a mathematical cylindrical shape, the “cylinder” can also show in particular a cross-section in form of a regular polygon.
In the linear path slide according to the invention, the functions of the slide and of the hydraulic driving gear are combined in a structural component. This is possible since the hydraulic driving gear is integrated into the slide itself. Many advantages result from this measure. So, the giving up of two separated structural components (slide, hydraulic driving gear) allows a compacter thinner construction by saving construction volume. Components are additionally saved (for example housing with cylinder bore hole and mounting flange) and thus a high saving of costs and weight is achieved. The falling away of junctures in which for example the mechanical pressure force introduction takes place from the hydraulic driving gear to the slide, causes a further reduction of the production costs and avoids potential sources of errors.
Furthermore, for the linear path slide according to the invention, the arrangement of the slide and of the hydraulic driving gear can ensue with a high symmetry, the cylinder and the piston being placed on the center axle/axle of movement of the slide. Thus, there results a central and symmetrical force introduction which avoids the occuring of tilting moments. This causes a lower parasitic stress and increases the reliability and the longevity of the structural component. For linear path slides with a traditional construction, a corresponding symmetrical configuration would have resulted in considerably bigger structural shapes with an inacceptable specific power capacity.
Advantageous configurations of the invention are characterized in the subclaims.
The slide is constructed preferably as a prismatic slide. Thus, a high precision and a high stiffness are obtained in an experienced way.
Furthermore, it is preferred that the sliding guide, which is placed between the slide and the housing, is produced by a casting process. Such a casting process results on

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