Roller Centering Tool for Inscribed-Circle Workpiece Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing centering methods for circular workpieces fail to accurately align the center of the maximum inscribed circle, which is necessary for high-precision machining, and lack a simple and precise method for determining centering success or failure.
Innovation Solution
A centering tool with a pair of rollers and a displacement sensor that follows the workpiece's shape, allowing for centering based on the inscribed circle, and a control unit that determines the feed target position and confirms contact, ensuring precise alignment and reducing misalignment to an allowable range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If one-point contact is used to push the cylindrical workpiece, then the centering process is simple, but the centering precision is insufficient for high-precision machining
Solution Approach 1:
The single contact point is segmented into a pair of contacts (rollers) that are disposed apart from each other. This segmentation allows the tool to follow the workpiece shape more accurately and achieve inscribed circle centering, which is essential for high-precision machining while maintaining operational simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces direct pushing contact with rolling contact using rollers. This mechanical substitution reduces friction and allows the contacts to follow the workpiece contour more accurately, enabling precise detection of the inscribed circle center without damaging the workpiece surface.
2Manufacturing precision
If continuous pushing is performed to settle the runout, then the centering is achieved, but the process complexity increases and requires additional pass or fail determination
Solution Approach 1:
The displacement sensor provides real-time feedback on the workpiece position and runout during rotation. This feedback mechanism allows the control system to automatically determine when centering is complete and whether the pass/fail criteria are met, eliminating the need for complex manual determination processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The centering tool with a pair of rollers automatically follows the workpiece shape and performs self-adjustment during rotation. The system self-determines the inscribed circle center and runout conditions without requiring additional complex control steps or manual intervention.
3Device complexity
If the displacement sensor is positioned away from the contacts, then the measurement is simpler, but the measurement accuracy for inscribed circle centering is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The displacement sensor is merged with the shank portion and positioned at the same height as the pair of contacts. This merging ensures that the sensor measures the actual displacement at the contact point, providing accurate inscribed circle centering data while maintaining a simple integrated structure.
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
Enables high-precision centering of circular workpieces by aligning the inscribed circle with the rotary table's center, ensuring machining allowance and allowing for accurate determination of centering success, thereby facilitating high-precision machining and manufacturing.
Implementation Method 1
a displacement sensor provided integrally with the shank portion and detecting displacement in the direction orthogonal to the axis at an intermediate position between the pair of contacts
Implementation Method 2
the pair of contacts are rollers rotating around axes parallel to the axis
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
A centering tool includes: a shank portion having a shaft portion for attachment; a rotating member rotatably supported by the shank portion and having a pair of contacts disposed apart from each other in a direction orthogonal to an axis of the shank portion; and a displacement sensor provided integrally with the shank portion and detecting displacement in the direction orthogonal to the axis of the shank portion at an intermediate position between the pair of contacts, in which a circular workpiece is centered by being pushed toward a rotation center of a rotary table while each of the pair of contacts is caused to abut against a peripheral surface of the circular workpiece disposed on the rotary table.