Clamp apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10011004-B2
Application number	US-201314760924-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 11, 2013
Priority date	Jan 28, 2013
Publication date	Jul 3, 2018
Grant date	Jul 3, 2018

Abstract

A driving force transmission mechanism of a clamp apparatus includes first link arms, which are pivotally supported for rotation on ends of first and second piston rods, and second link arms, which connect other ends of the first link arms to respective ends on one end side of first and second clamp arms. Further, first rollers, which are provided on the one end of the first link arms, are guided in a horizontal direction along guide grooves of first guide members, and second rollers, which are provided on the other ends of the first link arms and the second link arms, are guided in a vertical direction along guide grooves of second guide members.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A clamp apparatus for rotating a pair of clamp arms and thereby clamping a workpiece between the clamp arms, comprising:
a body;
a driver disposed on the body and to displace displaceable members along an axial direction under supply of a pressure fluid;
the pair of clamp arms supported rotatably with respect to the body, the clamp arms being disposed in confronting relation to each other; and
a driving force transmission mechanism which connects ends of the displaceable members to ends of the clamp arms, and which transmits a driving force in the axial direction of the driver to the clamp arms to thereby rotate the clamp arms,
wherein the driving force transmission mechanism comprises a toggle link mechanism having first link arms supported rotatably on the displaceable members through first support members provided on ends of the first link arms, and second link arms, which connect second support members provided on other ends of the first link arms and ends of the clamp arms, the second link arms supported rotatably, respectively, with respect to the second support members and the ends of the clamp arms, and wherein the first support members are disposed for displacement in the axial direction, and the second support members are disposed for displacement in a perpendicular direction perpendicular to the direction of displacement of the first support members.

2. The clamp apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second support members are guided respectively in the axial direction and the perpendicular direction by respective guide disposed on the body.

3. The clamp apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the guide comprises:
first guide members that guide the first support members in a horizontal direction; and
second guide members that guide the second support members in a vertical direction,
wherein rotating rollers, which are inserted in grooves of the first and second guide members, are disposed on the first and second support members.

4. The clamp apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each of the clamp arms is disposed rotatably through a support shaft with respect to the body, and a distance from one end connected to the driving force transmission mechanism to the support shaft is set to be longer than a distance from a gripping portion that grips the workpiece to the support shaft.

5. The clamp apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the driver comprises a fluid pressure cylinder having first and second ports to which a pressure fluid is supplied, and a cylinder main body in which the displaceable members are displaceably disposed, the displaceable members comprising a pair of pistons, wherein by supply of the pressure fluid through the first port, the pistons are displaced in directions to separate away from each other mutually, and by supply of the pressure fluid through the second ports, the pistons are displaced in directions to approach each other mutually.

6. The clamp apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the displaceable members are displaceable in opposite direction to one another in the axial direction.

7. The clamp apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein each of the displaceable members corresponds to one of the first support members and move as one with the corresponding first support member.

Assignees

• Smc Corp

Inventors

• Fukui Chiaki
• Takahashi Kazuyoshi
• Sasaki Hideki
• Kobayashi Masaharu

Classifications

• B25B5/122

  with fluid drive · CPC title

• B25B5/064

  with clamping means pivoting around an axis perpendicular to the pressing direction (B25B5/122 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B25B5/04 Primary

  with pivoted jaws · CPC title