Bar Feeder Magazine Vertical Lifting Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing material bar loading magazines face challenges in safely and reliably guiding material bars to the feed position while also simplifying the process of bringing additional material bars into the feed position, often requiring ergonomically unfavorable handling and limited operator access.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a guide base with parallel guide tracks, a lifting device with lifting arms, and a material bar feed element that allows for easy alignment and insertion of material bars, enabling vertical lifting and simple operator access, along with a replenishment system for managing residual material bars.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If material bars are fed by lifting them vertically against gravity to the initial insertion position, then ergonomic handling is improved and operator access is enhanced, but device complexity increases due to the lifting mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
A lifting device acts as an intermediary mechanism between the receiving position and the initial insertion position. This mediator component enables ergonomic vertical lifting of material bars without requiring direct manual handling at heights, while keeping the lifting mechanism separate and modular to minimize overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The material bar feeding process transitions from horizontal movement to vertical lifting by introducing a substantially vertical lifting track. This dimensional change allows operators to access and handle material bars at a convenient receiving position below the horizontal longitudinal center plane, then vertically lift them to the initial insertion position, improving ergonomics while maintaining a relatively simple lifting path
2Manufacturing precision
If material bars are guided through a complex alignment process to ensure precise positioning, then manufacturing precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The lifting device performs preliminary alignment actions during the vertical lifting process itself. By guiding material bars along a predetermined substantially vertical lifting track that encloses a maximum angle of 30° with the vertical, the system pre-aligns bars coaxially with the alignment axis before they reach the initial insertion position, eliminating the need for complex post-lifting alignment operations
Solution Approach 2:
The lifting device serves as an intermediary that simultaneously performs both lifting and alignment functions. This single mediator component integrates vertical transportation with coaxial alignment, simplifying the overall operation while ensuring precise positioning of material bars in the initial insertion position
3Productivity
If the lifting track is positioned centrally to optimize lifting efficiency, then productivity is improved, but operator access deteriorates due to blocked access areas
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs asymmetric positioning of the lifting track relative to the horizontal longitudinal center plane. The receiving position is deliberately placed below the horizontal longitudinal center plane on one side, creating an asymmetric layout that opens up access areas on both sides of the lifting track. This asymmetric arrangement allows operators to access the system from either side while maintaining efficient vertical lifting geometry
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 solution ensures safe, reliable, and ergonomic handling of material bars, allowing for efficient feeding and processing while maintaining operator accessibility and facilitating the management of remaining material pieces.
Implementation Method 1
a further material bar is fed in by lifting it with a movement component against the force of gravity until the initial insertion position is reached
Data Source
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AI summary
Material bar loading magazine for machine tools (20), comprising a guide base (10) extending in a longitudinal direction (12), a set (50) of material bar guide elements (52) slidably guided on the guide base (10) in the longitudinal direction (12), each of which has a bearing receptacle (56) arranged coaxially to an alignment axis (30) parallel to the longitudinal direction (12) for a material bar (32) rotatable about the alignment axis (30) in a feed position (60), wherein the set (50) of material bar guide elements (52) can be brought into at least one material bar guide position in which the bearing receptacles (56) of the material bar guide elements (52) guide the material bar (32) arranged in the feed position (60) in the longitudinal direction (12) each with a distance from each other and centered on the alignment axis (30),A material bar feed element (112) guided on the guide base (10) with a receptacle (116) for a material bar (32) standing in the feed position (60), with which the material bar (32) can be displaced in the feed position (60) in the direction of the alignment axis (30) in a controlled manner and thereby fed to the machine tool (20) for machining, characterized in that the set of material bar guide elements (52) and the material bar feed element (112) can be moved into a material bar loading position, in which the material bar (32) can be brought into an insertion output position (210) coaxial with the alignment axis (30), from which the material bar (32) can be inserted into the bearing receptacles (56) of the set (50) of the material bar guide elements (52).