Machine Tool Bifurcated Vertical Guide Reducing Gravity Center
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing machine tool design results in a higher gravity center due to the placement of heavy feed motors above the base, leading to reduced stability and increased height and volume, as the guide rails and feed screws are positioned above a discharge hole.
Innovation Solution
A machine tool design featuring a bifurcated fork-style vertically moving body with downwardly extending legs that overlap the vertical guides, allowing the chip removing duct to be centered at the rear of the bed, thereby lowering the gravity center and enhancing stability without increasing the machine's size.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If feed motors are attached to the top ends of ball screws to enable vertical movement, then the feeding function is achieved, but the gravity center becomes higher and stability is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The invention repositions the feed motors from a vertical arrangement (attached to top ends of ball screws) to a horizontal arrangement (attached to the rear face of the base). This dimensional change allows the motors to be positioned lower, reducing the gravity center height while maintaining the vertical feeding function through the ball screw mechanism.
2Reliability
If guide rails are disposed above the discharge hole to support vertical movement, then the moving body is supported, but the overall height and volume are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The invention nests the guide rails within the structural framework of the base, positioning them to extend vertically along the rear face rather than requiring separate vertical space above the discharge hole. This nesting approach allows the guide rails to be integrated into the existing structure, reducing the overall height requirement while maintaining support functionality.
3Productivity
If chip removing duct is positioned at the center of the rear side, then chip discharge is ensured, but the vertically moving body requires larger clearance space
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the vertically moving body into a bifurcated fork structure with separate legs, allowing the chip removing duct to pass through the central space between the legs. This segmentation enables the duct to be positioned at the center for optimal chip discharge while the legs provide the necessary clearance and structural support.
Data Source
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AI summary
A machine tool (10) is configured such that a tool mounted to a spindle and a workpiece attached to a table are moved relative to each other, thereby processing the workpiece. The machine tool (10) includes: a bed (12), the upper surface of which has the table (15) provided thereon; a cut debris duct (53) which is provided so as to extend rearward from a cut debris discharge opening (13a) open at the center, in the left-right direction, of the rear face of the bed (12), and which discharges cut debris from within the bed (12) to outside of the machine tool; a bifurcated vertically movable body (21) which vertically moves along a pair of vertical guides (28), and which straddles the cut debris duct (53), the pair of vertical guides (28) vertically extending on the rear face of the bed (12) at positions on both the left and right sides of the cut debris duct (53); and a pair of left and right feed screws (35) which extend parallel to the vertical guides (28), and which move the vertically movable body (21) along the vertical guides (28).