Force-Sensing Motorized Clamp for Precise Workpiece Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional long clamps are awkward to use, especially when tightening, as they require users to hold the workpiece and crank simultaneously, leading to potential misalignment and limited adjustment travel, and ratchet style clamps can cause sudden release, disrupting delicate joints.
Innovation Solution
A clamp device with a rail member, movable jaws, a clamp sensor, and a motorized system that allows for precise control of clamping force, displayed digitally, enabling users to apply consistent pressure without manual cranking and allowing for unlimited travel and bidirectional torque.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a manual crank is used to tighten the clamp, then the clamping force can be applied, but the user cannot hold the workpiece and crank simultaneously, leading to potential misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical crank system with an electric motor-driven screw mechanism. The motor automatically advances the movable jaw along the rail to apply clamping force, eliminating the need for manual cranking. This allows the user to hold and position the workpiece with one hand while the motor handles the tightening operation, ensuring precise alignment without the trade-off present in manual systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamp device performs the tightening operation autonomously through the motor-driven mechanism. Once the user positions the workpiece between the jaws, the motor automatically advances the movable jaw to apply the required clamping force without requiring the user to perform the cranking action, making the system self-servicing for the tightening function.
2Productivity
If the adjustment screw travel is limited, then the clamp structure remains compact, but the clamp must be undone and reset when more travel is needed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a motor-driven screw mechanism that provides dynamic and extended adjustment travel compared to a fixed-length manual adjustment screw. The motor can rotate the screw multiple times to advance the movable jaw along the entire length of the rail, offering unlimited or near-unlimited travel without requiring the clamp to be disassembled and reset. This dynamic system eliminates the time loss associated with resetting limited-travel clamps.
3Ease of operation
If a ratchet mechanism is used for quick release, then de-tensioning is faster, but the sudden release can damage delicate glue joints or misalign the work
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the ratchet mechanism with an electric motor-driven reversal system for de-tensioning. Instead of the sudden mechanical release characteristic of ratchets, the motor can be programmed to reverse direction and gradually back off the movable jaw, applying a controlled, slow release of clamping force. This protects delicate glue joints and maintains workpiece alignment while still achieving quick de-tensioning compared to manual unscrewing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensors that detect the clamping force and provide feedback to the control system. During de-tensioning, the control system monitors the force reduction and can adjust the motor's reversal speed and positioning to ensure a controlled release that prevents damage to delicate joints, while still maintaining operational efficiency.
4Force
If the clamp body is bulky to provide sufficient torque, then more clamping force can be applied, but the crank handle comes into contact with the table, requiring the whole body of work to be lifted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the bulky manual crank mechanism with a compact electric motor integrated into the clamp body. The motor provides sufficient torque to generate high clamping force through the screw mechanism, but its compact design allows it to be positioned low on the clamp body, preventing contact with the work surface. This eliminates the need to lift the entire workpiece during operation, maintaining both high clamping force and workpiece accessibility.
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 greater user control and accuracy during clamping, prevents misalignment, and maintains consistent pressure, reducing the risk of damaging workpieces, while also allowing for unattended adjustments and versatile use as a spreader.
Implementation Method 1
a clamp sensor operatively connected to one of the jaws so as to generate a clamping signal representative of a clamping force urging the first and second jaws towards one another
Data Source
AI summary
A clamp device has first and second jaws movable relative to one another for clamping an object therebetween. A clamp sensor operatively connected to one of the jaws generates a clamping signal representative of a clamping force urging the first and second jaws towards one another. A display is arranged to display a value proportional to the clamping signal which is representative of the clamping force between the first and second jaws. A motor for driving movement of the second jaw relative to the first jaw is operated by a controller that responds to operator commands in a manual control mode and/or which automatically drives the motor so as to maintain the clamping signal measured by the clamp sensor within a prescribed threshold range to apply a constant clamping force between the first and second jaws under an automated control mode.