Modular Tool Carrier With Adjustable Guide Members
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional tool carriers for portable boring bars require tight tolerances and custom fitting, leading to high production costs and limited versatility due to manufacturing size variations and difficulty in compensating for wear over time.
Innovation Solution
A modular tool carrier design with adjustable guide members and a hingeable structure that allows for minimal clearance adjustment and compensation for wear, enabling flexible fitting on various boring bars and accommodating different machining operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If tight tolerances are applied to achieve minimal clearance fit, then tool bit stability and rigidity are improved, but production cost increases and manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the clearance parameter from fixed minimal clearance to adjustable clearance. The tool carrier includes guide members with adjustable positioning mechanisms that allow the clearance between the tool carrier and boring bar to be modified after assembly, enabling optimal clearance without requiring tight manufacturing tolerances
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces dynamic adjustability to the previously static clearance fit. The guide members can be positioned at different locations around the boring bar circumference, and their radial positions can be adjusted, transforming the rigid fixed-fit system into a flexible adjustable system that maintains stability without tight tolerances
2Reliability
If custom fitting is performed to achieve desired clearance, then tool bit stability is improved, but adaptability to different boring bars decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention makes the tool carrier universal by providing guide members that can accommodate various boring bar sizes and positions. The adjustable guide members allow the same tool carrier design to be fitted to different boring bars without custom fitting, achieving both stability and versatility
Solution Approach 2:
The tool carrier is segmented into modular components, particularly the guide members that can be independently positioned and adjusted. This segmentation allows each guide member to be optimized for its specific location while the overall assembly remains adaptable to different boring bar configurations
3Reliability
If minimal clearance is maintained, then deflection and chatter are minimized, but ability to compensate for wear decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transforms the static minimal clearance design into a dynamic adjustable clearance system. The guide members can be repositioned radially to maintain optimal clearance as wear occurs, allowing the system to adapt over time while maintaining minimal deflection and chatter characteristics
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustable guide member system enables operators to perform maintenance and wear compensation themselves without requiring specialized custom fitting processes. The clear adjustment mechanisms allow end-users to maintain optimal performance by simply repositioning guide members as wear occurs
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention provide a boring bar tool including a tool carrier adapted to translate along a boring bar. Adjustable guide members may be coupled with the tool carrier and adapted to contact the boring bar. The guide members may also be adapted to sufficiently support the tool carrier on the boring bar.