Quick Coupler Alignment Guide for Machine Tool Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing coupling arrangements for machines and tools lack accurate alignment and fluid-tight connections, leading to inefficiencies and potential leaks during operation.
Innovation Solution
A coupling arrangement featuring a quick coupler with front and back pin-recess assemblies, body-bracket alignment guides, and axial alignment guides to ensure precise alignment and secure fluid connections between the machine and tool systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a quick coupler is used for efficient coupling and decoupling, then the speed of operation is improved, but accurate alignment and fluid-tight connection are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
Alignment guides are introduced as intermediary components between the quick coupler and bracket. These guides include alignment features on both the quick coupler body and bracket that work together to ensure precise alignment during the coupling operation, mediating between the speed requirement and precision requirement
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment guides perform preliminary alignment action before the final coupling is achieved. The alignment features guide the relative movement of the quick coupler and bracket components in advance, establishing the correct positional relationship before the main coupling engagement occurs
2Manufacturing precision
If alignment guides are added to ensure precise alignment, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The alignment guides are merged with the existing quick coupler and bracket components rather than being separate independent elements. The alignment features are integrated into the body structures of these components, combining the alignment function with the existing structural elements to minimize additional complexity
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a coupling arrangement for coupling a tool to a machine. A body-bracket alignment guide is mounted to a bracket and comprises at least one body-bracket guide body configured to guide a quick coupler body at least partially into a bracket cavity during coupling of front and back pin-recess assemblies. An axial alignment guide is mounted to the quick coupler and comprises at least one axial guide body. At least one mounting surface of the axial guide body is configured to restrain relative movement between the quick coupler and bracket along the back pin-recess assembly axis when the back pin-recess assembly is coupled. At least one axial ramp of the axial guide body is configured to, during coupling of the back pin-recess assembly, guide the bracket to be located adjacent to the at least one mounting surface.