Cutting Insert Clamp Structure for Stable Compact Tool Holding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing clamp structures for cutting inserts in indexable cutting tools fail to stably hold the cutting inserts while maintaining a small size and reducing costs, as they often rely on elastic deformation of gripping arms which may not provide sufficient stability and can lead to unintentional detachment or loss during attachment and detachment processes.

Innovation Solution

A clamp structure featuring a supporter with a plate shape that holds the cutting insert, including a gripping arm that elastically deforms to securely press the cutting insert against the insert mounting seat, with a slit allowing relative displacement between the restraining and pressing surfaces to ensure stable contact, and a through hole for locking the clamp member, which enhances stability and ease of attachment/detachment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If the gripping arm is made to elastically deform to clamp the cutting insert, then the cutting insert can be held with a compact structure, but the stability of holding the cutting insert deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesize of cutting insertVSAvoidstability of holding cutting insert

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The holder is divided into a supporter main body and a separate gripping arm that can elastically deform independently. This segmentation allows the gripping arm to provide flexible clamping force while the supporter main body maintains structural stability, resolving the contradiction between compact size and holding stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The gripping arm is designed with specific elastic properties and deformation characteristics. By controlling the material properties and geometric parameters of the gripping arm, it can deform within a controlled range to provide stable clamping force, ensuring both compact structure and reliable holding of the cutting insert.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of manufacture

If the gripping arm is designed to elastically deform for clamping, then cost reduction is achieved through smaller cutting insert, but unintentional detachment or loss may occur during attachment and detachment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecost reductionVSAvoidprevention of unintentional detachment

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The gripping arm is designed with pre-calculated elastic deformation characteristics that provide controlled flexibility during normal operation while maintaining sufficient rigidity to prevent unintentional detachment. The elastic properties are optimized to absorb operational variations without causing detachment, cushioning against potential reliability issues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Solution Approach 2:

The holder system combines materials with different properties - the supporter main body uses high-strength, rigid materials for structural integrity, while the gripping arm uses materials with appropriate elastic properties for flexible clamping. This composite approach enables cost reduction through smaller cutting inserts while preventing unintentional detachment through optimized material selection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Reliability

If the slit is positioned between the supporter main body and gripping arm, then relative displacement between restraining and pressing surfaces is enabled, but the structural complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestable contact of surfacesVSAvoidstructural complexity of supporter

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The supporter is segmented into a supporter main body and a gripping arm connected by a slit. This segmentation enables relative displacement between the restraining surface (on the supporter main body) and the pressing surface (on the gripping arm), allowing stable contact adaptation while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure through functional division.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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 clamp structure effectively stabilizes the cutting insert while maintaining a compact size, reducing tool costs and improving the tool life by ensuring stable holding and easy attachment/detachment, and is applicable to both right-handed and left-handed cutting tools, enhancing versatility.

Implementation Method 1

a gripping arm that protrudes from the supporter main body in a direction orthogonal to a plate thickness direction of the supporter and that elastically deforms with respect to the supporter main body

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS20240316652A1Clamp structure of cutting insert and indexable cutting tool

Publication Date: 2024.09.26 MITSUBISHI MATERIALS CORP

AI summary

A cutting insert has a surface to be pressed and a surface to be restrained. A supporter has a supporter main body, an elastically deformable gripping arm, a pocket, and a slit. The supporter main body has a restraining surface that comes into contact with the surface to be restrained. The gripping arm has a pressing surface that comes into contact with the surface to be pressed. The slit has a pocket opening that is open to the pocket. The pocket opening is disposed between the restraining surface and the pressing surface.