Eccentric Tool-Spindle Drum Milling for Deeper Rock Cutting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing milling devices for hard materials suffer from shallow cutting depth, rapid tool wear due to high temperatures, and complex maintenance processes, with tools engaging for only half a rotation and distributing contact pressure unevenly across many tools.
Innovation Solution
The device arranges machining tools on tool spindles positioned eccentrically around the spindle drum, allowing for overlapping engagement and increased cutting depth, with a planetary gear drive ensuring uniform tool wear and easy maintenance by radially removable tool spindles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If machining tools are arranged around the circumference of a drum with large spacing between tool spindles, then each tool has sufficient engagement space, but the cutting depth is limited and the number of tools is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a single-plane tool arrangement to a multi-dimensional overlapping configuration. Tool spindles are positioned with their axes offset from the drum axis, and machining tools on adjacent spindles overlap in the axial direction. This dimensional change allows tools to engage the workpiece at different depths and positions, dramatically increasing cutting depth while maintaining compact device geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The machining tools of adjacent tool spindles are arranged to overlap and nest within each other's engagement zones. The tools are positioned axially offset so that they occupy overlapping radial spaces, creating a nested configuration that maximizes tool engagement depth without requiring proportionally larger device dimensions.
2Force
If many machining tools are arranged around the drum circumference, then tool wear is distributed, but each individual tool receives insufficient contact force
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of uniformly distributing all tools around the entire drum circumference, the patent concentrates multiple tool spindles in a localized angular region. This creates zones of high tool density where contact force is concentrated, while other regions have fewer or no tools. The local quality variation allows individual tools to receive sufficient contact force while maintaining an overall reasonable number of tools.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple tool spindles are merged into a compact arrangement where their machining tools overlap in the engagement zone. Rather than spacing tools uniformly around the drum, several spindles are positioned close together angularly, merging their cutting actions into a concentrated engagement region. This combining effect increases the contact force available to each individual tool.
3Ease of repair
If tool spindles are fixed in position around the spindle drum, then the structure is simple, but maintenance and tool replacement are complicated and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The tool spindle assembly is segmented into a modular unit that can be independently removed from the spindle drum. Each tool spindle with its machining tools forms a replaceable module, allowing maintenance personnel to remove and replace individual tool spindles without disassembling the entire drum or other tool spindles. This segmentation dramatically simplifies maintenance and tool replacement operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The tool spindle mounting structure incorporates dynamic elements that enable easy insertion and removal of tool spindles. Rather than fixed rigid mounting, the system uses movable or adjustable mounting mechanisms that allow tool spindles to be quickly positioned and secured, facilitating rapid tool replacement while maintaining operational reliability.
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
Achieves deeper cutting depths, uniform groove formation, reduced tool wear, and simplified tool replacement, while maintaining low vibrations and compact design.
Implementation Method 1
at least two of the tool spindles are driven by a common gear drive, which has output gears fixedly arranged on the tool spindles and a common drive gear which interacts with the output gears
Implementation Method 2
The gear drive is designed as a planetary gear with a sun gear, several planet gears, and a carrier supporting the planet gears around the sun gear
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a device (1) for milling in particular rock and other materials (2), said device comprising: a spindle drum (5) which is mounted on a drum support (3) so as to be rotatable about a drum axis (4) and in which a plurality of tool spindles (6) are mounted so as to be rotatable about spindle axes (7) eccentrically with respect to the drum axis (4), wherein the tool spindles (6) are uniformly distributed over the circumference (8) of the spindle drum (5), wherein the tool spindles (6) each support a plurality of machining tools (9) that are arranged on an outer circumference of the tool spindles (6) and rotate about the spindle axes (7), wherein at least two of the tool spindles (6) are driven by a common gear drive (10) which has output gears (11) fixedly mounted on the tool spindles (6) and a common drive gear (12) which cooperates with the output gears (11), wherein the spindle drum (5) and the drive gear (12) can be rotated relative to one another, wherein the drive gear (12) is rotationally fixed relative to the drum support (3), wherein the machining tools (9) of at least two tool spindles (6) arranged one behind the other in the circumferential direction of the spindle drum (5) are offset relative to one another in the direction of the spindle axes (7) and interlock in an overlapping manner.