Drill Column End Stop Assembly for Safe Feed Unit Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for drill stands that allow easy and safe assembly, use, and disassembly of the column and drill feed units, with a mechanism to prevent accidental traversal of the feed unit past the drill column end section during drilling operations.
Innovation Solution
A drill column end section assembly with a movable stopping element that can be releasably held in place by a positioning element, allowing the feed unit to be securely locked during operation and easily removed, featuring a resilient element for mechanical robustness and convenience, and a locking mechanism for angle adjustment with a conical design for easy engagement and disengagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a permanently locked stopping element is used to prevent feed unit traversal, then safety is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to inability to easily remove the feed unit
Solution Approach 1:
The stopping element is designed to be movable between a first position (protruding to stop the feed unit) and a second position (retracted to allow feed unit removal). This dynamic design allows the system to switch between safety mode during operation and ease of removal mode after operation, resolving the contradiction between permanent safety and temporary accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The stopping element changes its positional parameter between two discrete states: protruding from the end section to prevent traversal, and retracted to allow removal. This parameter change enables the system to adapt between conflicting operational requirements without permanent locking.
2Ease of operation
If a resilient element is used to hold the stopping element in place, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient element automatically holds the stopping element in the first position without requiring additional locking mechanisms or complex control systems. The elastic property of the resilient element provides self-contained functionality, maintaining safety while keeping the overall device complexity low.
3Reliability
If the stopping element protrudes laterally from the end section, then stopping function is improved, but visual detection becomes easier
Solution Approach 1:
The stopping element includes a label that can be visually detected to indicate its position state. This visual indicator complements the physical protrusion, making the status of the stopping element immediately apparent to operators and enhancing both safety and detectability simultaneously.
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 provides a safe and efficient method for assembling and disassembling drill stands, preventing accidental feed unit traversal and simplifying the attachment and removal of feed units, while allowing for precise angle adjustments without requiring excessive force or tools.
Implementation Method 1
the resilient element comprises a spring arranged to bias the stopping element towards the first position
Data Source
AI summary
A drill column end section assembly for a drill stand, comprising an end section (110) and a feed unit stopping element (120) arranged movable between a first position and a second position, wherein the stopping element (120), when in the first position, is arranged to prevent a drill stand feed unit from traversing past the drill column end section assembly, and, when in the second position, is arranged to allow the drill stand feed unit to traverse past the drill column end section assembly. The drill column end section assembly also comprises a positioning element (130) configured to releasably hold the stopping element (120) in the first position.