Slotted Collet Clamp for Hydraulic Work Support Rigidity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hydraulic work supports with thin, flexible sleeves suffer from low rigidity, manufacturing difficulties due to tight tolerances, temperature-induced distortions, and premature failure, leading to inaccurate readings and reduced load-holding capacity.
Innovation Solution
A clamping mechanism using a rigid collet with slots that allows for flexible inward or outward flexure, providing higher axial stiffness and resistance to wear, while maintaining secure grip on the plunger even with increased clearance, and ensuring full contact along the plunger's length.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a thin-walled stainless steel sleeve is used to transfer hydraulic pressure, then the sleeve can close and grip the plunger at the required pressure, but the sleeve has very low rigidity in axial compression causing elastic deformation and work support deflection
Solution Approach 1:
The single thin-walled sleeve is segmented into multiple thick-walled cylindrical sleeves arranged circumferentially around the plunger. Each sleeve independently transfers hydraulic pressure to grip the plunger, while the distributed arrangement maintains high axial rigidity and prevents elastic deformation of the work support.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses multiple thick-walled stainless steel cylindrical sleeves instead of a single thin-walled sleeve. The thick-walled construction provides both the necessary grip pressure through hydraulic actuation and sufficient axial rigidity to prevent deflection, combining the benefits of both thin-walled (grip capability) and thick-walled (rigidity) designs.
2Force
If a small clearance with tight tolerances is designed between the sleeve and plunger, then the sleeve can grip the plunger effectively, but manufacturing becomes very difficult, costly, and time consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The thick-walled sleeve design allows for a larger radial clearance between the sleeve inner diameter and plunger outer diameter while maintaining effective grip force. The increased wall thickness compensates for the larger clearance, enabling less precise manufacturing tolerances compared to thin-walled sleeves that require very small clearances.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a thin-walled sleeve is used, then the sleeve can flex to close around the plunger, but the sleeve distorts under measurement causing inaccurate readings
Solution Approach 1:
The single flexible thin-walled sleeve is replaced with multiple thick-walled cylindrical sleeves arranged circumferentially. Each sleeve maintains sufficient flexibility to close around the plunger through hydraulic actuation, while the thick-walled construction and distributed arrangement prevent distortion during measurement, enabling accurate readings.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a soft stainless steel sleeve is used, then the sleeve can conform to the plunger, but the inner diameter becomes honed out causing premature failure
Solution Approach 1:
The soft thin-walled sleeve is replaced with multiple hard thick-walled stainless steel cylindrical sleeves. The thick-walled construction resists honing out and wear, preventing premature failure while maintaining the ability to conform to and grip the plunger through hydraulic actuation.
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
The solution enhances the rigidity and durability of the work support, allowing for more generous manufacturing tolerances, improved accuracy, and increased load-holding capacity, while maintaining secure clamping at lower pressures.
Implementation Method 1
hydraulic pressure is applied to the outside of the sleeve to squeeze the sleeve against the plunger, thereby locking it against the work piece
Implementation Method 2
squeeze the sleeve against the plunger, thereby locking it
Implementation Method 3
high loads applied to the end of the work support plunger can result in elastic deformation to the sleeve inside the work support
Data Source
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AI summary
A work support and method of clamping a translatable component of a hydraulic work support system. The work support may include a rigid, hollow slotted collet, a sleeve, and the translatable component, such as a plunger or rod. Hydraulic fluid may be pumped into an inlet of the hydraulic work support system to hydraulically actuate the translatable component outward from a first retracted position to a second extended position. The hydraulic fluid may further be pumped to the sleeve at a sufficient pressure that the sleeve presses against the collet. The collet responds thereto by flexing into contact with the translatable component, thus holding the translatable component in the second extended position. The slots in the collet allow for flexure even when using a thicker material with stronger column strength.