Knife Guide Device Cooling Channel Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing guide devices for knives in sheet metal shears experience high sliding friction between moving components, leading to heating, contamination, and reduced service life due to abrasion, which affects product quality and maintenance efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A cooling device with a coolant is integrated between the carriage and the carriage guide, and within the sliding elements, to reduce frictional heating and wear, with self-lubricating features and adaptable cooling channels for enhanced performance and maintenance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If sliding friction is reduced by using self-lubricating materials, then wear and contamination are reduced, but the cooling requirement increases due to heat generation from friction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice life of guided componentsVSAvoidheating of guide surfaces
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful heat generated by friction into a manageable parameter by introducing a cooling device. The cooling channels carry coolant through the sliding element to actively remove heat from the friction surfaces, transforming the thermal problem into a controlled cooling process that maintains component reliability

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

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces coolant as an intermediary substance that mediates the thermal interaction between the friction surfaces. The coolant absorbs heat from the sliding element through the cooling channels and carries it away, preventing excessive heating while allowing the self-lubricating material to function effectively

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Temperature

If cooling channels are integrated into the sliding element, then cooling effect is enhanced, but the mass and volume of the sliding element increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling effect on sliding elementVSAvoidmass of sliding element
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent utilizes a porous structure within the sliding element to accommodate cooling channels. The porous material allows coolant flow paths to be integrated without significantly increasing the external dimensions or mass of the sliding element, as the cooling channels occupy the internal porous structure rather than adding external volume

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The cooling channels are nested within the sliding element structure, with the coolant flow paths embedded in the internal geometry of the component. This nesting approach allows the cooling system to be integrated without proportionally increasing the overall mass, as the cooling channels utilize the internal volume already present in the sliding element design

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Productivity

If cutting frequency and sliding speed are increased, then productivity is improved, but frictional heating and wear increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecutting frequency of the knifeVSAvoidwear of sliding element
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent ensures continuous cooling action through the cooling channels, with coolant continuously flowing through the sliding element during the entire cutting process. This continuous cooling maintains stable temperatures even at high cutting frequencies, allowing sustained high productivity without increased wear

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the thermal parameters of the sliding element by introducing active cooling, which allows the system to operate at higher sliding speeds and cutting frequencies. The coolant flow rate and temperature can be adjusted as parameters to optimize the balance between productivity and wear resistance

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 cooling system effectively reduces wear and contamination, increases cutting frequency and surface pressure, and allows for independent maintenance and adaptation of components, enhancing the overall performance and longevity of the shears.

Implementation Method 1

a cooling device with a coolant for cooling a sliding element is arranged. The separately arranged cooling device in the area between the carriage and the carriage guide cools the guided components and the sliding elements on the guide surfaces

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

the sliding element is designed to be self-lubricating. The advantage here is that the combination of a self-lubricating sliding element with the arranged cooling device further reduces the wear on the friction surfaces

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLubrication: Lubrication

Data Source

PatentEP2603343B1Guide device for a knife
Publication Date: 2016.11.02 SMS GROUP GMBH
  • EP2603343B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2603343B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3

AI summary

The invention relates to a guide device (1000) for a knife (322) having a slide (320) for receiving the knife (322) and a slide guide (330) and a glide element 300 between the slide guide (330) and the slide (320). A cooling device (205) is arranged for cooling the glide element (300). According to the invention, the cooling device (205) is designed as at least a closed cooling channel (210) or as an open cooling channel (209) having at least one inlet (215, 216) and one outlet (215, 216) for a coolant.