Emergency Stop Switch Positioning on Machine Tool Chamfered Surface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing machine tools with movable control consoles require complex movement mechanisms, increasing manufacturing costs and posing a risk due to the potential misorientation of emergency stop buttons, which can delay emergency stops.
Innovation Solution
A machine tool design where the emergency stop switch is positioned on a chamfered surface intersecting the front and side panels, ensuring visibility from both sides and simplifying the structure by eliminating the need for intricate movement mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a movable control console with slide guide and rotary shaft is used, then the control panel can be positioned and oriented freely, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The emergency stop switch is extracted from the movable control console and placed on the fixed splash guard structure. This separates the emergency stop function from the movable components, eliminating the need for complex movement mechanisms while ensuring the switch remains accessible and visible from multiple angles through the chamfered surface design
Solution Approach 2:
The emergency stop switch is positioned on a chamfered surface that intersects multiple faces of the splash guard. This multi-dimensional positioning allows the switch to be visible and accessible from both the front side and side views, providing adaptability without requiring movable components
2Adaptability or versatility
If the control panel orientation is freely determined by the operator, then positioning flexibility is improved, but the reliability of emergency stop switch visibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The emergency stop switch is extracted from the movable control console and fixed to the splash guard structure. This ensures the switch maintains a fixed, reliable position independent of control panel orientation, while the chamfered surface design ensures visibility from multiple angles
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of making the emergency stop switch movable with the control panel, the invention inverts the approach by fixing the switch to the stationary splash guard while making the control panel movable. This ensures the emergency stop function remains reliably visible and accessible regardless of control panel position
Data Source
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AI summary
During operation of a machine tool (10), an operator can visually check a machining region (39) inside of a splash guard (11) from monitoring windows (22, 23). At this time, if it is found that the front end of a tool (20) is chipped etc., the operator can press the emergency stop switch (25) so as to make the operation of the machine tool (10) stop on an emergency basis. This emergency stop switch (25) is arranged on a chamfered surface (17) which is formed between the front panel (12) and the right side panel (13a). As a result, the operator can simply see the emergency stop button (25) from either the front side of the front panel (12) or the front side of the right side panel (13a). The visibility of the emergency stop switch (25) is improved. Further, it is sufficient to arrange a single emergency stop switch (25) at the chamfered surface (17), so the structure of the machine tool (10) is simplified.