Movable Chip-Conveying Baffle for Toolholder Heads

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing machining systems face challenges in efficiently collecting dust and chips produced during wood machining, as high-speed spindles project debris far from the machining point, making it difficult for suction units to collect all particles, leading to scattering and increased complexity, cost, and reduced productivity due to the need for complex chip-collecting devices and frequent tool changes.

Innovation Solution

A movable chip-conveying baffle device is integrated with the toolholder head, featuring a guide, slide, and rotating actuator that allows the chip-conveying baffle to be adjusted and moved away from the tool, enabling efficient collection of dust and chips without obstructing machining operations, and can be easily coupled and decoupled with the electric spindle.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a chip-conveying device is integrated with the toolholder head, then chip collection efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechip collection efficiencyVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The chip-conveying device is segmented into a movable baffle portion and a fixed housing portion, allowing the baffle to be independently positioned and adjusted. This segmentation enables the chip collection function to be added without integrating the entire device permanently, thus reducing overall complexity while maintaining collection efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The baffle is made movable rather than fixed, allowing it to be positioned only when chip collection is needed. The dynamic positioning capability enables the system to adapt between chip collection mode and normal machining mode, improving collection efficiency without permanently increasing device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If the chip-conveying baffle is fixed in position, then chip interception is improved, but tool accessibility is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechip interception capabilityVSAvoidtool accessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The baffle is designed to be movable along the tool axis, allowing it to be positioned in front of the tool when chip collection is needed and retracted when tool accessibility is required. This dynamic positioning resolves the contradiction between interception capability and tool accessibility

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The baffle is positioned in advance before machining operations begin, creating a chip collection path without obstructing the tool during actual machining. This preliminary positioning allows the system to prepare for chip collection while maintaining normal tool access during operation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If a complex chip-collecting device is used, then chip collection completeness is improved, but productivity is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechip collection completenessVSAvoidproductivity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The movable baffle allows the system to switch between chip collection mode and normal machining mode quickly. The baffle is only deployed when chip collection is needed, minimizing interference with machining operations and maintaining high productivity while ensuring complete chip collection when required

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The chip-conveying function is extracted as a separate, movable component rather than being integrated permanently into the toolholder head. This extraction allows the chip collection capability to be added only when needed, avoiding the productivity loss associated with permanently complex devices

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP1704959B1Device with movable chip-conveying baffle for toolholder heads
Publication Date: 2008.05.14 SCM GRP
  • EP1704959B1 patent drawingFigure 1~4

AI summary

A device consisting of a guide (1), to be joined to the fixed part of the toolholder head (2), with a slide (3) that at an end (4) is combined with an annular unit (5), a part (9) of which is rotatable and supports the chip-conveying baffle (12), at the other end (6) is combined with drive means (7) that pilots the rectilinear movements thereof in said guide (1); a rotating actuator (14), fixedly connected to the fixed part of the toolholder head (2), pilots the rotations of the rotatable part (9) to which the chip-conveying baffle (12) is fixedly connected to keep it in the correct position in which it intercepts the dust and the chips generated by the tool piloted by the toolholder head (2).