Hollow Workpiece Holding Device for Electrochemical Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for holding and electrochemically treating hollow workpieces face challenges such as low throughput due to the need for individual placement of workpieces, high electrical resistance leading to inefficiencies, and difficulties in maintaining uniform treatment across the workpiece surface.
Innovation Solution
The device features a design where the engagement locations for guiding the workpiece are separate from the electrical terminals, allowing for optimized guidance without increasing electrical resistance. This design includes elongated, parallel members that engage the workpiece internally, providing a large contact area while keeping the exterior surface uncovered, thus maintaining uniform potential and treatment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If engagement locations are integrated with electrical terminals, then device complexity is reduced, but electrical resistance increases and treatment uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into functionally separate components: engagement locations (guide parts) are separated from electrical terminals. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function - guide parts for mechanical guidance and terminals for electrical contact - thereby reducing electrical resistance and improving treatment uniformity without significantly increasing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrical terminal function is extracted from the engagement location structure. The guide parts engage the workpiece at locations separate from where electrical contact is made, effectively removing the conflicting requirements of mechanical engagement and electrical conduction from the same location, thus reducing electrical resistance while maintaining guidance functionality.
2Device complexity
If workpieces are placed individually on clamping legs, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The device employs dynamic, movable guide parts that can adjust their position and engage multiple workpieces simultaneously. This dynamic capability allows the device to handle multiple workpieces in parallel without requiring complex individual placement mechanisms, thereby improving productivity while keeping the device structure relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide parts are designed to perform multiple functions: they provide mechanical guidance, enable workpiece engagement, and facilitate simultaneous handling of multiple workpieces. This multi-functionality allows a single device structure to achieve high throughput without requiring separate mechanisms for each workpiece, thus improving productivity without proportionally increasing device complexity.
3Reliability
If contact area between holding members and workpiece is increased, then holding reliability is improved, but electrical resistance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The contact interfaces are segmented into distinct functional zones: mechanical contact areas for holding the workpiece and electrical contact areas for current conduction. By separating these functions spatially, the device can maintain large mechanical contact area for reliable holding while keeping electrical contact paths short and low-resistance, thus resolving the contradiction between holding reliability and electrical resistance.
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 enables efficient electrochemical treatment by minimizing ohmic losses and reducing the risk of bypass currents, allowing for the conductance of larger currents and achieving uniform treatment across the workpiece surface.
Implementation Method 1
at least the first member (10) is electrically conducting and comprises at least one terminal (15) for electrically connecting the first member (10) to an electrical current supply
Implementation Method 2
apparatus for electrochemical treatment of at least a respective exterior surface of at least one hollow workpiece
Implementation Method 3
the guide parts comprise at least one guide part fixed in position with respect to the first member (10) and engaging a further guide part at a respective engagement location, the engagement permitting relative motion
Implementation Method 4
the first and second members are oriented to extend at least predominantly parallel to the device axis... providing a large contact area
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A device for holding and electrically contacting a hollow workpiece (1), for insertion with at least a free end (3) in an axial direction into an interior of the hollow workpiece (1), comprises a first member (10) and a second member (11) for engaging the hollow workpiece (1). At least the first member (10) is electrically conducting and comprises at least one terminal (15) for electrically connecting the first member (10) to an electrical current supply. The first and second members (10,11) are oriented to extend at least predominantly parallel to the device axis (13). The device comprises guide parts (19a,b) for guiding relative movement of the first and second members (10,11). At least a component of the relative movement is a displacement transverse to the device axis (13). The guide parts (19a,b) comprise at least one guide part fixed in position with respect to the first member (10) and engaging a further guide part at a respective engagement location, the engagement permitting relative motion. The engagement locations are separate from the at least one terminal (15).