Detachable Air Chuck Finger Locking for Automatic Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air chucks with openable and closable fingers face issues with the fingers shifting freely when the finger support part is detached from the chuck main body, requiring manual effort and alignment mechanisms for precise positioning, especially when automated replacement is needed.
Innovation Solution
The air chuck incorporates lock shafts that shift between lock and non-lock positions, linked via mechanisms that secure the finger support part to the chuck main body, ensuring the fingers remain locked in position during detachment and aligned automatically, eliminating the need for additional alignment mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the finger support part is made detachable from the chuck main body part, then the adaptability and versatility are improved, but the fingers shift freely and cannot maintain a certain positional relationship when detached
Solution Approach 1:
The lock shafts are designed to automatically lock the fingers in a predetermined open position when the finger support part is detached from the chuck main body part. This preliminary locking action prevents the fingers from shifting freely and maintains their positional relationship without requiring additional alignment mechanisms during attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The lock shafts serve as intermediary components that mediate between the detached finger support part and the required positional stability. By introducing these lock shafts with locking mechanisms, the patent achieves both detachability for versatility and positional stability for alignment, resolving the contradiction between these two requirements.
2Stability of the object's composition
If manual alignment mechanisms are added to maintain finger position during detachment, then the positional relationship is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lock shafts are designed to automatically perform the alignment function through their own locking mechanism. When the finger support part is detached, the lock shafts autonomously lock the fingers in the correct position without requiring external alignment mechanisms or manual intervention, thereby maintaining positional stability while avoiding increased device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment function is merged with the locking function of the lock shafts. Instead of adding separate alignment mechanisms, the patent combines the positional maintenance capability into the existing locking structure, achieving both functions with a single integrated component that does not increase overall device complexity.
3Manufacturing precision
If mechanisms for bringing fingers into alignment are added, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The lock shafts automatically achieve precise alignment of the fingers when the finger support part is attached to or detached from the chuck main body part. This self-aligning mechanism eliminates the need for manual alignment operations, thereby maintaining high manufacturing precision while preserving ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism performs the alignment action preliminarily and automatically during the attachment/detachment process itself. The fingers are brought into the correct positional relationship as part of the normal operation sequence, without requiring additional manual alignment steps, thus maintaining both precision and operational simplicity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration allows for effortless attachment, detachment, and replacement of the finger support part, simplifying the process and eliminating the need for manual alignment, especially when using robots for automatic replacement.
Implementation Method 1
The pair of lock shafts is preferably capable of shifting between a lock position where the pair of lock shafts is caught in the pair of fingers and the non-lock position where the pair of lock shafts is not caught in the pair of fingers, and each lock shaft is preferably subjected to energizing force exerted by a lock spring toward the lock position.
Data Source
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AI summary
[Object] To keep a pair of fingers included in a finger support part from shifting freely when the finger support part is detached from a chuck main body part. [Solution] An air chuck includes: a finger support part 2 including a pair of fingers 5 and a pair of lock shafts 13; a chuck main body part 3 including an operation mechanism 6 operable to open and close the fingers 5; and linking mechanisms 4 that detachably link the finger support part 2 to the chuck main body part 3. Each of the linking mechanisms 4 causes the corresponding lock shaft 13 to shift to a non-lock position so as to render the pair of fingers 5 capable of being opened and closed when the finger support part 2 is linked to the chuck main body part 3. Each of the linking mechanisms 4 causes the corresponding lock shaft 13 to shift to a lock position and locks the pair of fingers 5 so as to render the pair of fingers 5 incapable of being opened and closed when the finger support part 2 is detached from the chuck main body part 3.