Rotary Guide-Bush Spindle Assembly for Slender Workpiece Support

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing spindle apparatuses for machine tools, such as lathes, require complex and large-sized driving mechanisms for driven rotary guide-bushes to support lengthy and slender workpieces, which are not cost-effective or compact.

Innovation Solution

A spindle apparatus with a driven rotary guide-bush featuring a torque transferring connection using a rotationally supported transfer shaft and driving belts, and an optional external drive motor, allows for synchronized rotation with the spindle shaft, enabling movement of the workpiece in the Z-direction while maintaining compactness and reducing complexity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a driven rotary guide-bush is used to support lengthy and slender workpieces, then the workpiece support function is improved, but the driving mechanism becomes complex and large-sized

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveworkpiece support functionVSAvoiddriving mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The rotary guide-bush utilizes the rotation of the spindle shaft and workpiece to drive its own rotation through frictional contact, eliminating the need for an independent complex driving mechanism. The guide-bush rotates passively along with the workpiece while providing support functionality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent removes the complex independent driving mechanism from the system entirely, extracting only the essential support function of the guide-bush while relying on the existing spindle rotation to provide the necessary rotational motion

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If a driven rotary guide-bush is used to support lengthy and slender workpieces, then the workpiece support function is improved, but the mechanism size increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveworkpiece support functionVSAvoidmechanism size
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the bulky independent driving mechanism, retaining only the essential guide-bush component that provides support functionality while minimizing overall mechanism volume

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The guide-bush serves itself by utilizing the existing rotational motion from the spindle and workpiece, eliminating the need for additional motors or drive systems that would increase mechanism size

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If a driven rotary guide-bush is used to support lengthy and slender workpieces, then the workpiece support function is improved, but the cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveworkpiece support functionVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The guide-bush system uses the existing rotational energy from the spindle and workpiece without requiring additional motors or complex control systems, significantly reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining support functionality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

By removing the independent driving mechanism, the patent eliminates expensive components such as motors, gears, and control systems, leaving only the simple guide-bush structure that provides the necessary support function at lower cost

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 solution provides a cost-effective, efficient, and compact mechanism for supporting lengthy and slender workpieces by synchronizing the rotation of the rotary guide-bush with the spindle shaft, allowing for Z-direction movement without the need for additional complex driving mechanisms.

Implementation Method 1

driving belts

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP3513905B1Spindle apparatus for use in machine tool, in particular a lathe, and machine tool with such spindle apparatus
Publication Date: 2023.07.26 GILDEMEISTER ITALIANA SPA
  • EP3513905B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3513905B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3513905B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to a spindle apparatus for use at a machine tool, in particular a lathe, comprising: a spindle assembly 100 including a workpiece spindle being configured to receive an elongated workpiece B and a spindle motor 120 for driving a spindle rotation of the workpiece spindle about a spindle axis of the workpiece spindle; and a rotary guide-bush assembly 200/200A being axially arranged with the workpiece spindle with respect to the spindle axis, the rotary guide-bush assembly including a rotary guide-bush configured to receive the elongated workpiece B and being supported at the rotary guide-bush assembly to rotate with the elongated workpiece B received in the workpiece spindle about the spindle axis while enabling a movement of the elongated workpiece in the direction of the spindle axis; characterized in that the rotary guide-bush assembly includes a clamping portion 210A configured to clamp the elongated workpiece, which is received in the rotary guide-bush and in the workpiece spindle, so as to transfer a driving torque applied from the spindle motor during a driven acceleration of the rotation of the workpiece spindle through the clamped elongated workpiece B for driving a rotation of the rotary guide-bush synchronized with the driven acceleration of the rotation of the workpiece spindle.