Segmented Leaf Spring Guide Bushing for Lathe Chip Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flexible guide bushes for lathes are complex to manufacture and difficult to clean due to chip penetration, especially when using accordion-like spring elements.
Innovation Solution
A flexible guide bush with axially extending, partially circular jaws and biased leaf springs, where each jaw has a shoulder bolt attaching one leaf spring to its side surface and the adjacent jaw has a receiving bore for the bolt, allowing easy assembly and disassembly without tools, and enabling efficient chip removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an accordion-like spring element is used between the jaws, then the guide bushing can maintain spring force, but the structure becomes complex and difficult to clean
Solution Approach 1:
The single accordion-like spring element is divided into multiple individual leaf springs (typically 3-5) that are arranged parallel to each other between the jaws. Each leaf spring is a simple, flat element that can be independently positioned and removed, transforming a complex monolithic structure into simpler modular components while maintaining the overall spring force function.
2Reliability
If an accordion-like spring element is used between the jaws, then the guide bushing can maintain spring force, but cleaning becomes difficult due to chip penetration
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the spring system into individual leaf springs with gaps between them, chips and debris can no longer penetrate into a complex folded structure. Instead, they remain in the open spaces between the parallel leaf springs, making cleaning straightforward by simply removing the springs or flushing the area.
Solution Approach 2:
The leaf springs are designed to be removable from the guide bushing structure. This allows the springs to be extracted for cleaning or replacement, and the open design enables chips to be easily removed from the spring area without disassembling complex folds.
3Strength
If complex spring elements are used, then clamping force can be maintained, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The complex accordion spring is segmented into multiple simple leaf springs that can be manufactured using standard spring manufacturing processes. Each leaf spring is a simple bent metal strip that is much easier to manufacture than a complex folded accordion structure, while the collective arrangement of multiple springs maintains the required clamping force.
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 design simplifies manufacturing and facilitates easy cleaning by allowing manual assembly and disassembly, while maintaining effective clamping and machining tolerance compensation for varying workpiece diameters.
Implementation Method 1
a leaf spring (12a, 12b) lying in a radial plane is fastened, which are prestressed in such a way that they increasingly move away from the side surface 14a, 14b extend away
Implementation Method 2
The shoulder bolts 18a, 18b of one side surface 14a, 14b, which engage in the receiving bore 20a, 20b in the opposite side surface 14a, 14b, prevent an axial movement of the jaws relative to one another
Implementation Method 3
which, when loaded, clamp the bar to be machined between them
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
Flexible guide bushing for guiding a bar to be machined in a lathe, comprising a plurality of identical, axially extending jaws (10) with a partial annular cross-section, which in the assembled state form a central, circular opening, the diameter of which, when the jaws (10) are not loaded, is larger than that of the bar to be machined by the lathe and which, when loaded, clamp the bar to be machined between them, and with springs (12) located between the jaws (10) and acting on their side surfaces (14), which, when not loaded, are spaced apart from one another, characterized in that on each of the two side surfaces (14a, 14b) of each of the jaws (10b, 10c) one end of a leaf spring (12a, 12b) extending axially parallel to the axis in a radial plane and pre-tensioned away from it bears against the leaf spring which is attached to the adjacent side surface (14a, 14b) of the jaw (10b, 10c) adjacent to it. (12a,12b) these overlap, with one leaf spring (12a) being fixed to one side surface (14a) of one jaw (10b) and the other leaf spring (12b) being fixed to the adjacent side surface (14b) of the other jaw (10c).