Plate Workpiece Chuck with Swinging Claws to Prevent Deformation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional chuck devices for holding plate material workpieces in machine tools often cause deformation or buckling due to the clamping action of the claws.
Innovation Solution
A chuck device featuring a plurality of rods with workpiece holding claws, a support body, a housing for swinging the rods, and a drive body for moving the rods forward and backward, allowing the claws to move away from and towards a workpiece contact surface, thereby preventing deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the workpiece is clamped by the claws from the side, then the workpiece can be held securely, but the plate material workpiece may be deformed or buckled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from side clamping to end clamping by changing the spatial dimension of the gripping action. The claws are positioned to clamp the workpiece from the end direction (thickness direction) rather than from the side, allowing the workpiece to be held securely without causing deformation or buckling of the plate material.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the conventional clamping approach by having the claws move in the thickness direction of the workpiece rather than clamping from the side. The housing provides a workpiece contact surface that faces the claws, enabling the claws to approach and clamp the workpiece from the end, which is the opposite of the conventional side clamping method.
2Force
If the claws are moved closer to each other to clamp the workpiece, then the gripping force increases, but the risk of deforming plate material workpieces increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the dimension of the clamping action from lateral (side) to axial (end/thickness direction). The claws move toward each other in the thickness direction of the workpiece, applying gripping force along the workpiece length rather than compressing it laterally, thus maintaining high gripping force without causing deformation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the clamping direction by having the claws approach the workpiece from the end rather than from the sides. The housing structure with its workpiece contact surface enables this inverted approach, allowing the claws to clamp the workpiece in the thickness direction, which provides secure gripping without deforming the plate material.
3Device complexity
If the rods are fixed in position, then the structure is simple, but the claws cannot adjust their position to prevent workpiece deformation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic capability to the rod structure by enabling the rods to swing around the support body within the housing. This swinging motion allows the claws to adjust their position and approach the workpiece from the end direction, preventing deformation while maintaining relatively simple rod and housing structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the previously fixed rods dynamic by allowing them to swing around the support body. The housing accommodates this swinging motion, enabling the claws to adjust their positioning in the thickness direction of the workpiece, thus preventing deformation without significantly complicating the overall structure.
4Shape
If the claws are positioned to clamp from the end, then plate material workpieces are not deformed, but the mechanism requires swinging motion which increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a swinging mechanism that allows the rods to rotate around the support body within the housing. This dynamic capability enables the claws to position themselves for end clamping, preventing workpiece deformation. The swinging motion is achieved through relatively simple rotational joints rather than complex positioning mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces swinging motion to the rod structure, allowing the claws to dynamically adjust their position for end clamping. The housing provides the necessary accommodation for this swinging motion, enabling deformation-free gripping without requiring overly complex positioning mechanisms.
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 chuck device effectively holds plate material workpieces without deformation by allowing the rods to swing and adjust the position of the claws relative to the workpiece contact surface, ensuring secure gripping in the thickness direction of the workpiece.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic body, which urges the rod so that each of the workpiece holding claws of the plurality of rods is brought close to each other, is interposed between the rod and the drive body
Data Source
AI summary
A chuck device for holding a plate material workpiece supplied to a machine tool without deforming the workpiece is provided. A housing has a workpiece contact surface arranged to face workpiece holding claws, and when holding of a workpiece is released, a plurality of rods integrally swings so that the workpiece holding claws are moved away from the workpiece contact surface of the housing and moved away from each other, and when holding the workpiece, after the plurality of rods integrally swing so that the workpiece holding claws are brought close to the workpiece contact surface of the housing and brought close to each other, the plurality of rods moves integrally in parallel with the forward/backward moving direction of a drive body to bring the workpiece holding claws into contact with the workpiece.