Eccentric Clamping Mechanism for Measuring Device Mounting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing safety devices for transporting and installing measuring devices struggle to provide a simple and effective clamp connection for locking the mounting foot in a desired position and releasing it after installation, especially under varying installation conditions.

Innovation Solution

A safety device with a pivotally mounted clamping element featuring an eccentric surface that engages or disengages with the carrier body, allowing for easy locking or releasing by tilting, enabling the base body to be fixed or slid along the carrier body, and utilizing a compact design to generate sufficient clamping forces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If an adjusting screw with tool actuation is used to release the safety device, then the operating element can be actuated from the side for better accessibility, but the device complexity increases due to additional components and assembly steps

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveAccessibility of operating elementVSAvoidComplexity of safety device
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The clamping function is extracted from a complex adjusting screw mechanism and transferred to a separate clamping element with an eccentric surface. This clamping element can be pivoted independently to engage or disengage from the carrier body, simplifying the overall device while maintaining accessibility for operation from the side.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The clamping element is designed to be pivotable between a clamping position and a release position. This dynamic mechanism allows the safety device to be easily released from the side during operation while maintaining a simple structure without requiring complex adjusting screws or multiple components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Device complexity

If a clamping mechanism is designed to be simple and compact, then the device complexity is reduced, but the clamping force and reliability may be insufficient for secure fixation

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveSimplicity of safety deviceVSAvoidClamping reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The clamping element incorporates an eccentric surface that converts a small pivoting motion into a large clamping force. When the clamping element is pivoted into the clamping position, the eccentric geometry automatically generates sufficient clamping force to securely fix the mounting foot, while the mechanism remains simple and compact without requiring complex components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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

Enables secure fixation and easy release of the mounting foot on the carrier body in any position, facilitating flexible handling under different conditions, and is particularly suitable for compact measuring devices, allowing for efficient transport and assembly.

Implementation Method 1

a clamping element (35) which is articulated on the base body (30) so as to be pivotable and which has an eccentric surface (36) running eccentrically with respect to its pivot axis (S)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEccentric mechanism: Eccentric

Data Source

PatentEP1798527B1Securing device for the transport and assembly of a measuring apparatus
Publication Date: 2014.04.16 DR JOHANNES HEIDENHAIN GMBH
  • EP1798527B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP1798527B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP1798527B1 patent drawingFigure 1C

AI summary

The invention relates to a securing device for the transport and assembly of a measuring device for determining the position of two components movable relative to each other, the measuring device having a longitudinally extended measuring scale, a carrier body supporting the measuring scale, a scanning device scanning the measuring scale which is guided at a defined distance to the measuring scale, and a mounting foot for attaching the scanning device to one of the components movable relative to each other, wherein the securing device (3) comprises a base body (30) which is longitudinally displaceable along a guide track (13) of the carrier body (1) and which can be fixed to the carrier body (1) by clamping forces in order to hold the mounting foot (20) in a predetermined position relative to the carrier body (1).According to the invention, a clamping element (35) is pivotably mounted on the base body (30) of the locking device (3), the clamping element having an eccentric surface (36) formed eccentrically with respect to the pivot axis (S), wherein by pivoting the clamping element (35) depending on its pivot direction the eccentric surface (35) can be brought into or out of engagement with the support body (1) such that the base body (30) is fixed to the support body (1) when the clamping element (35) is pivoted or is brought into a state that can be displaced along the support body (1).