"CONNECTING DEVICE FOR PNEUMATICALLY DRIVEN TOOLS"

Technical sector

[0001] The present invention concerns a connecting device for pneumatically driven tools, intended in particular for use on robotic arms and the like.

Prior art

[0002] In the technical sector of components for industrial automation, the use of pneumatically driven devices that allow the connection of tools to a robotic arm and the like is well known. These devices are also known as "tool changers", as the robotic arms are capable of mounting interchangeable tools.

[0003] Known tool changers comprise a toroidal body fastenable to the robotic arm wherein are obtained the pneumatic supply ducts. The toroidal body provides for a plurality of housing seats of corresponding coupling pins carried by a tool support plate, which in turn is equipped with corresponding pneumatic supply ducts . The toroidal body is associated with a mechanism for blocking and unblocking the tool comprising a ring nut that operable in angular rotation. The ring nut has a series of slots wherein the aforementioned coupling pins of the support plate of the tool are engaged. The ring nut is angularly rotatable between a first position, it is possible to block or to unblock the tool, and a second safety position, wherein the tool is maintained blocked to the connecting device. The device further comprises valve means for closing the pneumatic supply ducts.

[0004] A device for connecting pneumatic tools to the articulated arm of a robot of this type is illustrated, for example, in patent applications US 2008/0042432 and US 2010/0090458.

[0005] A drawback reported in the known connecting devices is that when the tool is disconnected, the compressed air may continue to be supplied to the same tool before the valves that close the pneumatic supply ducts intervene. This may cause hazards for the user.

[0006] To overcome such a drawback, the patent IT 1,413,748 provides for a ring nut rotatable at an angle to close the pneumatic supply ducts before the blocking and unblocking ring nut of the tool intervenes. For this purpose, the ring nut for closing the pneumatic supply ducts is bound to the ring nut for blocking and unblocking the tool by means of a coupling pin that drives in rotation the same ring nut for blocking and unblocking the tool.

Presentation of the invention

[0007] The task of the present invention is to resolve the cited problems by devising a device suitable to connect pneumatically driven tools to a robotic arm or other similar devices easily and safely.

[0008] Another object of the invention is to provide a connecting device for pneumatically driven tools with a simple constructive and functional design and safe and reliable operation that is versatile to use and relatively low cost.

[0009] According to the present invention, the connecting device for pneumatically driven tools according to claim 1 achieves the aforementioned objects.

[0010] The connecting device for pneumatically driven tools according to the present invention comprises a substantially cylindrical main body with a series of air passage ducts arranged, at least partially, with an axis parallel to the axis of the same main body.

[0011] To said air passage ducts are associated respective closing valves.

[0012] Advantageously, said main body comprises a first part and a second part suitable to be associated coaxially and equipped with respective air passage ducts.

[0013] A ring nut for activating the air flow is associated frontally with said main body, said activation ring nut having a series of through holes suitable to be arranged, in an activation position of the connecting device, aligned respectively with said air passage ducts of the main body.

[0014] According to an advantageous aspect of the present invention, said activation ring nut is movable radially to said main body between said activation position and a deactivation position wherein the same activation ring nut closes as a shear gate said air passage ducts of the main body.

[0015] Preferably said activation ring nut is placed between said first part and said second part of the main body .

[0016] Preferably said activation ring nut is slidably arranged within a compartment made on a front surface of said second part of the main body.

[0017] Advantageously, said activation ring nut has a slot extending in a radial direction which is suitable to be engaged by a pin integral with said main body for limiting the translation of the same activation ring nut between said activation position and said deactivation position .

[0018] Preferably, said activation ring nut provides for a series of air outflow channels formed respectively adjacent to said through holes of the same activation ring nut.

[0019] According to another aspect of the invention, the connecting device comprises an anchoring ring nut associated frontally with said main body and presenting a plurality of circumferential slots suitable to receive respective anchoring pins of a tool.

[0020] Said anchoring ring nut is rotatable at an angle between a first blocked position of said anchoring pins and a second unblocked position, wherein it is possible to mount or dismount said tool.

[0021] Preferably, said slots of the anchoring ring nut have an enlarged portion of a substantially circular shape, suitable to receive, in said unblocked position, a mushroom-shaped portion of said respective anchoring pins .

[0022] Preferably said anchoring ring nut is associated frontally with said second part of the main body.

[0023] Advantageously, said anchoring ring nut has a slot extending in a circumferential direction which is suitable to be engaged by a pin integral with said main body for limiting the angular rotation of the same anchoring ring nut between said first blocked position of said anchoring pins and said second unblocked position.

[0024] Said main body has a plurality of housing seats suitable respectively to receive said anchoring pins of the tool.

[0025] Advantageously, the device comprises an engagement sensor suitable to be housed in a seat provided in said main body.

Brief description of the drawings

[0026] The details of the invention will be more evident from the detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the connecting device for pneumatically driven tools, illustrated by way of indicative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0027] figure 1 shows an exploded view of the connecting device for pneumatically driven tools according to the present invention;

[0028] figures 2 and 3 show a front view, respectively front and rear, of the connecting device in question;

[0029] figure 4 shows a side view of the same pneumatic connecting device;

[0030] figures 5 and 6 show a front view of the activation ring nut in the activation and deactivation positions respectively;

[0031] figure 7 shows a further front view of said activation ring nut;

[0032] figure 8 shows a perspective view of a detail of the connecting device.

Embodiments of the invention

[0033] With particular reference to such figures, the connecting device for pneumatically driven tools according to the present invention is indicated collectively at 1.

[0034] The connecting device comprises a main body 10, substantially cylindrical in shape, having a series of air passage ducts arranged, at least partially, with an axis parallel to the axis of the same main body.

[0035] In more detail, the main body 10 comprises a first part 11 and a second part 12 suitable to be associated coaxially and equipped with respective air passage ducts 13, 14, arranged in mutual alignment.

[0036] The main body 10 is associated frontally with an air flow activation ring nut 20. In particular, the activation ring nut 20 is interposed between the first part 11 and the second part 12 of the main body 10.

[0037] The activation ring nut 20 has a series of through holes 21 suitable to be arranged, in an activation position of the connecting device, respectively aligned with said air passage ducts 13, 14 of the main body 10.

[0038] According to an aspect of the invention, the activation ring nut 20 is movable to translate in the direction radial to the main body 10 between said activation position (see fig. 5) and a deactivation position (see fig. 6), wherein the same activation ring nut 20 closes as a shear gate said air passage ducts 13, 14 of the main body 10.

[0039] Preferably the activation ring nut 20 is slidably arranged within a compartment 15 made on a front surface of said second part 12 of the main body 10.

[0040] The activation ring nut 20 forms a handle 22 suitable to facilitate the movement thereof between said positions of activation and deactivation.

[0041] On the handle 22 of the activation ring nut 20 there is a slot 23 extending in a radial direction which is suitable to be engaged by a pin 16 integral with said main body 10 to limit the translation of the same activation ring nut 20 between said activation position and said deactivation position.

[0042] Conveniently, the activation ring nut 20 provides for a series of air outflow channels 24 formed respectively adjacent to said through holes 21 of the same activation ring nut 20 (see fig. 7) .

[0043] The second part 12 of the main body 10 is furthermore associated frontally with an annular shaped anchoring ring nut 30, having a plurality of circumferential slots 31 suitable to receive respective anchoring pins of the tool, known per se and not represented in the drawings. The anchoring ring nut 30 is rotatable at an angle, with the help of a corresponding handle 32, between a first blocked position of said anchoring pins and a second unblocked position wherein it is possible to mount or dismount said tool. [0044] The slots 31 of the anchoring ring nut 30 have an enlarged portion of a substantially circular shape, suitable to receive, in said unblocked position, a mushroom-shaped portion of said respective anchoring pins .

[0045] The anchoring ring nut 30 has a slot 33 extending in a circumferential direction which is suitable to be engaged by a pin 17 integral with said main body 10 to limit the angular rotation of the same anchoring ring nut 30 between said first blocked position of said anchoring pins and said second unblocked position.

[0046] The second part 12 of the main body 10 has a plurality of housing seats 18 suitable to receive respectively said anchoring pins of the tool.

[0047] The connecting device further comprises valve means

2 for closing the aforesaid air passage ducts 13, 14 of a type known per se. The valve means 2 are carried by a disc 3 which in use is housed in a front compartment 19 of the second part 12 of the main body.

[0048] The connecting device may be advantageously equipped with an engagement sensor 4, suitable to be housed in a seat provided in the main body (see in particular fig. 8) .

[0049] The operation of the connecting device for pneumatically driven tools is easy to understand from the above description.

[0050] In the configuration of use, with the tool attached to the robotic arm by means of the device in question, the translation of the activation ring nut 20 in the direction radial to the main body 10 of the device allows the opening of the air passage ducts 13, 14 to be opened or closed, thus activating or conversely deactivating the pneumatic connection of the tool.

[0051] The described device achieves the object of connecting pneumatically driven tools to a robotic arm or other similar equipment easily and safely.

[0052] In the practical implementation of the invention, the materials used, as well as the shape and size, may be any depending on the needs .

[0053] Where the technical features mentioned in each claim are followed by reference marks, such reference marks have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the understanding of the claims and consequently they have no limiting value on the object of each element identified by such reference marks by way of example.