Vibrating Drill Chuck Motion to Prevent Chip Clogging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional drilling mechanisms face issues with chip clogging and drill breakage, especially when drilling hard-to-cut materials like titanium, leading to instability and damage during the drilling process.

Innovation Solution

A tool driving device equipped with a vibrating mechanism that periodically reciprocates the drill chuck relative to the casing in the tool axis direction, using balls to create a slight amplitude of vibration (0.01 mm to 0.15 mm) to separate the drill from the workpiece, preventing chip clogging and reducing the risk of drill damage by controlling the drilling reaction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-generated harmful factors

If a conventional vibrating mechanism is used to finely cut and discharge chips, then chip clogging is prevented, but the drill suddenly pushes out toward the workpiece causing drill damage or user pushback

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechip cloggingVSAvoiddrill damage
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies mechanical vibration to the drill chuck through a vibrating mechanism that generates periodic reciprocating motion in the tool axis direction. This vibration finely cuts and discharges chips to prevent clogging, while the controlled asymmetric speed profile prevents sudden impacts that could damage the drill

Inventive Principle:
Principle #18Mechanical vibration

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the motion parameters by implementing asymmetric speeds: the drill chuck is separated from the workpiece at a first speed (smaller than cutting speed) and brought close at a second speed. This parameter change prevents sudden impacts while maintaining effective chip cutting through vibration

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If the drill is separated from the workpiece at high speed to prevent chip clogging, then drilling efficiency is improved, but the drill may collide with the workpiece causing damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrilling efficiencyVSAvoiddrill integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic reciprocating action of the drill chuck through the vibrating mechanism. The drill periodically separates and approaches the workpiece in a controlled manner, maintaining drilling efficiency while preventing collision damage through repeated low-speed separation cycles

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The vibrating mechanism generates continuous periodic vibration that maintains chip flow and drilling efficiency, while the controlled motion ensures the drill never collides with the workpiece by keeping separation speeds below cutting speeds

Inventive Principle:
Principle #18Mechanical vibration

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 device effectively prevents chip clogging and drill breakage by intermittently separating the drill from the workpiece, allowing for stable drilling and producing high-quality holes in materials like titanium and composite materials, while reducing user pushback and drill wear.

Implementation Method 1

The vibrating mechanism is configured to periodically reciprocate the drill chuck relatively to the casing in a tool axis direction during rotation of the drill chuck

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical vibration: Vibration

Implementation Method 2

a spindle can be vibrated in the rotation axis direction by putting balls, held by a retainer, in and out from concave portions rotated together with the spindle

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravitational force: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentEP4056322A1Tool driving device and method of producing drilled product
Publication Date: 2022.09.14 SUBARU CORP
  • EP4056322A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4056322A1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP4056322A1 patent drawingFigure 6~8

AI summary

According to one embodiment, a tool driving device (1) includes a drill chuck (2) , a motor (3), a casing (4) and a vibrating mechanism (8). The drill chuck (2) holds a drill (T). The motor is configured to rotate the drill chuck (2). The casing (4) houses the motor (3). The vibrating mechanism (8) is configured to periodically reciprocate the drill chuck (2) relatively to the casing (4) in a tool axis direction during rotation of the drill chuck (2). The vibrating mechanism (8) is configured to distance the drill chuck (2) from the casing (4) at a first speed smaller than a second speed for bringing the drill chuck (2) close to the casing (4).