Sealed Collet Jaw Gaps to Block Chips and Preserve Clamping Force
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Solution Overview
Problem
Collets used in machining processes, especially in longitudinal turning machines, face issues with chip accumulation in gaps and contact surfaces, leading to functional restrictions, wear, and reduced clamping forces due to chip entry into the gaps between clamping jaws.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a resilient seal into the gaps between clamping jaws, utilizing existing recesses for spring placement, which can accommodate or replace the spring, ensuring the seal's fastening portion is designed as a hollow cylinder or resilient cylinder to prevent chip entry and maintain spring functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a seal is introduced into the gap between clamping jaws to prevent chip entry, then chip accumulation is reduced and clamping force is maintained, but the device complexity increases due to additional seal components and installation requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The seal is inserted into the recess that already exists in the clamping jaw for receiving the spring. The fastening portion of the seal is designed as a hollow cylinder that accommodates the spring, allowing the spring to be nested within the seal structure. This nesting approach integrates the seal into the existing recess without requiring additional space or modifying the overall structure of the clamping jaw, thus preventing chip accumulation while minimizing increases in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The recess in the clamping jaw serves multiple functions: it originally receives the spring for resilient loading, and now also accommodates the seal for gap sealing. The fastening portion of the seal, designed as a hollow cylinder, simultaneously provides structural support for the spring and creates a sealing barrier against chip entry. This multi-functionality allows the same structural feature to address both spring mounting and chip prevention, reducing the need for additional components.
2Reliability
If the seal accommodates the spring in a hollow cylinder structure, then spring functionality is maintained and chip entry is prevented, but the manufacturing complexity increases due to the integrated seal-spring structure
Solution Approach 1:
The spring is nested within the hollow cylinder fastening portion of the seal. This nesting structure allows the spring to maintain its original functionality for resilient loading of the clamping jaws while the outer seal structure provides chip protection. The spring can be inserted into the hollow cylinder and retained by the recess structure, preserving the original spring mechanism while adding sealing capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal is made of resilient material that can deform elastically. This flexibility allows the seal to accommodate the spring within its hollow cylinder structure while maintaining its sealing function. The resilient nature of the seal material enables it to adapt to the spring's presence and movements without compromising the sealing barrier against chip entry, simplifying the integration process.
3Ease of repair
If existing springs are simply inserted into the fastening portion of the seal, then retrofitting is simplified and spring function is preserved, but the seal may not provide adequate sealing if the fastening portion is not properly designed
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening portion of the seal is designed as a hollow cylinder that precisely accommodates the spring. This nested structure allows existing springs to be simply inserted into the fastening portion during retrofitting, preserving the original spring function. The hollow cylinder design ensures that the spring is properly positioned and retained while the outer seal structure maintains effective sealing against chip entry into the gap between clamping jaws.
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 effectively prevents chip entry, maintains spring functionality, and enhances clamping forces by sealing the gaps between clamping jaws, thereby improving the collet's performance and reducing wear during machining processes.
Implementation Method 1
a seal sealing the gap between two side faces of adjacent clamping jaws
Implementation Method 2
The seal is in particular made of a resilient material
Implementation Method 3
a spring inserted into a recess which resiliently loads the adjacent clamping jaws with respect to one another
Data Source
AI summary
A collet includes a plurality of clamping jaws movable relative to one another, at least one recess provided in one of mutually facing side faces of adjacent clamping jaws, and a spring inserted into each recess and supporting the adjacent clamping jaws resiliently relative to one another, and a seal sealing the gap between two side faces of adjacent clamping jaws, with the said seal having a fastening portion engaging in the at least one recess.