Compensating Chuck Ring Structure for Low-Inertia Four-Jaw Clamping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing four-jaw chucks face inefficiencies in power transmission and lack a compact design while maintaining strength and repeatability in clamping processes, leading to static overdetermination and reduced dimensional accuracy due to high inert mass in mechanical components.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a separate compensating element, such as an annular ring, isolates the compensating function from the cable guide, allowing the guide elements to be stationary, reducing inert mass and improving repeatability, with helical sliding surfaces enhancing force transmission and movement initiation, and enabling a larger compensation range for the base jaws.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the guide rail is rotatably mounted and slides are mounted therein to achieve compensating movement, then the chuck can compensate for workpiece geometry variations, but the inertial mass that must be set in motion is comparatively large, reducing efficiency and repeatability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the compensating mechanism by separating the guide rail from the slides. The guide rail remains stationary while independent compensating elements are mounted on it, allowing only the necessary compensating components to move rather than the entire guide rail assembly, thereby reducing inertial mass and improving repeatability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the compensating function from the guide rail structure and implements it through separate compensating elements mounted on the guide rail. This extraction allows the guide rail to remain stationary and rigid while only the minimal necessary components move during compensation, reducing overall moving mass.
2Productivity
If the guide rail and slides are designed to transmit clamping forces and guide movement, then compensating movement is achieved, but the mechanical interior requires large components to be set in motion, reducing efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the power transmission system into stationary guide rail components and moving compensating elements. This segmentation ensures that only the minimal mass required for compensation moves during operation, while the guide rail structure remains stationary to provide rigid support and efficient force transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the motion function from the guide rail and assigns it to separate compensating elements. This allows the guide rail to be optimized purely for force transmission without the mass penalty of making it movable, while the lightweight compensating elements handle only the necessary compensating motion.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the guide elements are mounted on the movable guide rail, then the system can accommodate compensating movement, but housing rigidity is reduced and inertial mass is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the mounting configuration by attaching guide elements directly to the stationary housing rather than mounting them on the movable guide rail. This segmentation maintains housing rigidity while achieving the necessary compensating movement through separate compensating elements mounted on the guide rail.
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 enhances the rigidity of the housing, reduces inert mass moved during compensating movements, improves repeatability, and increases clamping force distribution, resulting in improved dimensional accuracy and efficiency in clamping processes.
Implementation Method 1
The sliding surfaces, which transmit the pulling motion of the pull guide to the slides, are attached circumferentially to the compensating element
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a compensating chuck (1) with a housing (3) in which a drive unit (9) with a guide rail (13) movable in the direction of a clamping axis (S) is arranged, and two pairs of diametrically opposed base jaws (7a, c; 7b, d) are arranged, wherein the base jaws (7a - d) are movably guided in the housing essentially perpendicular to the clamping axis (S), preferably radially, and the drive unit (9) is configured to convert the movement of the guide rail (13) into the movement of the base jaws (7a - d), wherein the drive unit (9) has two pairs of diametrically opposed slides (17a,c; 17b,d), each slide (17a-d) being coupled to a base jaw (7a-d) for force transmission to the base jaw (7a-d).It is proposed that the slides (17a-d) are coupled to the guide (13) by means of a compensating element (15) rotatable about the clamping axis (S) relative to the guide (13), wherein the compensating element (15) is designed to effect a synchronous movement of the two pairs of slides (17a,c; 17b,d) in the case of a rotation-free movement, and to effect a relative movement of the second pair of slides (7b, d) relative to the first pair of slides (7a, c) in the case of a rotational movement relative to the guide.