Flat protective cover with two degrees of freedom for tool machines

Flat protective cover (1) with two degrees of freedom for tool machines, which can be associated with an operating member (A) movable along at least two main directions (D1, D2), includes:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to the field of accessory mechanical components for tool machines.

In particular, the invention relates to a flat protective cover with two degrees of freedom for tool machines, which can be associated with an operating member movable along two or three directions within a defined operating area.

2. Description of the Related Art

In general, flat protective covers of this kind are suitable for protecting the operating area within which the operating member of the tool machine moves from external elements that could jeopardize the efficiency and duration of the same machine. Such protective covers, in fact, are a valid repair against dirt, chips, coolants, emulsions, accidental tool collisions, etc.

A widespread type of said flat protective covers comprises a first covering element, fixed to said machine in correspondence to the zone to be protected, a second movable covering element, operatively connected to said operating member, and optionally one or more intermediate covering elements movable relative to each other and relative to said first and second covering element. In particular, the outermost machine element has a frame shape, which can easily contain within its thickness the space occupied by all the other flat elements constituting the protection with concentric elements.

Each covering element, preferably made of a metal material, for example steel, has an opening for the passage of said operating member. Said opening has a substantially rectangular shape for all the elements, except for the last element the opening whereof is substantially circular, so as to allow the passage of the shaft of the machine operating member. The shaft moves in a plane pulling the cover and can slide within the same cover in a third direction orthogonal to the same plane.

Said traditional flat protective covers further comprise guide and retaining means, the function whereof, on the one side, is to slidingly couple said covering elements to each other so as to follow said operating member in its operating movements and cover the zone to be protected, and the other side it is to retain all the covering elements relatively tightened to one another in a packet configuration. In particular, each covering element is associated with at least one guide and retaining element that facilitates the sliding of the same element along a first direction, and at least one guide and retaining element that facilitates the sliding of the same in a second direction orthogonal to the first one.

A protective cover is known from patent EP 1 178 258 A1, wherein each flat element has a turned up frame that serves as a guide for the adjacent element along a first direction, and at least one appendix arranged for slidingly cooperating along a second direction with suitable tracks also provided on the adjacent element.

These types of telescopic protections have some limits and drawbacks.

Said covering elements and guide and retaining means, shaped as described above, impart a relatively large thickness to the flat protective cover, thus making it considerably bulky for the entire tool machine and heavy for the operating member it is operatively associated with.

Even more disadvantageously, the increased weight of said flat elements contributes to slowing down the telescopic movement, with problems for the production and relative economic drawbacks.

A further drawback of these traditional flat protective covers is the difficulty of providing, on the single covering elements, if not by considerably increasing thickness, cleaning means, such as for example brass sheets and scrapers, which are very important for keeping a good cleaning of the walls from chips, oils or coolants that may wear out, scratch and damage the protection components and the operating member.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The aim of the invention is to overcome these limits.

The aim of the invention is to provide a flat protective cover with two degrees of freedom for tool machines, which can be associated with an operating member movable bidirectionally within a defined operating area, which should be little cumbersome, with reduced thickness, easy to manufacture and as easy to maintain.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a flat protective covering whereon the accessory means may be easily mounted as required for a good cleaning of the operating member and consequently, for a correct machine operation, without increasing the dimensions and thickness thereof.

A further aim of the invention is to improve the performance of the operating member making the movement thereof bidirectional, quick and noiseless, within the operating area.

Finally, it is aim of the invention to impart modularity to the flat protective cover which should allow easy assembly and removal to the operators and which should optionally simplify the part replacement operations, also favoring the component interchangeability, to better adapt them to any user's requirements.

The aims are achieved with a flat protective cover with two degrees of freedom for tool machines, which can be associated with an operating member movable along at least two main directions, comprising:at least a first flat covering element, operatively connected to said operating member, and provided with a respective opening for passage of said member;at least a second flat covering element, which can be fixed to said tool machine in correspondence to the area to be protected, and provided with a respective opening for passage of said member;guide and retaining means to mutually couple in a sliding way said at least one first and at least one second covering element,

characterized in that said protective cover further comprises:an intermediate frame between said at least one first and at least one second flat covering element, arranged for allowing mutual sliding of said flat elements along the two mutually orthogonal main directions,

and said guide and retaining means comprise:a first pair of linear guides steadily associated with said at least one first flat covering element and arranged along a first direction;a second pair of linear guides steadily associated with said intermediate frame and arranged along a second direction orthogonal to said first direction;a first pair of blades steadily associated with said intermediate frame and arranged along a first direction;a second pair of blades steadily associated with said at least one second flat covering element and arranged along a second direction;

wherein said first pair of blades is slidingly associated with said first pair of linear guides and said second pair of blades is slidingly associated with said second pair of linear guides.

According to a possible embodiment of the invention, said flat protective cover further comprises:a third flat covering element provided with a respective opening for passage of said operating member;a second intermediate frame between said at least one second and said third covering element, arranged for allowing mutual sliding of said flat elements along the two main mutually orthogonal directions,

and said guide and retaining means further comprise:a third pair of linear guides steadily associated with said at least one second covering element and arranged along said second direction;a fourth pair of linear guides steadily associated with said second frame and arranged along said first direction;a third pair of blades steadily associated with said second intermediate frame and arranged along a first direction;a fourth pair of blades steadily associated with said third flat covering element and arranged along a second direction,

wherein said third pair of blades is slidingly associated with said third pair of linear guides and said fourth pair of blades is slidingly associated with said fourth pair of linear guides.

Advantageously, said flat protective cover may comprise a plurality of flat covering elements, intermediate frames and guide and retaining means, arranged for producing a modular sequence of appropriate extension.

According to preferred aspects of the invention, said linear guides are elongated elements with L-shaped section, said blades are made by depressed portions, produced in the thickness of said flat covering elements and of said intermediate frames.

According to further preferred aspects of the invention, said guide and retaining means comprise sliding means arranged for reducing sliding friction between the parts in mutual contact.

According to an embodiment of the invention, said first and third pair of linear guides face the respective openings of said at least a first and at least a second covering element; said second and fourth pair of linear guides face the side opposite said first and third pairs of linear guides; said second and fourth pairs of blades face the respective openings of said at least a second and third covering element; said first and third pairs of blades face the side opposite said second and fourth pairs of blades.

The advantages of the invention are several and clear.

Said flat protective cover has a reduced overall thickness thanks to the type of guide and retaining means used and to their method of fixing on the single covering elements. As a consequence, its weight is much reduced and advantageously, the reaction and operating speed of the entire tool machine is higher, the production and the relevant costs are optimised.

Said protection may advantageously be fitted, without increasing the overall thickness thereof, but using that of the intermediate frames, with suitable cleaning means, for example brasses and scrapers, very important for keeping a good cleaning of the walls from chips, oils and coolants that may wear, scratch and damage the protection components or the operating member.

The simple structure of said flat protective cover requires little processing of the single covering elements, and does not force to shaping the larger final element box-like for containing the guide and retaining means: advantageously, said protection is entirely removable from the outside of the tool machine without interfering with the operating member, facilitating any operations for the maintenance and replacement of some parts.

Moreover, said flat protective cover has a modular structure which allows a very flexible design thereof, easily adjusting to any conditions and requirements of the users and to any configurations of tool machines and of the respective operating members in use.

Even more advantageously, said protective cover may be standardized, that is, while each covering element has different dimensions, they may be fitted with guide and retaining means having all the same dimensions, speeding up production and reducing the costs thereof. Moreover, each guide and retaining means only cooperates with two flat covering elements, allowing quick interchangeability of the same guide means, suitably selected according to the machine weight or to the operating speeds and easily replaceable.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference toFIGS. 1 and 3, there is shown a flat protective cover1with two degrees of freedom, acting along two main directions D1and D2orthogonal to one another, which can be associated with a movable operating member A operating on predetermined tool machines.

Said protection1comprises a first flat covering element2, a second flat covering element3and an intermediate frame4between said first and said second flat element.

Said first flat covering element2is provided with an opening2′ for the passage of said operating member A operatively connected whereto, optionally so that the operating member A is freely sliding within said opening2′.

Said second flat covering element3is fixed to said tool machine in correspondence to the zone to be protected, and is also provided with a respective opening3′ for passage of said operating member A.

Said frame4, delimiting an intermediate opening4′ between said first2and second3flat covering element, is arranged for allowing mutual sliding of said flat elements2and3along the two mutually orthogonal directions D1and D2.

Said protective cover1further comprises guide and retaining means5a,5b,6a,6b,7a,7b,8a,8barranged for mutually coupling in a sliding way said covering elements2and3and said frame4.

In particular, said guide and retaining means5a,5b,6a,6b,7a,7b,8a,8bcomprise two pairs of linear guides5a,5band6a,6bconsisting of elongated elements having an L-shaped section: a first pair of linear guides5a,5bis steadily associated with said first flat covering element2and is arranged along a first direction D1, a second pair of linear guides6a,6bis steadily associated with said intermediate frame4and is arranged along a second direction D2orthogonal to said first direction D1.

Moreover, said guide and retaining means5a,5b,6a,6b,7a,7b,8a,8bcomprise two pairs of blades7a,7band8a,8b: a first pair of blades7a,7bis steadily associated with said intermediate frame4and is arranged along a first direction D1, a second pair of blades8a,8bis steadily associated with said second flat covering element3and is arranged along a second direction D2. Said pairs of blades7a,7band8a,8bare made by depressed portions, produced in the thickness of the flat covering element3and of the intermediate frame4whereto they belong.

According to the assembly method shown, said first pair of linear guides5a,5bfaces opening2′ of said first flat covering element2; said second pair of linear guides6a,6b, on the other hand, faces the side opposite said first pair of linear guides5a,5b. Said second pair of blades8a,8bfaces opening3′ of said second flat covering element3; said first pair of blades7a,7b, on the other hand, faces the side opposite said second pair of blades8a,8b.

With reference toFIG. 2, the flat protective cover1comprises a plurality of flat covering elements, intermediate frames and guide and retaining means, arranged for producing a modular sequence of appropriate extension of said protection according to the dimensions of the plane wherein the operating member A moves.

In particular, besides comprising all the elements shown inFIG. 1, the flat protection1is further provided with a third flat covering element9provided with a respective opening9′ for the passage of the operating member A, and with a second intermediate frame10between said second3and third9covering element.

Said intermediate frame10is also arranged for allowing mutual sliding of said second3and third9flat elements along the two mutually orthogonal main directions D1and D2.

The flat protection1is provided with further guide and retaining means11a,11b,12a,12b,13a,13b,14a,14b.

A third pair of linear guides11a,11bis steadily associated with said second flat covering element3and is arranged along said second direction D2; a fourth pair of linear guides12a,12b, on the other hand, is steadily associated with said frame10and is arranged along said first direction D1.

A third pair of blades13a,13bis steadily associated with said second intermediate frame10and is arranged along a first direction D1; a fourth pair of blades14a,14b, on the other hand, is steadily associated with said third flat covering element9and is arranged along a second direction D2.

According to the assembly method shown, said third pair of linear guides11a,11bfaces opening9′ of said third flat covering element9; said fourth pair of linear guides12a,12b, on the other hand, faces the side opposite said first pairs of linear guides11a,11b. Said fourth pair of blades14a,14bfaces opening9′ of said third flat covering element9; said third pair of blades13a,13b, on the other hand, faces the side opposite said fourth pair of blades14a,14b.

With particular reference toFIG. 3, there are shown cleaning means15suitable for keeping the surface of the flat covering elements clean, and preventing chips or liquid residues from coming into contact with the operating member and the various components of the tool machine. Said cleaning means15comprise brass sheets or tabs of a flexible material and are associated with the face of the flat covering element2facing the zone to be protected, and arranged along all the outer sides of said flat element2. Said cleaning means15act on the face facing opposite the zone to be protected, of the flat element3adjacent that they belong to, and the thickness thereof is substantially equal to the thickness of the intermediate frame4arranged between said adjacent elements2and3.

FIGS. 4 and 5show a flat protective cover consisting of four flat covering elements and three intermediate frames, assembled to one another so as to allow the operating member A to move within a wide protected zone.

According to possible variants, not shown, said guide and retaining means may comprise sliding means, for example runners, suitable for reducing the sliding friction between the parts in mutual contact.

According to further possible variations, not shown, said flat protective cover may comprise accessory means acting as collision bumpers for said flat covering elements. In particular, said bumper accessory means comprise at least one elastic stop positioned in correspondence with each blade and suitable for cooperating with the linear guide sliding on said blade.

The operation of the invention is described below.

Each flat covering is kinematically connected to the other ones, which are adjacent thereto, so that subsequent to a movement of the operating member associated with the tool machine, the element operatively associated to said member also pulls the other flat covering elements therewith, along the two main orthogonal directions D1and D2, in a succession, which mutually sliding, thanks to the guide and retaining means, keep the operating zone closed and protected during the movements of the operating member.

The particular L shape of the guides further allows retaining the flat elements and allowing the movement of the operating member A in a direction orthogonal to the protective cover plane.

Of course, the principle of the invention being understood, the embodiments, the materials used, the dimensions and the construction details may widely vary compared to what described and shown, according to the application requirements, without departing from the scope of the present invention.