Ball Screw Spline Support Mechanism for Curved Workpiece Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional support mechanisms for composite materials in aerospace and vessel industries are costly, inflexible, and require significant space due to high demand for fixtures, and struggle to maintain stability on curved surfaces during machining, often leading to deviations and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A support mechanism featuring a fixed body member, rotating unit, and driving unit with a ball screw spline shaft, ball screw nut, and ball spline nut, allowing for triaxial freedom with reduced driving units, enabling flexible adjustment of rotation angles and elevation to accommodate various workpiece heights and curved surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If conventional fixed fixtures are used for supporting workpieces, then positioning stability is improved, but machining time and labor costs increase due to frequent uploading and downloading
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a suction cup-based support mechanism that can dynamically adjust its position and orientation to conform to curved workpiece surfaces, replacing static fixed fixtures. The suction cup is connected to a movable platform that can be positioned at different locations, enabling the system to adapt to various workpiece geometries and positions, thereby maintaining positioning stability while reducing setup time
Solution Approach 2:
The support mechanism is designed as a universal system that can accommodate different workpiece types, sizes, and curved surfaces through the combination of a movable platform and adjustable suction cup positioning. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for multiple specialized fixtures, reducing both machining time and labor costs while maintaining stable support
2Area of stationary object
If multiple fixed fixtures are used for large-scale parts, then support coverage is improved, but machining cost and storage space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using multiple static fixtures distributed across the workpiece, the patent employs a single movable platform with a suction cup that can be dynamically repositioned to provide support at different locations. This dynamic approach achieves comprehensive support coverage with fewer components, reducing both machining cost and storage space requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The support mechanism is segmented into a movable platform and a suction cup assembly, allowing the suction cup to be independently positioned at various locations on the workpiece. This segmentation enables a single support system to cover large areas that would otherwise require multiple fixed fixtures, simplifying the overall system
3Ease of operation
If passive suction means is used on curved surfaces, then initial attachment is simplified, but machining precision deteriorates due to displacement and deviation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a drive mechanism that actively controls the suction cup's position and orientation on the curved workpiece surface. This active control system provides feedback to maintain precise positioning during machining operations, preventing displacement and deviation while preserving the simplicity of initial attachment through vacuum suction
Solution Approach 2:
The movable platform acts as an intermediary between the fixed support structure and the suction cup, enabling precise positioning and orientation adjustment. This intermediary mechanism allows the suction cup to maintain stable contact with curved surfaces while accommodating surface variations, thereby preserving both ease of operation and machining precision
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 mechanism provides stable and swift clamping and positioning of workpieces with reduced height, enhancing machining efficiency and reducing labor and time costs by allowing for precise adjustment and support of complex shapes.
Implementation Method 1
The moving unit, disposed at the fixed body member, includes a ball screw spline shaft, a ball screw nut and a ball spline nut, in which the ball screw nut is rotatably disposed at the ball screw spline shaft
Implementation Method 2
the ball spline nut is rotatably disposed also at the ball screw spline shaft, and the ball screw spline shaft is moved together with the rotating unit
Data Source
AI summary
A support mechanism includes a fixed body, a rotating unit, a moving unit and a driving unit. The rotating unit is rotationally mounted to the fixed body. The moving unit, disposed at the fixed body, includes a ball screw spline shaft, a ball screw nut and a ball spline nut. The ball screw nut and the ball spline nut are both rotatably disposed at the ball screw spline shaft moved together with the rotating unit. The driving unit, disposed at the fixed body, includes a first driving member and a second driving member to rotate the ball screw nut and the ball spline nut, respectively. With different rotation pairs of the ball screw nut and the ball spline nut to the ball screw spline shaft, the ball screw spline shaft is driven to move, and the ball screw spline shaft is further to move the rotating unit.