Electromechanical Clamping Unit with Gear and Rolling Bodies
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hydraulic clamping units in machining processes are structurally complex and react sluggishly to switching signals, making them unsuitable for fast and precise clamping or release processes required for high productivity.
Innovation Solution
An electromechanical clamping unit with an electric drive, gear unit, and rolling bodies that convert rotational movement into translational movement, allowing for precise and reproducible clamping with control means for monitoring clamping position and force, enabling both pulling and rotating movements for clamping, and featuring a self-locking mechanism for energy savings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If hydraulic drive units are used for clamping, then high clamping forces can be generated, but the structural complexity increases and the response speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the hydraulic drive system with an electric drive system consisting of a motor and gear unit. This substitution eliminates the need for hydraulic pumps, hoses, and fluid pressure systems, thereby reducing structural complexity while maintaining the capability to generate high clamping forces through the electric motor's torque output.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent explicitly moves away from hydraulic principles toward an electromechanical solution. By using an electric motor with a gear unit and rolling bodies, the system achieves force multiplication without relying on hydraulic fluid pressure, thus eliminating the associated structural complexity and improving response speed.
2Force
If hydraulic drive units are used for clamping, then high clamping forces can be generated, but the response speed to switching signals decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The hydraulic system is replaced with an electric drive system that responds directly to electrical switching signals. The electric motor can start, stop, and reverse direction almost instantaneously, providing significantly faster response speed compared to hydraulic systems that require fluid pressure buildup and flow control.
Solution Approach 2:
The electric drive system with gear unit and rolling bodies provides dynamic control capability, allowing rapid acceleration and deceleration of the clamping elements. The system can quickly transition between clamping and release states, enabling fast cycle times for high productivity applications.
3Device complexity
If a compact design with few components is used for movement conversion, then the device complexity is reduced, but the precision and reproducibility of movement conversion must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a streamlined electromechanical transmission system with a gear unit and rolling bodies that directly converts rotational motor movement into linear clamping movement. This simplified mechanism, with fewer intermediate components compared to hydraulic systems, reduces accumulation of manufacturing tolerances and provides precise, reproducible movement conversion through the inherent mechanical advantage of the gear and rolling body arrangement.
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 compact, cost-effective, and highly functional clamping unit capable of precise and fast clamping processes with reduced inertia, allowing for optimal clamping and release operations while maintaining energy efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a gear unit having an arrangement of rolling bodies (9), which serves to convert a rotational movement into a translational movement of an actuating element (8)
Implementation Method 2
an electric drive having a stator (6) and a rotor (7)
Data Source
Figure 1a~1c
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
The invention relates to a clamping unit (1) for clamping a workpiece, comprising an electric drive and a gear unit with an arrangement of rolling elements (9). The gear unit converts a rotational movement into a translational movement of an actuating element. Translational movements of the actuating element allow clamping elements (5) to be moved into a clamping position, in which a workpiece is clamped by the clamping elements (5), and into a release position, in which the clamping elements (5) release the workpiece. Control means are provided for monitoring the clamping points and clamping force. The control means include a control unit associated with the electric drive.