Adjustable Chip Guide for Panel Dividing Dust Capture

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing panel dividing devices face inefficiencies in guiding and capturing particles, such as chips, due to rigid guiding devices that fail to adapt to changing workpiece and tool properties, leading to incomplete particle capture and increased wear on guide devices and surrounding structures.

Innovation Solution

A panel dividing device with an adjustable guide device that can be set based on workpiece and tool properties, using a combination of plate-shaped guiding elements and a drive system to deflect particles from a first flight direction into a second direction, ensuring efficient capture by a suction device, even at varying immersion depths and tool geometries.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a rigid guide device is used to direct particles, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the particle guidance becomes inefficient when workpiece or tool properties change

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveguide device structureVSAvoidparticle guidance adaptability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The guide device is made adjustable through a drive mechanism that enables dynamic repositioning of the guide element. This allows the guide device to adapt its position and orientation based on changing workpiece or tool properties, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and adaptability by introducing controlled dynamic adjustment capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the positional parameters of the guide device by adjusting its location relative to the machining area. This parameter adjustment enables the guide device to maintain effective particle guidance across different operating conditions, solving the contradiction by allowing flexible parameter modification while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Device complexity

If the guide device position is fixed, then the device complexity is reduced, but particle capture efficiency decreases when machining conditions vary

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveguide device configurationVSAvoidparticle capture efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The guide device incorporates a drive mechanism that enables dynamic adjustment of the guide element's position. This dynamic capability allows the system to maintain high particle capture efficiency across varying machining conditions without requiring an overly complex fixed configuration, thus resolving the contradiction between device complexity and productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The adjustable guide device serves multiple functions: it guides particles effectively for different workpiece thicknesses, tool immersion depths, and machining configurations. This multi-functionality allows a single device structure to handle various scenarios, resolving the contradiction by making the guide device universally applicable rather than requiring multiple specialized fixed devices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of manufacture

If particles strike the guide device at obtuse angles, then the guide structure remains simple, but particle rebound occurs and capture efficiency drops

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveguide device structureVSAvoidparticle capture reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The adjustable guide element can dynamically reposition itself to optimize the angle at which particles strike the guide surface. By adjusting the guide element's position and orientation, the system ensures particles strike at favorable angles rather than obtuse angles, preventing rebound and maintaining reliable capture while keeping the overall structure relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention adjusts the positional and orientational parameters of the guide element to optimize particle deflection angles. By changing these parameters based on machining conditions, the system ensures particles strike the guide surface at effective angles, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and capture reliability through parameter optimization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 allows for optimal guidance and capture of particles across all operating states, reducing wear and energy consumption by ensuring particles are directed to a desired location, such as a suction device, regardless of workpiece or tool conditions, thereby enhancing operational efficiency and reducing maintenance.

Implementation Method 1

a guide device which directs at least a portion of the particles generated during workpiece machining by the rotating tool in a machining area, and which move away from the machining area in a first direction of flight... from the first direction of flight, at least indirectly, into a second direction of flight

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectParticle deflection:

Implementation Method 2

ensuring efficient capture by a suction device

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSuction: Suction

Data Source

PatentEP3403734B1Panel-dividing device and method for operating a panel-dividing device
Publication Date: 2022.08.17 HOMAG PLATTENAUFTEILTECHNIK GMBH
  • EP3403734B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3403734B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3403734B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

A workpiece processing system comprises at least one rotating tool (38) and a guide device (54) which collects at least some of the particles that are generated during the processing of the workpiece by the rotating tool (38) in a processing area (70) and move away from the processing area ( 70) move away in a first flight direction (72), from the first flight direction (72) at least indirectly into a second flight direction (74), wherein a position and/or position of the guide device (54) is adjusted by means of an adjustment device (62, 67) is adjustable. It is proposed that the position and/or orientation of the guiding device (54) can be adjusted depending on a tool property and/or a workpiece property.