Rolling Separation of Titanium Balance Spring Plates
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Solution Overview
Problem
The separation of balance springs from a plate after winding and heat treatment is challenging, particularly with titanium-based alloys, as they tend to 'stick' together, leading to complications in the manufacturing process.
Innovation Solution
A tool is developed that mechanically crushes the balance spring plate in the elastic range, using a rolling mechanism to apply tensile stress and facilitate separation, followed by standard separation processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If balance springs are made of titanium-based alloy, then weight is reduced, but separation difficulty increases due to sticking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary crushing action to the balance spring plate before the sticking problem becomes critical during separation. By pre-crushing the plate to create micro-fractures and separation gaps between stacked springs, the invention prevents the sticking issue from occurring during the actual separation process, thus maintaining ease of manufacture while using titanium-based alloys
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs mechanical vibration through the crushing mechanism to induce micro-movements and vibrations in the balance spring plate during the separation process. This vibration helps break the adhesive bonds between stacked titanium springs, reducing sticking and improving separation ease while maintaining the weight benefits of titanium alloys
2Ease of manufacture
If chemical compound layer is applied to reduce sticking, then separation ease improves, but thermal coefficient correction capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the chemical method (applying compound layers) with a mechanical method (crushing and vibration) to achieve separation. This substitution eliminates the need for chemical treatments that would interfere with thermal coefficient correction, while still improving separation ease through mechanical means that do not alter the spring material properties
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a mechanical crushing process as an intermediary step between spring formation and separation. This intermediary crushing action creates physical gaps and reduces adhesion without adding chemical layers, thus maintaining the ability to perform thermal coefficient correction while still improving separation ease
3Productivity
If balance springs are tightly stacked to form plate, then manufacturing efficiency improves, but separation difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary crushing to create separation gaps between tightly stacked springs before the actual separation process. This preliminary action maintains the high-density stacking for manufacturing efficiency while pre-preparing the springs for easy separation by reducing adhesive contact areas
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic crushing and vibration cycles during the separation process. These periodic mechanical actions progressively work loose the tightly stacked springs by repeatedly applying force to break adhesive bonds, enabling separation of efficiently produced tight stacks without compromising either productivity or separation ease
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
The method significantly improves the rate of separation of balance springs, particularly those made of titanium alloys, by reducing sticking issues and increasing the proportion of fit-for-service springs.
Implementation Method 1
mechanically crushes the balance spring plate in the elastic range
Implementation Method 2
using a rolling mechanism to apply tensile stress and facilitate separation
Data Source
AI summary
A tool for separating a plate of balance springs after winding in, including substantially parallel lower and upper rolling surfaces which are movable relative to one another, vertically or longitudinally, in order to deform the plate by ovalisation, and to subject it to a rolling movement between the rolling surfaces, and further relates to a method for separating balance springs from a plate using this tool in order to mechanically crush it in the elastic range and initiate sequences of compressing and rolling the plate.