Description

Field of the invention

The present invention patent application generally refers to the wide sector of fixing systems and more particularly, the invention regards an innovative system constituted by fixing surfaces.

The invention is applicable to any sector where one such device type can be advantageously used, but preferably this regards the sector of vacuum fixing systems.

State of the art

As is known, a vacuum fixing surface, also termed (less appropriately) suction surface, arises from the need to attain a fixing system which is more versatile than those constituted by the more conventional magnetic surface intended to be exclusively used with ferromagnetic materials.

The vacuum fixing surfaces are tools which allow fixing the pieces being processed and facilitating the processing during the operations with machine tools and instruments for mechanical processing in general, such as for operations of cutting, milling, masking, smoothing/leveling, etc. This system, in fact, allows grasping objects of any shape and type, as long as they do not have excessive transpiration and hence it is advantageously directed to metallic materials such as aluminum, copper, stainless steel, titanium and many others, as well as to all the plastic materials.

The system is essentially composed of two fundamental elements, constituted by a suction source and by a vacuum surface.

Such systems comprise, at the vacuum surface which constitutes the actual operating area, one or more plates generally made of steel and arranged horizontally, and which are constituted by a plurality of through holes. The through holes are powered by the vacuum source, i.e. a suction source also termed vacuum pump, arranged for example below the surface.

Presently the vacuum fixing surfaces, and hence the relative mechanical processing operations associated therewith, have limits in terms of maximum dimensions of the pieces that can be processed, and in terms of use of the same. Indeed, these surfaces can only and exclusively be used with the“VAC -MAT” pads with 300×200 mm dimensions. If it is necessary to work with a surface with dimensions larger than those mentioned above, the coupling between multiple surfaces will be difficult, since up to now' fixing systems that can be used retractably are not provided.

The present situation provides for mounting multiple surfaces that are separate from each other, each of which associated with a flexible tube that allows attaining the vacuum; this requires that the surface that lies on the table of the machine has the same dimensions as the overlying surface, on which the work pad is positioned.

Hence, one object of the present finding generally consists of making work surfaces that can be coupled together, so as to have a single flat surface that is very wide and clearly larger than that of the present systems.

A further object of the present finding possibly consists of preventing the use of the common “VAC-MAT” pads, due to the use of an“O-ring cord” easily found on the market and capable of achieving a perfect seal. In reality, the use of the aforesaid“O-ring cord” will on one hand allow reaching high processing temperatures, that cannot be tolerated by the common“VAC- MAT” pads and on the other hand obtaining a sector division of the surface, if only one part of the work bed is used, thus limiting the air flow within, with a consequent reduction of air processed by the vacuum pump.

These and other solutions which will be clearer from the detailed description of an exemplifying and non-limiting embodiment of the invention, illustrated hereinbelow, will therefore attain a real efficiency of the suctioned surface, also with a potential and non- negligible reduction of the energy cost. Brief description of the invention

The present industrial invention patent application intends to describe and claim an innovative kit for a vacuum fixing modular surface.

Essential elements of said inventive kit are the vacuum fixing modular surfaces, mainly constituted by the upper processing surface, i.e. by the side on which the piece to be processed is set and by a lower vacuum chamber. Specifically, said upper processing surfaces are made of steel so as to be resistant to accidental impact, scratches and abrasions, which could damage them up to rendering them unusable. The underlying vacuum chamber, however - which on one side is fixed to the surface of the machine for the processing and on the other side acts with the upper surface as a support for the upper surface - is made of aluminum alloy 7075. Such material in reality greatly enhances the present inventive product since in addition to offering optimal mechanical properties, it also has a reduced thermal expansion coefficient and is also characterized by a low weight. The reduced thermal expansion coefficient ensures that, if there are thermal variations during the processing of the pieces, there is no excessive deformation of the upper processing surface, a problem that could cause the variance of the zeroing made before the start of the processing. The low specific weight of the aluminum 7075 also renders said inventive surface particularly light and overall equal to a weight of about 12 kg, which constitutes a clear advantage with respect to the systems of the prior art that have an overall weight of about 22 kg.

With regard to the dimensions of said inventive suction surface, these are merely indicative and non-limiting of the invention, yet the dimensions of said inventive upper processing surface made of steel can be expressed and overall summarized in an interval comprised between 292 mm × 392 cm and 1 12 mm × 212 and more preferably 202 mm × 302 mm and with a height comprised between 10 mm and 30 mm and preferably 20 mm. With regard instead to the dimensions of the inventive underlying vacuum chamber, these can be expressed and overall summarized in an interval comprised between 253 cm × 353 cm and 73 cm × 173 cm and more preferably 163 mm × 263 mm and with a height comprised between 20 mm and 80 mm and more preferably 50 mm. As can be observed, the underlying vacuum chamber is smaller than the work surface, so that if it is necessary to couple multiple vacuum fixing surfaces with each other, it would be possible to arrange in an entirely flexible manner - for example in aligned or matrix form - any number of upper processing surfaces and to be able to fix them by means of suitable brackets to be laterally inserted within special longitudinal tracks made on each lateral face of the underlying vacuum chamber. These brackets are easily accessible from the outside with any wrench, so as to be able to operate without any difficulty. In this manner, the result will be a single, perfectly flat surface that can be completely used for the processing.

As a practical and cost benefit, the main objective of the present invention is that of proposing another technical characteristic that diversifies the embodiments of the prior art. Specifically, the upper surface of the inventive upper processing surface has grid-like grooves, which allow the insertion between the so-called voids and solids of O-ring cords of standard dimensions, easily found on the market. The presence of a grooved grid and O-ring cords allows throttling the processing surface, so as to attain vacuum zones with the desired shape and dimensions, as a function of the product that is being made. The plate can be divided into six sectors and the air is suctioned through the at least six threaded holes, each present in the relative sector. In order to prevent suction in the unused areas, the present inventive kit provides for common threaded caps capable of closing the inflow holes that are not necessary. Such innovative characteristic in reality is essential in the attainment of the present invention, since due to this characteristic processing operations can finally be carried out on high-temperature materials, as described hereinbelow, without damaging the operation of the system.

Moreover, the use of the O-ring cords allows using the surface also without pads and this is of essential importance, since it will also be possible to process metallic materials, which are strongly overheated during the various mechanical operations. That stated above is due to the fact that the VAC-MAT pads used in the prior art systems can reach maximum temperatures of about 50°C, while the O-rings can easily exceed 150°C. Hence, processing operations can also be executed under dry conditions, without using coolant fluid and without damaging the sealing members. It is clear that in order to increase the grip between the table and the component to be processed, where the single O-rings are not sufficient to ensure this, it is still possible to use the common VAC-MAT pads, with the above-described limits, as occurs presently in the common processing operations. However, even in the latter case, by interposing the cords between the table and the pad it is possible to throttle the vacuum on the work surface.

The throtling, also by using common threaded caps, in addition to preventing energy waste - since the air processed by the vacuum pump is reduced - ensures that it is possible to work with coolant fluids and thus easily manage those high-temperature processing operations up to now prevented with the systems of the prior art. Indeed, with the present suction surfaces it is not possible to use any type of fluid, since where there are free holes in which air enters, also liquids would be suctioned at the same time, which would thus rain the members that make the vacuum. Indeed, for this reason a solution was found that excluded those zones from the vacuum which were not covered with the material being presently processed.

Other advantages of the present finding will be clearer from the detailed description of an exemplifying and non-limiting embodiment thereof, illustrated hereinbelow.

Brief description of the drawings

The preceding advantages, as well as other advantages and characteristics of the present invention, will be illustrated with reference to the enclosed figures, which are to be considered merely exemplifying and non-limiting or non-binding for the purpose of the present patent application, in which:

- FIGURE 1 is a top perspective view of a vacuum fixing modular surface according to the present invention;

- FIGURE 2 is a front view of the vacuum fixing modular surface;

- FIGURE 3 is a top perspective view of multiple vacuum fixing modular surfaces joined by suitable brackets, for illustrating purposes lacking the upper processing surface;

- FIGURE 4 is a top perspective view of multiple vacuum fixing modular surfaces joined by suitable brackets, - FIGURE 5 is plan view of three vacuum fixing modular surfaces joined by suitable brackets situated in an offset position;

- FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the elements of the inventive kit relative to the hydraulic components;

- FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the elements of the inventive kit relative to the“0-ring cord” and to the closure caps;

- FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of further elements of the inventive kit relative to the lateral insertion pins,

- FIGURE, 9 is a perspective view of an assembly of the installed kit, for illustrating purposes lacking the upper processing surfaces.

Preferred modes for attaining the invention

The present finding will now be described in detail with reference to the figures and to a preferred embodiment thereof shown therein, in which identical reference numbers were used in all the figures to indicate the same components.

With reference to the different figures, these generally show a kit for a vacuum fixing modular surface comprising all the devices described hereinbelow.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, these specifically represent a vacuum fixing modular surface 100 constituted by the upper processing surface 200, to which the underlying vacuum chamber 300 is firmly joined.

Said upper processing surface 200 is variably represented by a rectangular parallelepiped, whose upper surface 210 has grid-like grooves, or an ordered alternation of regular square protrusions 215 between which, in any zone of said upper processing surface 200, it is possible to insert one or more O-ring cords 700, specifically represented in Figs. 1 , 4 and 7 and forming shapes, capable of constituting the sealing gasket of the relative piece to be processed, positionable on top of such piece.

Said upper surface 210 is ideally divided into at least six sectors, each marked by a threaded suction hole 230 made in the area delimited by the corners of four adjacent square protrusions 215, which - being powered by the vacuum source by means of the underlying vacuum chamber 300 - suctions the air and then fixes in position the piece to be processed with the interposition of the sealing gasket constituted by the aforesaid O-ring cord 700. In reality such embodiment will inventively be able to throttle said upper surface 210 of said upper processing surface 200, excluding those threaded suction holes 230 not involved with the function of fixing the piece to be processed, and this will be simply actuated by means of the insertion of common threaded caps 650, which in addition to preventing the waste of energy - since they reduce the air processed by the vacuum pump - also innovatively make possible the processing with coolant fluids, which otherwise would be suctioned by the free threaded suction holes 230, inevitably coming to obstruct and ruin the members that make the vacuum. Such aforesaid final characteristic in reality renders the use of the common threaded caps 650 quite essential for the purposes of the present invention, since all high-temperature processing operations could also be easily managed that up to now were prevented with the systems of the prior art. Indeed, it is underlined that with the suction surfaces of the prior art, it is not possible to use any type of coolant fluid, since where there are free holes in which air enters, also said liquid will be suctioned simultaneously.

The two lateral faces 220 having greater extension are characterized by the presence of at least two blind openings 227 capable of receiving the respective lateral insertion pins 800, constituting part of the inventive kit and represented in Figs. 4 and 8, inserted in two contiguous vacuum fixing modular surfaces 100 and capable of rendering them - already during assembly - immediately perfectly coplanar and hence facilitating the further adjustments for the coplanarity of the aforesaid surfaces.

The vacuum chamber 300 also has a nearly rectangular parallelepiped shape and is firmly joined with its upper surface to the lower surface of the upper processing surface 200. This has an internal structure that is nearly hollow and is shaped such that the internal cavity enters into communication with the outside only by means of respectively the aforesaid threaded suction holes 230 placed on the upper surface 210 and by means of the four air introduction/exit holes 350, each made on one of the four lateral faces 320 of said vacuum chamber 300 As can be observed in Figs 1-4 on the entire width of each of the aforesaid four lateral faces 320 of each vacuum chamber 300, the longitudinal groove 370 is present which is capable of reversibly receiving the coupling brackets 400 of the adjacent vacuum fixing modular surfaces 100, allowing said brackets only a lateral sliding until they are locked in desired position by means of a common screw mechanical fixing system (not shown) easily reachable by the lower surface of the vacuum fixing modular surface 100. Aforesaid coupling brackets 400, also of course part of the inventive kit, together with the aforesaid lateral insertion pins 800, will inventively allow making perfectly stable and coplanar the aforesaid vacuum module fixing surfaces 100 with respect to each other, on one hand preventing the variance of the zeroing in the course of the processing and on the other hand rendering possible, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the perfect combination of infinite vacuum fixing modular surfaces 100 with each other, also ataining infinite offset positions and hence forming a work surface that is perfectly stable, coplanar and with shapes that can vary based on the product to be processed.

As specifically shown in Fig. 9, particular attention must be given to the aforesaid four air introduction/exit holes 350, which are inventively used in order to connect twO or more adjacent vacuum fixing modular surfaces 100 for any one side by means of the use of tubular connectors 500, each equipped with suitable conical gaskets 510 shown in Fig. 6. As shown in Figure 9, if it is necessary to use a single vacuum fixing modular surface 100, i.e. this represents the last of a series of vacuum fixing modular surfaces 100, the tubular connector 500 will be inserted with one end in the air introduction/exit hole 350 by using the suitable gasket 510 and by means of the other end to the flexible tube 520 (Fig. 6), which in turn will be connected to the inlet of the valve manifold 900, which in turn will be connected to the vacuum pump (not shown). Ail the air introduction/exit holes 350, whether these are of a single or of a series of vacuum fixing modular surfaces 100, not involved in the insertion of the aforesaid tubular connector 500, will be closed by means of the insertion of the common conical caps 600, as shown in Fig. 9, so as to prevent an undesired air suction at this height from the outside. An alternative embodiment of the present invention, developed as a function of the structural configuration of the inventive structure, provides for using a valve manifold 900 which, as shown in FIG 9 where a two-line suction system is represented, is able to throttle the suction system where malfunctioning problems arise regarding one or more vacuum fixing modular surfaces 100 or where these require maintenance, by simply closing the single valve of said valve manifold 900 of the involved line without having to interrupt the entire processing operation.

Of course, the data provided herein is merely exemplifying and absolutely non-limiting of the range of the present invention, since it serves for extending and not limiting the content of the present invention. Various and obvious modifications could in fact be made, by the man skilled in the art, to the preceding exemplifying and non-limiting embodiments described with reference to the figures, without this involving an extension beyond the inventive concept underlying the present invention, as defined by the following dependent claims.