Spline Drive Drill Steel Couplers for Automatic Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional roof drill bit assemblies require significant manual intervention and often have inadequate rotational driving strength due to suboptimal coupling connections, which complicates the assembly and operation of the components.
Innovation Solution
The assembly incorporates a coupler with torque transmission elements, including angled splines that automatically align with a chuck's straight recesses, ensuring strong torque transmission and reducing the need for manual alignment, thereby enhancing the rotational driving capability of the drill steel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional coupling connections are used between chuck and drill steel, then the assembly structure is simple, but the rotational driving strength is inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs curved or angled spline surfaces instead of straight mechanical connections. The angled splines create a wedge-like engagement that converts axial insertion force into radial locking force, significantly enhancing the torque transmission capability and rotational driving strength of the coupling connection between chuck and drill steel.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a specialized coupling component with spline elements as an intermediary between the chuck and drill steel. This intermediate coupling mechanism features angled splines that automatically align and engage, providing robust torque transmission while simplifying the overall assembly process through automatic positioning.
2Ease of operation
If conventional coupling connections are used, then the device structure is simple, but manual intervention is significantly required for assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-aligning angled splines in the coupling mechanism that automatically position themselves during assembly. The geometric configuration of the splines ensures that when the coupling is inserted, the components self-align without requiring manual positioning or intervention, enabling hands-free operation and simplifying the assembly process.
Solution Approach 2:
The curved spline surfaces are designed to guide automatic alignment during insertion. The angular geometry creates natural guiding surfaces that steer the coupling components into proper alignment as they engage, eliminating the need for manual alignment operations.
3Productivity
If manual alignment is required for coupling, then the coupling structure is simple, but operation efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The self-aligning spline coupling automatically positions itself during the insertion process, eliminating time-consuming manual alignment operations. This self-positioning capability directly increases drilling operation efficiency by reducing assembly time and enabling faster component changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The angled spline geometry is pre-configured to provide automatic alignment guidance during insertion. The pre-designed geometric features ensure that alignment occurs automatically as part of the insertion process itself, rather than requiring separate alignment operations before coupling.
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
This configuration allows for hands-free operation and maintains sufficient strength to drive the drill steel effectively, improving the efficiency and ease of use in drilling operations by enabling automatic alignment and robust torque transmission.
Implementation Method 1
the torque transmission elements of the coupler are automatically brought into a torque-transmitting relationship with the torque transmission elements of the first member when the coupler is engaged with the first member
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly which includes a first member with torque transmission elements, and a coupler which connects together, in a rotatably driving relationship, the first member and a second member. The coupler includes an intermediate section disposed between an axial forward end and an axial rearward end of the coupler, a forward section extending between the intermediate section and the axial forward end, and a rearward section extending between the intermediate section and the axial rearward end. The intermediate section includes torque transmission elements for engaging with the torque transmission elements of the first member, to facilitate transmission of torque from the first member to the coupler. The torque transmission elements of the coupler are automatically brought into a torque-transmitting relationship with the torque transmission elements of the first member when the coupler is engaged with the first member. Other variants and embodiments are broadly contemplated herein.