Self-Centering Clamping Device for Variable Key Thickness
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing key duplicating machines require frequent adjustments and replacements of clamping devices due to differences in key thickness, leading to increased downtime and inefficiency in a competitive environment, as each device is specific to a particular thickness and lacks a simple, automatic method for safe and predetermined key positioning across three axes.
Innovation Solution
A clamping device with jaws that move along three Cartesian axes (X, Y, Z) using a rotating shaft and screw/thread engagement, combined with a bridge and elastic means, allows for the automatic positioning of keys by rotating the shaft, enabling secure locking with minimal operations, and features a self-centering design to accommodate keys of varying thicknesses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a clamping device is designed with a specific gauged opening for a particular key thickness, then the key positioning precision is improved, but the adaptability to different key thicknesses deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping device incorporates movable jaws that can adjust their position dynamically. The jaws are guided to move along predetermined paths, allowing the opening between them to adapt to different key thicknesses while maintaining precise positioning through the constraint of the guiding mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamping device is designed with a universal gauged opening structure that can accommodate multiple key thicknesses. Instead of having separate fixed openings for each thickness, a single adjustable opening mechanism serves multiple functions, allowing the same device to precisely clamp keys of varying thicknesses.
2Manufacturing precision
If the clamping device is adjusted for different key thicknesses by removing and mounting new devices, then the positioning accuracy for each key type is improved, but the productivity deteriorates due to increased downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The device transforms from a static, fixed-opening design to a dynamic, adjustable-opening design. The jaws can move along guided paths to adapt to different key thicknesses, eliminating the need to remove and replace the entire clamping device when changing key types, thus maintaining both precision and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The guiding mechanism pre-establishes the movement paths for the jaws, so that when a key of different thickness is inserted, the jaws automatically follow the predetermined paths to achieve correct positioning without requiring manual adjustment or device replacement.
3Ease of operation
If a simple automatic positioning method is implemented, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device uses guided movable jaws that automatically adapt to different key thicknesses through constrained motion. This dynamic adjustment mechanism provides automatic positioning functionality while keeping the structural complexity manageable through the use of guiding constraints rather than complex active 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
Enables the secure, automatic positioning of keys in a single operation, reducing downtime and operational complexity by allowing the clamping device to adapt to different key thicknesses without manual adjustments, ensuring precise alignment with the machine's reference line, thus enhancing productivity and ease of use.
Implementation Method 1
a rotating shaft (10) engaged, through screw/thread engagement means (11, 12), with both respective said jaws
Implementation Method 2
said bridge element is pushed by elastic means against said key along a direction parallel to said second axis (Y)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 1A
Figure 2~2A
AI summary
Clamping device for a machine duplicating keys, with a body (1) lodging two jaws (2,3) apt to transversely tighten a key (4,4A), wherein said two jaws (2,3) can be approached and/or spaced by the activation of only one operation means (10,15), and a bridge (20) is arranged apt to tighten the key (4) against said body (1) through a movement (Y) orthogonal to the reciprocal motion (X) of said jaws (2,3); these ones are provided with respective inclined planes with a symmetrical inclination, and said bridge is provided with two inclined planes (20A,20B) each having the same inclination of a respective of the inclined planes (2A,3A) of said two jaws. Elastic means (35,36) are arranged which are able of pushing said bridge (20) against said two jaws (2,3) along a direction (Y) orthogonal to the direction (Y) of reciprocal tightening of the two jaws (2,3), and the bridge (20) is provided in its outer portion with a relief (23) capable of tightening the key against said body.