King Pin Tool Drive Plate Insert to Isolate Load Flexing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drive plates in king pin removal tools flex under significant drive loads, leading to potential failure and high maintenance costs due to the expense of the drive plate.
Innovation Solution
A drive plate assembly with an insert comprising a shaft and flange portion, where the drive member is threaded into a drive opening, allowing the flange portion to be forced against the drive plate surface, thereby isolating flexing and enabling replacement of the drive member and insert when failure occurs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a rigid drive plate structure is used to support significant drive loads, then the structural strength is improved, but the drive plate flexes under load leading to potential failure
Solution Approach 1:
The drive plate is segmented into a permanent drive plate and a removable insert. The insert contains the threaded drive opening and flange portion, separating the load-bearing threaded interface from the expensive drive plate structure. This segmentation allows the insert to absorb flexing and failure while the drive plate maintains its rigid support function.
Solution Approach 2:
The insert acts as an intermediary component between the drive member and the drive plate. It transfers the drive load from the drive member to the drive plate through its flange portion bearing against the drive plate surface, while isolating the threaded interface from direct plate flexing.
2Reliability
If the drive plate is made more robust to prevent flexing, then the reliability is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The drive plate system is divided into a permanent drive plate and a removable insert. The insert contains the expensive threaded drive opening and flange portion, allowing these components to be replaced independently when worn or damaged, rather than replacing the entire expensive drive plate assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The insert is designed as a sacrificial, replaceable component that can wear or fail without compromising the permanent drive plate. When the insert fails, it is replaced rather than the expensive drive plate, reducing maintenance costs and extending tool life.
3Device complexity
If the threaded drive opening is integrated into the drive plate, then the device complexity is reduced, but the drive plate flexing causes threaded surface failure
Solution Approach 1:
The threaded drive opening is segmented from the drive plate and integrated into a separate insert. The insert's flange portion bears against the drive plate surface, isolating the threaded interface from plate flexing. This maintains structural simplicity while protecting the threaded surfaces from failure.
Solution Approach 2:
The insert serves as an intermediary that decouples the threaded drive opening from the flexible drive plate. The flange portion of the insert contacts the drive plate, transferring loads away from the threaded interface and preventing flexing-induced failure of the threaded surfaces.
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
Reduces drive plate flexing and failure, allowing for cost-effective maintenance by replacing the drive member and insert instead of the entire drive plate, thus extending tool life and reducing replacement costs.
Implementation Method 1
a drive force applied by the drive member forces the flange portion of the insert against a surface of the drive plate defining at least a portion of the flange recess
Data Source
AI summary
A drive plate assembly for a king pin removal tool comprising a drive member, the drive plate assembly comprises a drive plate and an insert. The drive plate defines a main opening and a flange recess. The insert comprises a shaft portion and a flange portion and defining a drive opening. The insert is arranged such that the shaft portion is within the main opening, the flange portion is within the flange recess, and the drive member is adapted to be threaded into the drive opening. When the drive member is received within the drive opening and axially rotated relative to the insert, a drive force applied by the drive member forces the flange portion of the insert against a surface of the drive plate defining at least a portion of the flange recess.