Power tool having a quick clamping mechanism

• US 20020028644A1
• Filed: 08/16/2001
• Published: 03/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: C & E Fein GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: C & E Fein GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Rudolf, Boris, Frenck, Gerhard
• Granted Patent: US 6,569,001 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 451/344
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 23/02 with rotating grinding tools; Accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 45/006 Quick mount and release means for disc-like wheels, e.g. on power tools

Abstract

The invention relates to a power tool, in particular to an angle grinder, having a quick clamping device for fastening of a tool between a clamping flange and a counter flange. Such quick clamping devices are usually equipped with an actuation element, during the transfer of which from a clamping position into a release position the clamping is neutralized. In the quick clamping device according to the invention, the actuation element returns, on its own, and in a controlled way, when in the release position and, by accident, the motor of the power tool is turned on. For that purpose, an eccentric being mounted on the actuation element acts with its running surface onto a cam in such a way that it retains the eccentric due to the frictional force acting between the cam and the running surface. A rotation of the cam caused by starting the motor reduces the frictional force in such a way that the cam, being prestressed by a spring, moves, on its own, the actuation element out of the release position into the direction of the clamping position.

Claims

1. A power tool comprising a quick clamping device for fastening a tool between two flanges, said power tool comprising:

a clamping flange and a counter flange for clamping the tool therebetween;

a hollow spindle having an outer end comprising said outer flange, said clamping flange being axially displaceable within said hollow spindle;

a motor for rotatingly driving said hollow spindle about a rotation axis;

a pressure head being mounted within a sleeve rotatably about said rotation axis and being arranged axially displaceable within said sleeve between a clamping position and a release position;

a cam arranged coaxially with the rotation axis on said pressure head and axially protruding therefrom;

a thrust piece arranged axially movable within said hollow spindle and comprising an inner threaded bore for threadingly engaging a threaded pin which is attached to said clamping flange;

an elastic force means arranged within said hollow spindle supported by said thrust piece for bracing said clamping flange and said counter flange against each other and for clamping the tool therebetween, when in said clamping position, wherein said pressure head, when in the release position, is rotatable together with said hollow spindle and engages the elastic force means for compensating the bracing between said counter and said clamping flanges;

an actuation element comprising a pivot lever attached to an eccentric for pivoting the latter about a pivot axis between said clamping and release positions;

a running surface being configured as a circumferencial unroll surface of said eccentric, said running surface engaging said cam to effect axial displacement of said pressure head between said clamping and release positions, when pivoting said eccenter between said clamping and release positions;

wherein a frictional force acts between said running surface and said cam impeding said pivot lever against pivoting, when being in the release position with the the motor being idle;

wherein said cam and said running surface are mated to each other to effect movement of said actuation element out of the release position into the direction of the clamping position, caused by a reduction of the frictional force between said cam and said running surface, effected by starting the motor in the release position.

12. The power tool of one of the preceding claims, wherein said running surface of said actuation element and a surface of said cam engaged by said running consist of a porous sinter material, the pores of which near to the surface are filled with a lubricant.

2. A power tool comprising a quick clamping device for fastening a tool between two flanges, said power tool comprising:

a clamping flange and a counter flange for clamping the tool therebetween;

a motor for rotatingly driving at least one of said counter and said clamping flanges;

an elastic force means for bracing said clamping flange and said counter flange against each other and for clamping the tool therebetween when being in a clamping position;

a cam being arranged axially displaceable between said clamping position and a release position, wherein said cam, when in the release position, is rotated by said motor and engages the elastic force means for compensating the bracing between said counter and said clamping flanges;

an actuation element comprising a running surface engaging said cam and being movable between said clamping and release positions to effect axial displacement of said cam between said clamping and release positions, a frictional force acting between said running surface and said cam impeding said actuation element against movement, when being in the release position with the the motor being idle;

wherein said cam and said running surface are mated to each other to effect movement of said actuation element out of the release position into the direction of the clamping position, caused by a reduction of the frictional force between said cam and said running surface, effected by starting the motor in the release position.

4. The power tool of claim 2, wherein said running surface comprises at least two sections of different inclinations.

5. The power tool of claim 4, wherein a first one of said inclinations of said running surface is smaller in the release position of said actuation element than a second one of said inclinations in the clamping position.

6. The power tool of claim 2, wherein said running surface comprises at least two sections of different surface qualities.

7. The power tool of claim 4, wherein said actuation element further comprises an eccentric being pivotable about a pivot axis, and wherein said running surface is configured as a circumferencial unroll surface of said eccentric.

8. The power tool of claim 2, wherein said actuation element comprises a pivot lever which is pivotable about a pivot axis.

11. The power tool of claim 2, wherein the surfaces of said cam and of said running surface have a Vickers hardness of more than 54, preferably about 64, and a surface roughness R_z of 0,2 μ

m to 8 μ

m.

13. The power tool of claim 2, further comprising a hollow spindle driven by said motor, and a thrust piece being integral with said cam, said thrust piece further comprising an attachment means for releasably attaching said clamping flange thereto, said thrust piece being arranged within said hollow spindle axially movable by pressing said actuation element against the bracing effected by said elastic force means.

14. The power tool of claim 13, wherein said cam is attached to a pressure head which is mounted rotatably and axiallly displaceable within a sleeve.

15. The power tool of claim 14, further comprising a spring means for bracing said pressure head against said actuation element, said pressure head coming at least indirectly into friction contact with said thrust piece, when said actuation element is moved axially against the bracing of said spring means into said release position.

16. The power tool of claim 2, further comprising an elastic return means acting onto said actuation element exerting a force thereon which supports a movement of said actuation element from said release position into the direction of said clamping position.

3. A power tool comprising a quick clamping device for fastening a tool between two flanges, said power tool comprising:

a clamping flange and a counter flange for clamping the tool therebetween;

a motor for rotatingly driving at least one of said counter and said clamping flanges;

an elastic force means for bracing said clamping flange and said counter flange against each other and for clamping the tool therebetween when being in a clamping position;

a cam being arranged axially displaceable between said clamping position and a release position, wherein said cam, when in the release position, is rotatable about a rotation axis by said motor and engages the elastic force means for compensating the bracing between said counter and said clamping flanges;

an actuation element comprising a pivot lever attached to an eccentric for pivoting the latter about a pivot axis between said clamping and release positions;

a running surface being configured as a circumferencial unroll surface of said eccentric, said running surface engaging said cam to effect axial displacement of said pressure head between said clamping and release positions, when pivoting said eccenter between said clamping and release positions;

wherein a frictional force acts between said running surface and said cam impeding said actuation element against movement, when being in the release position with the the motor being idle;

wherein said cam and said running surface are mated to each other to effect movement of said actuation element out of the release position into the direction of the clamping position, caused by a reduction of the frictional force between said cam and said running surface, effected by starting the motor in the release position.

9. The power tool of claim 3, wherein said eccentric has a largest diameter measured at a largest extension thereof, the eccentric having an eccentricity which is between 1% and 20% of the largest diameter of the largest diameter.

10. The power tool claim 3, wherein said eccentric is arranged laterally offset from said rotation axis of said cam, into the direction in which said pivot axis of said eccentric extends.