Clamping Chuck Pneumatic Monitoring for Spigot Lock Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing clamping chucks lack a reliable method to monitor the presence and correct clamping of palettes with clamping spigots, leading to potential workpiece damage and safety risks during mechanical processing.
Innovation Solution
A clamping chuck with a pneumatically actuated monitoring line that includes control holes, which can be closed by the clamping spigot, allowing for the detection of the spigot's presence and correct clamping through pressure measurements using sensors and evaluation electronics, integrated into the existing infrastructure of processing machines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a clamping chuck is used without a monitoring system, then the device complexity is low, but the reliability of detecting clamping state is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies pneumatic monitoring lines with pressure sensors to detect the clamping state. Compressed air is supplied through monitoring lines that connect to control holes in the clamping chuck. When the clamping spigot is correctly positioned, it closes the control holes, changing the pressure in the monitoring lines, which is detected by pressure sensors. This pneumatic approach provides reliable detection without requiring complex electronic or mechanical sensing systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces monitoring lines as an intermediary element between the clamping chuck and the pressure sensors. These monitoring lines transmit pressure information from the control holes to the sensors, enabling indirect detection of the clamping state. This intermediary approach allows the system to monitor clamping reliability without directly interfering with the clamping mechanism itself.
2Measurement precision
If monitoring lines with control holes are added to detect clamping state, then the measurement precision of clamping state improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring lines serve multiple functions: they provide pneumatic actuation signals to the clamping chuck and simultaneously serve as sensing lines for detecting the clamping state through pressure measurements. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate sensing infrastructure, as the same pneumatic lines used for actuation can also be used for monitoring, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamping spigot itself performs the sensing function by closing the control holes when correctly positioned. The spigot's geometric shape and position directly control the opening or closing of the control holes, eliminating the need for separate sensing components. The system uses the clamping element's own movement to generate the sensing signal.
3Measurement precision
If control holes are closed by the clamping spigot to indicate correct clamping, then the measurement precision of spigot position improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control holes are positioned locally at specific locations on the clamping chuck where they can be selectively closed by the clamping spigot when it reaches the correct position. This local placement of control holes allows precise detection of the spigot's position without requiring global monitoring of the entire clamping mechanism. The control holes are strategically located to be accessible only when the spigot is correctly positioned.
Solution Approach 2:
The system detects the spigot's position by monitoring changes in pressure parameters within the monitoring lines. When the spigot closes the control holes, the pressure in the monitoring lines changes from atmospheric pressure to pressurized air pressure (or vice versa). This parameter change provides a clear, binary signal indicating whether the spigot is correctly positioned, achieving high measurement precision through simple pressure threshold detection.
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 reliable monitoring of the clamping state, preventing damage and ensuring safety by detecting the presence and correct locking of the clamping spigot, with minimal additional effort and infrastructure changes.
Implementation Method 1
the inlet line (84) is connected to a first pressure sensor (88) and the outlet line (85) is connected to at least one second pressure sensor (89, 90) for detecting the pressure in the monitoring line (40) at the outlet side
Data Source
AI summary
A clamping chuck is provided for clamping palettes having a clamping spigot. The clamping chuck includes a receiving opening for the clamping spigot and a clamping device that includes an actuating piston displaceable between an initial position and a locking position for actuating clamping members for clamping the clamping spigot in the receiving opening. The clamping chuck includes a monitoring line that is acted upon pneumatically and leads from an inlet to an outlet. the receiving opening includes a conical insertion region, into which at least one control hole connected to the monitoring line emerges, the control hole being closed by the clamping spigot. A valve device is arranged between the inlet and the outlet of the monitoring line to vary the flow of a fluid through the monitoring line depending on the position of the actuating piston.