Screwer test bench comprising a resisting torque simulation unit

• US 20030056605A1
• Filed: 09/20/2002
• Published: 03/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Atlas Copco Industrial Technique Ab (Atlas Copco AB)
• Original Assignee: BLM SAS Di L Bareggi & C
• Inventors: Chiapuzzi, Angelo, Bareggi, Luigi
• Granted Patent: US 6,718,831 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/862.21
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 25/003 for measuring torque

Abstract

A screwer test bench (10) comprises a coupling (12) designed for coupling with the head (13) of a screwer. The coupling is connected to a braking unit (14) through a sensor unit (15) for detection of mechanical magnitudes transmitted between the coupling and the braking unit. The braking unit (14) comprises a cap (17) connected to the coupling and a movable member (18) thrust on command in brake operation direction. The movable member (18) is constrained against rotation around the brake axis by an inextensible wall (19) with a configuration deformable in said braking direction. Advantageously the wall is in the form of a bellows into which is fed pressurized fluid to bring about its elongation and operate the brake.

Claims

1. Screwer test bench comprising a coupling connected to a braking unit and designed for coupling with the head of a screwer, and a sensor unit detecting mechanical magnitudes transmitted between the coupling and the braking unit and the braking unit comprising a friction brake with braking surfaces which upon operation of the brake are thrust upon command one against the other in a braking direction characterized in that the brake has a movable thrust member of said braking surfaces in said braking direction which is constrained against rotation around the brake axis by means of an inextensible wall with configuration deformable in said braking direction.

2. Bench in accordance with claim 1 characterized in that said wall encloses a chamber into which is fed on command pressurized fluid to bring about deformation of its wall in the direction of braking and operate the brake.

3. Bench in accordance with claim 1 characterized in that said wall is in the form of a bellows with axis directed in the braking direction while into the bellows is fed upon command pressurized fluid to produce its elongation and thrust the movable member in the braking direction.

4. Bench in accordance with claim 2 characterized in that the braking surfaces are contained in a first chamber and the bellows is contained in a second chamber with the two chambers being filled with oil and interconnected with each other by oil circulation passages with a radial expansion of the bellows caused by the pressurized fluid fed therein causing oil circulation between the chambers through said passages.

5. Bench in accordance with claim 3 characterized in that the braking surfaces are annular rims and the circulation passages comprise first passages which lead into the first chamber containing the brake in the zone external to the annular surfaces and second passages lead into the first chamber containing the brake in the zone inside the annular surfaces with first and second passages being equipped with opposing one-way valves.

6. Bench in accordance with claim 4 characterized in that the first and second chambers are separated by the movable member.

7. Bench in accordance with claim 1 characterized in that the movable member runs in an axial guide collar.

8. Bench in accordance with claim 2 characterized in that the bellows thrusts the disk against the reacting force of the return springs.

9. Bench in accordance with claim 1 characterized in that the brake comprises a cap rotatably integral with the coupling and with one face facing the moveable member and the other face facing fixed braking surfaces with the movable member thrusting the cap against said fixed braking surfaces upon operation of the brake.

10. Bench in accordance with claim 1 characterized in that said wall is virtually extended in a plane transversal to said braking direction and is supported peripherally and has a movable member arranged centrally.

11. Bench in accordance with claim 9 characterized in that to be deformable said wall has undulations concentric with the brake rotation axis.

12. Bench in accordance with claim 1 characterized in that said wall is realized of steel sheet.