Patent Description:
In the field of the manufacture of motor vehicle bodywork, it is known, for example, to use actuating units of the pivoting or oscillating type for the movement of a support arm to which the locking clamps of the metal sheets to be welded and/or parts of equipment can be constrained, while keeping the support arm firmly clamped in a certain position. For this purpose, the known pivoting units comprise a closing device capable of bringing a support arm connected to such a device into an exact operating or working position and, once it has been reached, of maintaining it in that position causing a mechanism of irreversibility to be triggered able to guarantee the position even in the absence of the actuation control, for example in the absence of compressed air in the case of pneumatic control.

By way of example, the closing device with a mechanism of irreversibility comprises a connecting rod and a crank that are rotatably connected to each other substantially at a respective end. The second end of the connecting rod is controlled to translate, bringing the crank into rototranslation, until reaching a configuration in which the connecting rod and the crank are arranged orthogonal to each other (condition of irreversibility). Once this condition of irreversibility is reached, it is possible to release the closing device only by applying an axial force of return to the second end of the connecting rod.

In the same field, the use of locating units provided with a rod that is brought and locked in a certain operating or working position by means of a similar closing device provided with a mechanism of irreversibility is also known.

In order to ensure that the actuating arm or the locating rod can return to the opening or rest position even in the absence of a control, the known actuating units are generally equipped with expedients that allow the closing device to be manually unlocked.

Document <CIT> describes an actuating unit of the articulated lever type that envisages an opening obtained in the housing body substantially at the height of the area in which the connecting rod and the crank are arranged orthogonal to each other. The opening allows a lean and elongated tool, such as a screwdriver, to gain access to this area and act against a protrusion so as to impart an axial force of return to the closing device.

However, this solution proves to be impractical as the release from the condition of irreversibility requires imparting high forces, which are difficult to apply through a lean and elongated tool. Furthermore, the opening present in the wall of the housing body is not able to preserve a condition of complete isolation of the moving parts of the actuating unit from the external environment. Considering that the actuating units are often used to perform welding or other machinings that are subject to heavy fouling, isolation from the external environment is an essential condition for preserving the proper functioning of these devices over time.

Document <CIT> discloses an actuating unit according to the preamble of claim <NUM>. From documents <CIT> and <CIT>, actuating units of the articulated lever type are also known which envisage rotating elements placed inside the housing body, but controllable in rotation from the outside of the housing body and configured to engage in a corresponding seat or protrusion made on the control rod that drives the movement of the closing device, specifically the translation of the second end of the connecting rod. When the rotating element is in engagement with the seat or the protrusion, its rotation causes a translation of the control rod and therefore a movement of the closing device away from the configuration of irreversibility, thereby disabling the relative mechanism of irreversibility.

This solution, in addition to requiring that a high torque be imparted to rotate the rotating elements in order to move the closing device, may also pose a danger of blockage or breakage of the unit in case the rotating element is brought into the configuration of interference when the closing device is not in the configuration of irreversibility.

The Applicant has therefore perceived a need to realise an actuating unit with integrated manual release function that is not subject to the aforesaid drawbacks.

In light of the above, the task underlying the present invention is to design an actuating unit with integrated manual release that allows to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art.

Within the scope of this task, one object of the present invention is to realise an actuating unit with integrated manual release, which enables to operate a manual release of the closing device in the absence of electrical or pneumatic control in a simple and reliable way.

Another object of the present invention is to devise an actuating unit with integrated manual release that does not entail the risk of blocking or damaging it.

Last but not least, the object of the present invention is to design an actuating unit with integrated manual release capable of preserving the condition of complete isolation of the moving parts of the actuating unit from the external environment.

The invention provides an actuating unit of the articulated lever or cam type, according to claim <NUM>, comprising an actuator element movable between a rest position and a working position, a housing body inside which a closing device is housed, the closing device being configured to move the actuator element between the rest position and the working position, wherein the closing device comprises a mechanism of irreversibility of movement configured to trigger when the actuator element reaches the working position, and a linear actuator provided with an axial control rod movable along an actuator axis A in such a way as to move an ending of the control rod connected to the closing device between a first end position and a second operating end position and through which the linear actuator acts on the closing device to move it between an opening condition in which the actuator element is in the rest position and a closed position in which the actuator element is in the working position.

Further, the actuating unit comprises a release device of the closing device housed inside the housing body in a rotatable manner around a rotation axis B orthogonal to the actuator axis A. The release device is configured to impart a substantially coaxial thrust to the actuator axis A on the control rod.

The Applicant has identified that thanks to the particular positioning of the release device it is possible to release the device by means of a reduced torque with respect to the state of the art. In fact, the possibility of acting on the control rod with a substantially coaxial thrust to that rod makes it possible to reduce the torque arm, thus increasing the force exerted at the same torque.

Furthermore, the positioning of the release device such as to impart a substantially coaxial thrust on the control rod prevents situations in which said release device acts as an obstacle to the movement of the control rod. This essentially eliminates the possibility of damage to the actuating unit, e.g. due to the activation of the release device when the unit is not in the condition of irreversibility.

In accordance with a further aspect, the invention concerns an actuating unit of the articulated lever or cam type comprising a housing body inside which a closing device is housed which comprises a mechanism of irreversibility of movement; a linear actuator provided with an axial control rod movable along an actuator axis between a first end position and a second operating end position, wherein the axial control rod acts on the closing device and the mechanism of irreversibility is configured to trigger when the axial control rod reaches the second operating end position; and a release device of the closing device is housed inside the housing body in a rotatable manner around a rotation axis orthogonal to the actuator axis. According to the invention the release device of the closing device is configured to impart a substantially coaxial thrust to the actuator axis on the control rod.

The release device is configured to exert the thrust directly on the ending of the control rod connected to the closing device and/or directly on the closing device where the closing device is connected to the control rod.

Advantageously, such a release device is particularly efficient and reliable, acting directly on the parts that need to be moved.

The present invention may have at least one of the preferred following features; the latter may in particular be combined with one another as desired in order to meet specific application needs.

In a variant of the invention, the release device is configured to exert the thrust along the actuator axis A.

In a different variant of the invention, the release device is configured to exert the thrust along a direction parallel to the actuator axis A and offset from the actuator axis A by a distance d' less than <NUM>% of a cross section radius r of the control rod, preferably less than <NUM>% of the cross section radius r of the control rod, more preferably less than <NUM>% of the cross section radius r of the control rod.

Such an embodiment guarantees an optimised action of the release device without the need for high torques to be applied.

In a variant of the invention, the release device is arranged in the housing body at an axial height external to an interval defined between the first end position and the second operating end position between which the ending of the control rod connected to the closing device is movable.

This positioning effectively prevents any damage to the actuating unit due to an activation of the release device when the unit is not in the condition of irreversibility.

In a variant of the invention, the release device comprises a lever or the cam movable between a non-operating position and a thrust position in which the lever or the cam imparts the substantially coaxial thrust to the actuator axis A on the control rod.

Preferably, the lever or the cam is pivoted to the housing body proximal to the second operating end position reachable by the ending of the control rod.

Advantageously, such placement allows to obtain an automatic return of the release device to the non-activated condition. In fact, the movement of the control rod towards the maximum extraction position, therefore, towards the second operating end position, causes a thrust of the lever that brings it back into the non-operating position.

Preferably, the lever or the cam is at least partially housed in a housing recess obtained in a thickness of a wall of the housing body, the recess facing towards a hollow housing defined internally of the housing body and in which the closing device is housed.

The placement in a recess obtained in the thickness of a wall of the housing body allows the release device to be integrated without affecting the overall dimensions of the housing body.

Preferably, in the non-operating position, the lever or the cam is arranged in the recess according to an arrangement of minimum protrusion from the recess.

Advantageously, this embodiment allows to keep the overall dimensions of the release device inside the housing body to a minimum.

Preferably, the lever or the cam is rotatably connected to the housing body via a pin constrained to the housing body in such a way as to have at least one end of the pin accessible from the outside of the housing body.

More preferably, the pin is constrained to the housing body in such a way as to have both ends of the pin accessible from the outside of the housing body.

In a variant of the invention, the recess is shaped to realise a stroke-end for limiting the rotation of the lever.

In a different variant of the invention, the recess is shaped to realise a stroke-end for limiting the rotation of the pin.

In a variant of the invention, the linear actuator is either a pneumatic actuation cylinder fixedly connected to the housing body or a pneumatic actuator integrated into the housing body.

In one variant of the invention, the actuating unit is a pivoting or oscillating unit, a locating unit or a clamping unit.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will be more evident from the following detailed description of certain preferred embodiments thereof made with reference to the appended drawings.

The different features in the individual configurations may be combined with one another as desired according to the preceding description, should there be advantages specifically resulting from a specific combination.

For the illustration of the drawings, use is made in the following description of identical numerals or symbols to indicate construction elements with the same function. Moreover, for clarity of illustration, certain references may not be repeated in all drawings.

While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, certain preferred embodiments are shown in the drawings and are described hereinbelow in detail. It is in any case to be noted that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific embodiment illustrated rather on the contrary, the invention intends covering all the modifications, alternative and equivalent constructions that fall within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

The use of "for example", "etc.", "or" indicates non-exclusive alternatives without limitation, unless otherwise indicated. The use of "comprises" and "includes" means "comprises or includes, but not limited to", unless otherwise indicated.

With reference to <FIG>, a first preferred embodiment of an actuating unit with articulated lever according to the present invention, indicated as a whole with <NUM>, specifically realised in the form of a rotating unit is illustrated.

The rotating unit <NUM> comprises a housing body <NUM> inside which a closing device <NUM> is arranged. The housing body <NUM> is defined by four side walls closed below by a lower wall 11b and above by an upper wall 11a, opposed to the lower wall 11b. The walls of the housing body <NUM> define, inside the same <NUM>, a hollow housing <NUM> that houses the closing device <NUM> in a housing area close to the upper wall 11a.

The closing device <NUM> is integrally connected to an actuator element that in the embodiment of <FIG> is realised in the form of an actuating arm <NUM> and is switchable between a first configuration, in which the actuating arm <NUM> is brought into an angular rest position, and a second configuration, in which the actuating arm <NUM> is brought into an angular working position or operating position.

The rotating unit <NUM> further comprises a linear actuator <NUM> provided with an axial control rod <NUM> (shown in <FIG> and <FIG>) movable along an actuator axis A. In the embodiment illustrated, the linear actuator <NUM> is a pneumatic actuation cylinder fixedly connected to the housing body <NUM> at the lower wall 11b of the body <NUM>. As shown in detail in <FIG> and <FIG>, the pneumatic actuation cylinder <NUM> comprises a body of the actuator, in this case a cylinder body <NUM>, which internally defines a sealing chamber <NUM> delimited by two heads 24a,24b arranged respectively at the axial ends of the cylinder body <NUM>. An upper head 24a is sealingly crossed by the control rod <NUM> which then protrudes beyond it extending with a first ending 21a along the actuator axis A and up to the closing device <NUM> where it is connected thereto. At a second ending thereof housed inside the chamber <NUM> defined by the cylinder body <NUM>, the rod <NUM> is constrained to a first plunger <NUM> mounted axially sliding and sealingly inside said chamber <NUM>.

The axial control rod <NUM> acts on the closing device <NUM> inside the body <NUM> to move it between an opening and a closed condition. To this end, the control rod <NUM> is movable along the actuator axis A between two end configurations: a first configuration of maximum insertion into the cylinder body <NUM> and a second configuration of maximum extraction from the cylinder body <NUM>. Moving from the first to the second configuration, the first ending 21a of the control rod <NUM> connected to the closing device <NUM> moves between two axial end positions that define an axial path travelled by the first ending 21a of the control rod <NUM>.

In the embodiment shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the closing device <NUM> is of the articulated lever type and comprises a connecting rod <NUM> and a crank <NUM> connected together in a rotatable manner substantially at one respective end. The control rod <NUM> is rotatably constrained to another end of the connecting rod <NUM> of the closing device <NUM>. The crank <NUM> is rotatably constrained at another end thereof to the body <NUM> of the actuating unit <NUM> and is provided with a pair of coaxial pins 12a which protrude from opposed sides of said body <NUM> of the actuating unit <NUM>. The actuating arm <NUM> is integrally constrained to the coaxial pins 12a, thus being brought into rotation by the movement of the crank <NUM>. The connecting rod <NUM> - crank <NUM> assembly thus shaped and constrained realises a mechanism of irreversibility of the closing device <NUM>. In fact, once a configuration is reached in which the connecting rod and the crank are arranged orthogonal to each other, it is possible to release the closing device only by applying an axial force of return to the second end of the connecting rod.

When the first ending 21a of the control rod <NUM> is in the end position corresponding to the maximum extraction configuration, the closing device <NUM> is in the closed condition with the mechanism of irreversibility triggered.

The actuating unit <NUM> of <FIG> further comprises a release device <NUM> of the closing device <NUM> realised in the form of a lever <NUM> pivoted to the housing body <NUM>. In particular, the lever <NUM> is rotatably connected to the housing body <NUM> via a pin <NUM> constrained to the housing body in such a way as to have at least its ends accessible from the outside of the housing body <NUM>. In detail, the pin <NUM> comprises at least one actuation interface, accessible from the outside, which is shaped in such a way as to cooperate with an actuation tool (not illustrated) to be rotated by the same, such as a screwdriver or an allen key.

According to the present invention, the lever <NUM> of the release device <NUM> is positioned inside the housing body <NUM> so as to impart a substantially coaxial force to the actuator axis A on the control rod <NUM>. Specifically, the lever <NUM> is positioned inside the housing body <NUM> so as to impart a substantially coaxial force to the actuator axis A, either directly on the first ending 21a of the control rod <NUM> connected to the closing device <NUM> or on the closing device <NUM> itself where it is connected to the control rod <NUM>. To this end, the lever <NUM> is arranged inside the housing body <NUM> at an axial height external to the axial path travelled by the first ending 21a of the control rod <NUM>.

Within the scope of this description and in the accompanying claims, "axial height" means the height at which an element is located with respect to a direction parallel or coincident with the actuation axis A.

Within the scope of this description and in the accompanying claims, the expression "force or substantially coaxial thrust to the actuator axis A" is understood to mean a force or thrust applied along the actuator axis A or along a direction parallel to the actuator axis A and offset from the actuator axis A by a distance d less than <NUM>% of a cross section radius r of the rod <NUM>, preferably less than <NUM>% of a cross section radius r of the rod <NUM>, more preferably less than <NUM>% of a cross section radius r of the rod <NUM>, with reference to the quantities illustrated in <FIG>.

To this end, the release device <NUM> is advantageously housed inside the housing body <NUM> proximal to the housing area in which the closing device <NUM> is arranged, in particular at the upper wall 11a of the housing body <NUM>. The lever <NUM> is movably constrained to the housing body <NUM> between a non-operating position, substantially parallel and adjacent to a wall of the housing body <NUM>, in particular to the upper wall 11a, and a thrust position, in which the lever <NUM> protrudes more from the upper wall 11a towards the inside of the housing body <NUM>. According to a preferred embodiment, the wall of the housing body <NUM> has a recess 14a obtained in the thickness of the housing body <NUM> facing towards the hollow housing <NUM> defined internally of the housing body <NUM>, wherein the lever <NUM> is at least partially housed when it is in its non-operating position in such a way as to assume a configuration of minimum protrusion from the recess 14a.

The recess 14a is also shaped in such a way as to realise a stroke-end 14a' for the rotation of the lever <NUM>. The stroke-end prevents the lever <NUM> from assuming a configuration parallel to the actuator axis A, thereby ensuring that the lever <NUM> can never prevent the control rod <NUM> from reaching the end position corresponding to the maximum extraction configuration, in which the closing device <NUM> is in the closing condition with the mechanism of irreversibility triggered.

With reference to <FIG>, a second preferred embodiment of an actuating unit with articulated lever according to the present invention, indicated as a whole with <NUM>, specifically realised in the form of a locating unit is illustrated.

The locating unit <NUM>' comprises a housing body <NUM> which defines therein a hollow housing <NUM> in which a closing device <NUM> and the axial control rod <NUM> of a linear actuator <NUM> are arranged.

The closing device <NUM> is integrally connected to an actuator element - realised in the form of a locating rod <NUM>' - to move it between a linear rest position, in which the rod <NUM>' is partially inserted into the housing body <NUM>, and a linear working position or operating position, in which the rod <NUM>' is completely extracted from the housing body <NUM>.

In the embodiment of <FIG>, the closing device <NUM> is of the articulated lever type and comprises a connecting rod <NUM> and a crank <NUM> connected to each other in a rotatable manner substantially at one respective end. The control rod <NUM> is rotatably constrained to another end of the connecting rod <NUM> of the closing device <NUM>. The crank <NUM> comprises two shanks arranged in an L-shape, is fulcrated where the two shanks join (fulcrum <NUM>) and, at the second end thereof, is rotatably constrained to a second connecting rod <NUM> in turn rotatably connected to the locating rod <NUM>'.

The closing device <NUM> is controlled in opening/closing by the control rod <NUM> of the linear actuator <NUM>, which specifically is a pneumatically operated actuator. The control rod <NUM> is movable along an actuator axis A between two end configurations: a first configuration of maximum insertion into a sealing chamber <NUM>' for the supply of compressed air and a second configuration of maximum extraction from the sealing chamber <NUM>'. Moving from the first to the second configuration, the first ending 21a of the control rod <NUM> connected to the closing device <NUM> moves between two axial end positions that define the axial path travelled by the first ending 21a of the control rod <NUM>.

The locating unit <NUM>' also comprises a release device <NUM> of the closing device <NUM> realised in the form of a cam <NUM>' extending from the surface of a cylindrical pin <NUM> rotatably connected to the housing body <NUM>. The pin <NUM> is constrained to the housing body <NUM> in such a way as to have its ends accessible from the outside of the housing body <NUM>. In detail, the pin <NUM> comprises at least one actuation interface, accessible from the outside, which is shaped in such a way as to cooperate with an actuation tool (not illustrated) to be rotated by the same, such as a screwdriver or an allen key.

With reference to the second embodiment, the cam <NUM>' of the release device <NUM> is positioned in the housing body <NUM> so as to impart a substantially coaxial force to the actuator axis A on the control rod <NUM> when the pin <NUM> is brought into rotation. Specifically, the cam <NUM>' is positioned inside the housing body <NUM> in such a way as to impart a substantially coaxial thrust to the axis A, either directly on the first ending 21a of the control rod <NUM>, substantially where the control rod <NUM> is connected to the closing device <NUM> or on the closing device <NUM> itself where it is connected to the control rod <NUM>. To this end, the cam <NUM>' is arranged inside the housing body <NUM> at an axial height external to the axial path travelled by the first ending 21a of the control rod <NUM>.

To this end, the pin <NUM> is advantageously housed in a recess 14a obtained in the thickness of the housing body <NUM> and such that it faces towards the hollow housing <NUM>. In particular, the recess 14a faces towards the area of the hollow housing <NUM> where the closing device <NUM> is located. The cam <NUM>' is movably constrained to the housing body <NUM> between a non-operating position, in which the cam <NUM>' protrudes minimally or substantially does not protrude from the recess 14a in the direction of the actuator axis A (shown in the enlarged detail of <FIG>), and a thrust position, in which the cam <NUM>' protrudes more from the recess 14a in the direction of the actuator axis A (shown in the enlarged detail of <FIG>).

There is also provided a stroke-end 14a' configured to limit the rotation of the pin <NUM> and, in this way, prevent the cam <NUM>' from being able to assume a configuration such as to prevent the control rod <NUM> from reaching the end position, corresponding to the configuration of maximum extraction, in which the closing device <NUM> is in the closed condition with the mechanism of irreversibility triggered.

The operation of the actuating unit <NUM>,<NUM>' with articulated lever or cam according to the present invention is as follows.

In the closed condition, illustrated in <FIG>and <FIG>, respectively, the first ending 21a of the control rod <NUM> is in the first end position corresponding to the configuration of maximum protrusion from the cylinder body <NUM>. In this condition, the lever <NUM>, or respectively the cam <NUM>', of the release device <NUM> is in its position of non-operation or of minimum protrusion from the recess 14a in the direction of the actuator axis A.

In this condition, the mechanism of irreversibility of the closing device <NUM> is triggered in such a way that any force applied to the actuator arm <NUM> or on the locating rod <NUM>' - lower than a breaking force of the closing device <NUM> - is not able to return it to the rest position. In order to disable the mechanism of irreversibility of the closing device <NUM>, it is therefore necessary to apply an axial force of return of the rod <NUM> in the direction of the end position opposed to the first one. In the absence of control, the axial force can be applied by rotating the pin <NUM> of the release device <NUM>. To this end, it is possible to act on at least one of the ends of the pin <NUM> that are accessible from the outside of the housing body <NUM>.

The movement of the pin <NUM> results in a corresponding rotation of the lever <NUM> or, respectively, of the cam <NUM>', around said pin <NUM>, so as to assume the protruding thrust position. Through the rotation of the lever <NUM> or, respectively, of the cam <NUM>', an axial thrust is exerted on the rod <NUM>, which causes it to retract towards the inside of the sealing chamber <NUM>,<NUM>', thereby causing the closing device <NUM> to exit the condition of irreversibility (condition illustrated in <FIG> as well as in <FIG>). At this point, since the mechanism of irreversibility is disabled, it is possible to act directly on the actuator arm <NUM> or on the locating rod <NUM>' to return them to the rest position.

Claim 1:
Actuating unit (<NUM>,<NUM>') of the articulated lever or cam type comprising:
- an actuator element (<NUM>,<NUM>') movable between a rest position and a working position;
- a housing body (<NUM>) inside which a closing device (<NUM>) is housed, the closing device being configured to move the actuator element (<NUM>') between the rest position and the working position, wherein the closing device (<NUM>) comprises a mechanism of irreversibility of movement configured to trigger when the actuator element (<NUM>,<NUM>') reaches the working position;
- a linear actuator (<NUM>) provided with an axial control rod (<NUM>) movable along an actuator axis (A) so as to move an ending (21a) of the control rod (<NUM>) connected to the closing device (<NUM>) between a first end position and a second operating end position, and through which the linear actuator (<NUM>) acts on the closing device (<NUM>) to move it between an opening condition in which the actuator element (<NUM>,<NUM>') is in the rest position and a closed condition in which the actuator element (<NUM>,<NUM>') is in the operating position; and
- a release device (<NUM>) of the closing device (<NUM>) housed inside the housing body (<NUM>) in a rotatable manner around a rotation axis (B) orthogonal to the actuator axis (A), the release device (<NUM>) of the closing device (<NUM>) being configured to impart a substantially coaxial thrust to the actuator axis (A) on the control rod (<NUM>),
characterized in that the release device (<NUM>) is configured to exert the thrust directly on the ending (21a) of the control rod (<NUM>) connected to the closing device (<NUM>) and/or directly on the closing device (<NUM>) where the closing device (<NUM>) is connected to the control rod (<NUM>).