Hammer Drill Beat Piece Asymmetric Geometry Rebound Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

In hammer drills, the rebound of the beat piece after engaging with the ram catcher can cause it to disengage from the ram, leading to unintended continued operation and potential damage to the support structure.

Innovation Solution

Designing a beat piece with an eccentric second angled region and shoulder to increase frictional contact upon rebound, preventing the beat piece from disengaging from the ram catcher, and incorporating an air vent to break the air spring when the ram is caught.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the beat piece is designed with a uniform second angled region and shoulder, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the rebound force causes the beat piece to disengage from the ram catcher

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebeat piece retentionVSAvoidbeat piece structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies asymmetry by designing the second angled region and second shoulder with non-uniform geometry. Specifically, the second angled region has a first portion and a second portion with different angles relative to the longitudinal axis, and the second shoulder has a first section and a second section with different orientations. This asymmetric design creates increased frictional contact during rebound, preventing the beat piece from disengaging from the ram catcher while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through standard machining operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

2Reliability

If the ram catcher is designed to stop the ram completely, then the ram remains stationary when the cutting tool is removed, but the rebound force can still cause disengagement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrolled operationVSAvoidrebound damage
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful rebound force into a beneficial frictional contact mechanism. The asymmetric second angled region and second shoulder are specifically designed to engage with the ram catcher during rebound, transforming the potentially damaging rebound motion into a controlled frictional interaction that actually enhances retention. The rebound force, instead of causing disengagement, creates increased surface contact and friction that secures the beat piece to the ram catcher.

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

3Productivity

If the air spring remains intact when the ram is caught, then the ram can be quickly re-engaged, but the ram continues to reciprocate causing damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvequick re-engagementVSAvoiddamage to support structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts or removes the air spring from the system when the ram is caught by the ram catcher. The air vent is positioned to allow the air spring to escape or decompress when the ram reaches its forward position and is caught by the catcher. This extraction of the air spring prevents continued reciprocation of the ram, stopping the harmful impacts on the support structure while allowing for quick re-engagement by simply allowing the air spring to re-form.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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

Prevents the beat piece from disengaging from the ram catcher due to rebound force, ensuring the ram remains stationary until intentionally re-engaged, thus preventing damage and maintaining controlled operation.

Implementation Method 1

a piston reciprocatingly driven by a motor via a crank shaft within a spindle, which in turn reciprocatingly drives a ram via an air spring

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

incorporating an air vent to break the air spring when the ram is caught

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGas expansion: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 3

Designing a beat piece with an eccentric second angled region and shoulder to increase frictional contact upon rebound

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP3260241B1hammer
Publication Date: 2020.09.23 BLACK & DECKER CORP
  • EP3260241B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3260241B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3260241B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A hammer drill comprising; a housing (2); a tool holder 98) mounted on the housing (2) which is capable of holding a cutting tool (12); a motor (48) mounted within the housing (2); and a hammer mechanism comprising: a piston (204) reciprocatingly driven along a longitudinal axis (154) by the motor when the motor is actuated; a ram (152) reciprocatingly driven on the longitudinal axis by the reciprocating piston via an air spring (170); a beat piece (156) supported in an axially slideable manner on the longitudinal axis within a beat piece support structure (150, 210) which, during the normal operation of the hammer mechanism, is repetitively struck by the ram and which transfers the impacts to a cutting tool when held by the tool holder; wherein the beat piece comprises a first impact surface (248) and the beat piece support structure comprises a second impact surface (250), the first and second impact surfaces coming into contact with each other when the beat piece axially slides to its furthest position away from the ram; characterized in that that the shape of the two surfaces relative to each other is arranged so that there is a non uniform amount of contact between the first and second surfaces around the longitudinal axis 154.