Insertion device and method for inserting a circular blank ring into an outer ring of a circular blank

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11065729-B2
Application number	US-201716084868-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 1, 2017
Priority date	Mar 15, 2016
Publication date	Jul 20, 2021
Grant date	Jul 20, 2021

Abstract

An outer ring ( 29 ) is first transported to an insertion point (E) in the feed device ( 34 ). At the same time, a circular blank ring ( 30 ) is brought into a starting position (P) in the feed device. The circular blank ring ( 29 ) is first aligned coaxially with respect to an axis (A) using a centering body ( 61 ). The circular blank ring moves solely radially with respect to the axis (A). The circular blank ring ( 30 ) is then inserted into the hole of the outer ring ( 29 ). During this movement, the circular blank ring is aligned coaxially with respect to the axis (A) preferably using a centering channel ( 54 ). The circular blank ring ( 30 ) carries out a superimposed movement in the axial direction (V) and in the radial direction radially with respect to the axis (A).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An insertion device ( 34 ) for inserting a circular blank ring ( 30 ) into an outer ring ( 29 ) of a circular blank, the insertion device ( 34 ) comprising:
a pusher ( 45 ), which is arranged coaxially with respect to an axis (A) and includes a pusher surface ( 47 ) configured to act upon the circular blank ring ( 30 );
a pusher drive ( 46 ) configured to move the pusher ( 45 ) along the axis (A);
a centering body ( 61 ), which is arranged coaxially with respect to the axis (A) and has a free end that is assigned to the pusher surface ( 47 );
a centering drive ( 62 ) configured to move the centering body ( 62 ) along the axis (A);
a controller ( 85 ) configured to generate control signals for activating the centering drive and the pusher drive,
wherein the controller is configured to activate the centering drive ( 62 ) so as to cause the centering body ( 61 ) to engage with an outer ring ( 29 ) arranged at an insertion point (E), and thereby align the outer ring coaxially with respect to the axis (A),
wherein the controller ( 85 ) is furthermore configured to activate the pusher drive ( 46 ) so as to move the circular blank ring ( 30 ) to the insertion point (E) as a result of being acted upon by the pusher surface ( 47 ), and to insert the circular blank ring ( 30 ) into the outer ring ( 29 ), which has been aligned coaxially with respect to the axis (A) by the centering body ( 61 ),
wherein the controller ( 85 ) is furthermore configured to activate the centering drive ( 62 ) and the pusher drive ( 46 ) in such a chronologically coordinated manner that the centering body ( 61 ) engages in the outer ring ( 29 ) before the pusher ( 45 ) brings the circular blank ring ( 30 ) in contact with the outer ring ( 29 ).

2. The insertion device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller ( 85 ) is configured to activate the centering drive ( 62 ) and the pusher drive ( 46 ) in such a chronologically coordinated manner that the centering body ( 61 ) rests against the outer ring ( 29 ) during insertion of the circular blank ring ( 30 ) into the outer ring ( 29 ).

3. The insertion device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller ( 85 ) is configured to activate the centering drive ( 62 ) and the pusher drive ( 46 ) in such a chronologically coordinated manner that the centering body ( 61 ) acts upon the outer ring ( 29 ) until the circular blank ring ( 30 ) moved by the pusher ( 45 ) pushes the centering body ( 61 ) away from the outer ring ( 29 ).

4. The insertion device according to claim 1 , wherein the centering drive ( 62 ) comprises a pneumatic cylinder ( 70 ) including a first working chamber ( 72 ) and a second working chamber ( 73 ), and configured such that pressure being applied to the first working chamber ( 72 ) moves the centering body ( 61 ) to the insertion point (E).

5. The insertion device according to claim 4 , wherein the controller ( 85 ) is configured to activate the centering drive ( 62 ) such that the first working chamber ( 72 ) is fluidically connected to surrounding atmosphere before the pusher ( 45 ) brings the circular blank ring ( 29 ) in contact with the outer ring ( 29 ) and/or the centering body ( 61 ).

6. The insertion device according to claim 4 , wherein the centering drive ( 62 ) is further configured such that pressure applied to the second working chamber ( 73 ) causes the centering body ( 61 ) to move away from the insertion point (E) and/or causes the centering body ( 61 ) to be held in an upper position located away from the insertion point (E).

7. The insertion device according to claim 4 , wherein the centering drive ( 62 ) comprises two valves ( 75 , 77 ) that are configured to be activated independently of one another.

8. The insertion device according to claim 1 , further comprising a first transport unit ( 35 ) configured to transport the circular blank rings ( 30 ) into a starting position (P) adjacent to the pusher surface ( 47 ).

9. The insertion device according to claim 1 , further comprising a transport unit ( 36 ) configured to transport the outer rings ( 29 ) to the insertion point (E).

10. The insertion device according to claim 8 , wherein the first transport unit ( 35 ) comprises a first dial feed plate ( 35 a ) drivable about a first dial axis (R 1 ), which comprises a plurality of receiving pockets ( 35 b ) for a respective circular blank ring ( 30 ).

11. The insertion device according to claim 9 , wherein the transport unit ( 36 ) comprises a dial feed plate ( 36 a ) drivable about a second dial axis (R 2 ), which comprises a plurality of receiving pockets ( 36 b ) for a respective outer ring ( 29 ) or a unit comprising an outer ring ( 29 ) and an inserted circular blank ring ( 30 ).

12. The insertion device according to claim 1 , wherein the pusher drive ( 46 ) is an electric-motor drive system.

13. The insertion device according to claim 1 , wherein a centering channel ( 54 ) is present coaxially with respect to the axis (A) between the pusher ( 45 ), which is in a retracted position thereof, and the insertion point (E).

14. A method for inserting a circular blank ring ( 30 ) into an outer ring ( 29 ) of a circular blank using the insertion device of claim 1 , the method comprising:
transporting the outer ring ( 29 ) to the insertion point (E);
transporting the circular blank ring ( 30 ) into a starting position (P) in the axial direction, parallel to an axis (A), adjacent to the outer ring ( 29 );
aligning the outer ring ( 29 ) coaxially with respect to the axis (A); and
moving the circular blank ring ( 30 ) in the axial direction into the outer ring ( 29 ) at the insertion point (E).

15. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising aligning the circular blank ring ( 30 ) coaxially with respect to the axis (A) during the moving the circular blank ring ( 30 ) in the axial direction to the insertion point (E).

16. The insertion device according to claim 11 , wherein the outer ring ( 29 ) remains in the receiving pocket ( 36 b ) of the dial feed plate ( 36 ) during the insertion of the circular blank ring ( 30 ).

Assignees

• Schuler Pressen Gmbh

Inventors

• Prinzinger Helmut
• Kneer Simon

Classifications

• B21K25/00 Primary

  Uniting components to form integral members, e.g. turbine wheels and shafts, caulks with inserts, with or without shaping of the components (uniting by interference- or press-fitting B23P11/02, B21K19/02) · CPC title

• B29C65/7802

  Positioning the parts to be joined, e.g. aligning, indexing or centring · CPC title

• B29C65/56

  using mechanical means {or mechanical connections, e.g. form-fits} · CPC title

• B23P19/04

  for assembling or disassembling parts · CPC title

• B29C65/64

  Joining a non-plastics element to a plastics element, e.g. by force (B29C65/44 takes precedence) · CPC title