Clamping Ring Mechanism for Replaceable Tool Tip Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tools with replaceable tips face challenges in easily attaching and removing tips due to complex mechanisms or unreliable securing methods, such as balls driven into recesses or heat shrink techniques, which can be cumbersome and prone to failure.
Innovation Solution
A tool design featuring a clamping ring with a decreasing interior diameter and a protrusion that elastically deforms to securely engage locking elements into recesses on the tool tip, allowing for easy attachment and detachment by turning the clamping ring, distributing clamping force uniformly across multiple locking elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a clamping ring with decreasing interior diameter is used to secure a tip, then the tip can be easily attached and removed by turning the ring, but the mechanism requires a complex deformable structure with protrusions to reliably engage locking elements
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping ring incorporates a deformable structure with protrusions that dynamically change shape during operation. When the ring is turned, the protrusions elastically deform to engage or disengage locking elements, enabling easy tip attachment and removal while maintaining reliable securing
Solution Approach 2:
The clamping ring's interior diameter changes as a parameter during operation. The decreasing interior diameter in the circumferential direction creates a tapering effect that, combined with elastic deformation of protrusions, allows the ring to transition between engaged and disengaged states with simple rotational motion
2Reliability
If balls are driven into recesses through radially extending openings to secure a tip, then the tip is reliably secured, but the mechanism becomes cumbersome and difficult to operate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the complex key and gear arrangement from the securing mechanism, replacing it with a simplified clamping ring that directly drives locking elements into recesses through radial openings. This maintains reliable tip securing while dramatically reducing operational complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The complex mechanical system of keys and gears is replaced with a simpler rotational clamping ring mechanism. The ring's deformation and tapering geometry substitute for traditional mechanical transmission elements, achieving the same locking function with fewer components and easier operation
3Reliability
If heat shrink technique is used to secure a tip, then the tip holding portion contracts to secure the tip, but the process is cumbersome and may cause thermal damage or permanent attachment
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal process is replaced with a purely mechanical clamping ring mechanism. The ring's deformable structure and decreasing interior diameter provide secure tip retention through mechanical force alone, eliminating thermal damage risks and permanent attachment while maintaining securing strength
Solution Approach 2:
The clamping ring's deformable protrusions automatically engage with locking elements when the ring is positioned and turned. The structure self-adjusts through elastic deformation to secure the tip reliably without requiring complex external tools or thermal processing equipment
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 design enables quick and secure attachment and removal of tool tips, ensuring reliable operation and ease of maintenance, while preventing the tip from becoming permanently attached to the tool body.
Implementation Method 1
the clamping ring deforms elastically outwardly as the at least one locking element passes underneath the protrusion
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
A tool with a replaceable tip includes a tool body (125) including a tip holding portion, a tool tip having a shank portion adapted to be disposed proximate the tip holding portion (127) comprising a wall (129) defining an axial opening (131), the wall having at least one radial opening (133), at least one locking element (139) being disposed in the radial opening (133), and, as a clamping ring (141) is turned about the longitudinal axis of the tool body (125), a locking element contacting surface (143) of the clamping ring contacts the locking element (139) and urges it through the radial opening (133) and into the recess (137) in the tool tip (123). A method of retaining a tool tip is also disclosed.