Gripping device for holding, centring and/or collet-clamping a micromechanical or horological component
A gripping device ( 100 ) for holding, centring and/or clamping a micromechanical or horological component ( 200 ) in a chamber delimited by a collet including at least one movable jaw ( 2 ) and at least one stationary jaw ( 3 ), wherein some of the movable jaws ( 2 ) and/or stationary jaws ( 3 ) include a reference surface ( 20 ) to support a component ( 200 ) bearing frontally thereagainst, and this gripping device ( 100 ) includes both, on the one hand, stationary jaws ( 3 ) including the reference surface ( 20 ) to support the component ( 200 ) bearing thereagainst, and movable jaws ( 2 ) for centring and/or clamping the component ( 200 ).
1 . A gripping device for holding, centring and/or collet-clamping a micromechanical or horological component in a clamping chamber delimited by a collet of the gripping device, wherein the collet comprises, distributed about a collet axis:
a plurality of movable jaws and a plurality of stationary jaws,
wherein at least some of said stationary jaws, each comprise a respective reference surface arranged to support either of:
(i) a said component directly bearing frontally thereagainst, or
(ii) an intermediate retaining plate directly bearing frontally thereagainst, against which intermediate retaining plate a-said component frontally bears, and
wherein said movable jaws are arranged to centre and/or clamp said component and/or are arranged to centre and or clamp said intermediate retaining plate.
2 . The gripping device according to claim 1 , wherein said movable jaws each comprise a respective recess configured to provide a gap allowing said movable jaws to deform and move towards said collet axis (D), in order to clamp said component.
3 . The gripping device according to claim 1 , wherein said reference surfaces are arranged to support said intermediate retaining plate, which bears against said reference surfaces and acts as a support for a said component bearing thereagainst.
4 . The gripping device according to claim 1 , wherein said gripping device comprises, aligned along the collet axis (D), a pallet comprising gripping means arranged to cooperate with a tool and/or arranged to cooperate with a handling device, and wherein the gripping device comprises an actuating device arranged to control opening or closing of said movable jaws of said collet.
5 . The gripping device according to claim 4 , wherein said actuating device comprises a ring capable of rotating about said collet axis (D) to control the closing of said movable jaws of collet, by pushing on said movable jaws.
6 . The gripping device according to claim 4 , wherein said actuating device comprises pushing means on a resilient support, a cone tapering inwards or outwards, the cone comprising conical surfaces arranged to cooperate with complementary surfaces, and which conical surfaces constitute surfaces for actuating said collet.
7 . The gripping device according to claim 6 , wherein only said movable jaws comprise said complementary surfaces, which said stationary jaws do not have.
8 . The gripping device according to claim 1 , wherein said movable jaws and said stationary jaws are alternating.
9 . The gripping device according to claim 8 , wherein said movable jaws on the one hand, and said stationary jaws on the other, are rotationally symmetrical relative to said collet axis (D).
10 . The gripping device according to claim 8 , wherein there is an equal number of said movable jaws and said stationary jaws.