One-piece multipole plate for a magnetic holding apparatus, process for making such plate and magnetic apparatus using such plate

• US 8,292,276 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2008
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mag-Autoblok Tecnomagnete SPA (Autoblok SpA)
• Original Assignee: Tecnomagnete S.P.A. (Autoblok SpA)
• Inventors: Cardone, Michele, Cosmai, Giovanni, Faranda, Roberto, Giglio, Antonino
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomas, David B
• Application Number:
  US12/677,964
• Publication Number:
  US 20100301532A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,576 Days
• Field of Search: 269/8, 335/285, 335/289, 335/290
• US Class Current: 269/8
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 3/154 Stationary devices
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 11/002 Magnetic work holders

Abstract

The present invention relates to a one-piece multipole plate for a magnetic clamping apparatus, a process for making such plate and a magnetic apparatus having such plate, wherein the magnetic apparatus has a plurality of pole pieces and said plurality of pole pieces extend from said plate and are formed of one piece with said plate.

Claims

1. A magnetic holding apparatus for holding ferrous workpieces, comprising a frame (2) adapted to contain a plurality of pole pieces (13), each of said plurality of pole pieces (13) having a ferromagnetic pole member which defines the holding surface part (13A), a solenoid (3) located around a reversible magnet (4) and a plate (11), said plurality of pole pieces (13) extend from said plate (11) and are formed of one piece with said plate (13), wherein said plate (11) is associated with the frame (2) in a plate position so as to define a holding surface (12A) of said apparatus (12) in which the pole pieces (13) are not visible.

2. A magnetic holding apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of pole pieces (13) are connected with each other by a connecting portion (11A) of said plate (11), so that said plurality of pole pieces (13) are partially short-circuited during activation of said magnetic apparatus.

3. A magnetic holding apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

each pole piece of said plurality of pole pieces (13) has at least one face adapted to define a holding surface (13A) and

the section of said connecting portion (11A) is less than 30% of the area of said at least one face adapted to define said holding surface (13A).

4. A magnetic holding apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said connecting portion (11A) has a thickness (S′

) equal to the residual dimension between the thickness (S) of the plate (11) and a first depth (H) of said plurality of grooves (15, 18).

5. A magnetic holding apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said connecting portion (11A) has a thickness (S′

) equal to the residual dimension between the thickness (S) of the plate (11) and said first depth (H) of said plurality of grooves (15, 18) as measured from a surface (13B) opposite said holding surface (13A) to the holding surface (13A) and a second depth (h) of said plurality of grooves (15, 18) as measured from said holding surface (13A) to said surface (13B) opposite said holding surface (13A).

6. A magnetic holding apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plate (11) comprises a plurality of grooves (15, 18) which are adapted to define the periphery of each of said plurality of pole pieces (13) and to form said connecting portion (11A) for connection of said plurality of pole pieces (13) to each other, said plurality of pole pieces (13) have a circular plan section, said grooves (15, 18) being circumferential grooves, whose center (C) is at the center of each pole piece (13).

7. A magnetic holding apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plate (11) comprises a plurality of grooves (15, 18) which are adapted to define the periphery of each of said plurality of pole pieces (13) and to form said connecting portion (11A) for connection of said plurality of pole pieces (13) to each other, at least one of said plurality of grooves (15, 18) extends parallel to an axis (X) of a reference system (X-Y) with orthogonal Cartesian axes (X-Y) and at least one second of said plurality of grooves (15, 18) extends parallel to another axis (Y) of said reference system (X-Y) with orthogonal Cartesian axes (X-Y).

8. A magnetic holding apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of pole pieces (13) comprises a first through hole (14), said first through hole (14) extending through the thickness (S) of said plate (11).

9. A magnetic holding apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said first through hole (14) has threads for receiving the shank of a pole extension.

10. A plate (11) for a magnetic clamping apparatus (12), said apparatus (12) having a plurality of pole pieces (13), said plurality of pole pieces (13) extend from said plate (11) and are formed of one piece with said plate (13) said plate (11) comprises a plurality of grooves (15, 18) which are adapted to define the periphery of each of said plurality of pole pieces (13) and to form a connecting portion (11A) for connection of said plurality of pole pieces (13) to each other

wherein said plurality of pole pieces have a circular plan section, said grooves (15, 18) being circumferential grooves, whose center (C) is at the center of each pole piece (13).

11. A plate as claimed in claim 10, wherein each of said plurality of pole pieces (13) comprises a first through hole (14), said first through hole (14) extending through the thickness (S) of said plate (11).

12. A plate as claimed in claim 11, wherein said first through hole (14) has threads for receiving the shank of a pole extension.

13. A plate as claimed in claim 10, wherein:

each pole piece of said plurality of pole pieces (13) has at least one face adapted to define a holding surface (13A) and

the section of said connecting portion (11A) is less than 30% of the area of said at least one face adapted to define said holding surface (13A).

14. A plate as claimed in claim 10, wherein said connecting portion (11A) has a thickness (S′

) equal to the residual dimension between the thickness (S) of the plate (11) and a first depth (H) of said plurality of grooves (15, 18).

15. A plate as claimed in claim 10, wherein said connecting portion (11A) has a thickness (S′

) equal to the residual dimension between the thickness (S) of the plate (11) and said first depth (H) of said plurality of grooves (15, 18) as measured from a surface (13B) opposite said holding surface (13A) to the holding surface (13A) and a second depth (h) of said plurality of grooves (15, 18) as measured from said holding surface (13A) to said surface (13B) opposite said holding surface (13A).