Sliding Coolant Tank Mounting for Faster Internal Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional coolant supply devices require regular maintenance to clean the coolant tank, which involves stopping the machine tool and removing the supply pump and wires, leading to decreased availability due to the inability to completely prevent deposition of chips and sludge within the tank.
Innovation Solution
A coolant supply device with a slidable mounting member and detachable lid body that allows for cleaning of the coolant tank without removing the supply pump or wires, enabling the tank to be cleaned through a non-covered upper opening, thus reducing maintenance time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the supply pump and wires are removed to clean the coolant tank, then the tank can be completely cleaned, but the maintenance time increases and availability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting member is divided into a pump mounting portion and a wire mounting portion that can be independently removed. This segmentation allows the pump to remain installed while only the wire mounting portion is removed for cleaning access, enabling complete tank cleaning without removing the pump itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting member is designed with movable and removable components rather than fixed rigid connections. The wire mounting portion can be selectively removed to provide cleaning access, while the pump mounting portion remains fixed to maintain pump installation. This dynamic design enables flexible maintenance access without complete disassembly.
2Ease of operation
If the supply pump is removed to access the coolant tank, then cleaning can be performed, but the complexity of the maintenance operation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting member is segmented into distinct functional portions: a pump mounting portion that remains fixed and a wire mounting portion that can be independently removed. This segmentation simplifies maintenance operations by allowing direct access to the coolant tank through removal of only the wire mounting portion, without requiring pump removal or complex disassembly procedures.
3Device complexity
If the mounting member is made fixed to simplify structure, then device complexity is reduced, but cleaning access to the coolant tank becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting member is segmented into a fixed pump mounting portion and a removable wire mounting portion. This segmentation maintains structural simplicity for pump installation while enabling easy cleaning access by removing only the wire mounting portion, without requiring complex movable mechanisms or complete disassembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting member transitions from a completely fixed structure to a partially dynamic structure where the wire mounting portion can be selectively removed. This provides cleaning access while maintaining the fixed pump mounting portion, achieving a balance between structural simplicity and operational flexibility.
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 inside of the coolant tank to be cleaned in a shorter time without stopping the machine tool, improving its availability by allowing for maintenance without removing the supply pump or accompanying wires.
Implementation Method 1
a supply pump mounted to the mounting member and configured to pump up the coolant stored in the coolant tank and supply the pumped-up coolant to the machine tool
Implementation Method 2
the coolant supplied to the machine tool by the supply pump is returned to the coolant tank through a predetermined flow path
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is a coolant supply device which enables the inside of a coolant tank to be cleaned without removing a supply pump, accompanying wires, and the like. A coolant supply device 1 includes a coolant tank 2 storing coolant therein, a mounting member 14 covering a part of an upper opening of the coolant tank 2, and supply pumps 32, 33, 34 mounted to the mounting member 14 and configured to pump up coolant C from the coolant tank 2 and supply the pumped-up coolant C to predetermined destinations. The coolant supply device 1 is configured such that the coolant C supplied to the predetermined destinations by the supply pumps 33, 34 is returned to the coolant tank 2. The mounting member 14 is supported by support members 16, 17, 18 such that it is slidable to a non-covered side of the upper opening of the coolant tank 2.