Gripping Device Jaw Guide With Needle Bearing Rollers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing gripping or clamping devices are not optimized for compactness and suffer from transverse forces, leading to inefficiencies in design and increased wear due to impulse-like forces during operation.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates needle bearing rollers for jaw support, a central pinion with synchronous movement, and damping elements between the jaw base body and toothed rack section to reduce wear and compactness, along with a protective element and roller guides for efficient force dissipation and smooth movement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If conventional gripping device designs are used, then the device can perform gripping or clamping functions, but the device size is large and not compact

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice sizeVSAvoidstructural complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The needle bearing rollers serve dual functions: they support the jaws during movement and provide mutual support between opposing jaws through force dissipation. This merging of support functions into a single component reduces the number of separate parts needed, achieving a more compact device structure while maintaining functional complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The needle bearing rollers are arranged with their axes perpendicular to the pinion axis, creating a three-dimensional force dissipation path. This spatial arrangement allows forces to be distributed in multiple directions within a compact volume, reducing the overall device size while maintaining structural integrity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If conventional jaw support mechanisms are used, then jaws can be supported during movement, but transverse forces increase leading to higher wear

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewear resistanceVSAvoidtransverse forces
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The needle bearing rollers are positioned to receive and utilize the transverse forces that naturally occur during jaw movement. Instead of these forces causing wear and damage, they are channeled through the needle rollers which are specifically oriented to handle transverse loading, converting potentially harmful forces into useful support forces that stabilize jaw movement and reduce wear on other components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Volume of moving object

If the jaws are moved without mutual support, then the gripping function can be performed, but the device cannot achieve compact design due to force dissipation requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinstallation spaceVSAvoidforce dissipation
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The needle bearing rollers act as intermediary elements between opposing jaws, providing a controlled path for force dissipation. When jaws move towards or away from each other, forces are transmitted through the needle rollers which mediate the interaction, allowing compact arrangement while properly managing force flows. The rollers transfer forces between jaws in a controlled manner that enables space-efficient design

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

This configuration achieves a compact design with reduced transverse forces, lower wear due to damping of impulse-like forces, and effective force transmission, enabling precise and durable operation.

Implementation Method 1

the jaws support each other via the needle bearing rollers

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRolling contact: Roller

Implementation Method 2

a smooth movement between the jaws and the base part is possible

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction reduction: Friction

Implementation Method 3

a damping element permitting elastic resilience being provided between the jawed base body and the respective toothed rack section

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Implementation Method 4

Force impulses that occur are dampened due to the relative movement between the jaw base body and the rack section and due to the provision of the damping element

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDamping: Damping

Implementation Method 5

roller guides and preferably cross roller guides are provided between the guide surface sections and the counter-guide surfaces

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRolling contact: Roller

Implementation Method 6

On the one hand, forces can be transmitted well via these roller guides

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectForce transmission: Friction

Implementation Method 7

the pinion being arranged centrally between the jaws... the jaw comprises a jaw base body and a toothed rack section which interacts with the respective pinion

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGear mechanism: Gear

Implementation Method 8

In order to transfer the rotational movement of the pinion into a longitudinal movement of the respective jaw

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRack and pinion: Rack and Pinion

Data Source

PatentEP2763819B1Gripping or clamping device
Publication Date: 2016.09.14 SCHUNK GMBH & CO KG
  • EP2763819B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2b
  • EP2763819B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a gripping or tensioning device (10) for gripping or tensioning articles, comprising an electric drive (20), said drive (2) driving a pinion (28) mounted on an output shaft (26), jaws (12, 14) which are coupled for movement with the pinion (28) and can be displaced along a base (18) by means of a jaw guide (80), said jaw guide (80) having bearing rollers (42) in the region between the jaws (12, 14) in such a manner that the rotational axes of the bearing rollers run parallel to the pinion rotational axis (84).