Apparatus for retaining a workpiece, and methods of use and manufacture thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10010946-B2
Application number	US-201514703269-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 4, 2015
Priority date	May 4, 2015
Publication date	Jul 3, 2018
Grant date	Jul 3, 2018

Abstract

Some embodiments are directed to a fixing apparatus that includes a threaded adaptor, an arbor having a flange portion and a shaft portion, and a draw cylinder disposed such that rotation of the threaded adaptor moves the draw cylinder in axially upward and downward directions. A collet can be disposed around a periphery of the arbor so as to be coaxial with the draw cylinder, such that movement of the draw cylinder in the axially downward direction causes the draw cylinder to contact the collet and thereby cause the collet to also move in the axially downward direction. The collet can include axially extending channels that define fingers therebetween and interior coaxial surfaces that are configured to communicate with exterior coaxial surfaces of the arbor such that axially downward movement of the collet moves the fingers in a radially outward direction to thereby increase an exterior diameter of the collet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fixing apparatus for removably fixing a workpiece to a pallet using an actuator, the fixing apparatus comprising:
a threaded adaptor that is configured to be rotated by the actuator;
an arbor including a flange portion and a shaft portion that defines exterior conical surfaces, the arbor defining a bore that extends through both the flange and shaft portions;
a draw cylinder disposed in communication with the threaded adaptor such that rotation of the threaded adaptor moves the draw cylinder in axially upward and downward directions, the draw cylinder extending through the bore of the shaft portion of the arbor;
a collet disposed around a periphery of the shaft portion of the arbor so as to be coaxial with the draw cylinder, the collet being disposed such that movement of the draw cylinder in the axially downward direction causes a flanged head of the draw cylinder to contact the collet and thereby cause the collet to also move in the axially downward direction, the collet including axially extending slots that define fingers therebetween and interior conical surfaces that are configured to communicate with the exterior conical surfaces of the shaft portion of the arbor such that axially downward movement of the collet moves the fingers in a radially outward direction to thereby increase an exterior diameter of the collet;
a socket disposed around a periphery of the draw cylinder so as to be coaxial with the draw cylinder, the socket receives a portion of the draw cylinder therein as the draw cylinder moves axially upward and downward, the socket extends into the arbor, and the socket extends outside of the arbor; and
a bearing located between the arbor and the socket such that the bearing rotatably supports the socket on the arbor.

2. The fixing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the draw cylinder includes a draw plug and a draw bar, the draw plug including the draw shaft and the flanged head, the draw bar defining lower circumferentially extending exterior surfaces that contact the threaded adaptor.

3. The fixing apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the draw plug and the draw bar are unitarily formed.

4. The fixing apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the draw plug and the draw bar constitute separate elements that are connected together.

5. The fixing apparatus as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the draw bar defines upper circumferentially extending exterior keyed surfaces that communicate with interior surfaces of the flange portion of the arbor to impede rotation of the draw cylinder relative to the arbor.

6. The fixing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the threaded adaptor is a double lock nut that includes upper and lower coaxial portions, the double lock nut being configured such that rotation of the threaded adaptor in one direction causes the upper and lower portions to be separated, while rotation in another direction causes the upper and lower portions to be in contact with each other.

7. The fixing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further including a sleeve member that is disposed between a base of the shaft portion of the arbor and the collet that is configured to impede axially downward movement of the collet when the exterior diameter of the collet has reached a fully expanded position.

8. The fixing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further including a pin that is configured to extend through apertures in sidewalls of the collet and the draw cylinder, and is configured to impede rotation of the collet relative to the draw cylinder.

9. The fixing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further including mounts that are configured to extend through apertures defined in the flange portion of the arbor and corresponding apertures defined in a mounting surface of the pallet to mount the arbor to the pallet.

10. The fixing apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the shaft portion of the arbor extends from a surface of the flange portion that is opposite to the mounting surface of the pallet when the arbor is mounted to the pallet.

11. The fixing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
the arbor further includes a cylindrical portion and an enlarged bore in the cylindrical portion,
the flange includes a first side and a second side that is opposite to the first side, the shaft portion extend that extends from first side of the flange portion in a first direction, and the cylindrical portion extends from the second side of the flange portion in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, and
the socket includes a flanged head at a first end of the socket and a base at a second end of the socket that is opposite to the base, the flanged head extends into the enlarged bore, and the base is outside of the arbor.

12. A pallet assembly for removably securing a workpiece, the pallet assembly comprising:
a pallet including mounting surface facing the workpiece when the workpiece is secured to the pallet, and at least one hole in the mounting surface;
an actuator;
a collet assembly that is secured to the pallet, the collet assembly including:
a threaded adaptor that is configured to be rotated by the actuator;
an arbor including a flange portion and a shaft portion that defines exterior conical surfaces, the arbor defining a bore that extends through both the flange and shaft portions, the flange portion including a first surface, a second surface, and at least one mounting hole extending through the flange portion from the first surface to the second surface, the shaft portion extending from the first surface and away from the mounting surface of the pallet, and the second surface abutting the mounting surface of the pallet;
a draw cylinder disposed in communication with the threaded adaptor such that rotation of the threaded adaptor moves the draw cylinder in axially upward and downward directions, the draw cylinder extending through the bore of the shaft portion of the arbor;
a collet disposed around a periphery of the shaft portion of the arbor so as to be coaxial with the draw cylinder, the collet being disposed such that movement of the draw cylinder in the axially downward direction causes a flanged head of the draw cylinder to contact the collet and thereby cause the collet to also move in the axially downward direction, the collet including axially extending slots that define fingers therebetween and interior conical surfaces that are configured to communicate with the exterior conical surfaces of the shaft portion of the arbor such that axially downward movement of the collet moves the fingers in a radially outward direction to thereby increase an exterior diameter of the collet;
a socket disposed around a periphery of the draw cylinder so as to be coaxial with the draw cylinder, the socket receives a portion of the draw cylinder therein as the draw cylinder moves axially upward and downward, and the socket extends outside of the arbor; and
a bearing located between the arbor and the socket such that the bearing rotatably supports the socket on the arbor; and

a mount extending through each of the mounting hole of the flange portion of the arbor and the hole in mounting surface of the pallet to mount the arbor to the pallet.

13. The pallet assembly as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the draw cylinder includes a draw plug and a draw bar, the draw plug including the draw shaft and the flanged head, the draw bar defining lower circumferentially extending exterior surfaces that contact the threaded adaptor.

14. The pallet assembly as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the draw plug and the draw bar are unitarily formed.

15. The pallet assembly as

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Martin Jeffrey D

Classifications

• B23Q1/009

  the receiving hole being cylindrical or conical · CPC title

• Y10T279/1008

  Fixed jaws and moving cam · CPC title

• B23B31/4033 Primary

  using mechanical transmission through the spindle (B23B31/4026 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y10T279/1045

  Internal cone · CPC title

• B23Q3/02

  for mounting on a work-table, tool-slide, or analogous part (B23Q3/15 takes precedence) · CPC title