FIELD
The present disclosure relates to industrial fixtures and more particularly to a fixture
used for clamping objects being inspected.
BACKGROUND
5 The background information herein below relates to the present disclosure but is not
necessarily prior art.
Presently, fixtures used to clamp objects for the purpose of inspection require
significant set up time, as fixtures need to be customized according to shape and size
of the objects that need to be inspected. Further, usage of such customized fixtures
10 results in exhorbitant costs involved in designing and manufacturing. Still further, the
fixtures currently used do not accommodate inspection of the entire object under
consideration, as a part of the object is used to clamp the object to the inspection
machine bed. Moreover, a fixed reference point is not available on the fixture for
programming the inspection machine. A significant amount of time is spent in
15 centering and tilting the object being measured when mounted on the platform of the
fixture.
There is, therefore, felt a need to overcome the aforementioned problems.
OBJECTS
Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein
20 satisfies, are as follows:
An object of the present disclosure is to provide a fixture that minimizes inspection
object set up time.
Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a fixture that minimizes cost of
inspection, by eliminating need of separate fixtures in accommodating different parts.
2
Still another object of the present disclosure is to provide a fixture that allows
inspection of entire object dimensions.
Yet another object of the present disclosure is to provide a fixture that minimizes
centering and tilting time required to position the inspection object.
5 Other objects and advantages of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the
following description, which is not intended to limit the scope of the present
disclosure.
SUMMARY
The present disclosure relates to industrial fixtures and more particularly to a fixture
10 used for clamping ferrous objects to a bed comprising a housing for holding a magnet
which is fixed to the bed. A knob is coupled to the magnet for angular displacement
of the magnet that is orientable in an active position wherein the magnet exerts a
clamping force on said object with respect to the housing, and an inactive position
wherein the object can be released from the housing.
15 Further, the housing has a bottom end configured to be secured rigidly to the bed and
a top end provided with a platform to clamp said object. The housing has a cylindrical
cavity for containing the magnet. The platform is able to accommodate objects for
inspection having regular as well as irregular shapes and sizes. The platform bears
indentations that facilitate positioning of the object of inspection with respect to the
20 bed. The bottom end is adapted to beds of variable sizes. The bottom end can be
automatically oriented in a desired direction with respect to the bed. The bottom end
is secured to the bed by means of threaded fasteners. The knob coupled to the magnet
is automatically actuated.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWING
3
The fixture of the present disclosure, will now be described with the help of the
accompanying drawing, in which:
Figure 1 illustrates an isometric view of a fixture, in accordance with an embodiment
of the present disclosure;
5 Figure 2 illustrates an isometric view of a housing of the fixture of figure 1;
Figure 3 illustrates an isometric view of a magnet used in the fixture of figure 1;
Figure 4 illustrates an isometric view of a knob of the fixture of figure 1;
Figure 5 illustrates an isometric view of plates of the fixture of figure 1;
Figure 6 illustrates an isometric view of the fixture with the knob in a position
10 corresponding to an actuated state of the magnet, in accordance with an embodiment
of the present disclosure; and
Figure 7 illustrates an isometric view of the fixture with the knob in a position
corresponding to a de-actuated state of the magnet, in accordance with an
embodiment of the present disclosure;
15 LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
100 – fixture
10 – housing
12 – cylindrical cavity
14 – bottom end
20 15 – indentations
16 – top end
4
18 – platform
20 – magnet
30 – knob
40 – plates
5 50 – object
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Embodiments, of the present disclosure, will now be described with reference to the
accompanying drawing.
Embodiments are provided so as to thoroughly and fully convey the scope of the
10 present disclosure to the person skilled in the art. Numerous details are set forth,
relating to specific components, and methods, to provide a complete understanding of
embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to the person skilled in the
art that the details provided in the embodiments should not be construed to limit the
scope of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, well-known processes, well-
15 known apparatus structures, and well-known techniques are not described in detail.
The terminology used, in the present disclosure, is only for the purpose of explaining
a particular embodiment and such terminology shall not be considered to limit the
scope of the present disclosure. As used in the present disclosure, the forms “a”, “an”
and “the” may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context
20 clearly suggests otherwise. The terms “comprises”, “comprising”, “including” and
“having” are open-ended transitional phrases and therefore specify the presence of
stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, modules, units and/or
components, but do not forbid the presence or addition of one or more other features,
integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The
5
particular order of steps disclosed in the method and process of the present disclosure
is not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance as described or
illustrated. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be
employed.
5 When an element is referred to as being “mounted on”, “engaged to”, “connected to”
or “coupled to” another element, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or
coupled to the other element. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all
combinations of one or more of the associated listed elements.
The terms first, second, third, etc., should not be construed to limit the scope of the
10 present disclosure as the aforementioned terms may be only used to distinguish one
element, component, region, layer or section from another component, region, layer
or section. Terms such as first, second, third etc., when used herein do not imply a
specific sequence or order unless clearly suggested by the present disclosure.
Terms such as “inner”, “outer”, “beneath”, “below”, “lower”, “above”, “upper” and
15 the like, may be used in the present disclosure to describe relationships between
different elements as depicted from the figures.
Referring to Figures 1-5, an assembly of a fixture 100 is shown. The fixture 100
comprises a housing 10 with a bottom end 14 and a top end 16 typically made of
metal such as cast iron. The bottom end 14 has extending flanges for clamping the
20 entire fixture 100 to an inspection machine bed (not shown in figure). Clamping of
the fixture 100 is typically achieved via threaded fasteners (not shown in figure) of
suitable sizes to provide the required strength. Other possible clamping means, such
clamping may also serve the purpose of clamping the fixture 100 to the inspection
machine bed (not shown in figure). The top end 16 has a clamping platform 18 on
25 which object 50 for inspection is clamped, consists of indentations 15 that facilitate
ease of positioning of the object 50 inspected with respect to the inspection machine.
This is crucial as the inspection machine measures coordinates of inspection object 50
6
via the marked indentations 15. The indentations 15 can assume any suitable profile
as desired by shape and size of the object 50 being inspected. The clamping action of
the object 50 to the platform 18 is brought about by a magnet 20 housed inside a
cylindrical cavity 12 that is disposed inside the housing 10. The magnet 20 is
5 typically in the form of a cylinder that lies contrained inside the cavity 12, but is free
to rotate inside the cylindrical cavity 12 about its axis. The magnet 20 is secured
inside the cylindrical cavity 12 with the help of fastened plates 40 on either ends of
the cavity 12. The rotational actuation of the magnet 20 is brought about by a knob
30, usually in the form of a pair of levers, rotatably coupled to the magnet 20. The
10 rotation of the knob 30 in one position (as shown in figure 6) facilitates actuation of
the magnet 20 which effects in clamping the object 50, while rotation of the knob 30
in another position (as shown in figure 7) facilitates de-actuation of the magnet 20
that effects in releasing the object 50 off the platform 18.
The construction of the platform 18 of the fixture 100 provided on the top end 16 also
15 facilitates placement and clamping of irregularly shaped objects 50. The indentations
15 provided on the platform 18 ensure automatic positioning of objects 50 to be
inspected with respect to the inspection machine (not shown in figure). The bottom
end 14 of the housing 10 is configured to be adapted to the inspection machine bed
(not shown in figure) having variable capacities in accomodatng variable sized
20 objects 50. The indentations 15 on the platform 18 of the fixture 100 ensure accurate
alignment of the fixture 100 with the inspection machine bed (not shown in figure),
thus eliminating time required to manually perform the alignement process. Operation
of the knob 30 facilitates ease of the magnet 20 for actuation or de-actuation, thus
eliminating the need to use mechanical force and torque application in centering and
25 clamping of parts to the fixture 100. Optionally, the energization or de-energization
of the magnet 20 can be achieved by automatic means. As frequent changing of
fixtures that are often heavy metal parts or assemblies is eliminated, safety is
enhanced as probability of dropping them due to induced fatigue in manual handling
7
is reduced. Table 1 below shows savings in inspection time achieved by the fixture of
the present disclosure through a comparative study of present disclosure with prior
art.
Inspection Time calculation for control valve
Process
Washing / Cleaning
Fixture set up Time and
Clamping
Probe Change &
calibration
Centring & Tilting
Inspection
Report Preparation &
Generation
Surface finish Checking
Verification and error
Removing
Total Time
With prior art fixture
& program
time taken in min
5
6
(OLD fixture being
used)
5
20
10
5
2
3
56
With present disclosure
fixture & program
time taken in min
5
0
2
20
(with present disclosure
fixture introduced)
2
3
32
5 Inspection Time saved = 56-32 Min = 24 Min (43 %time saving)
8
The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of
illustration and not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Individual
components of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular
embodiment, but, are interchangeable. Such variations are not to be regarded as a
5 departure from the present disclosure, and all such modifications are considered to be
within the scope of the present disclosure.
TECHNICAL ADVANCEMENTS
The present disclosure described herein above has several technical advantages
including, but not limited to, the realization of a fixture that:
10 • results in saving significant time in setting up the inspection object;
• minimizes cost of inspection, by eliminating need of separate fixtures in
accommodating different parts;
• allows inspection of entire object dimensions, by eliminating need of clamps
that occupy a part of object for clamping; and
15 • automatically positions the inspection object with respect to inspection
machine.
The foregoing disclosure has been described with reference to the accompanying
embodiments which do not limit the scope and ambit of the disclosure. The
description provided is purely by way of example and illustration.
20 The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof
are explained with reference to the non-limiting embodiments in the following
description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are
omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples
used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the
9
embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to
practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed
as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.
The foregoing description of the specific embodiments so fully reveal the general
5 nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge,
readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments
without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and
modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and
range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the
10 phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not
of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms
of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the
embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of
the embodiments as described herein.
15 The use of the expression “at least” or “at least one” suggests the use of one or more
elements or ingredients or quantities, as the use may be in the embodiment of the
disclosure to achieve one or more of the desired objects or results.
Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like that has
been included in this specification is solely for the purpose of providing a context for
20 the disclosure. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters
form a part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field
relevant to the disclosure as it existed anywhere before the priority date of this
application.
The numerical values mentioned for the various physical parameters, dimensions or
25 quantities are only approximations and it is envisaged that the values higher/lower
than the numerical values assigned to the parameters, dimensions or quantities fall
10
within the scope of the disclosure, unless there is a statement in the specification
specific to the contrary.
While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the components and
component parts of the preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that many
5 embodiments can be made and that many changes can be made in the preferred
embodiments without departing from the principles of the disclosure. These and other
changes in the preferred embodiment as well as other embodiments of the disclosure
will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to
be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted
10 merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as a limitation.

WE CLAIM:
1. A fixture (100) for removably clamping a ferrous object (50) to a bed, said
fixture (100) comprising:
• a housing (10) for holding a magnet (20), said housing (10) fixed to
5 said bed;
• a knob (30) coupled to said magnet (20) for angular displacement of
said magnet (20), said magnet (20) orientable in:
o an active position, wherein said magnet (20) exerts a clamping
force on said object (50) with respect to said housing (10); and
10 o an inactive position, wherein said object (50) can be released
from said housing (10).
2. The fixture (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing (10) has a
bottom end (14) configured to be secured rigidly to said bed and a top end
(16) provided with a platform (18) to clamp said object (50).
15 3. The fixture (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing (10) has a
cylindrical cavity (12) for containing said magnet (20).
4. The fixture (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said platform (18) bears
indentations (15) that facilitate positioning of said object (50) for inspection
with respect to said bed.
20 5. The fixture (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said platform (18) bears
indentations (15) that facilitate positioning of said object (50) for inspection
with irregular shapes and variable sizes.
12
6. The fixture (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bottom end (14) is
adaptable for beds of variable sizes.
7. The fixture (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bottom end (14) is
configured to be automatically oriented in a desired direction with respect to
5 said bed.
8. The fixture (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bottom end (14) is
configured to be secured to said bed by means of threaded fasteners.
9. The fixture (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said knob (30) coupled to
said magnet (20) is automatically actuated.