Operator-friendly Dead-length Quick-set Workholding Collet & Chuck Docking Station

Abstract

A n operator-friendly dead-length workholding collet and chuck docking station comprises a core body, a collet and chuck, or plurality of collets and chucks, a quick-set. failsafe actuation mechanism, a coolant bleed channel or plurality of coolant bleed channels, and workholding coordinate system axes markers. The docking station contains pro visions for vertical or horizontal mounting in milling machines or machine centers and accepts standard and emergency collets wherein workpieces may be inserted, held in place, and machined.

Claims

1. An assembly comprising elements that conventional workholders comprise, including a chuck body, a slidable chuck, a stationary collet, an eccentrically-cammed key, an operator handle, and securing set screws; improved for operator-friendly usage, wherein those improvements comprise: a) A coolant bleed channel; b) X and Y axis machining center workspace registration markers; c) A failsafe mechanism that does not need force amplification to release it from the failsafe state and which can be poka yoked to indicate the failsafe status; d) A coolant bleed channel and X and Y axis machining center workspace registration markers; e) A coolant bleed channel and a failsafe mechanism that docs not need force amplification to release it front the failsafe state and which can be poka yoked to indicate the failsafe status; and f) X and Y axis machining center workspace registration markers and a failsafe mechanism that does not need force amplification to release it from the failsafe state and which can be poka yoked to indicate the failsafe status; and g) A coolant bleed channel. X and Y axis machining center workspace registration markers, and a failsafe mechanism that does not need force amplification to release it from the failsafe state and which can be poka yoked to indicate the failsafe status.

2. An assembly comprising elements that conventional workholders comprise, including a chuck body, a plurality of slidable chucks, a plurality of stationary collets, a plurality of eccentrically-cammed keys, a plurality of operator handles, and a plurality of securing set screws, improved for operator-friendly usage, wherein those improvements comprise: a) A plurality of coolant bleed channels; b) X and Y axis machining center workspace registration markers; c) A failsafe mechanism that docs not need force amplification to release it from the failsafe state and which can be poka yoked to indicate the failsafe status; d) A plurality of coolant bleed channels and X and Y axis machining center workspace registration markers; e) A plurality of coolant bleed channels and a failsafe mechanism that does not need force amplification to release it front the failsafe state and which can be poka yoked to indicate the failsafe status; f) X and Y axis machining center workspace registration markers and a failsafe mechanism that does not need force amplification to release it from the failsafe state and which can be poka yoked to indicate the failsafe status; and g) A plurality of coolant bleed channels, X and Y axis machining center workspace registration markers, and a failsafe mechanism that does not need force amplification to release it from the failsafe state and which can be poka yoked to indicate the failsafe status.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS Or THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] In the drawings, closely related figures have the same number but different alphabetic suffixes.

[0018] FIGS. 1A and 1B are isometric and conventional views, respectively, of a workholder assembly comprising a stationary chuck body 1 and a collet 2 that is slidably movable, relative to said chuck body 1, along common axis 3. The work holder also comprises an operator lever 7, integrated into said assembly in such a manner that rotation of said lever 7 about said axis 3 causes the slidable movement of said collet 2, along axis 3. FIG. 1B, Section AA depicts a workpiece 4, clamped within collet 2, whereby work-engaging surface 5, depicted in FIG. 1A, is in contact with workpiece clamp surface 6, depicted in FIG. 1B.

[0019] FIGS. 2A and 2B are isometric and conventional views, respectively, of a workholder assembly comprising a chuck body 1 that is slidably movable, relative to a stationary collet 2, along common axis 3. The workholder comprises an actuation mechanism whereby a manually operated wrench 8 engaged in an eccentric key 9, drives a ring 10 and annular member 11 that co-operationally effect actuation of the workholder to constrict collet leaves 12, thereby clamping and holding a workpiece in place.

[0020] FIG. 3 depicts an isometric view of a portable pallet 13 onto which have been mounted a plurality of workholders 14, each of which has been loaded with a unique type of collet; namely: an emergency step collet 15, a standard 5C collet 16, and an inside diameter collet 17.

[0021] FIG. 4A illustrates top, side, and isometric views of a preferred embodiment of a 5-port state-of-the-art collet and chuck docking station. FIGS. 4B and 4C illustrate cross-sectional views of the docking station. The docking station comprises a station body 18; a plurality of cylindrically-shaped chuck 1 and collet 2 sets, paired along common axis 3; a plurality of cammed key 9 and operator handle 19 sets, paired along common axis 20; a plurality of failsafe locking provision 21 and failsafe pin 22 sets, paired along common axis 23; a plurality of coolant bleed channels 24; a plurality of station-body ports 25; and workspace X-coordinate marker 26 and Y-coordinate marker 27; plus, mounting bolt holes 28; pluralities of set screws 29 and 30; and pluralities of fastener 31.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION—FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C—PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0022] A preferred embodiment of a state-of-the-art collet and chuck docking station featuring integration of the elements of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 4A (assembly) and 4B & 4C (cross-sectional views). The major components the docking station comprises include a station body 18 and a plurality of cylindrically-shaped chuck 1 and collet 2 sets, paired along common axis 3. In the preferred embodiment, each collet 2 rests within one chuck 1, along common axis 3, whereby a conically-shaped inner surface 32 extending out from the inner diameter of each said chuck 1 is adjacent to a co-operationally conically-shaped outer surface 33 extending out from the outer diameter of each said collet 2. Additionally, each said chuck 1 rests within one station-body port 25, along common axis 3, whereby a cylindrically-shaped smooth outer surface 34 and threaded outer surface 35 along the outer diameter of each said collet 2 are adjacent to a co-operationally cylindrically-shaped smooth inner surface 36 and threaded inner surface 37, respectively, along the inner diameter of each said port 25.

[0023] The preferred embodiment of a state-of-the-art docking station also comprises a plurality of cammed key 9 and operator handle 19 sets, paired along common axis 20; a plurality of failsafe locking provision 21 and failsafe pin 22 sets, paired along common axis 23; a plurality of coolant bleed channels 24; a plurality of station-body ports 25; and workspace X-coordinate marker 26 and Y-coordinate marker 27; plus, mounting bolt holes 28; pluralities of set screws 29 and 30; and pluralities of fastener 31. Each cammed key 9 rests within one member of a plurality of key bores 38, along common axis 20, such that a cylindrically-shaped outer surface 39 along the outer diameter of said cammed key 9 is adjacent to a go-operationally cylindrically-shaped inner surface 40 along the inner diameter of said key bore 38. Additionally, each member of a plurality of operator handles 19 rests over a unique cammed key 9, along common axis 20, such that the toothed inner surface 41 along the inner diameter of said operator handle 19 is adjacent to a co-operationally-toothed outer surface 42 along the outer diameter of said cammed key 9, Each said operator handle 19 and cammed key 9 is held together with fastener 31, whereby threaded outer surface 43 along an outer diameter of said fastener 31 is adjacent and engaged to a co-operationally-threaded inner surface 44 along an inner diameter of cammed key 9.

[0024] Chuck 1 and collet 2 are simultaneously secured against rotation along common axis 3 via set screw 29, wherein threaded outer surface 45 along the outer diameter of said set screw 29 is adjacent to a co-operationally-threaded inner surface 46 along the inside diameter of bore 47. Flat surface 48 of set screw 29 rests adjacent to edge 49 of vertical collet slot 50 of width slightly greater than the outer diameter of said threaded outer surface 45. A cylindrically-shaped tip 51 at the end of set screw 29 with outer diameter of size less than the outer diameter of said outer surface 45 rests within a vertically-oriented chuck slot 52 of width slightly greater than the outer diameter of said tip 51. The widths of said vertical collet slot 50 and vertical chuck slot 52 are centered around set screw axis 53.

[0025] Cammed key 9 is secured against movement along axis 20 via set screw 30. Said set screw 30 rests within bore 54 and has a threaded outer surface 55 along the outer diameter of said set screw 30 which is adjacent to a co-operationally-threaded inner surface 56 along the inside diameter of said bore 54. A cylindrically-shaped tip 67 at the end of said set screw 30 with outer diameter of size slightly less than the axial width-, and length slightly greater than the radial depth of circumferential key channel 68 co-operationally engages with said key channel 68. Each said set screw 30 thereby locates surface 57 of said cammed key 9 relative to outer surface 32 of station body 18 and secures it against movement along said common axis 20.

[0026] Each cammed key 9, however, is generally free to rotate about its axis 20. It comprises a cylindrically-shaped tip 58, along axis 63, whereby said axis 63 is offset from said axis 20, such that said tip 58 is eccentrically oriented, relative to said cammed key 9. Said lip 58 is located at the end of the cylindrically-shaped outer surface 39, opposite surface 57 of said cammed key 9. Said tip 58 rests within horizontal slot 59 of collet 2, bounded by two horizontal slot surfaces 60. The vertical distance between said horizontal slot surfaces 60 is slightly greater than the outer diameter of said lip 58. Each cammed key 9 also contains a cylindrically-shaped hole 61 along axis 62 simultaneously orthogonal to and intersecting said axis 63 of said tip 58 and axis 20 of said cammed key 9, and extending to a depth just above said axis 20.

[0027] In every case, when an outer surface on an outer diameter of one of the components that the docking station comprises rests adjacently to the inner surface on an inner diameter of another comprised component, the outer surface of the first component is always configured so that the diameter is slightly less than the diameter of the inner surface of the adjacent component. Thus, for example, when collet 2 is fitted into chuck 1, configured as shown in FIG. 4C, said chuck 1 may move slidably and freely, relative to said collet 2, along common axis 3.

[0028] From FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C, it can be seen that each set screw 29, in combination with the engagement between threaded outer surface 35 of collet 2 and threaded inner surface 37 of station-body port 25, prevents angular or linear displacement of said collet 2, about or along axis 3, thereby enabling a true-length operational feature of the docking station. It can also be seen that rotation of cammed key 9 about axis 20, to a position such that hole 61 is adjacent to failsafe locking provision 21, and axis 62 of said hole 61 is coincident with axis 23 of said failsafe locking provision 21 enables two operational objectives of the docking station: 1) chuck 1 may be moved slidably up along said axis 3, away from the bottom surface 64 of the docking station, resulting in radial compression of collet leaves 12 and a clamped workpiece, and 2) insertion of failsafe pin 22—with outer surface 65 along the outer diameter of said failsafe pin 22 adjacent to inner surface 66 along the inner diameter of said hole 61—into hole 61, thereby effecting the failsafe operational feature. Furthermore, said failsafe pin 22 can only engage said hole 61 when surface 69 at the end of said pin 22 is parallel to surface 32 of station body 18, thereby providing a poka yoked, visual verification element to the failsafe operational feature of the docking station.

Advantages

[0029] From the description above, a number of advantages of the chuck and collet docking station with dead length workholding configuration, coolant bleed channels, machine center mounting provisions and X and Y coordinate markers, and poka yoked failsafe provisions become evident: [0030] 1) A plurality of to-be-machined workpieces, regardless of the variation in the diameter of each piece, can each be serially loaded to rest in the same axial position of a specific workholder, enabling a number of machining center operational process and handling benefits— [0031] a. No need to measure and record the unique diameters of a plurality of like components that are to be serially loaded into and machined on a common workholder; [0032] b. No need to calculate unique machine offsets corresponding to unique diameters of a plurality of like components that are to be serially loaded into and machined on a common workholder; [0033] c. No need to set on machining centers unique machine offsets required to compensate for the part-to-part variability observed in the unique diameters of a plurality of like components that are to be serially loaded into and machined on a common workholder; and [0034] d. No need to reset to default values the unique machining center offsets that were set while machining a plurality of like components that will have been serially loaded into and machined on a common workholder. [0035] 2) A plurality of emergency collets utilized in said docking station may be machined such that a plurality of to-be-machined like workpieces, regardless of the variation in the diameter of each piece, can each be loaded to rest in the same axial position of any workholder the docking station comprises, enabling the same machining center operational process and handling benefits outlined in 1), above, and more— [0036] a. No need to measure and record the unique diameters of a plurality of like components that are to be loaded—in series or in parallel—into and machined on any workholder the docking station comprises; [0037] b. No need to calculate unique machine offsets corresponding to unique diameters of a plurality of like components that are to be loaded—in series or in parallel—into and machined on any workholder the docking station comprises; [0038] c. No need to set on machining centers unique machine offsets required to compensate for the part-to-part variability observed in the unique diameters of a plurality of like components that are to be loaded—in series or in parallel—into and machined on any workholder the docking station comprises; [0039] d. No need to reset to default values the unique machining center diameter offsets that were set while machining a plurality of like components that will have been loaded—in series or in parallel—into and machined on any workholder the docking station comprises; [0040] e. No need to measure and record the unique heights of a plurality of like workholders that the docking station comprises; [0041] f. No need to calculate unique machine offsets corresponding to the unique heights of a plurality of like workholders that the docking station comprises; [0042] g. No need to set on machining centers unique machine offsets required to compensate for the unique heights of a plurality of like workholders that the docking station comprises; [0043] h. No need to reset to default values unique machining center height offsets that were set while machining a plurality of workholders that the docking station comprises. [0044] 3) Bleed channels facilitate coolant draining, or bleeding, off of the docking station and machined workpiece(s), minimizing the amount of residual coolant and filings in close proximity with workholders and workpieces, subsequent to any machining operation that requires coolant usage— [0045] a. Limiting the time and energy needed to clean the workpiece and workholder; and [0046] b. Mitigating mechanical variations caused by inadvertent entrapment in clamped workpieces of filings generated from workpieces previously clamped and machined in the same workholder. [0047] 4) Mounting provisions and X & Y coordinate markers facilitate the mounting of the docking station onto a machining center or a machining center adaptor plate, and alignment to the X & Y workspace origins of the center— [0048] a. Limiting the machine and workstation setup time requirement; [0049] b. Enabling extrapolation of workspace coordinates across all workholders comprised in a docking station. [0050] 5) A simple, poka yoked failsafe mechanism designed for use in manually-clamped systems— [0051] a. No need for a mechanical driver, such as those invented for automated systems, to “failsafe” the workholder to the clamped state upon a power loss condition; nor for the force amplification required to offset the force of the driver whenever the workholder is in an unclamped state; [0052] b. Provides a visual indicator of the failsafe state of the system; [0053] c. Prevents inadvertent damage to the failsafe mechanism by setting a mechanical impediment to actuation of the mechanism, when set.

CONCLUSIONS, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE

[0054] Accordingly, the reader will see that a docking station configured as illustrated in FIGS. 4A, 4B, & 4C will possess a dead length clamping attribute, coolant bleed channels, X and Y machining center workspace coordinate registration markers, and a poka yoked failsafe clamping mechanism.

[0055] Although the description above contains many specifications, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. For example, the docking station: may or may not be of dead length configuration; may comprise a single workholder or a plurality of workholders, single bleed channels or a plurality of bleed channels; linear bleed channels or bleed channels shaped to complement any special orientation of workholders, connecting in one mechanical configuration or in a plurality of configurations; may comprise a manually-actuated failsafe clamping mechanism that may or may not be poka yoked to indicate the state of operation; may comprise collets of different shapes and sizes; may comprise one or more, or a combination or permutation thereof, of any of the foregoing elements, etc.

[0056] Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.