Machining Table Clamp With Angled Grub Screw Block Retention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing clamping devices for machining tables require grooves on the material block, increasing its cost and not providing effective retention, as seen in prior art clamps with internally threaded holes that fail to securely hold the block.
Innovation Solution
A clamp with a body featuring an internally threaded hole forming a non-zero angle with its faces, equipped with a grub screw and connecting system, allowing retention without grooves on the material block, using a nose and shim for secure positioning and machining phases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If grooves are added on the lateral surface of the material block to enable clamp retention, then the retention reliability is improved, but the manufacturing cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of modifying the material block by adding grooves (traditional approach), the invention inverts the approach by modifying the clamp itself. The clamp is equipped with a retention element that directly engages with the material block's lateral surface without requiring any preprocessing of the block. This eliminates the need for grooves while maintaining reliable retention.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the groove requirement from the system by transferring the retention function entirely to the clamp's retention element. The retention element (such as a cam mechanism, wedge, or gripping surface) is integrated into the clamp body, allowing it to independently secure the material block without relying on grooves or other modifications to the block itself.
2Device complexity
If conventional clamps with horizontal threaded holes are used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the retention effectiveness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces asymmetry in the clamp's retention mechanism. Rather than using a simple symmetric threaded hole configuration, the clamp employs an asymmetric retention element (such as a cam profile, wedge shape, or non-uniform gripping surface) that creates asymmetric force distribution during clamping. This asymmetric design enables effective retention by leveraging mechanical advantage and directional force application, while the overall clamp structure remains relatively simple.
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
Enables secure immobilization of the material block on the machining table without lateral grooves, ensuring effective retention and minimizing deformation risks during machining, with adjustable torque settings for the screws and grub screws.
Implementation Method 1
a grub screw (68) screwed into the internally threaded hole (64)... configured to occupy a retracted position in which it does not project relative to the second front face (62') and a deployed position in which the pointed free end (72.1) of the grub screw (68) projects relative to the second front face (62')
Implementation Method 2
a screw (92), one for each through-hole (90), having a head (92.1) and a threaded shank (92.2) configured to be housed in the through-hole (90) and to be screwed into the gib (88)
Implementation Method 3
the nose (22) of each clamp (16) exerts a pressing force on the block (10) of material in the direction of the machining table (12)
Data Source
AI summary
A clamp to retain a block of material on a machining table including a body having a first face, a first front face oriented toward the machining table and the block of material when in use, a nose projecting relative to the first front face having a second front face parallel to the first front face, first and second edges connecting the first and second front faces, and at least one internally threaded hole opening at least partly at the level of the second front face with an axis forming a non-zero angle with the first face and the second front face, at least one grub screw screwed into the internally threaded hole having a pointed free end configured to penetrate into the block of material when in use when screwing in the grub screw, and a connecting system to demountably connect the clamp to the machining table.