Gear Loading Gripper Arms With Rotatable Carrier Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gear loading and unloading devices have limited flexibility and maintainability due to fixed gripper arm positions, leading to reduced loading and unloading speed and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A device with a rotatable carrier and independently pivotable gripper arms that can assume different positions relative to each other, allowing flexible gripping and releasing of workpieces, and featuring a drive setup with multiple drive means for independent operation of each arm.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the gripping device is designed with fixed gripper arm positions, then the device structure is simple, but the loading and unloading speed is reduced and flexibility is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The gripper arms are made dynamically adjustable through independent pivotable joints, allowing each arm to change its position relative to the carrier and other arms. This enables the gripping device to adapt its configuration for different loading and unloading operations, thereby increasing productivity without requiring complete redesign of the entire device.
Solution Approach 2:
The gripping device is segmented into multiple independently controllable gripper arms, each capable of individual pivoting motion. This segmentation allows selective positioning of each arm to optimize the gripping and release operations, improving loading and unloading speed while maintaining manageable structural complexity through modular design.
2Adaptability or versatility
If all gripper arms are rotated simultaneously around the axis of rotation, then the device structure is simple, but the flexibility for gripping and releasing workpieces is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Each gripper arm is equipped with independent pivotable joints that allow dynamic adjustment of arm positions relative to the carrier and to each other. This enables selective gripping and releasing operations where individual arms can be positioned independently, providing high adaptability for various workpiece handling scenarios while using standardized joint mechanisms to control complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The control mechanism is segmented into independent control systems for each gripper arm, allowing individual arms to be actuated separately. This segmentation provides the flexibility needed for selective gripping and releasing operations, while the modular nature of the control segments keeps the overall system complexity manageable through repetition of standardized control units.
3Ease of repair
If the gripping device is spatially fixed in relation to the machine tool, then the device structure is stable, but the maintainability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The carrier is designed with rotatable mounting on the base, allowing the entire gripping device assembly to be rotated to different angular positions. This dynamic positioning capability enables maintenance personnel to access various components of the gripping device from convenient locations, improving maintainability while the rotational joint provides stable mechanical connection during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotatable carrier serves multiple functions: it provides stable mounting of the gripping device during operation, enables flexible positioning for different loading/unloading configurations, and facilitates easy access to components for maintenance. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction between stability and maintainability by using the same rotational mechanism for both operational and maintenance purposes.
Data Source
AI summary
A device for loading and unloading a machine tool for machining gears, in particular a hard fine machining machine, with a workpiece includes: a base, a carrier arranged on the base and which is rotatable with respect to the base about a first axis of rotation, a gripping device arranged on the carrier for gripping and releasing the workpiece, wherein the gripping device has at least two gripper arms which are each pivotable independently of one another about a second axis of rotation, and the gripper arms are pivotable relative to one another about the second axis of rotation in such a way that the gripper arms can assume relative to one another a gripping position for gripping the workpiece and a release position for releasing the workpiece, and the gripper arms are pivotable about the second axis of rotation synchronously with one another at least in the gripping position.