Battery Rail Layout in Cutting Machines to Prevent Blade Swing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional cutting machines face difficulties in attaching and detaching the battery pack without causing the cutting portion to swing or translate, potentially damaging the workpiece when a battery is attached or detached, especially when a workpiece is present on the base.

Innovation Solution

A cutting machine design featuring a swing support mechanism with a swing shaft parallel to the output shaft and rail portions that extend perpendicularly to the cutting blade, allowing the battery pack to be attached and detached without moving the cutting portion, and incorporating a motor housing with split pieces for secure rail manufacturing and simplified assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the battery pack is attached or detached in the conventional direction (parallel to the side surface of the circular saw blade), then the battery pack can be easily accessed, but the cutting portion swings or translates with respect to the base portion, making it difficult to perform the attaching and detaching operation and potentially damaging the workpiece

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of battery pack attachment and detachmentVSAvoidstability of cutting portion position
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional attachment-detachment direction by making the rail portions extend in a direction crossing (perpendicular to) the side surface of the cutting blade instead of parallel to it. This reversal of the attachment direction prevents the cutting portion from swinging or translating during battery pack attachment and detachment operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the dimensional orientation of the rail portions from extending parallel to the side surface of the cutting blade to extending perpendicular to it. This dimensional change redirects the attachment-detachment motion along a different axis, eliminating the harmful swinging or translating movement of the cutting portion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Productivity

If the battery pack is attached or detached when a workpiece is placed on the base portion, then the battery pack can be serviced during operation, but the cutting portion swings or translates and contacts the workpiece, causing damage to the material to be machined

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to service battery during operationVSAvoiddamage to workpiece
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

By inverting the attachment direction to be perpendicular to the side surface of the cutting blade, the patent eliminates the swinging or translating motion that would otherwise cause the cutting portion to contact and damage the workpiece during battery pack servicing operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

By changing the rail portions to extend perpendicular to the side surface of the cutting blade, the patent redirects the attachment-detachment motion along a safe axis that does not cause the cutting portion to move toward the workpiece, enabling safe battery servicing during operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Device complexity

If the battery pack attachment portion is disposed in the motor housing with split pieces, then the number of components is reduced and assembly is simplified, but the manufacturing precision of the rail portions must be maintained

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of componentsVSAvoidprecision of rail portions
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the battery pack attachment portion with the motor housing by incorporating the rail portions directly into the motor housing structure. This integration reduces the number of separate components and simplifies assembly while maintaining the necessary manufacturing precision through proper design of the integrated structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The motor housing is divided into at least two split pieces with mating surfaces, allowing the rail portions to be manufactured as integral parts of the housing segments. This segmentation enables easier manufacturing and assembly of the precision rail portions while maintaining the required manufacturing precision through the split housing design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3305487B1Cutting machine
Publication Date: 2021.12.08 KOKI HLDG KK
  • EP3305487B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3305487B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3305487B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

To provide a cutting machine that suppresses swinging of the cutting portion when the battery pack is attached or detached, the cutting machine includes a cutting portion, a base, and a swing support mechanism. The cutting portion includes: a motor, a motor housing accommodating the motor, an output shaft configured to be rotated upon rotation of the motor, a battery pack serving as a power source of the motor, and a battery pack attaching portion including a pair of rail portions with which the battery pack is engageable, where a cutting blade is configured to be detachably attached to the output shaft. The base has a contact surface on which a workpiece is configured to be placed. The swing support mechanism is connected to the base and the cutting portion and includes a swing shaft extending in parallel to the output shaft. The swing support mechanism supporting the cutting portion such that the cutting portion is swingable about the swing shaft between a top dead center and a bottom dead center in a direction parallel to a side surface of the cutting blade. The pair of rail portions extend in a direction crossing the side surface of the cutting blade.