Rotating Feed Rod Safety Device for Arbitrary Position Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing safety devices for rotational feed axes in machine tools are either complex, unsuitable for compact machines, or fail to securely lock the rotational feed axis at arbitrary positions, posing safety risks during operator access and machining processes.
Innovation Solution
A safety device featuring a rotational member with circumferentially disposed openings and extendable/retractable pins that can engage with the openings for any rotational position of the rotational shaft, preventing unintentional rotation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a clamping shoe is provided to fix the rotational feed axis, then the rotational axis can be locked, but the device becomes complex and unsuitable for compact machine tools
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the essential locking function from the complex clamping shoe mechanism and implements it through simple pins that can be inserted into openings on the rotational member. This removes unnecessary structural complexity while maintaining the core locking capability, making the device suitable for compact machine tools.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses simple, inexpensive pins as the locking mechanism instead of complex, expensive clamping shoes. These pins are straightforward mechanical elements that can be easily manufactured and replaced if needed, providing reliable locking without adding device complexity.
2Reliability
If an indexing pin is used to fix the sub-pallet mount, then the mount can be fixed at indexed positions, but it cannot be fixed at arbitrary rotational positions
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the continuous rotational position into discrete selectable positions by providing multiple openings distributed around the rotational member's circumference. The pins can engage with any of these openings, allowing the rotational feed axis to be fixed at multiple predetermined positions while maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotational member with multiple openings serves multiple functions: it provides locking at various positions, indicates rotational status, and works with simple pins. This multi-functional design increases adaptability without requiring different mechanisms for different positions.
3Device complexity
If the rotational member has only a few openings, then the structure is simple, but the rotational position cannot be locked at arbitrary positions
Solution Approach 1:
The rotational member is segmented with multiple openings distributed around its circumference, creating discrete locking positions. This segmentation allows the system to achieve arbitrary position locking capability while maintaining the simplicity of a mechanical pin-and-opening structure, without requiring complex continuous positioning mechanisms.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention provides a safety device for a rotating feed rod, the safety device preventing the abnormal rotation of the rotating feed rod and being provided with: a rotating member (102, 202) which is provided in any rotating shaft (50, 80) of a power transmission mechanism of the rotating feed rod and in which a plurality of openings (102a, 202a) are formed in the circumferential direction thereof; and at least two plunger pins (104, 106: 204, 206) which are disposed apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the rotating member in a housing (54, 62) of the rotating feed rod and provided to be movable forward and backward so as to be accepted in the openings of the rotating member. Even when the rotating shaft is indexed at an arbitrarily defined rotational position, at least one plunger pin among the plunger pins is accepted in the opening.