Milling Spindle Drain Device Segmentation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing milling spindles face challenges in preventing the entry of foreign substances and ensuring complete discharge of leaked cutting fluid, as the fluid can accumulate and cause damage to the drive unit, and widening the drain hole allows foreign substances to enter.

Innovation Solution

A milling spindle with a drain device featuring a cylindrical main body, an inlet and outlet passage, a valve seat, a ball for opening and closing the valve, and a spring to create a check valve function, which prevents backflow and ensures effective discharge of cutting fluid while keeping foreign substances out.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the drain hole is widened to have a large diameter to discharge leaked cutting fluid, then the discharge capability is improved, but foreign substances such as swarf may enter from the exterior

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedischarge capabilityVSAvoidforeign substances entering
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The drain hole is segmented into two functional zones: an upper filtration portion with a smaller diameter that prevents foreign substance entry, and a lower discharge portion with a larger diameter that ensures effective cutting fluid discharge. This segmentation allows each zone to optimize its specific function without compromising the other.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A filtration structure acts as an intermediary element within the drain hole, separating the external environment from the internal discharge function. This intermediary structure filters out foreign substances while allowing cutting fluid to pass through to the discharge portion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If a small diameter drain hole is used to prevent foreign substances from entering, then the protection against foreign substances is improved, but the discharge capability of cutting fluid deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveforeign substances blockingVSAvoiddischarge capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The drain hole is divided into an upper filtration portion with smaller diameter for foreign substance protection and a lower discharge portion with larger diameter for effective fluid discharge. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by assigning different diameter requirements to different functional sections.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The drain hole structure transitions from a simple single-diameter hole to a multi-diameter vertical structure, adding the vertical dimension to the design. This allows the upper portion to filter while the lower portion discharges, overcoming the limitation of a single diameter specification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Device complexity

If the drain hole is made small to maintain structural simplicity, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of cutting fluid discharge deteriorates when large amounts of fluid leak

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrain structure complexityVSAvoidcutting fluid discharge reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The drain structure is segmented into an upper filtration portion and a lower discharge portion with different diameters. This segmentation provides a simple yet effective solution that ensures reliable discharge of large amounts of cutting fluid while maintaining overall structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The upper filtration portion performs preliminary action by filtering foreign substances before the cutting fluid reaches the lower discharge portion. This preliminary filtration prevents clogging of the discharge path, ensuring reliable discharge even when large amounts of fluid leak.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Ease of manufacture

If a simple drain hole structure is used, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the ability to prevent cutting fluid entry to bearing and motor deteriorates when large amounts of fluid leak

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrain structure manufacturingVSAvoiddrive unit protection
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The drain hole is segmented into an upper filtration portion with smaller diameter and a lower discharge portion with larger diameter. This segmentation can be manufactured using conventional machining processes and provides reliable protection against cutting fluid entry to the bearing and motor while maintaining ease of manufacture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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 solution effectively prevents cutting fluid from entering the bearing and motor, ensures reliable discharge of leaked fluid, and blocks foreign substances from entering, thereby protecting the drive unit and maintaining operational integrity.

Implementation Method 1

a spring (170) inserted in the cylindrical main body (151) and acting on the ball (160) to bias the ball toward the orifice

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentEP2168712B1Milling spindle of machine tool
Publication Date: 2011.03.23 YAMAZAKI MAZAK KK
  • EP2168712B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2168712B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2168712B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention provides an improved drain structure of a cutting fluid supplied to a spindle of a milling spindle. The milling spindle 100 comprises a spindle 20 supported within a housing via a bearing 16, and a drawbar 24 having a through coolant passage 22. The cutting fluid C1 passing through the rotary joint 40 and 50 is sent to the through coolant passage 22, but a portion thereof is collected in a drain chamber 110. When the pressure within the drain chamber rises, the drain device 150 pushes open the ball 160 resisting against the spring 170, and the cutting fluid C1 is discharged to the exterior.