Tool Holder Drive Component for Summation and Individual Drives

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing tool holders are designed either for total drive or individual drive systems, limiting their versatility and requiring separate tool holders for different drive configurations in machine tools.

Innovation Solution

The tool holder incorporates a drive component with teeth for a summation drive and a second drive element that can operate as a single drive, allowing the same tool holder to be used in both total and individual drive systems, with features like radial extent optimization and coaxial drive capabilities to ensure compatibility and ease of assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a second drive element is added to the drive component, then the tool holder becomes compatible with individual drive systems, but the radial extent increases causing potential collisions during assembly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompatibility with individual drive systemVSAvoidradial extent of drive component
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The second drive element is positioned within the radial space already occupied by the first drive element's toothing structure. Specifically, the second drive element is arranged on the side of the first drive element facing away from the tool holder housing, with its radial extent corresponding at most to the radial extent of the toothing, effectively nesting it within the existing radial envelope.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of increasing the radial extent of the drive component, the second drive element is positioned axially on the side of the first drive element facing away from the housing. This utilizes the axial dimension rather than the radial dimension, avoiding collisions during assembly while maintaining compatibility with individual drive systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If the second drive element is arranged coaxially to the tool drive axis, then high torques can be used without over-stressing the bearing, but the drive component becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebearing load capacityVSAvoiddrive component structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The second drive element is merged with the first drive element in such a way that they share the same rotational axis (tool drive axis). The second drive element is arranged on the side of the first drive element, and both elements are integrated into a single drive component structure that rotates together, reducing overall complexity while enabling coaxial high-torque transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3456471A1Tool holder and processing group provided with such a tool holder
Publication Date: 2019.03.20 INDEX WERKE GMBH & CO KG HAHN & TESSKY
  • EP3456471A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3456471A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3456471A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

To improve a tool holder for a tool carrier of a machine tool, comprising a tool holder housing which includes a holding section with which the tool holder can be fixed in a tool holder receptacle of the tool carrier, a tool spindle rotatable in the tool holder housing about a tool spindle axis, which has a tool receptacle at one end and is directly or indirectly coupled to a drive section which is rotatably mounted about a tool drive axis in the tool holder housing and is provided with a drive component that can be coupled to a drive for the tool holder provided in the tool carrier, in such a way that it can be used both in a tool carrier with a sum drive and in a tool carrier with an individual drive, it is proposed thatthat the drive component, as the first drive element, has a toothed section designed for engagement with a drive wheel of a sum drive, and that the drive component, as the second drive element, has a second drive element arranged on a side of the first drive element facing away from the tool holder housing, for drive by a single drive.