Movable Storage Magazine Synchronous Transfer

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing machining devices face challenges in reliably transferring workpieces from a storage magazine to a transport device without interrupting the machining process, leading to potential damage and reduced throughput due to spatial decoupling and asynchronous movements.

Innovation Solution

The magazine of the storage device is made movable along a coordinated path with the workpiece movement path, allowing synchronous movement with the transport device, ensuring complete transfer without interruption and preventing damage by allowing the magazine to move with the workpiece, even if partially engaged, and providing stopping distance for abrupt stops.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the magazine is made stationary and the transport device moves independently, then the structure is simpler, but the workpiece transfer reliability deteriorates due to potential misalignment and damage during transfer

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidworkpiece transfer reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The magazine is transformed from a stationary component to a movable one that can travel along a path coordinated with the workpiece movement path. This dynamic configuration allows the magazine to synchronize its movement with the transport device, ensuring reliable workpiece transfer without misalignment or damage while maintaining operational continuity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Manufacturing precision

If the transport device stops to transfer workpieces from the magazine, then the transfer precision is improved, but the productivity deteriorates due to interruptions in the machining process

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveworkpiece transfer precisionVSAvoidthroughput time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The magazine is designed to move continuously along a path coordinated with the workpiece movement path, allowing workpiece transfer to occur during the continuous motion of both the magazine and transport device. This eliminates the need for stopping the transport device, thereby maintaining continuous machining operation and maximizing productivity while ensuring precise workpiece transfer through coordinated movement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Reliability

If the magazine moves synchronously with the transport device, then the workpiece transfer reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the coordinated movement mechanism

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveworkpiece transfer reliabilityVSAvoidcoordinated movement mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The magazine movement mechanism is integrated with the transport device's movement system, allowing both components to travel along coordinated paths simultaneously. This merging of movement functions enables synchronous operation that ensures reliable workpiece transfer while avoiding the need for separate, independent control systems, thereby managing device complexity efficiently.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP2159001B1Device for fine finishing or superfinishing workpieces
Publication Date: 2010.07.14 SUPFINA GRIESHABER GMBH & CO KG
  • EP2159001B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2159001B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2159001B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The device (10) has a transport device (14) for transporting of a workpiece (16), and a storage device (18) comprising a magazine (20) for supplying of the workpiece. A tool (12) e.g. grinding tool, processes the workpiece. The transport device is moved such that the workpiece held at the transport device is transported to the tool. The magazine is moved along a magazine-movement path, where a process of the magazine is determined on a part of a workpiece-movement path (30). The workpiece-movement path passes the workpiece during transport from the magazine of the storage device to the tool.