Device for exchanging a polishing disc

Abstract

A device for exchanging a polishing disc that coated with a polishing agent during operation includes the polishing disc being made from a foam material, foam rubber, felt or lambskin and fastened to a support plate of a polishing tool held on a robot. The device includes an exchanging device having at least one dispenser in which a stack of polishing discs is arranged. The dispenser has a discharge opening, the clear width of which is smaller than the assigned dimension of the polishing disc and larger than the assigned dimension of the support plate. An axially movable sliding device on which the stack rests is provided on the side facing away from the discharge opening.

1 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A device for exchanging a polishing disc that includes a foam material, foam rubber, felt, or lambskin, is coated with a polishing agent during operation, and is attached to a support plate of a polishing tool held on a robot, the device comprising:
 an exchanging device having at least one dispenser, in which a stack of polishing discs is arranged, wherein the at least one dispenser has a removal opening, a clear width of the removal opening is larger than an associated dimension of the support plate; and   an axially movable sliding device, on which the stack of polishing discs rests, is arranged on a side of the exchanging device that faces away from the removal opening of the at least one dispenser.   
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 23 , wherein the clear width of the removal opening of the at least one dispenser is smaller than an associated dimension of the polishing disc. 
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 an extractor connected upstream of the exchanging device, wherein the extractor is configured to remove the polishing disc from the support plate.   
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 25 , wherein the extractor includes a clamping device configured to clamp an edge region of the polishing disc projecting beyond the support plate. 
     
     
         27 . The device of  claim 26 , wherein the clamping device is actuatable for closing in a coordinate-dependent manner by laser detection, a mechanical contact or a light barrier, depending on a position of the support plate. 
     
     
         28 . The device of  claim 25 , wherein the extractor includes a clamping device configured to laterally clamp the polishing disc. 
     
     
         29 . The device of  claim 28 , wherein the clamping device is a jaw tool having at least one displaceable piston with a piston tip configured to be pressed laterally into the polishing disc. 
     
     
         30 . The device of  claim 28 , wherein the clamping device comprises:
 a main body with a circular opening serving as a toothed pulley holder, wherein the main body has an inlet opening widening away from a toothed pulley, into which the support plate of the polishing tool with the polishing disc adhering thereto is insertable; and   an outlet opening widening away from the toothed pulley, through which a polishing disc released from the support plate is removable from the clamping device.   
     
     
         31 . The device of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 a collecting container arranged below the clamping device, wherein the collecting container is configured to receive a polishing disc released from the support plate.   
     
     
         32 . The device of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 an alignment station configured for positionally accurate positioning of the support plate, wherein the alignment station is arranged upstream of the exchanging device, and wherein the alignment station has a prism-shaped receptacle.   
     
     
         33 . The device of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 a dosing device arranged downstream of the exchanging device, wherein the dosing device includes a reservoir of polishing agent and an application nozzle connected to the reservoir.   
     
     
         34 . The device of  claim 23 , wherein the at least one dispenser includes several dispensers that are positioned on a table and are movable in cycles. 
     
     
         35 . The device of  claim 34 , wherein the table is a rotary table or linear table. 
     
     
         36 . The device of  claim 34 , wherein the several dispensers are arranged at equal distances from each other. 
     
     
         37 . The device of  claim 23 , wherein the exchanging device is enclosed. 
     
     
         38 . The device of  claim 37 , wherein the enclosed exchanging device has a removal opening for changing the at least one dispenser. 
     
     
         39 . The device of  claim 23 , wherein the exchanging device or the robot is connected to a computer. 
     
     
         40 . The device of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 sensors configured to control the robot and the exchanging device.   
     
     
         41 . The device of  claim 23 , wherein the at least one dispenser comprises:
 a floor;   an intermediate floor; and   limiting rods fixed to the floor and the intermediate floor, wherein the limiting rods pass through the intermediate floor, the limiting rods form a receiving cage for the stack of polishing discs, which are stacked on the intermediate floor, and wherein a length of the limiting rods are adaptable to a stacking height of the stack of polishing discs.   
     
     
         42 . The device of  claim 41 , wherein the floor is fixedly connected to a positioning rod, wherein when the polishing tool with the support plate is lowered the positioning rod is moveable relative to the stack of polishing discs until the support plate rests against an uppermost one of the stack of polishing discs and the support plate is locked in this position. 
     
     
         43 . A device for exchanging a polishing disc that includes a foam material, foam rubber, felt, or lambskin, is coated with a polishing agent during operation, and is attached to a support plate of a polishing tool held on a robot, the device comprising:
 an exchanging device having at least one dispenser, wherein the at least one dispenser has a magazine shaft positioned at an incline, wherein an upper filling region of the at least one dispenser supports at least one polishing disc; and   a removal station, wherein the at least one polishing disc can be moved along the magazine shaft into the removal station at a lower end of the magazine shaft, wherein the support plate is moved to the removal station to attach attaching a new polishing disc to the support plate.   
     
     
         44 . The device of  claim 43 , wherein the removal station has positioning pins configured for exact positioning of the polishing disc.