Cutting Tool Lock Nut with Angled Coolant Grooves
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lock nuts for cutting tools are not effectively adaptable to collets with different bore diameters and do not efficiently allow coolant fluid passage, limiting their versatility and cooling effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A lock nut design with a conical bore and a locking portion featuring angled coolant grooves that allows for the compression of collets with varying diameters, enabling coolant fluid to flow through and effectively cool the tool shank, while preventing direct contact with the tool shank to accommodate different bore diameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional lock nut design is used, then the structure is simple, but it cannot accommodate collets with different bore diameters and coolant fluid passage is inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The lock nut is designed with a conical bore that can accommodate collets of different bore diameters through a single universal structure. The conical geometry allows the same lock nut to fit various collet sizes by adjusting the compression force, eliminating the need for multiple specialized lock nuts for different collet diameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The lock nut incorporates segmented cooling channels divided into multiple zones: an outer cooling zone with first cooling channels for the outer surface of the collet, and an inner cooling zone with second cooling channels for the inner surface. This segmentation allows independent optimization of cooling for different regions while maintaining a unified lock nut structure.
2Temperature
If coolant fluid flows directly through the lock nut, then cooling is provided, but direct contact with the tool shank causes interference with different bore diameters
Solution Approach 1:
The lock nut acts as an intermediary cooling device between the coolant fluid source and the tool shank. Instead of allowing coolant to contact the tool shank directly, the cooling channels are embedded within the lock nut structure, which mediates the heat transfer process. This intermediary approach enables effective cooling while maintaining compatibility with various tool shank diameters, as the lock nut's external dimensions remain consistent regardless of the internal collet bore size.
3Reliability
If multiple lock nuts are used for different collet diameters, then each collet size is optimized, but cost and tool management complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The lock nut incorporates segmented cooling channels divided into multiple zones: an outer cooling zone with first cooling channels for the outer surface of the collet, and an inner cooling zone with second cooling channels for the inner surface. This segmentation allows independent optimization of cooling for different regions while maintaining a unified lock nut structure.
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 lock nut effectively secures collets of various diameters and ensures efficient coolant fluid distribution, enhancing cooling efficiency and reducing the need for multiple lock nuts, thus lowering costs and simplifying tool management.
Implementation Method 1
when the chuck is provided with a coolant fluid, the coolant fluid flows through the chuck and through the collet towards the locking portion, passing through the at least one coolant groove between the locking portion and the collet head
Data Source
AI summary
A cutting tool includes a chuck, a compressible conical collet and a lock nut for locking the collet. The cutting tool lock nut has a nut portion with a threaded portion for threading with the chuck, and a locking portion with a collet-locking surface formed with angled coolant grooves thereon. The collet-locking surface presses on the collet head, thereby compressing it to grip a tool shank in a collet bore thereof. As the locking portion presses only against a peripheral surface of the collet head, the lock nut is suitable for locking collets with different bore diameters. When the chuck is provided with a coolant fluid, the coolant fluid flows through the chuck and through the collet towards the locking portion, passing through the coolant notches between the locking portion and the collet head, and sprayed towards a location along the tool shank.