Five-Axis Vise Jaw Deflection Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Prior five-axis vises are difficult to clean, prone to chip accumulation, and lack a mechanism to apply down force on the movable jaw, leading to deflection and imprecise machining.
Innovation Solution
A five-axis vise design with separated vise body portions mounted on a machine tool table, featuring a movable jaw actuated by a tension link and angled surfaces that create down pressure to minimize deflection, allowing for precise machining on multiple sides of a workpiece without removing it from the machine bed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the vise jaws and screw are raised above the machine tool table to provide clearance for five-sided machining, then machining accessibility is improved, but chip accumulation increases and cleaning becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The vise is divided into separate body portions (first vise body portion and second vise body portion) that are spaced apart and mounted on the machine tool table. This segmentation allows chips to fall through the gaps between components rather than accumulating in enclosed spaces, while still maintaining the elevated jaw positions needed for five-sided machining accessibility.
2Device complexity
If the movable jaw is actuated by a traditional horizontal screw mechanism, then the structure is simple, but jaw deflection occurs leading to imprecise machining
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of applying force horizontally to move the jaw, the invention applies force vertically downward on the movable jaw through the angled surface of the jaw nut. This inverted approach uses the vertical down force to press the jaw against the workpiece, minimizing deflection and improving machining precision while maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The jaw nut with its angled mating surface acts as an intermediary between the vise screw and the movable jaw. The screw applies force to the jaw nut, which then translates this force through its angled surface to create a downward pressing force on the movable jaw, effectively mediating the force transmission to reduce jaw deflection.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the vise body portions are spaced apart to allow machining access, then five-sided machining capability is achieved, but structural rigidity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The downward force applied to the movable jaw through the angled jaw nut surface acts as a counterbalancing force that compensates for the reduced structural rigidity caused by spacing the vise body portions apart. This down force presses the jaw firmly against the workpiece, maintaining clamping stability despite the separated construction that enables five-sided machining access.
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 design ensures precise machining with reduced deflection and improved cleanliness by using angled surfaces to apply down pressure on the movable jaw, preventing chip accumulation and allowing for full machining of a workpiece's sides without obstructions.
Implementation Method 1
the tension link, comprising a threaded screw as shown, passes through the nut adjacent a top of the nut, and above an angled surface that mates with a second angled surface on the movable jaw... the angled engaging surfaces between the jaw nut and moveable jaw will also create a down pressure on the movable jaw to prevent substantial deflection
Data Source
AI summary
A five axis vise includes two separated vise body portions that are supported on a machine tool table or other support that fixes the vise body portions in position. The vise body portions have jaws spaced up from the machine tool table sufficiently to permit machining five surfaces of a work piece held in the jaws. A vise screw is rotatably mounted in one of the vise body portions, and extends to the other vise body portion to actuate a movable jaw on the other vise body portion. The vise screw is threaded into a jaw nut that has a drive surface that engages and drives a driven surface on the movable jaw, with the drive and driven surfaces being inclined relative to the axis of force application to provide a downward force component on the movable jaw as it is tightened. The vise screw is an assembly of a threaded shank or shaft and a hub that is rotatably mounted in one of the body portions, with the threaded shank or shaft being locked in position in the hub.