Clamping Device Acute Angle Contact Surface Leverage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional clamping devices for industrial trucks face challenges in providing a strong clamping effect in confined spaces due to insufficient leverage, as the pivot axis is often arranged close to the screw, limiting the ability to securely hold objects on vehicle columns.
Innovation Solution
The clamping device employs a contact surface set at an acute angle to the screw axis, with the screw head touching at a point further away from the pivot axis, providing increased leverage, and optionally includes a rounded projection to define a continuous pivot axis, allowing for enhanced clamping even in tight spaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the pivot axis is arranged close to the screw to fit confined spaces, then the device can be used in tighter spaces, but the lever length is insufficient to achieve strong clamping effect
Solution Approach 1:
The contact surface is angled at 45 degrees to the screw axis, transforming the linear lever arm into a two-dimensional configuration. This allows the screw head to contact the contact surface at a point that provides both radial and axial leverage components, effectively increasing the lever length without increasing the overall device footprint in the confined space.
Solution Approach 2:
The angle of the contact surface relative to the screw axis is changed from the conventional perpendicular arrangement to a 45-degree angle. This parameter change optimizes the mechanical advantage by positioning the contact point to maximize the perpendicular distance from the pivot axis, thereby increasing the lever length and clamping force while maintaining compact dimensions.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the contact surface is arranged perpendicular to the screw axis for planar contact, then the screw head contacts evenly, but the lever length is maximally reduced to only the distance to the closest point
Solution Approach 1:
The contact surface angle parameter is changed from perpendicular (90 degrees) to 45 degrees relative to the screw axis. This angular parameter change simultaneously optimizes both contact stability and lever length by creating a configuration where the contact point is positioned to maximize the perpendicular distance from the pivot axis while maintaining stable contact during the clamping motion.
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 configuration enables a robust clamping effect in limited spaces by maximizing the lever travel, ensuring secure object retention on vehicle columns, even when space constraints are severe.
Implementation Method 1
the head of the at least one screw touches the at least one support at a point that is further away from the pivot axis than the screw axis. In this way it is ensured that at least the distance between the pivot axis and the screw axis is available as leverage for the clamping process.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The device (2) has clamping jaws (3, 4) braced one another via a screw (7) on a pillar (1) of a vehicle i.e. fork-lift truck. A through-hole (6) passes through one of the jaws and sets in another jaw. The former jaw comprises a contact surface (11) for a head (12) of the screw such that the former jaw pivots about a pivot axis (10) when the former jaw is tightened relative to the latter jaw. The surface is made in an acute angle with respect to a screw axis (13) in all positions of tensioning operation such that the head contacts at a point (15) on the pivot axis far away from the screw axis.