Drum Tool Magazine Alignment for Power Tools

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing hand-held power tools with external polygonal couplings face issues of tilting during tool exchange, leading to potential blockages and damage when pushed over from tool chambers into holders with polygonal sockets.

Innovation Solution

A hand-held power tool design featuring a drum-like tool-changing magazine with an alignment element that rotates the tool to align the external polygonal coupling congruently with the rotary driving profile, utilizing a spring element to ensure proper alignment and prevent tilting, which includes a clip spring design with radially inward spring arms for secure coupling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a tool with external polygonal coupling is pushed over from the tool chamber into the tool holder, then the tool can be exchanged quickly, but the tool may tilt during insertion causing blockage and damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetool exchange speedVSAvoidinsertion reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The alignment element performs preliminary alignment of the tool's external polygonal coupling with the tool holder's internal polygonal coupling before the tool is fully inserted. This preliminary action ensures that the tool is correctly oriented and positioned, preventing tilting during the insertion process and enabling reliable quick exchange.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If an alignment element is added to prevent tool tilting, then insertion reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinsertion reliabilityVSAvoidtool holder structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The alignment element acts as an intermediary component between the tool chamber and the tool holder. It provides the necessary alignment function without requiring complex modifications to either the tool chamber or the tool holder, thus improving insertion reliability while minimizing the increase in device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The alignment element is designed to automatically align the tool during insertion without requiring additional active control mechanisms or complex adjustment systems. The element passively guides the tool into the correct position, providing self-aligning functionality that improves reliability without significantly increasing complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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 ensures reliable and efficient tool exchange by preventing tilting of the external polygonal coupling, allowing for smooth insertion into the rotary driving profile, thereby enhancing operational safety and reducing the risk of damage.

Implementation Method 1

the spring element has at least one first and one second spring arm, which are connected to one another via a connecting arm and can be bent in opposite directions by elastic deformation of the connecting arm

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2599593B1Hand-held power tool with a drum-like tool change magazine
Publication Date: 2020.05.27 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
  • EP2599593B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2599593B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2599593B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The power tool (100) has a tool holder (200) in which housing (210) having a rotational drive section is provided. A drum-like tool-changing magazine (120) is aligned with the tool holder and is provided with a mold chamber (199) for storage of a tool (101). An alignment element is provided for aligning an outer multi-sided clutch (151) with the rotational drive section of the housing, when tool is pushed from the tool holder into the housing.