Clamping Device Sealing Disk for Contamination Resistance

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Clamping devices are prone to contamination from dirt and other materials during machining processes, especially with rectangular workpiece carriers, due to gaps between centering pins and openings, which can lead to blockages and affect repetition accuracy.

Innovation Solution

A sealing disk is arranged between the centering disk and the main body of the workpiece carrier, projecting radially to form a seal with the sealing element, ensuring the clamping device is insensitive to contamination, and a spacer disk allows axial deflection for resilient centering, while bolts provide a Z-stop and fastening functions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the centering openings are larger than the centering pins to allow positioning, then the workpiece carrier can be positioned on the chuck, but gaps remain that allow dirt and cooling water to penetrate into the chuck

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepositioning capabilityVSAvoiddirt ingress
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A sealing disk is introduced as an intermediary element between the workpiece carrier and the chuck. This sealing disk extends radially beyond the centering disk and forms a seal with the sealing element on the chuck, preventing dirt and cooling water from entering the chuck through the gaps around the centering pins while still allowing the centering openings to be larger than the centering pins for proper positioning

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing solution addresses the contamination problem not by changing the radial dimensions of the centering openings, but by adding a sealing element in the axial dimension. The sealing disk extends radially beyond the centering disk and contacts the sealing element on the chuck, creating a seal that blocks the harmful factors without interfering with the centering function

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If a seal is arranged on the chuck for round workpiece carriers, then dirt ingress is prevented, but sealing is difficult for rectangular workpiece carriers with contact surfaces on the corners

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedirt ingress preventionVSAvoidworkpiece geometry compatibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing device is designed with universal applicability to different workpiece carrier geometries. The sealing disk can be attached to various workpiece carrier types (round, rectangular, etc.) and the sealing element on the chuck can accommodate different sealing surfaces. This multi-functional design allows the same sealing mechanism to protect against dirt ingress across diverse workpiece geometries without requiring geometry-specific sealing solutions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Stability of the object's composition

If the chuck is firmly fixed on the work table, then stability is achieved, but the clamping mechanism is vulnerable to blockage by chips

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechuck stabilityVSAvoidclamping mechanism functionality
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing disk acts as a protective intermediary barrier between the external machining environment and the internal clamping mechanism. By preventing chips and other contaminants from reaching the clamping mechanism through the sealed interface, the reliability of the clamping mechanism is maintained while the chuck remains firmly fixed on the work table for stability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2865469B2Clamping device
Publication Date: 2019.05.15 EROWA
  • EP2865469B2 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2865469B2 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2865469B2 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The invention relates to a clamping device with a chuck (1) and a workpiece carrier (2) that can be clamped to it. The chuck (1) has first centering elements in the form of centering pins (5), while the workpiece carrier (2) is provided with a main body (20) and a centering disc (23) attached to it. The centering disc (23) is provided with second centering elements in the form of centering openings (24). The centering pins (5) of the workpiece carrier (2) are aligned with the centering openings (24) of the workpiece carrier (2) such that the workpiece carrier (2) is aligned in the X and Y directions when clamped to the chuck (1). The chuck (1) is provided with a sealing element arrangement (7) on its upper surface. A sealing disc (21) is arranged between the centering disc (23) and the main body (20) of the workpiece carrier (2), which projects beyond the centering disc (23) in a radial direction.The area of ​​the sealing disc (21) that extends radially beyond the centering disc (23) is designed in such a way that it comes into contact with a sealing element (13) of the sealing element arrangement (7) when the workpiece carrier (2) is clamped.