Vacuum Sheet Straightening Plate With Load-Isolating Seal Support
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Manual straightening devices for automobile body repair suffer from quick seal wear and difficulty in replacing seals, requiring harmful tools and chemicals, leading to unsatisfactory operation and reduced lifespan.
Innovation Solution
A pulling device with a plate featuring elastic support zones at its corners to absorb forces, reducing seal stress and incorporating a groove for easy seal installation and removal without tools or chemicals, using EPDM material for optimal sealing and longevity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the seal is glued to the periphery of the plate, then the seal can be fixed in position, but the seal wears out quickly and its position is not held satisfactorily due to shearing forces during pulling
Solution Approach 1:
The plate is divided into functional zones: a sealing zone where the seal contacts the ground, and support zones (feet) that bear the pulling forces. This segmentation prevents shearing forces from acting on the seal, resolving the contradiction between position stability and service life.
Solution Approach 2:
The support function is extracted from the seal and transferred to dedicated support zones (feet) made of adhesive material. This allows the seal to focus solely on sealing without bearing mechanical loads, extending its service life while maintaining position stability.
2Reliability
If the seal is glued to the plate, then the seal can be fixed, but replacing the gasket requires harmful chemicals and tools to remove glue and residues
Solution Approach 1:
The support zones use removable adhesive material that can be easily replaced without harsh chemicals. While the seal itself has long service life, the adhesive material is designed to be replaceable and environmentally friendly, making maintenance easier and safer.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive material's bonding strength is optimized to provide sufficient fixation during use but allow easy removal during maintenance. This parameter optimization enables reliable seal fixation while facilitating simple replacement without harmful chemicals or tools.
3Manufacturing precision
If the plate is completely free of residues for effective bonding, then good bonding and sealing are ensured, but the operation of replacing a joint becomes relatively difficult and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive material is designed as a disposable or easily replaceable component that eliminates the need for thorough cleaning and residue removal. Replacement becomes a simple matter of removing the old adhesive and applying new material, dramatically reducing replacement time while maintaining bonding quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The adhesive material is pre-applied to the plate in controlled conditions, ensuring optimal bonding properties before installation. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for complex on-site bonding procedures and residue removal, reducing replacement time while maintaining high bonding quality.
4Strength
If the seal absorbs forces during pulling, then the seal can maintain contact with the ground, but the seal deforms and detaches leading to unsatisfactory operation
Solution Approach 1:
The plate is segmented into a sealing zone and support zones. The support zones bear all pulling forces while the sealing zone maintains only light contact with the ground for sealing purposes. This segmentation preserves seal integrity while ensuring adequate contact force through the support zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The force-bearing function is extracted from the seal and assigned to dedicated support zones made of adhesive material. This allows the seal to maintain its integrity while the support zones provide the necessary contact force and absorb pulling forces without deforming the seal.
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
The solution extends seal lifespan, allows greater traction forces, and simplifies maintenance by protecting the seal from mechanical stress and enabling tool-free replacement, enhancing operational stability and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
vacuum generation means, in fluid communication with the enclosed space at an orifice of said plate, controlled and configured to generate a depression in said enclosed space so as to fix said plate to said support surface
Implementation Method 2
elastic sealing means extending on the periphery of a second surface, called the lower surface, of said plate, said elastic sealing means being configured, when using said device to be arranged between the plate and the support surface to form an enclosed space
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a drawing device (1) intended to carry at least one drawing tool adapted for straightening sheets, said device (1) comprising: - a plate (10), adapted to be removably fixed to a support surface (3), - a drawing column (2) configured to carry said drawing tool, said drawing column being integral with a first surface (11), referred to as the upper surface, of said plate (10), - elastic sealing means (4) extending over the periphery of a second surface (12), referred to as the lower surface, of said plate (10), said elastic sealing means (4) being configured, when using said device (1), to be arranged between the plate (10) and the support surface (3) to form an enclosed space (5), and - vacuum generation means, in fluidic communication with the enclosed space (5) at an orifice (13) of said plate (10),controlled and configured to generate a depression in said enclosed space (5) so as to fix said plate (10) to said support surface (3). According to this disclosure, said plate (10) further comprises, on its second surface (12), at least one bearing area (6) bringing said plate (10) into contact with said support surface (3).