Self-Centering Bar Guide with Rotating Body for High-Speed Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current centring devices for bars in machine tools are ineffective at maintaining axial alignment at high rotation speeds, leading to surface damage, wear, and noise due to inadequate static centring action, and require complex adjustments and costly replacements for different bar diameters.
Innovation Solution
A self-centring device with a rotatable guide body and anti-friction elements, controlled by a return member and manual selector, that adapts to different bar diameters by adjusting its angular orientation to maintain axial alignment and reduce friction, allowing for easy integration with existing loading systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a static centring device is used, then the structure is simple, but the centring action is insufficient at high rotation speeds
Solution Approach 1:
The guide body is made rotatable around an axis perpendicular to the bar's longitudinal axis, transforming the static centring device into a dynamic one. This rotation allows the guide body to adapt to different bar diameters and maintain effective centring action even at high rotation speeds, resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and centring effectiveness.
2Reliability
If a guide bush is used, then the bar is guided and centred, but the device is bulky and heavy
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a bulky, heavy guide bush, the invention employs a compact guide body that rotates dynamically. This rotational mechanism provides effective guiding and centring capabilities while maintaining a lightweight and compact structure, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and weight.
3Manufacturing precision
If the angular orientation is adjusted for different bar diameters, then the centring precision is improved, but the device complexity and operator intervention are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The guide body's rotation around the transverse axis enables automatic adaptation to different bar diameters through dynamic positioning. This eliminates the need for complex adjustment mechanisms and operator intervention, while maintaining high centring precision across various bar sizes.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating guide body automatically adjusts its angular orientation based on the bar diameter through the interaction of anti-friction elements and the bar surface. This self-adjusting mechanism maintains centring precision without requiring operator intervention or complex control systems.
4Object-generated harmful factors
If a rotatable guide body with anti-friction elements is used, then the wear and noise are reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces direct mechanical contact between the guide body and bar with anti-friction elements, significantly reducing wear and noise. Although this adds some mechanical components, the overall complexity remains manageable due to the simple rotational mechanism and lack of complex control systems.
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 device provides a versatile, lightweight, and compact solution with improved mechanical reliability, reducing wear and noise while adapting to various bar diameters without the need for frequent replacements, thus enhancing the efficiency and reliability of the bar feeding process.
Implementation Method 1
anti-friction elements which define at least part of the inner surface that bounds said through opening
Data Source
AI summary
A self-centring device for supporting and guiding bars to be fed to a machine tool, including:a guide body having a through opening, supported rotatably and rotating in a controlled manner around an axis perpendicular to an advancement direction of the bars to be guided, so as to vary the angular orientation thereof around the axis; the guide body is configured to receive and maintain in position the rotating and advancing bars,a return member configured to oppose a suitable preselectable resistance to the rotation of the guide body around the axis so as to maintain a firm coupling and contact of the guide body with the advancing bar,a manual selector member configured to adjust a position and control the angular movement of the guide body. The manual selector member includes a screw arrangement cooperating with an oscillation limiting element to set an angular rest position of the guide body in function of the geometry of the bar to be received and guided to said machine tool.