Piercing Tool With Replaceable Distal End and Anti-Loosening Mount

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing piercing tools require replacement of the entire tool when the distal end portion becomes worn or broken, and there is no option to adjust the material or hole diameter to suit varying conditions of the object being pierced.

Innovation Solution

A piercing tool design with a removably mounted distal end portion featuring a female thread, a male thread with an incomplete thread portion, and a stop screw with no head, allowing for easy replacement and secure mounting of different distal end portions with varying materials and shapes to suit specific conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the distal end portion is made replaceable with a removable mounting structure, then the adaptability and ease of repair are improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional mounting components

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveadaptabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The piercing tool is divided into two main segments: a reusable main body portion and a replaceable distal end portion. This segmentation allows the distal end portion to be replaced when worn or broken, improving adaptability without requiring replacement of the entire tool. The female thread formed in the distal end portion and male thread on the main body portion enable clean separation and reconfiguration of these segments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The main body portion is designed as a universal component that can accommodate different distal end portions through standardized threading. This allows a single main body to perform multiple functions by simply changing the distal end portion, enhancing versatility while avoiding the need for multiple complete tool sets.

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

2Reliability

If a stop screw is used to prevent loosening of the distal end portion, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to the additional fixing step

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovereliabilityVSAvoidease of operation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The stop screw is pre-positioned in the distal end portion before the distal end portion is mounted to the main body. This preliminary placement ensures that the screw is already in position to engage with the male thread, allowing the user to simply tighten the assembly without needing to separately install the stop screw, thereby maintaining ease of operation while ensuring reliable prevention of loosening.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of manufacture

If the male thread includes an incomplete thread portion, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the strength of the connection may be reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidstrength
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The male thread on the main body portion is designed with an incomplete thread portion, meaning the thread does not extend along the entire length of the male thread. This local modification allows the thread to be easier to manufacture (particularly with automated threading processes) while the stop screw still engages sufficiently with the available thread portions to maintain adequate connection strength for the application.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4129033B1Piercing tool
Publication Date: 2025.07.16 SAKAMOTO SEIKI CO LTD
  • EP4129033B1 patent drawingFigure 1(A)~1(B)
  • EP4129033B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4129033B1 patent drawingFigure 3(A)~3(B)

AI summary

Provided is a piercing tool which can be used by optionally replacing a distal end portion, which is to be first brought into abutment against an object to be pierced such as the ground, and can rigidly mount the distal end portion. A piercing tool (1) includes: a distal end portion (2), which has a cylindrical shape, and is to be first brought into abutment against an object; and a main body portion (3), which has a cylindrical shape at at least a part of the main body portion (3), and has one end portion to which the distal end portion (2) is mounted. The distal end portion (2) is configured so as to be removably mounted to the one end portion (32) of the main body portion (3). The main body portion (3) has an outer peripheral surface having a male thread (36) formed so as to be engaged with the female thread at the end portion (32) of the main body portion (3) on a side to which the distal end portion (2) is mounted, and includes an incomplete thread portion formed in an inner end portion area in the male thread (36). The distal end portion (2) has a penetrating screw hole (26) in a portion facing the male thread (36), and, when the distal end portion (2) is mounted to the one end portion (32) of the main body portion (3), a stop screw (4) having no head portion is fitted and fixed into the penetrating screw hole (26).