Electrically controlled clamping system
First Claim
1. A clamping system for angularly adjusting the position of a movable first member (1) relative to a stationary second member (2), comprising:
- (a) a stationary generally U-shaped support member (2) having a generally horizontal base portion (12), and a pair of downwardly depending vertical clamping leg portions (13 and 14) each having a lower free end;
(b) a movable member (1) arranged transversely between said clamping leg portions;
(c) means pivotally connecting said movable member between said vertical leg portions, including a stationary horizontal clamping rod (21) extending between aligned openings (19, 20;
10) contained in said leg portions and in said movable member, respectively, said clamping leg end portions normally having released positions permitting pivotal movement of said movable member relative to said support member;
(d) rotatably operable clamping means (3;
148) operable to displace said clamping leg lower ends inwardly together from said released positions toward clamping positions in engagement with said movable member, respectively, said clamping means including first and second bearing means arranged on said clamping rod on opposite sides of said stationary member, respectively; and
(e) drive means including speed reducer means (60) for operating said clamping means to displace said leg end portions between said released and clamping positions, respectively.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a system for adjusting the position of a first member relative to a second, support member regarded as fixed, the support member comprises a base having an upright at each of its two ends. The first member is inside the two uprights of the support member and the uprights are substantially parallel to the axis of the first member. The position adjustment system is locked in a chosen position by a clamping device, whose component parts are mounted on a clamping rod passing through the two uprights and whose axis is the clamping axis, which is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the first member. The clamping device includes a cam-type immobilizing system outside one of the uprights, relative to the axis of the first member, between an outside face of that upright and a bearing member joined and substantially perpendicular to the clamping rod; a bearing member joined and substantially perpendicular to the clamping rod; a circular fixed cam prevented from rotating with respect to the upright of the support member and a circular mobile cam free to rotate on the clamping rod. The cam-type immobilizing system is locked or unlocked by an electrical remote control system.
43 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A clamping system for angularly adjusting the position of a movable first member (1) relative to a stationary second member (2), comprising:
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(a) a stationary generally U-shaped support member (2) having a generally horizontal base portion (12), and a pair of downwardly depending vertical clamping leg portions (13 and 14) each having a lower free end;
(b) a movable member (1) arranged transversely between said clamping leg portions;
(c) means pivotally connecting said movable member between said vertical leg portions, including a stationary horizontal clamping rod (21) extending between aligned openings (19, 20;
10) contained in said leg portions and in said movable member, respectively, said clamping leg end portions normally having released positions permitting pivotal movement of said movable member relative to said support member;
(d) rotatably operable clamping means (3;
148) operable to displace said clamping leg lower ends inwardly together from said released positions toward clamping positions in engagement with said movable member, respectively, said clamping means including first and second bearing means arranged on said clamping rod on opposite sides of said stationary member, respectively; and
(e) drive means including speed reducer means (60) for operating said clamping means to displace said leg end portions between said released and clamping positions, respectively. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
(a) a circular fixed cam prevented from rotating with respect to one leg of said support member; and
(b) a circular movable cam free to rotate on said clamping rod, said clamping rod passing freely through said fixed and movable cams.
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3. A clamping device as defined in claim 2, and further wherein:
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(c) said fixed cam includes a plurality of teeth each comprising a peak, a valley, and two flanks, each of the two flanks having a slope adapted to load the clamping means progressively;
(d) said movable cam having the same number of teeth as said fixed cam, each tooth of said movable cam having a peak, a valley and two flanks, each of the said flanks being adapted to cooperate with a corresponding flank of the fixed cam to assure an unlocked condition of the first member and to load the clamping device progressively;
(e) the peak of each tooth of said movable cam cooperating with a corresponding valley of said fixed cam to procure the released condition of said movable first member;
(f) the peaks of the teeth of the said cams cooperating together to maintain said movable member in said clamped condition.
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4. A clamping device as defined in claim 1, wherein said clamping rod is prevented from rotating about its axis by said second bearing member;
- and wherein said clamping rod comprises a screw threaded part which cooperates with a nut (148) outside the said second leg, said nut constituting said first bearing member.
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5. A clamping device as defined in claim 4, wherein said clamping reducer comprises a mechanical worm wheel and worm screw reducer mounted in a one-piece casing, comprising:
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(a) a first casing body accommodating the worm wheel which turns freely on a journal of the first casing unit which has a hole in it through which the clamping rod passes; and
(b) a second casing body accommodating the screw, which turns freely in the second casing body;
said nut being driven in rotation by the worm wheel by means of a diametrically extending tenon on a bearing face of the nut and which engages in a diametrically extending groove on a corresponding face of the worm wheel.
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6. A clamping device as defined in claim 5, wherein:
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(c) the nut constituting the first bearing means is pressed against of the worm wheel; and
(d) the second bearing means comprises a flange at an end of said clamping rod and is pressed against said second leg;
(e) said second bearing member includes a tongue guided in a slot contained in said second let, and the first casing unit accommodating the worm wheel is provided with a tongue guided in a slot contained in said first leg.
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7. A clamping device as defined in claim 1, wherein the speed reducer means includes a clamping reducer which drives the clamping means into rotation and which is mounted to rotate freely on said clamping rod.
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8. A clamping device as defined in claim 7, wherein said clamping reducer and said electromechanical energy converter form a single system.
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9. A clamping device as defined in claim 7, wherein said clamping reducer and said electromechanical energy converter are rotationally linked by a mechanical motion transmission system so that the electromechanical energy converter can be placed at a required location remote from said clamping reducer.
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10. A clamping device as defined in claim 9, wherein said mechanical motion transmission system comprises a flexible cable in a sheath supported at one end by said electromechanical energy converter and at the other end by a casing of said clamping reducer.
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11. A clamping device as defined in claim 1, wherein said speed reducer means includes two speed reducers, including:
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(a) a clamping reducer which drives said clamping means into rotation and is mounted to rotate freely on said clamping rod; and
(b) a converter reducer which is driven directly by an electromechanical energy converter (80).
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12. A clamping device as defined in claim 11, wherein said clamping reducer, said converter reducer and said electromechanical energy converter form a single system.
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13. A clamping device as defined in claim 11, wherein said clamping reducer, on the one hand, and said converter reducer with the electromechanical energy converter, on the other hand, are rotationally coupled by a mechanical motion transmission system so that said electromechanical energy converter, with said converter reducer, can be placed at a required location remote from the clamping reducer.
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14. A clamping device as defined in claim 13, wherein said the clamping reducer comprises a mechanical worm wheel and worm screw reducer mounted in a one-piece casing, comprising:
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(a) a first casing housing accommodating the worm wheel which turns freely on a journal of the casing unit provided with a hole through which the clamping rod passes; and
(b) a second casing body accommodating the screw, which turns freely in the second casing unit;
(c) said cam means includes;
(1) a movable cam, which is driven in rotation by the worm wheel by means of a diametrically extending tenon on the said movable cam and engaging in a diametrically extending groove on said worm wheel, said movable cam having a hole in it through which the clamping rod passes; and
(2) a fixed cam, which is prevented from rotating with respect to a disc mounted on the clamping rod, by means of studs on the periphery of the fixed cam, said studs engaging in notches on said disc, said fixed cam having a hole in which through which the clamping rod passes;
(3) said disc being provided at its periphery with an axially extending connecting rod having a required length to engage between two fins on the first casing unit accommodating the worm wheel to connect the disc to the first casing unit which is prevented from rotating with respect to the support member, said disc having a hole in it through which the clamping rod passes.
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15. A clamping device as defined in claim 14, wherein:
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(d) said first bearing means comprises a flange at one end of said clamping rod and pressed against said disc; and
(e) said second bearing means comprises a washer held and adjusted by a nut screwed onto the screw threaded end of said clamping rod, said second bearing means including a tongue guided in a slot of the second leg and the first casing body accommodating the worm wheel being provided with a tongue guided in a slot in said first leg.
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16. A clamping device as defined in claim 14, wherein said mechanical motion transmission system comprises a flexible cable in a sheath supported at a first end by said converter reducer and at a second end by the body of said clamping reducer.
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17. A clamping device as defined in claim 14, wherein said clamping reducer, said converter reducer and said electromechanical energy converter form a single unit, and further wherein an end-piece of said converter reducer is mounted directly in said housing body of said clamping reducer.
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18. A clamping device as defined in claim 1, wherein said electromechanical energy converter is an electric motor.
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19. A clamping device as defined in claim 1, wherein said electromechanical energy converter is an electromagnetic system.
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20. A clamping device as defined in claim 1, wherein said electromechanical energy converter is remotely controlled by a two-position electrical switch.
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21. A clamping device as defined in claim 1, wherein said electromechanical energy converter is remotely controlled by a push button whose non-depressed position is a rest position and each depression of which locks said clamping device when it is in a released position or unlocks it when it is in a clamped position.
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22. A clamping device as defined in claim 1, wherein said electromechanical energy converter is remotely controlled by the ignition key of an automobile vehicle.
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23. A clamping device as defined in claim 1, and further comprising an indicating means providing information on the clamped or released condition of said movable member, said information comprising a luminous signal.
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24. A clamping device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising indicating means providing information on the clamped or released condition of said first member, said information comprising a written message on a screen.
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25. A clamping device as defined in claim 1, and further including an automobile vehicle steering column in which said movable member is mounted, said movable member comprising a body tube with a reinforcing bracket, and said support member is mounted on said body shell of the vehicle.
Specification