Machine Tool Support Body Clamping for Flush Workpiece Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing machine tools, such as miter saws and chop saws, face challenges in aligning the contact surface of a movable contact body with a stationary contact surface, leading to a step that prevents workpieces from lying flat, due to non-perpendicular clamping forces and surfaces.
Innovation Solution
The clamping contact surface and support surface are angled relative to the contact surface, allowing for a predetermined longitudinal position alignment with the clamping force perpendicular to the contact surface, and the clamping device is ergonomically positioned on the movable contact body, enabling flat alignment with stationary surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the clamping contact surface is parallel to the support surface, then the clamping device structure is simple, but the contact surface of the support body cannot be aligned flush with the stationary contact surface, creating a step that prevents workpieces from lying flat
Solution Approach 1:
The clamping contact surface is oriented perpendicular to the support surface instead of parallel, changing the dimensional relationship between clamping and support functions. This allows the clamping force to act in a direction that simultaneously achieves both clamping and alignment of the contact surface with the stationary surface, eliminating the step problem while maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The orientation angle of the clamping contact surface is changed from parallel (0 degrees) to perpendicular (90 degrees) relative to the support surface. This parameter change enables the clamping force to have both a clamping component and an alignment component, allowing the movable contact surface to be precisely aligned with the stationary contact surface without creating a step.
2Manufacturing precision
If the clamping force acts perpendicular to the clamping contact surface, then the clamping mechanism is simple, but the contact surface cannot be aligned with the stationary contact surface
Solution Approach 1:
By orienting the clamping contact surface perpendicular to the support surface, the clamping force vector is reoriented to simultaneously achieve alignment in the longitudinal direction. This dimensional change allows a single perpendicular clamping force to accomplish both clamping and alignment functions without complicating the operation mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamping mechanism performs dual functions: it clamps the workpiece and simultaneously aligns the movable contact surface with the stationary contact surface. The workpiece itself, through its positioning against the clamping surfaces, facilitates the alignment process, reducing the need for additional alignment mechanisms or operations.
3Ease of operation
If the support body is made removable for ergonomic access, then the ease of operation is improved, but the alignment precision between movable and stationary surfaces may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The support body is segmented into a removable movable support body and a fixed holder with stationary contact surface. The movable support body can be removed for ergonomic access to the clamping device, while the stationary contact surface remains fixed to ensure alignment reference. This segmentation allows both ease of operation and alignment precision to coexist.
Solution Approach 2:
The clamping contact surface oriented perpendicular to the support surface acts as an intermediary that maintains alignment relationship between the movable and stationary components. Even when the movable support body is removed, the geometric relationship established by the perpendicular clamping surfaces ensures that reinstallation maintains precise alignment with the stationary contact surface.
Data Source
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Figure 3
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AI summary
A machine tool (10), in particular a semi-stationary or mobile machine tool, for machining workpieces (W) using a tool (14), has a machine base (20) for placement on a surface, on which a drive assembly (11) with a drive motor (12) and a tool holder for the tool, driven by the drive motor (12), and a holder (200) for a support body (44) are arranged, wherein the machine base (20) provides a support surface (15) and the support body (44) provides a support surface (16) at an angle to the support surface (15) for the workpiece, so that the workpiece can be placed against the support surface (16) for machining using the tool while lying on the support surface (15), wherein the support body has a clamping device (230) for clamping with the holder.which has a manually operable operating element (241) and a clamping element (231) that can be actuated by the operating element (241) between a clamping position (CS) and a release position (LS), which in the clamping position (CS) clamps a clamping support surface (223) of the system body against a clamping contact surface (208) of the holder with a clamping force (P2) and releases it in the release position (LS), so that the system body is clamped relative to the holder in the clamping position (CS) and movable in the release position (LS). The clamping contact surface (208) has at least one clamping contact area (217) extending next to the contact surface transversely to the support surface, against which the clamping support surface (223) is clamped in the clamping position (CS) with a force component of the clamping force perpendicular to the contact surface (16).