Patent ID: 8215622
Filing Date: 2012-07-10
Classification: B25B

Abstract:
1. A clamp apparatus in which linear movement of a cylinder is converted to rotational movement by a toggle mechanism, for clamping a workpiece through a clamp arm, the clamp apparatus comprising: a main body; a cylinder connected to said main body and having a piston therein displaceable in an axial direction under pressure of a pressure fluid; an adjustment mechanism disposed so as to be displaceable within said cylinder, said adjustment mechanism having an adjustment bolt which is capable of regulating displacement of said piston and of adjusting a stroke displacement amount of said piston, said adjustment mechanism being capable of adjusting an operating angle of a clamp arm based on the stroke displacement amount of said piston; a detection mechanism for detecting clamped and unclamped states of the workpiece based on the stroke displacement amount of said piston, irrespective of a rotational angle of said clamp arm; a first rod disposed displaceably inside a piston rod connected to said piston, said first rod being displaced together with said piston rod, and further wherein said first rod is biased toward a side of said adjustment mechanism under a resilient action of a resilient member; a second rod substantially perpendicular to said first rod, which is inserted displaceably inside said piston rod and engages with said first rod; a detection plate disposed substantially in parallel with said first rod with an end of said second rod abutting thereagainst, said detection plate being tiltably displaceable, with a fixed end thereof serving as a fulcrum, under a displacement action of said second rod and by being pressed by said second rod; and a sensor disposed adjacent to said detection plate, which detects a tilting displacement of said detection plate.