阅读说明：本技术 一种螺栓全自动倒角设备 (Full-automatic chamfering equipment for bolts ) 是由 不公告发明人 于 2020-12-25 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明公开了一种螺栓全自动倒角设备,包括基座、竖板、槽板和刀头,所述竖板的左侧设有刀头,所述基座的上端左侧安装有往复装置,所述往复装置包括支座、横杆、滑套、第一把手、丝杠和螺纹管,所述丝杠的左端与第一把手固定相连。该螺栓全自动倒角设备,结构科学合理,使用安全方便,通过圆环卡槽、曲型板、圆环、连杆、滑块、橡胶垫和涡卷弹簧之间的配合,然后用手按住曲型板向上推动,曲型板通过圆环和连杆推动多个滑块同时向外侧移动并压缩涡卷弹簧,将螺栓送入圆环卡槽内壁,松开曲型板,涡卷弹簧通过连杆使滑块向内侧移动使橡胶垫抵紧螺杆,完成对螺杆的中心定位,解决了人工手动对准螺栓倒角容易出现偏差的问题。(The invention discloses full-automatic bolt chamfering equipment which comprises a base, a vertical plate, a groove plate and a tool bit, wherein the tool bit is arranged on the left side of the vertical plate, a reciprocating device is arranged on the left side of the upper end of the base, the reciprocating device comprises a support, a cross rod, a sliding sleeve, a first handle, a lead screw and a threaded pipe, and the left end of the lead screw is fixedly connected with the first handle. This full-automatic chamfer equipment of bolt, structure scientific and reasonable, convenience safe in utilization, through the ring draw-in groove, bent type board, the ring, the connecting rod, the slider, cooperation between rubber pad and the spiral spring, then press bent type board with the hand and upwards promote, bent type board passes through a plurality of sliders of ring and connecting rod promotion and moves to the outside and compress the spiral spring simultaneously, send into ring draw-in groove inner wall with the bolt, loosen bent type board, spiral spring makes the slider move to the inboard through the connecting rod and makes the rubber pad support tight screw rod, accomplish the central point of twin-screw rod and fix a position, the problem of deviation appears easily in artifical manual alignment bolt chamfer has been solved.)

1. The utility model provides a full-automatic chamfer equipment of bolt, includes base (1), riser (2), frid (3) and tool bit (4), the upper end right side of base (1) links to each other with riser (2) are fixed, the upper end and frid (3) of riser (2) are fixed to be linked to each other, the left side of riser (2) is equipped with tool bit (4), its characterized in that: a reciprocating device (5) is arranged on the left side of the upper end of the base (1);

the reciprocating device (5) comprises a support (501), a cross rod (502), a sliding sleeve (503), a first handle (504), a lead screw (505) and a threaded pipe (506);

a plurality of support (501) are located the upper end left side and the upper end center of base (1) respectively, the lower extreme and base (1) of support (501) are fixed continuous, the inner of support (501) is fixed continuous with horizontal pole (502), the outer wall center and sliding sleeve (503) clearance fit of horizontal pole (502), the top of sliding sleeve (503) is equipped with screwed pipe (506), the inner wall and lead screw (505) screw thread of screwed pipe (506) link to each other, the left end and the first in command (504) of lead screw (505) are fixed continuous.

2. The full-automatic bolt chamfering device according to claim 1, characterized in that: the upper end of the sliding sleeve (503) is provided with a clamping device (7);

the clamping device (7) comprises a machine shell (701), an annular clamping groove (702), an annular (703), a straight rod (704), a curved plate (705), a connecting rod (706), a sliding block (707), a rubber pad (708) and a volute spiral spring (709);

the upper end and the lower end of the machine shell (701) are fixedly connected with a threaded pipe (506) and a sliding sleeve (503) respectively, the inner wall of the machine shell (701) is fixedly connected with a circular ring clamping groove (702), the rear end of the outer wall of the circular ring clamping groove (702) is rotatably connected with a circular ring (703) through a bearing, the outer wall of the circular ring (703) is in clearance fit with the machine shell (701), the right end of the outer wall of the circular ring (703) is fixedly connected with a straight rod (704), the right end of the straight rod (704) is fixedly connected with a curved plate (705), a plurality of connecting rods (706) are arranged on the inner wall of the circular ring (703), the two ends of each connecting rod (706) are rotatably connected with a sliding block (707) and the circular ring (703) respectively through a pin shaft, the outer wall of the sliding block (707) is in clearance fit with the circular ring clamping groove (702), the inner end of the sliding block (707) is in clearance fit with a rubber pad (708), and a, the front end and the rear end of the scroll spring (709) are respectively connected with the connecting rod (706) and the circular ring (703) in a rotating way.

3. The full-automatic bolt chamfering device according to claim 2, characterized in that: the limit rotation angle of the connecting rod (706) is 47 degrees.

4. The full-automatic bolt chamfering device according to claim 1, characterized in that: the lower end of the frid (3) is provided with an adjusting device (6);

the adjusting device (6) comprises a second handle (601), a screw rod (602) and a threaded sleeve (603);

both ends all rotate with frid (3) through the bearing and link to each other about the outer wall of screw rod (602), the right-hand member and second handle (601) of screw rod (602) are fixed to be linked to each other, the outer wall left end and the thread bush (603) screw thread of screw rod (602) link to each other, the lower extreme left and right sides of thread bush (603) all rotates with lead screw (505) through the bearing and links to each other.

5. The full-automatic bolt chamfering device according to claim 1, characterized in that: the center of the vertical plate (2) is provided with a clamping device (8);

the clamping device (8) comprises a motor (801), a rotating shaft (802), a straight plate (803), a tool apron (804), a clamping block (805), a conical block (806), a straight rod (807), a pull ring (808) and a spring (809);

the motor (801) is located at the right end of the vertical plate (2), the left end of the motor (801) is fixedly connected with the vertical plate (2), a rotating shaft (802) is arranged at the left end of the motor (801), the left end and the right end of the rotating shaft (802) are fixedly connected with a straight plate (803) and an output shaft of the motor (801) respectively, the outer wall of the rotating shaft (802) is rotatably connected with the vertical plate (2) through a bearing, straight rods (807) are arranged on the upper side and the lower side of the inner wall of the straight plate (803), two ends of each straight rod (807) are fixedly connected with a pull ring (808) and a conical block (806) respectively, the outer wall of each straight rod (807) is in clearance fit with the straight plate (803), springs (809) are arranged on the outer wall of each straight rod (807), two ends of the springs (809) are fixedly connected with the straight plate (803) and the conical block (806) respectively, and the inner ends of the conical, the left end of the clamping block (805) is fixedly connected with the tool apron (804), and the tool bit (4) is installed at the left end of the tool apron (804).

6. The full-automatic bolt chamfering device according to claim 5, wherein: the clamping blocks (805) on the upper side and the lower side are vertically symmetrical along the horizontal center of the straight plate (803).

Technical Field

The invention relates to the technical field of bolt chamfering, in particular to full-automatic chamfering equipment for bolts.

Background

The bolt chamfering function can prevent parts from being damaged, otherwise, sharp edges can easily damage or cut fingers, and a good guiding function can be achieved.

Although the prior art chamfering apparatus can perform chamfering of bolts, the following problems still exist:

firstly, the problem of deviation is easy to occur when the bolt chamfers are manually aligned;

secondly, the size of the chamfer of the bolt is not well controlled;

thirdly, the size of the chamfer angle of the bolt cannot be adjusted;

fourthly, the replacement steps of the tool bit are complicated.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention aims to provide full-automatic bolt chamfering equipment to solve the problem that deviation is easy to occur when a bolt is manually aligned and chamfered in the background technology.

In order to achieve the purpose, the invention provides the following technical scheme: a full-automatic chamfering device for bolts comprises a base, a vertical plate, a groove plate and a tool bit, wherein the right side of the upper end of the base is fixedly connected with the vertical plate, the upper end of the vertical plate is fixedly connected with the groove plate, the tool bit is arranged on the left side of the vertical plate, and a reciprocating device is arranged on the left side of the upper end of the base;

the reciprocating device comprises a support, a cross rod, a sliding sleeve, a first handle, a lead screw and a threaded pipe;

a plurality of the support is located the upper end left side and the upper end center of base respectively, the lower extreme and the base of support are fixed to be linked to each other, the inner of support links to each other with the horizontal pole is fixed, the outer wall center and the sliding sleeve clearance fit of horizontal pole, the top of sliding sleeve is equipped with the screwed pipe, the inner wall and the lead screw thread of screwed pipe link to each other, the left end and the first in command of lead screw are fixed to be linked to each other.

Preferably, the upper end of the sliding sleeve is provided with a clamping device;

the clamping device comprises a machine shell, a circular ring clamping groove, a circular ring, a straight rod, a curved plate, a connecting rod, a sliding block, a rubber pad and a volute spiral spring;

the upper and lower both ends of casing are fixed continuous with screwed pipe and sliding sleeve respectively, the inner wall and the ring draw-in groove of casing are fixed continuous, the outer wall rear end of ring draw-in groove passes through the bearing and rotates with the ring and link to each other, the outer wall and the casing clearance fit of ring, the outer wall right-hand member and the straight-bar of ring are fixed continuous, the right-hand member and the bent template of straight-bar are fixed continuous, the inner wall of ring is equipped with a plurality of connecting rods, the both ends of connecting rod all rotate with slider and ring respectively through the round pin axle and link to each other, the outer wall and the ring draw-in groove clearance fit of slider, the inner and the rubber pad clearance fit of slider, the outer end rear side of connecting rod is equipped with the spiral spring, both ends rotate with connecting rod and ring respectively.

Preferably, the limit rotation angle of the link is 47 °.

Preferably, the lower end of the groove plate is provided with an adjusting device;

the adjusting device comprises a second handle, a screw rod and a threaded sleeve;

both ends all rotate with the frid through the bearing about the outer wall of screw rod and link to each other, the right-hand member and the second handle of screw rod are fixed to be linked to each other, the outer wall left end and the thread bush screw thread of screw rod link to each other, the lower extreme left and right sides of thread bush all rotates with the lead screw through the bearing and links to each other.

Preferably, the center of the vertical plate is provided with a clamping device;

the clamping device comprises a motor, a rotating shaft, a straight plate, a tool apron, a clamping block, a conical block, a straight rod, a pull ring and a spring;

the motor is located the right-hand member of riser, the left end of motor links to each other with the riser is fixed, the left end of motor is equipped with the pivot, both ends are fixed continuous with the output shaft of straight board and motor respectively about the pivot, the outer wall of pivot passes through the bearing and rotates with the riser continuously, both sides all are equipped with the straight-bar about the inner wall of straight board, the both ends of straight-bar link to each other with pull ring and toper piece are fixed respectively, the outer wall and the straight board clearance fit of straight-bar, the outer wall of straight-bar is equipped with the spring, the both ends of spring link to each other with straight board and toper piece are fixed respectively, the inner and the fixture block of toper piece closely laminate, the left end and the blade holder of fixture block are fixed continuously, the tool bit.

Preferably, the clamping blocks on the upper side and the lower side are vertically symmetrical along the horizontal center of the straight plate.

Compared with the prior art, the invention has the beneficial effects that: this full-automatic chamfer equipment of bolt, structure scientific and reasonable, convenience safe in utilization:

the to-be-processed end of a to-be-processed bolt is aligned to the central position of the circular clamping groove through the matching of the circular clamping groove, the curved plate, the circular ring, the connecting rod, the sliding block, the rubber pad and the volute spiral spring, then the curved plate is pressed by hands to push the curved plate upwards, the curved plate pushes the sliding blocks to move outwards and compress the volute spiral spring simultaneously through the circular ring and the connecting rod, the bolt is sent to the inner wall of the circular clamping groove, the curved plate is loosened, the volute spiral spring enables the sliding blocks to move inwards through the connecting rod to enable the rubber pad to abut against the screw rod, the central positioning of the screw rod is completed, and the problem that the bolt chamfering is prone;

through the matching among the threaded pipe, the lead screw, the first handle and the tool bit, when the threaded pipe moves to the right end of the lead screw, the threaded pipe of the first handle is continuously rotated to turn back along the lead screw, so that the bolt is separated from the tool bit, the size of the chamfer of the bolt is effectively controlled, and the problem that the size of the chamfer of the bolt is not well controlled is solved;

the second handle is rotated through the matching among the second handle, the screw rod, the threaded sleeve, the screw rod and the threaded pipe, the threaded sleeve is pushed by the second handle through the screw rod to move, the threaded sleeve drives the screw rod to move, the turning point of the threaded pipe is changed, and the problem that the size of the chamfer of the bolt cannot be adjusted is solved;

through the cooperation between pull ring, straight-bar, toper piece, spring, fixture block, blade holder tool bit and the straight board, the pulling ring, the pull ring drives the toper piece through the straight-bar and removes compression spring and relieve with the block state of fixture block, with blade holder left side move until the fixture block breaks away from straight board completely when installing new tool bit to the blade holder on, reset the blade holder again and can accomplish the change to the tool bit, and then solved the loaded down with trivial details problem of tool bit change step.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural view of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a left side schematic view of the clamping device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic structural view of the straight plate, the rotating shaft and the tool holder in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the screw, the thread bush and the lead screw of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a schematic structural view of the ring, the ring slot and the connecting rod in FIG. 1;

fig. 6 is a schematic structural view of the spring and the latch combined with the tapered block in fig. 1.

In the figure: 1. the device comprises a base, 2, a vertical plate, 3, a groove plate, 4, a cutter head, 5, a reciprocating device, 501, a support, 502, a cross rod, 503, a sliding sleeve, 504, a first handle, 505, a lead screw, 506, a threaded pipe, 6, an adjusting device, 601, a second handle, 602, a screw rod, 603, a threaded sleeve, 7, a clamping device, 701, a machine shell, 702, a circular ring clamping groove, 703, a circular ring, 704, a straight rod, 705, a curved plate, 706, a connecting rod, 707, a sliding block, 708, a rubber pad, 709, a volute spring, 8, a clamping device, 801, a motor, 802, a rotating shaft, 803, a straight plate, 804, a cutter seat, 805, a clamping block, 806, a conical block, 807, a straight rod, 808, a pull ring, 809 and a spring.

Detailed Description

The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention, and it is obvious that the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. All other embodiments, which can be derived by a person skilled in the art from the embodiments given herein without making any creative effort, shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Referring to fig. 1-6, the present invention provides a technical solution: a full-automatic chamfering device for bolts comprises a base 1, a vertical plate 2, a groove plate 3 and a cutter head 4, wherein the right side of the upper end of the base 1 is fixedly connected with the vertical plate 2, the upper end of the vertical plate 2 is fixedly connected with the groove plate 3, the base 1 fixedly supports the groove plate 3 through the vertical plate 2, the left side of the vertical plate 2 is provided with the cutter head 4, the cutter head 4 is used for chamfering materials to be processed, the left side of the upper end of the base 1 is provided with a reciprocating device 5, the reciprocating device 5 comprises a support 501, a cross rod 502, a sliding sleeve 503, a first handle 504, a lead screw 505 and a threaded pipe 506, a plurality of supports 501 are respectively positioned at the left side and the center of the upper end of the base 1, the lower end of the support 501 is fixedly connected with the base 1, the base 1 fixedly supports the supports 501, the inner end of the support 501 is fixedly connected with the, a threaded pipe 506 is arranged above the sliding sleeve 503, the inner wall of the threaded pipe 506 is in threaded connection with a lead screw 505, the lead screw 505 is a bidirectional lead screw, the left end of the lead screw 505 is fixedly connected with a first handle 504, and the first handle 504 is convenient for a user to rotate the lead screw 505;

through the cooperation between screwed pipe, lead screw, the first in command and the tool bit, when the screwed pipe removed to the lead screw right-hand member, continue rotatory first in command screwed pipe and turn back along the lead screw, make the bolt break away from the tool bit, the size of effective control bolt chamfer, and then solved the problem that bolt chamfer size is not well controlled.

The upper end of the sliding sleeve 503 is provided with a clamping device 7, the clamping device 7 comprises a machine shell 701, a circular ring clamping groove 702, a circular ring 703, a straight rod 704, a curved plate 705, a connecting rod 706, a sliding block 707, a rubber pad 708 and a spiral spring 709, the upper end and the lower end of the machine shell 701 are respectively fixedly connected with a threaded pipe 506 and the sliding sleeve 503, the sliding sleeve 503 and the threaded pipe 506 fixedly support the machine shell 701, the inner wall of the machine shell 701 is fixedly connected with the circular ring clamping groove 702, the rear end of the outer wall of the circular ring clamping groove 702 is rotatably connected with the circular ring 703 through a bearing, the circular ring clamping groove 702 fixedly supports the circular ring 703 through a bearing, the outer wall of the circular ring 703 is in clearance fit with the machine shell 701, the circular ring 703 can rotate on the inner wall of the machine shell 701, the right end of the outer wall of the circular ring 703 is fixedly connected with the circular ring 704, the straight rod 704 is driven by the circular ring 703 to rotate, the straight rod 704 is fixedly connected with the right end, the connecting rod 706 rotates to push the sliding block 707 to move, the outer wall of the sliding block 707 is in clearance fit with the circular ring clamping groove 702, the sliding block 707 can move on the inner wall of the circular ring clamping groove 702, the inner end of the sliding block 707 is in clearance fit with the rubber pad 708, the rubber pad 708 is used for increasing friction force between the sliding block 707 and a clamped object, the rear side of the outer end of the connecting rod 706 is provided with the scroll spring 709, the elastic coefficient of the scroll spring 709 is 900N/m, the front end and the rear end of the scroll spring 709 are respectively connected with the connecting rod 706 and the circular ring 703 in a rotating mode, the connecting rod 706 rotates to compress the scroll spring 709;

through the ring draw-in groove, bent template, the ring, the connecting rod, the slider, cooperation between rubber pad and the spiral spring, the central point that the ring draw-in groove was aimed at to the end of treating of the bolt that will treat processing puts, then press bent template with the hand and upwards promote, bent template passes through a plurality of sliders of ring and connecting rod promotion and moves to the outside simultaneously and compress spiral spring, send into ring draw-in groove inner wall with the bolt, loosen bent template, spiral spring makes the slider move to the inboard through the connecting rod and makes the rubber pad support tight screw rod, accomplish the central point of twin screw rod and fix a position, the problem of artifical manual alignment bolt chamfer deviation appears easily has been solved.

The lower end of the trough plate 3 is provided with an adjusting device 6, the adjusting device 6 comprises a second handle 601, a screw 602 and a threaded sleeve 603, the left end and the right end of the outer wall of the screw 602 are rotatably connected with the trough plate 3 through bearings, the trough plate rotatably supports the screw 602 through the bearings, the right end of the screw 602 is fixedly connected with the second handle 601, the left end of the outer wall of the screw 602 is in threaded connection with the threaded sleeve 603, the screw 602 rotates to push the threaded sleeve 603 to move through threads, and the left side and the right side of the lower end of the threaded sleeve 603 are rotatably connected with the lead screw 505 through bearings and the threaded sleeve 603 moves to drive the lead screw 505 to move;

through the cooperation between second handle, screw rod, thread bush, lead screw and the screwed pipe, rotate the second handle, the second handle passes through the screw rod and promotes the thread bush and remove, and the thread bush drives the lead screw and removes, changes the book of screwed pipe and returns some, and then has solved the unable problem of adjusting of bolt chamfer size.

The clamping device 8 is installed at the center of the vertical plate 2, the clamping device 8 comprises a motor 801, a rotating shaft 802, a straight plate 803, a tool apron 804, a clamping block 805, a conical block 806, a straight rod 807, a pull ring 808 and a spring 809, the motor 801 is located at the right end of the vertical plate 2, the model of the motor 801 is Y90S-2, the left end of the motor 801 is fixedly connected with the vertical plate 2, the vertical plate 2 fixedly supports the motor 801, the rotating shaft 802 is arranged at the left end of the motor 801, the left end and the right end of the rotating shaft 802 are respectively fixedly connected with the straight plate 803 and an output shaft of the motor 801, the power of the motor 801 is switched on, the motor drives the rotating shaft 802 to rotate, the outer wall of the rotating shaft 802 is rotatably connected with the vertical plate 2 through a bearing, the straight rod 807 is arranged on the upper side and the lower side of the inner wall of the straight plate 803, the two ends of the, the straight rod 807 can move on the inner wall of the straight plate 803, the spring 809 is arranged on the outer wall of the straight rod 807, the elastic coefficient of the spring 809 is 800N/m, two ends of the spring 809 are respectively fixedly connected with the straight plate 803 and the conical block 806, the conical block 806 moves to compress the spring 809, the inner end of the conical block 806 is tightly attached to the fixture block 805, a clamping state is formed between the conical block 806 and the fixture block 805, the left end of the fixture block 805 is fixedly connected with the tool holder 804, the tool bit 4 is installed at the left end of the tool holder 804, the tool holder 804 fixedly supports the tool bit 4, and the fixture blocks 805 on the upper side and the lower side are vertically symmetrical along;

through the cooperation between pull ring, straight-bar, toper piece, spring, fixture block, blade holder tool bit and the straight board, the pulling ring, the pull ring drives the toper piece through the straight-bar and removes compression spring and relieve with the block state of fixture block, with blade holder left side move until the fixture block breaks away from straight board completely when installing new tool bit to the blade holder on, reset the blade holder again and can accomplish the change to the tool bit, and then solved the loaded down with trivial details problem of tool bit change step.

When the bolt full-automatic chamfering equipment needs to be used, firstly, a user can align the end to be machined of a bolt to be machined with the central position of the circular ring clamping groove 702, then press the curved plate 705 to push upwards by hands, the curved plate 705 pushes the plurality of sliding blocks 707 to move outwards and compress the scroll springs 709 through the circular ring 703 and the connecting rod 706, the bolt is sent into the inner wall of the circular ring clamping groove 702, the curved plate 705 is loosened, the scroll springs 709 enable the sliding blocks 707 to move inwards through the connecting rod 706 so that the rubber pads 708 abut against the screw rods, the central positioning of the screw rods is completed, the problem that the manual bolt chamfering alignment is prone to deviation is solved, an external power supply of the motor 801 is switched on, the motor 801 drives the cutter head 4 to rotate through the rotating shaft 802, the first handle 504 drives the bolt to move rightwards through the lead screw 505 and the machine shell 701 so that the bolt is sent into the, when the threaded pipe 506 moves to the right end of the screw rod 505, the threaded pipe 506 of the first handle 504 is continuously rotated to turn back along the screw rod 505, so that the bolt is separated from the tool bit 4, the size of the chamfer of the bolt is effectively controlled, and further the problem that the size of the chamfer of the bolt is not well controlled is solved, when the size of the chamfer needs to be adjusted, the second handle 601 is rotated, the second handle 601 pushes the threaded sleeve 603 to move through the screw rod 601, the threaded sleeve 603 drives the screw rod 505 to move, the turning point of the threaded pipe 506 is changed, and further the problem that the size of the chamfer of the bolt cannot be adjusted is solved, when the tool bit 4 needs to be replaced, an external power supply of the motor 801 is turned off, the pull ring 808 is pulled, the pull ring 808 drives the conical block 806 through the straight rod 807 to move the compression spring 809 and release the clamping state with the clamping block 805, the tool bit 804 is moved to, the cutter holder 804 is reset to complete the replacement of the cutter head 4, so that the problem of complicated cutter head replacement steps is solved.

In the description of the present invention, it is to be understood that the terms "coaxial", "bottom", "one end", "top", "middle", "other end", "upper", "one side", "top", "inner", "front", "center", "both ends", and the like, indicate orientations or positional relationships based on those shown in the drawings, and are only for convenience of description and simplicity of description, and do not indicate or imply that the referenced device or element must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and thus, are not to be construed as limiting the present invention.

In the present invention, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "disposed," "connected," "secured," "screwed" and the like are to be construed broadly, e.g., as meaning fixedly connected, detachably connected, or integrally formed; can be mechanically or electrically connected; the terms may be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate, and may be communication between two elements or interaction relationship between two elements, unless otherwise specifically limited, and the specific meaning of the terms in the present invention will be understood by those skilled in the art according to specific situations.

Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.