Transparent Bellows Protective Cover for Machine Tools
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Solution Overview
Problem
Protective covers for machine elements often obstruct natural lighting, necessitating additional lighting in work areas, especially when used in applications where visibility is crucial, such as machine tools, due to the shielding effect of support frames and bellows sections, even when made of translucent materials.
Innovation Solution
The protective cover features transparent and/or translucent bellows sections and support frames, allowing partial light penetration, especially at oblique angles, and uses flexible, partially or fully transparent materials like plastic films or extruded sections with different materials for optimal light transmission and flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If protective covers with support frames and bellows sections are used to cover machine elements, then mechanical protection is provided, but lighting conditions in the work area deteriorate due to shielding of natural and hall lighting
Solution Approach 1:
The bellows sections are made transparent or translucent in the light-transmitting areas while maintaining structural integrity, allowing light to pass through specific regions. The support frames are designed with transparent sections where light transmission is needed, while other parts can remain opaque for structural support. This local differentiation of material properties resolves the contradiction between protection and lighting.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective cover combines transparent or translucent materials (such as transparent plastics or glass) with opaque structural elements. The bellows sections use transparent materials to allow light transmission, while the support frames combine transparent sections for light passage with opaque sections for mechanical strength. This composite approach enables simultaneous achievement of mechanical protection and improved lighting conditions.
2Illumination intensity
If side walls are designed to be sufficiently high to allow top covers to be dispensed with, then lighting conditions improve, but device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cover with transparent bellows sections and support frames serves multiple functions: it provides mechanical protection for machine elements, maintains safety enclosures, and simultaneously allows light transmission to improve work area illumination. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for alternative high-side-wall designs, reducing overall device complexity while achieving both protection and lighting goals.
3Illumination intensity
If fluorescent tubes are attached behind the protective cover, then lighting conditions improve, but additional energy consumption and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The bellows sections and support frames are made transparent or translucent, changing the optical properties of the protective cover from opaque to light-transmitting. This material property change allows natural and hall lighting to pass through the protective cover into the work area, eliminating or reducing the need for additional fluorescent lighting and associated energy consumption.
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 design enhances lighting conditions within the work area, potentially eliminating the need for additional lighting and allowing the use of protective covers in situations where they were previously avoided due to lighting concerns, while maintaining structural flexibility and visibility.
Implementation Method 1
The bellows sections are made transparent and/or translucent at least in certain areas, so that light can penetrate at least partially through the bellows sections
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention relates to a protective cover (01, 11), in particular for covering machine elements or the like, with a plurality of mutually movable support frames (02) and with bellows sections (03, 13) arranged between and attached to two support frames (02), which together form a bellows or a bellows-like cover, wherein the bellows sections (03, 13) and the support frames (02) are at least partially transparent and/or translucent.