Workpiece holder

• US 7,147,232 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2003
• Issued: 12/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hydra-Walk, Inc. (Key Energy Services Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Hydra-Walk, Inc. (Key Energy Services Incorporated)
• Inventors: Andre, Eugene R. Sr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Carter, Monica
• Assistant Examiner(s): Talbot, Michael W.
• Application Number:
  US10/610,251
• Publication Number:
  US 20040262855A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,261 Days
• Field of Search: 279/2.05, 279/2.06, 279/2.07, 279/2.08, 279/2.09, 279/4.03, 279/4.04, 279/4.05, 279/139, 269/48.1, 242/571.1, 242/571.2
• US Class Current: 279/2.05
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 31/305 the gripping means is a deformable sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 31/402 using fluid-pressure means to actuate the gripping means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 279/1016 Jaws mounted on flexible member; i.e., diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 279/1021 Fluid-pressure actuator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 279/1029 Jaw is expansible chamber; i.e., bladder type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 279/1233 Jaws mounted on flexible member; i.e., diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 279/31 Jaws mounted on flexible member; i.e. , diaphragm

Abstract

A workholding apparatus including a body and a drive member carried by the body, so that the drive member and body partially define a fluid chamber therebetween for containing a fluid. A driven member is also carried by the body and includes multiple displacement reliefs therein. An intermediate member with a displacement relief is received between the drive and driven members. The intermediate member prevents the drive member from extruding through the displacement reliefs in the driven member under fluid pressures of the fluid, thereby enabling use of the apparatus under higher performance applications that would not be possible without the intermediate member.

Claims

1. A workholding apparatus comprising:

a body;

at least one drive member carried by said body, said at least one drive member and said body at least partially defining a fluid chamber therebetween for containing a fluid;

at least one driven member carried by said body, said at least one driven member having a plurality of generally circumferentially spaced apart displacement reliefs therethrough;

at least one intermediate member interposed between said at least one drive member and said at least one driven member and oriented to cover all of the circumferentially spaced apart displacement reliefs of the driven member to prevent the drive member from being displaced into the displacement reliefs of the driven member, wherein at least part of a fluid chamber, and said drive, driven, and intermediate members being relatively lapped; and

whereby said at least one intermediate member prevents said at least one drive member from extruding into said plurality of generally circumferentially spaced apart displacement reliefs in said at least one driven member under fluid pressures of said fluid.

2. The workholding apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one drive member is composed of polymeric material, said at least one driven member is composed of a metal material, and said at least one intermediate member is composed of a material harder than said polymeric material.

3. The workholding apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one intermediate member includes a displacement relief therein.

5. The workholding apparatus of claim 1, wherein said workholding apparatus is an arbor such that the workpiece substantially circumscribes said at least one driven member and the fluid pressure acts through said at least one intermediate member and said at least one drive member to expand said at least one driven member radially outwardly into engagement with the workpiece.

6. The workholding apparatus of claim 1, wherein said workholding apparatus is a chuck such that the workholding apparatus substantially circumscribes the workpiece and the fluid pressure acts through said at least one intermediate member and said at least one drive member to contract said at least one driven member radially inwardly into engagement with the workpiece.

21. The work holding apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one intermediate member includes a wall thickness between 0.008″

and 0.010″

.

4. A workholding apparatus comprising:

a body;

at least one drive member carried by said body, said at least one drive member and said body at least partially defining a fluid chamber therebetween for containing a fluid;

at least one driven member carried by said body, said at least one driven member having at least one displacement relief;

at least one intermediate member interposed between said at least one drive member and said at least one driven member and having a wall thickness between 0.008″ and

0.010″

inclusive, said drive, driven, and intermediate members being relatively lapped; and

whereby said at least one intermediate member prevents said at least one drive member from extruding through said at least one displacement relief in said at least one driven member under fluid pressure of said fluid.

7. An apparatus to releasably retain a workpiece, said apparatus comprising:

a body;

at least one diaphragm carried by said body, said at least one diaphragm defining at least in part a fluid chamber constructed to contain a fluid;

at least one collet having at least one displacement relief, and a workpiece engaging surface, said at least one collet being carried by said body; and

at least one baffle interposed between said at least one diaphragm and said at least one collet and oriented to cover each said displacement relief of said collet to prevent the diaphragm from being displaced into said displacement relief of said collet, wherein at least part of said fluid chamber and said baffle are relatively lapped;

whereby when said fluid in said fluid chamber is pressurized a drive force is transmitted through said at least one diaphragm, said at least one baffle, and said at least one collet to urge said at least one collet into engagement with the workpiece to releasably retain the workpiece, and said baffle prevents said diaphragm from being extruded through said at least one displacement relief in said at least one collet.

8. The workholding apparatus of claim 7, wherein said at least one diaphragm is composed of polymeric material, said at least one collet is composed of a metal material, and said at least one baffle is composed of a material harder than said polymeric material.

9. The workholding apparatus of claim 7, wherein said at least one baffle includes a displacement relief therein.

11. The workholding apparatus of claim 7, wherein said workholding apparatus is an arbor such that the workpiece substantially circumscribes said at least one collet and the fluid pressure acts through said at least one baffle and said at least one diaphragm to expand said at least one collet radially outwardly into engagement with the workpiece.

12. The workholding apparatus of claim 7, wherein said workholding apparatus is a chuck such that said workholding apparatus substantially circumscribes the workpiece and the fluid pressure acts through said at least one baffle and said at least one diaphragm to contract said at least one collet radially inwardly into engagement with the workpiece.

22. The work holding apparatus of claim 7, wherein said at least one baffle includes a wall thickness of 0.008″

to 0.010″

.

10. An apparatus to releasably retain a workpiece, said apparatus comprising:

a body;

at least one diaphragm carried by said body, said at least one diaphragm defining at least in part a fluid chamber constructed to contain a fluid;

at least one collet having at least one displacement relief, a diaphragm engaging surface, and a workpiece engaging surface, said at least one collet being carried by said body; and

at least one baffle interposed between said at least one diaphragm and said at least one collet and having a wall thickness between 0.008″ and

0.010″

inclusive,

whereby when said fluid in said fluid chamber is pressurized a drive force is transmitted through said at least one diaphragm, said at least one baffle, and said at least one collet to urge said at least one collet into engagement with the workpiece to releasably retain the workpiece, and said baffle prevents said diaphragm from being extruded through said at least one displacement relief in said at least one collet.

13. An apparatus to releasably retain a workpiece with a generally cylindrical surface, said apparatus comprising:

a body;

at least one polymeric diaphragm carried by said body, said at least one polymeric diaphragm defining at least in part a fluid chamber constructed to contain a fluid;

at least one metal baffle having a displacement relief, a polymeric diaphragm engaging surface, and a metal collet engaging surface, said at least one metal baffle carried by said body with said at least one polymeric diaphragm adjacent to and engageable with said polymeric diaphragm engaging surface; and

at least one metal collet having a plurality of displacement reliefs, an inner surface, and an outer surface, said at least one metal collet carried by said body with said at least one metal baffle interposed between said at least one metal collet and said at least one polymeric diaphragm, one of said inner and outer surfaces being adjacent to and engageable with said metal collet engaging surface of said at least one metal baffle and the other of said inner and outer surfaces of said at least one metal collet being constructed to receive and directly engage the workpiece, said plurality of displacement reliefs being constructed to receive and directly engage the workpiece, said plurality of displacement reliefs being constructed and arranged to enable said at least one metal collet to undergo a change in diameter to engage the workpiece; and

said at least one metal baffle being oriented with said at least one metal collet to cover each said displacement relief of said at least one metal collet to prevent said at least one polymeric diaphragm from being displaced into said displacement reliefs of said at least one metal collet;

whereby when the fluid in the fluid chamber is pressurized, the force of the pressurized fluid is transmitted through said at least one polymeric diaphragm, said at least one metal baffle, and said at least one metal collet to urge said at least one metal collet into engagement with the workpiece to hold the workpiece, and said at least one metal baffle prevents said at least one polymeric diaphragm from extruding through said plurality of displacement reliefs in said at least one metal collet under the force of the pressurized fluid.

14. The workholding apparatus of claim 13, wherein said at least one baffle includes a wall thickness between 0.008″

and 0.010″

inclusive.

15. The workholding apparatus of claim 13, wherein said workholding apparatus is an arbor such that the workpiece substantially circumscribes said at least one driven member and the fluid pressure acts through said at least one baffle and said at least one drive member to expand said at least one driven member radially outwardly into engagement with the workpiece.

16. The workholding apparatus of claim 13, wherein said workholding apparatus is a chuck such that the workholding apparatus substantially circumscribes the workpiece and the fluid pressure acts through said at least one baffle and said at least one drive member to contract said at least one driven member radially inwardly into engagement with the workpiece.

17. A baffle for use with a workholding apparatus, said apparatus including a body, at least one drive member, and at least one driven member, said at least one drive member being carried by said body and defining at least in part a fluid chamber constructed to contain a fluid, said at least one driven member having a plurality of displacement reliefs, a baffle engaging surface, and a workpiece engaging surface, said at least one driven member being carried by said body, said baffle comprising:

an intermediate member interposed between said at least one drive member and said at least one driven member, said intermediate member having at least one displacement relief therein; and

said intermediate member covering each of the plurality of displacement reliefs of said at least one driven member to prevent said at least one drive member from being displaced into said plurality of displacement reliefs of said at least one driven member,

whereby when said fluid in said fluid chamber is pressurized a drive force is transmitted through said at least one drive member, said intermediate member, and said at least one driven member to urge said at least one driven member into engagement with a workpiece to releasably retain the workpiece, and said intermediate member prevents said drive member from becoming extruded through said at least one displacement relief in said at least one driven member.

18. The baffle of claim 17, wherein said at least one drive member is composed of polymeric material, said at least one driven member is composed of a metal material, and said intermediate member is composed of a material harder than said polymeric material.

19. The baffle of claim 17, wherein said intermediate member includes a wall thickness between 0.008″

and 0.010″

inclusive.

20. The baffle of claim 17, wherein said workholding apparatus is at least one of an arbor and a chuck.