Coolant-Driven Machine Tool Hand for Chip-Resistant Gripping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing machine tool gripping devices face challenges in efficiently gripping and handling workpieces without clogging due to fine chips mixed in the coolant liquid, and they often require complex mechanisms for opening and closing operations.
Innovation Solution
A machine tool hand with pivotable hand members driven by a coolant liquid flow path and discharge ports, utilizing a coil spring for closing force and a branched flow path design to prevent clogging, where the coolant liquid pressure opens and closes the hand members, allowing for stable gripping and easy operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional gripping device uses a piston moved by coolant liquid pressure, then the hand members can be opened and closed, but the device becomes complex and prone to clogging from fine chips
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the piston component from the coolant liquid drive system. Instead of using a piston to convert coolant pressure into mechanical motion, the hand members are directly actuated by the pressure of coolant liquid discharged through discharge ports, simplifying the overall mechanism while maintaining the opening and closing function
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the hydraulic pressure of coolant liquid directly to drive the opening and closing of hand members. By discharging coolant liquid through discharge ports onto the hand members, the hydraulic pressure directly generates the force needed for operation, eliminating the need for intermediate mechanical conversion components
2Productivity
If coolant liquid is supplied to drive the gripping device, then the hand members can be actuated, but fine chips in the coolant cause clogging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the piston component that was susceptible to clogging, eliminating the risk of chip accumulation within the drive mechanism. The direct hydraulic actuation on the hand members removes internal surfaces where chips could accumulate and cause failures
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates a mesh screen at the discharge port to filter fine chips from the coolant liquid while allowing the coolant to pass through and continue driving the hand members. This filtering mechanism prevents clogging while maintaining the hydraulic drive function
3Force
If a piston mechanism is used with multiple hand members, then gripping force can be generated, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the coolant liquid serve multiple functions: it acts as both the cooling fluid for the workpiece and the actuating force for opening and closing the hand members. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate hydraulic systems while maintaining gripping capability
Solution Approach 2:
The hand members utilize the kinetic energy and pressure of the coolant liquid flow itself to generate the opening and closing motion. The coolant liquid essentially drives itself to perform the gripping operation, eliminating the need for external pistons or complex transmission mechanisms
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 machine tool hand effectively grips workpieces without clogging, ensures stable handling, and facilitates easy opening and closing operations, even when fine chips are present in the coolant liquid, with improved spring rigidity and gripping force.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure of the coolant liquid causes an opening operation or a closing operation of the hand members
Implementation Method 2
utilizing a coil spring for closing force
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a machine tool hand including a body portion that is mounted so as to be attachable to and detachable from a spindle of a machine tool, and that is provided with a flow path connected to a coolant-liquid supply path formed in the spindle; and two or more hand members that are attached to the body portion such that at least one of the hand members is pivotable about a prescribed axis, and that are capable of gripping an object therebetween by being closed. The flow path is provided with discharge ports via which a coolant liquid supplied from the coolant-liquid supply path is discharged toward surfaces of the hand members that are exposed to an outside, and a pressure of the coolant liquid causes an opening operation or a closing operation of the hand members.