Inflatable Seal for Sawing Machine Containment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Sawing machines used for separating electronic components experience contamination from cooling liquids and sawing waste due to open housings, which hinder precise movement of the product holder and result in unwanted contamination of the surrounding area.
Innovation Solution
A seal comprising flexible, elongate expandable bodies with strengthened edges that can be inflated to create a tight seal around the sawing area, allowing for precise movement of the product holder while containing cooling liquids and waste, and featuring a dual form with two opposite expandable bodies for enhanced sealing and robust construction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the housing is open on the upper side to allow passage of the product holder, then the product holder can be moved along the saw-blade for precise cutting positions, but cooling liquid and sawing waste contaminate the surrounding area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs flexible expandable bodies (seals) that can be inflated to close the housing opening and deflated to allow passage of the product holder. This flexible membrane approach enables the housing to be sealed during operation to prevent contamination, while remaining open during positioning operations, thus resolving the contradiction between containment and accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing system transitions from a static open state to a dynamic sealed state through inflation and deflation of the expandable bodies. This dynamic transformation allows the housing to adapt its configuration based on operational requirements, providing both unobstructed access for product holder movement and effective containment during the sawing process.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a seal is introduced to close the housing opening, then contamination is reduced, but the product holder cannot be moved along the saw-blade
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible expandable seal bodies can be deflated to create a passage for the product holder while maintaining the housing structure. This allows the seal to provide contamination protection during operation while enabling necessary movement during positioning, resolving the contradiction between sealing effectiveness and operational accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal system dynamically changes its state between sealed and open configurations. During sawing operations, the seals are inflated to prevent contamination. During product holder positioning, the seals are deflated to allow movement. This temporal separation of functions resolves the contradiction between maintaining a sealed environment and enabling operational movement.
3Device complexity
If the expandable body is engaged directly on a flexible part, then the construction is simpler, but the expandable body is more likely to be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a strengthened elongate edge at the specific location where the expandable body engages with the housing opening. This localized reinforcement provides enhanced protection and durability at the critical engagement point while maintaining the flexibility and simplicity of the overall expandable body structure, thus resolving the contradiction between construction simplicity and component durability.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal system combines materials with different properties: the main body uses flexible elastomeric material for expandability and sealing, while the elongate edge incorporates a strengthened material or structure for durability. This composite approach allows each part to have optimized properties for its specific function, balancing simplicity and reliability.
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 seal effectively reduces contamination by containing cooling liquids and sawing waste, improving working conditions and process control, and ensuring operator safety by preventing the spread of fragments and dust, while allowing for accurate positioning and reduced energy consumption.
Implementation Method 1
a pressure source for a medium connecting to the space sealed by the flexible expandable body
Implementation Method 2
a flexible, elongate expandable body connected to the form-retaining holder and sealing a space medium-tightly
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a seal for a sawing machine (1) for separating electronic components (12), comprising: an elongate form-retaining holder (20,22), a flexible, elongate expandable body (8,9)and a pressure source (24) for a medium, wherein the elongate expandable body (8,9) is provided with a strengthened elongate edge (21) which lies clear of the form-retaining holder (20,22) The invention also relates to a sawing machine (1) for separating electronic components (12) provided with such a seal.