Tool Magazine Segmentation for Compact Tool Storage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing tool magazines are complex and inefficient in accommodating both short and long tools, leading to increased thickness and safety concerns during manual handling, as they require additional mechanisms to manage varying tool lengths and orientations.

Innovation Solution

A tool magazine design with separate accommodating portions for short and long tools, where short tools are held in parallel and long tools are held perpendicular to the central axis, using V-shaped grooves and top-shaped members for secure engagement, and a conveying device that moves tools in three axes to facilitate easy and safe attachment and detachment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a single plate structure is used to accommodate both short and long tools, then the structure is simple, but the thickness in the Z-axis direction becomes more than twice as much as the longest tool

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidthickness of tool magazine

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The tool magazine is divided into two separate accommodating portions: a first tool accommodating portion for short tools and a second tool accommodating portion for long tools. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized independently, with the second portion arranged at the rear of the first portion to accommodate long tools without increasing the overall Z-axis thickness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The second tool accommodating portion is arranged on a face different from the face of the first tool accommodating portion, specifically at the rear of the first portion. This spatial arrangement in another dimension allows long tools to be accommodated without increasing the thickness in the Z-axis direction, as the long tools are held perpendicular to the central axis.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Adaptability or versatility

If long tools are accommodated in a single plane with short tools, then the accommodating space thickness must agree with the length of long tools, but this increases the overall thickness to more than twice the longest tool length

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccommodation of various tool lengthsVSAvoidthickness of tool magazine

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different accommodating portions are provided with different structural characteristics suited to their specific function. The first portion has holes arranged in procession for short tools, while the second portion has a structure that holds long tools perpendicular to the central axis, with cutout portions for the flange portions of long tools. This local optimization allows versatile accommodation without increasing overall thickness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Productivity

If manual handling of long tools arranged in procession is performed, then the working efficiency deteriorates, but safety also becomes deteriorated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveworking efficiencyVSAvoidsafety

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of arranging long tools in procession parallel to the central axis (the conventional approach), the second tool accommodating portion holds long tools with their central axes perpendicular to the central axis of the tool magazine. This inverted arrangement allows easier and safer manual handling, as workers can access and manipulate long tools from the side rather than dealing with them in a crowded linear arrangement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

4Ease of operation

If a driving mechanism is provided to move plates up and down for tool conveyance, then tools can be conveyed between plates, but the constitution becomes complicated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetool conveyance capabilityVSAvoiddriving mechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The complex driving mechanism for moving plates up and down is extracted and replaced with a simpler structure. Instead of using a driving mechanism to move entire plates, the patent uses a tool conveying mechanism that moves only the tool holder along the central axis, while the tool accommodating portions remain stationary. This extraction of the unnecessary movement function simplifies the overall constitution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

A tool conveying mechanism is introduced as an intermediary between the tool accommodating portions and the tool changing position. This intermediary mechanism handles only the tool holder and tool, moving them along the central axis without requiring the entire plate structure to move. This mediator approach simplifies the system by separating the tool conveyance function from the plate structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2251138B1Tool magazine

Publication Date: 2014.05.07 MAKINO MILLING MASCH CO LTD

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AI summary

A tool magazine (11) for accommodating a plurality of tools (T) comprising a first tool housing portion (17) and second tool housing portions (19, 21, 23) in which a plate-like member having a plurality of tool receiving holes (17a, 17b) and tool receiving recesses (19b, 21b, 23b) formed thereto and each of the tool receiving holes and the tool receiving recesses has at least three supporting members having a convex portion which engages with a v-shape trench of a tool, and a tool transporting means (25) so disposed to face a back surface of the first and second tool housing portions for transporting the tool to/from the first and second tool housing portions from/to a tool exchange position (P), wherein the second tool housing portions are disposed rearwardly offset with respect to the first tool housing portion.