Punch Holder Collars for Fast Height Adjustment and Release

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional punch assemblies require complex and time-consuming maintenance and modification processes, involving significant handling and tool usage, which can lead to wear and inefficiency in adjusting or replacing punches within punch holders.

Innovation Solution

The punch holder design features an upper and lower portion with adjustable collars that allow for height adjustment and punch release through single-action rotation, enabling quick and tool-free adjustments and replacements by utilizing linking members and retaining mechanisms for secure locking and easy release.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If conventional punch assemblies use fixed or complex adjustment mechanisms, then structural stability is maintained, but maintenance and modification become time-consuming and complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of maintenance and modificationVSAvoidcomplexity of adjustment mechanisms
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The punch holder is divided into distinct segments: an upper portion and a lower portion that can be independently adjusted and locked. This segmentation allows maintenance personnel to access and modify specific sections without disassembling the entire assembly, significantly reducing maintenance time and complexity while maintaining structural integrity through the modular design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Manufacturing precision

If punch assemblies require multiple tools and handling steps for adjustment, then precise positioning is achieved, but handling complexity and wear increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprecision of punch positioningVSAvoidhandling complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The punch holder incorporates self-adjusting features where the upper and lower portions can be positioned and locked without requiring external tools. The design includes self-aligning surfaces and automatic locking mechanisms that guide the adjustment process, eliminating the need for multiple handling steps and reducing mechanical wear while maintaining precise positioning through the inherent geometry of the self-locking features.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If punch holders use secure locking mechanisms, then reliability of punch positioning is improved, but adjustment speed is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereliability of punch positioningVSAvoidspeed of adjustment and replacement
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The punch holder design incorporates pre-positioned locking features and pre-aligned surfaces that automatically engage when the upper and lower portions are assembled. This preliminary arrangement of locking elements ensures that once the components are brought together, the locking action occurs automatically and immediately, providing reliable punch positioning without requiring time-consuming manual locking operations, thus maintaining both reliability and adjustment speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2999558B1Punch holder and punch configurations
Publication Date: 2022.11.02 WILSON TOOL INT INC
  • EP2999558B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1C
  • EP2999558B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2C
  • EP2999558B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3D

AI summary

Punch holders and corresponding punch configurations configured to increase the ease and speed by which maintenance and/or modification of punches used with the holders can be performed. In some cases, the punch holder (70) can be configured with one or more upper (72) and lower (74) collars operatively situated on differing areas of the holder (70), with each collar adapted to perform a different action with regard to a punch (50) held by the holder (70). In some cases, when the upper collar (72) is rotated, a corresponding height adjustment of a punch (50) held by the holder (70) results. In some cases, when the lower collar (74) is rotated, a punch (50) held by the holder (70) is released.