Disclosure of Invention
The invention has the following aims: the automatic tire tread processing device can meet the integration of various cutters, so that the processing efficiency is effectively improved.
The technical scheme is as follows: the invention provides an automatic processing device for tire treads, which comprises a device bottom plate, a lifting driving mechanism, a transverse driving mechanism, a rotary driving mechanism, a tire pressing mechanism, a cutter switching mechanism, a control box and electric cutters, wherein the lifting driving mechanism is arranged on the device bottom plate;
the lifting driving mechanism is arranged on the device bottom plate, the transverse driving mechanism is arranged on the lifting driving mechanism, and the lifting driving mechanism drives the transverse driving mechanism to lift; the cutter switching mechanism is arranged on the transverse driving mechanism and is driven by the transverse driving mechanism to move transversely;
each electric cutter comprises a cutter driving motor, a quick connector and a processing cutter head; the tool driving motors of the electric tools are respectively arranged on the stations of the tool switching mechanism, and the tool switching mechanism switches the stations of the electric tools; the processing tool bit is fixedly arranged on a quick connector, and the quick connector is fixedly arranged on the end part of an output shaft of the cutter driving motor;
the rotary driving mechanism comprises a vertical supporting column, a tubular main shaft, a rotary driving motor, a driving worm wheel and a driving worm; the vertical supporting column is vertically and fixedly arranged on the device bottom plate, and the tubular main shaft is rotatably arranged on the upper end part of the vertical supporting column in a penetrating manner; the driving worm wheel is fixedly arranged on the tubular main shaft, the driving worm is rotatably arranged on the vertical supporting column, and the driving worm is meshed with the driving worm wheel; the end part of an output shaft of the rotary driving motor is in butt joint transmission with the driving worm;
a controller, a memory, a rotation driving circuit and each cutter driving circuit are arranged in the control box; the controller is respectively electrically connected with the memory, the rotation driving circuit and each cutter driving circuit; each cutter driving circuit is electrically connected with a cutter driving motor of each electric cutter; the rotation driving circuit is electrically connected with the rotation driving motor; the controller drives the elevation driving mechanism, the lateral driving mechanism, the tire pressing mechanism, and the cutter switching mechanism, respectively.
Further, the lifting driving mechanism comprises a vertical pipe column, a transverse beam, a lifting driving motor and a vertical driving screw rod; the vertical pipe column is vertically and fixedly arranged on the left side of the device bottom plate, and a lifting driving internal thread is arranged at the pipe orifice at the upper end of the vertical pipe column; the lower end of the vertical driving screw is screwed on the lifting driving internal thread, and the upper end of the vertical driving screw is rotatably arranged on the left end of the transverse beam in a penetrating manner; the lifting driving motor is fixedly arranged at the left end of the transverse beam, and the end part of an output shaft of the lifting driving motor is butted with the upper end of the vertical driving screw rod; a guide rod is vertically arranged below the left end of the transverse beam, a guide seat is arranged at the pipe orifice at the upper end of the vertical pipe column, and the guide rod is vertically inserted on the guide seat in a sliding manner; and a lifting driving circuit electrically connected with the controller is arranged in the control box and is electrically connected with the lifting driving motor.
Further, the transverse driving mechanism comprises a transverse driving motor, a transverse driving screw and a transverse sliding seat; the transverse driving screw is transversely and rotatably arranged on the transverse beam through two end part supports, the transverse driving motor is fixedly arranged on the transverse beam, and the end part of an output shaft of the transverse driving motor is butted with the end part of the transverse driving screw; the transverse sliding seat is arranged on the transverse beam in a sliding manner, and a transverse driving threaded hole is formed in the transverse sliding seat; the transverse driving screw is screwed on the transverse driving threaded hole; the cutter switching mechanism is arranged on the transverse sliding seat; and a transverse driving circuit electrically connected with the controller is arranged in the control box and electrically connected with the transverse driving motor.
Further, the cutter switching mechanism comprises a rotary sleeve, an annular plate and a switching driving motor; the transverse sliding seat is disc-shaped, and the rotary sleeve is sleeved on the circumference of the transverse sliding seat in a rotary manner; the inner ring of the annular plate is fixedly arranged on the rotating sleeve, the cutter driving motors of the electric cutters are distributed on the annular surface of the annular plate at intervals, and the processing cutter heads of the electric cutters extend out along the radial direction of the annular plate; an annular gear ring is arranged at the end part of the rotary sleeve, a switching driving motor is fixedly arranged on the transverse sliding seat through a motor mounting plate, and a switching driving gear meshed with the annular gear ring is fixedly arranged on an output shaft of the switching driving motor; and a switching drive circuit electrically connected with the controller is arranged in the control box and is electrically connected with the switching drive motor.
Furthermore, a guide chute is transversely arranged on the transverse beam; a guide sliding block which is embedded into the guide sliding groove in a sliding manner is arranged on the transverse sliding seat.
Furthermore, a triangular rib plate is arranged at the installation position of the vertical pipe column and the device bottom plate.
Furthermore, the quick connector comprises a square butt-joint column and a butt-joint seat; the square butt joint column is fixed on the end part of an output shaft of the cutter driving motor in a butt joint way; the processing tool bit is fixedly arranged on the butt joint seat; a square butt joint hole is arranged on the butt joint seat; the square butt joint column is inserted in the square butt joint hole, and the machining tool bit and the output shaft of the cutter driving motor are positioned on the same axis; two lock rod holes are arranged on the butt joint seat in a penetrating and parallel mode, a lock rod is inserted into each of the two lock rod holes, and the local part of each lock rod is embedded into the square butt joint hole; the two locking rods are in central symmetry relative to the axis of the output shaft of the cutter driving motor; the square butt-joint column is clamped between the two locking rods, and two side surface convex blocks are arranged in the middle of the clamping side surface of the square butt-joint column; the locking rod is positioned between the two side surface convex blocks on the corresponding side, and the side surfaces of the two side surface convex blocks facing the locking rod are provided with locking extrusion slope surfaces; two triangular convex blocks which are respectively used for being extruded with the two locking extrusion slope surfaces are arranged in the middle of the locking rod; a lock rod limiting sliding groove is arranged on the wall of the lock rod hole along the length direction of the lock rod hole, and a lock rod limiting sliding block which is installed in the lock rod limiting sliding groove in a sliding manner is arranged on the lock rod; a counterweight pressing block is arranged at the outer end part of one side of the locking rod; a locking pressure spring is sleeved on the locking rod, and the locking pressure spring is elastically supported between the counterweight pressing block and the butt joint seat; all be provided with an unblock notch on the side of two locking levers and towards one side of square butt joint post for press the counter weight and press the unblock notch of the side lug of being convenient for through corresponding side behind the briquetting.
Furthermore, the tire pressing mechanism comprises an annular supporting plate, a pressing driving motor, a pressing driving screw and four pressing rods; the central annular hole of the annular supporting plate is fixedly arranged in the middle of the tubular main shaft; the pressing driving screw is rotatably arranged at the axis of the tubular main shaft in a penetrating way, and a pressing driving block is screwed on the pressing driving screw in a threaded way; the pressing driving motor is fixedly arranged on a pipe orifice at one end of the tubular main shaft, and the end part of an output shaft of the pressing driving motor is butted with the pressing driving screw rod; four hinged strip-shaped notches are arranged at the other end of the tubular main shaft at intervals, and a hinged pin shaft is arranged at the inlet of each of the four hinged strip-shaped notches; a strip-shaped sliding hole is formed in each of the four pressing rods along the length direction of the pressing rod; the four pressing rods are respectively arranged at four hinged strip-shaped notches, and the hinged pin shaft penetrates through the strip-shaped sliding hole at the corresponding position; one end parts of the four pressing rods are hinged on the pressing driving block; a limiting frustum is arranged at the center of the pressing support surface of the annular support plate; and a pressing driving circuit electrically connected with the controller is arranged in the control box and is electrically connected with the pressing driving motor.
Furthermore, a supporting roller is rotatably mounted on the upper side surface of the device base plate through a roller support, and the circumferential edge of the annular supporting plate is supported on the wheel surface of the supporting roller.
Further, the control box is fixedly arranged on the pipe wall of the vertical pipe column through a side fixing support; a display screen, a numeric keyboard, a stop key, a start key and an initialization key are arranged on the front side of the control box; the controller is respectively electrically connected with the display screen, the numeric keyboard, the stop key, the start key and the initialization key; and an indicator light electrically connected with the controller is arranged at the top of the control box.
Compared with the prior art, the invention has the beneficial effects that: the processing height of the electric cutter can be adjusted by utilizing the lifting driving mechanism, so that the processing requirements of various types of solid tires are met; the transverse driving mechanism can be used for adjusting the transverse processing position of the electric cutter; the cutter switching mechanism can be used for switching the electric cutters, so that the switching use of various types of cutters is met, and the tread processing efficiency of the solid tire is improved; the solid tire can be rotationally driven by the rotary driving mechanism, so that the requirement of an electric cutter on the processing of the circumference of the tread of the solid tire is met; the tubular main shaft can be driven to rotate by utilizing the installation and matching of the driving worm wheel and the driving worm, and a better rotation positioning effect can be achieved; the corresponding processing tool bit can be conveniently and rapidly replaced by utilizing the quick connector, so that the processing efficiency is improved.
Detailed Description
The technical solutions of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.
Example 1:
as shown in fig. 1-4, the automatic tire tread processing device of the invention comprises: a device base plate 1, a lifting drive mechanism, a transverse drive mechanism, a rotary drive mechanism, a tire pressing mechanism, a cutter switching mechanism, a control box 18 and electric cutters 23;
the lifting driving mechanism is arranged on the device bottom plate 1, the transverse driving mechanism is arranged on the lifting driving mechanism, and the lifting driving mechanism drives the transverse driving mechanism to lift; the cutter switching mechanism is arranged on the transverse driving mechanism and is driven by the transverse driving mechanism to move transversely;
each electric cutter 23 comprises a cutter drive motor 51, a quick connector and a machining bit 65; the tool driving motors 51 of the electric tools 23 are respectively arranged on the stations of the tool switching mechanism, and the stations of the electric tools 23 are switched by the tool switching mechanism; the machining cutter 65 is fixedly mounted on a quick connector which is fixedly mounted on an output shaft end portion of the cutter driving motor 51;
the rotary driving mechanism comprises a vertical supporting column 31, a tubular main shaft 4, a rotary driving motor 6, a driving worm wheel 8 and a driving worm 7; the vertical supporting column 31 is vertically and fixedly arranged on the device bottom plate 1, and the tubular main shaft 4 is penetratingly and rotatably arranged on the upper end part of the vertical supporting column 31; the driving worm wheel 8 is fixedly arranged on the tubular main shaft 4, the driving worm 7 is rotatably arranged on the vertical supporting column 31, and the driving worm 7 is meshed with the driving worm wheel 8; the end part of an output shaft of the rotary driving motor 6 is in butt joint transmission with the driving worm 7;
a controller, a memory, a rotation drive circuit, and each tool drive circuit are provided in the control box 18; the controller is respectively electrically connected with the memory, the rotation driving circuit and each cutter driving circuit; each cutter driving circuit is electrically connected with the cutter driving motor 51 of each electric cutter 23; the rotation driving circuit is electrically connected with the rotation driving motor 6; the controller drives the elevation driving mechanism, the lateral driving mechanism, the tire pressing mechanism, and the cutter switching mechanism, respectively.
The processing height of the electric cutter 23 can be adjusted by utilizing the lifting driving mechanism, so that the processing requirements of various types of solid tires are met; the transverse processing position of the electric cutter 23 can be adjusted by using a transverse driving mechanism; the cutter switching mechanism can be used for switching the electric cutters 23, so that the switching use of various types of cutters is met, and the tread processing efficiency of the solid tire is improved; the solid tire can be rotationally driven by using the rotary driving mechanism, so that the requirement of the electric cutter 23 on the processing of the circumference of the tread of the solid tire is met; the tubular main shaft 4 can be driven to rotate by the installation and matching of the driving worm wheel 8 and the driving worm 7, and a better rotation positioning effect can be achieved; the corresponding machining tool bit 65 can be conveniently and rapidly replaced by using the quick connector, thereby improving the machining efficiency.
Further, the lifting driving mechanism comprises a vertical pipe column 2, a transverse beam 3, a lifting driving motor 12 and a vertical driving screw 14; the vertical pipe column 2 is vertically and fixedly arranged on the left side of the device bottom plate 1, and a lifting driving internal thread is arranged at the pipe orifice at the upper end of the vertical pipe column 2; the lower end of the vertical driving screw 14 is screwed on the lifting driving internal thread, and the upper end of the vertical driving screw 14 is rotatably arranged on the left end of the transverse beam 3 in a penetrating manner; the lifting driving motor 12 is fixedly arranged at the left end of the transverse beam 3, and the end part of an output shaft of the lifting driving motor 12 is butted with the upper end of the vertical driving screw 14; a guide rod 16 is vertically arranged below the left end of the transverse beam 3, a guide seat 15 is arranged at the pipe orifice at the upper end of the vertical pipe column 2, and the guide rod 16 is vertically and slidably inserted on the guide seat 15; a lift drive circuit electrically connected to the controller is provided in the control box 18, and the lift drive circuit is electrically connected to the lift drive motor 12.
The machining height of the electric cutter 23 can be adjusted by using a lifting driving mechanism consisting of the vertical pipe column 2, the lifting driving motor 12 and the vertical driving screw 14; the guide rod 16 and the guide seat 15 are matched to be installed, so that the lifting is guided, and the lifting stability of the transverse beam 3 is ensured.
Further, the transverse driving mechanism comprises a transverse driving motor 13, a transverse driving screw rod 19 and a transverse sliding seat 20; the transverse driving screw 19 is transversely and rotatably arranged on the transverse beam 3 through two end supports 45, the transverse driving motor 13 is fixedly arranged on the transverse beam 3, and the end part of an output shaft of the transverse driving motor 13 is butted with the end part of the transverse driving screw 19; the transverse sliding seat 20 is slidably mounted on the transverse beam 3, and a transverse driving threaded hole is formed in the transverse sliding seat 20; the transverse driving screw rod 19 is screwed on the transverse driving threaded hole; the cutter switching mechanism is arranged on the transverse sliding seat 20; a lateral drive circuit electrically connected to the controller is provided in the control box 18, and the lateral drive circuit is electrically connected to the lateral drive motor 13.
The transverse displacement accurate driving of the transverse sliding seat 20 can be realized by the cooperation of the transverse driving screw rod 19 and the transverse driving threaded hole.
Further, the cutter switching mechanism includes a rotary sleeve 21, an annular plate 22 and a switching drive motor 25; the transverse sliding seat 20 is disc-shaped, and the rotary sleeve 21 is sleeved on the circumference of the transverse sliding seat 20 in a rotary manner; the inner ring of the annular plate 22 is fixedly arranged on the rotary sleeve 21, the cutter driving motors 51 of the electric cutters 23 are distributed on the annular surface of the annular plate 22 at intervals, and the processing cutter head 65 of each electric cutter 23 extends out along the radial direction of the annular plate 22; an annular gear ring 27 is arranged at the end part of the rotary sleeve 21, a switching driving motor 25 is fixedly arranged on the transverse sliding seat 20 through a motor mounting plate 24, and a switching driving gear 26 meshed with the annular gear ring 27 is fixedly arranged on an output shaft of the switching driving motor 25; a switching drive circuit electrically connected to the controller is provided in the control box 18, and the switching drive circuit is electrically connected to a switching drive motor 25.
Each electric cutter 23 can be switched in rotation by a rotation mechanism constituted by the rotary sleeve 21, the switching drive motor 25, the ring-shaped ring gear 27, and the switching drive gear 26; the use of the annular plate 22 can enhance the mounting stability of each electric cutter 23.
Further, a guide chute 17 is transversely arranged on the transverse beam 3; a guide slide 28, which is slidably inserted into the guide runner 17, is arranged on the transverse sliding shoe 20. The stability of the sliding of the transverse sliding seat 20 can be enhanced by the installation and matching of the guide sliding chute 17 and the guide sliding block 28.
Further, a triangular rib plate 29 is arranged at the installation position of the vertical pipe column 2 and the device bottom plate 1. The structural strength of the installation position of the vertical pipe column 2 and the device bottom plate 1 can be enhanced by using the triangular rib plate 29.
Further, the quick connector includes a square docking post 53 and a docking cradle 54; the square butt-joint column 53 is butt-jointed and fixed on the end part of the output shaft of the cutter driving motor 51; the machining tool bit 65 is fixedly arranged on the butt joint seat 54; a square butt joint hole 56 is arranged on the butt joint seat 54; the square butt joint column 53 is inserted into the square butt joint hole 56, and the machining tool bit 65 and the output shaft of the cutter driving motor 51 are located on the same axis; two lock rod holes 64 are arranged on the butt joint seat 54 in a penetrating mode in parallel, a lock rod 58 is inserted into each of the two lock rod holes 64, and the lock rod 58 is partially embedded into the square butt joint hole 56; the two locking levers 58 are centrosymmetric with respect to the axis of the output shaft of the tool driving motor 51; the square butting column 53 is clamped between the two locking rods 58, and two side surface convex blocks 61 are arranged in the middle of the clamping side surface of the square butting column 53; the locking rod 58 is positioned between the two side projections 61 on the corresponding side, and the side faces, facing the locking rod 58, of the two side projections 61 are provided with locking extrusion slopes 62; two triangular convex blocks 63 which are respectively extruded with the two locking extrusion slope surfaces 62 are arranged in the middle of the locking rod 58; a locking rod limiting sliding groove 67 is formed in the hole wall of the locking rod hole 64 along the length direction of the locking rod limiting sliding groove, and a locking rod limiting sliding block 60 which is installed in the locking rod limiting sliding groove 67 in a sliding mode is arranged on the locking rod 58; a counterweight pressing block 57 is arranged on the outer end part of one side of the locking rod 58; a locking compression spring 59 is sleeved on the locking rod 58, and the locking compression spring 59 is elastically supported between the counterweight pressing block 57 and the butt joint seat 54; on the side of the two locking levers 58 and facing the square docking post 53, there is provided an unlocking notch 66 for allowing the side projection 61 to pass through the unlocking notch 66 of the corresponding side after pressing the weight pressing block 57.
By utilizing a quick assembling and disassembling structure consisting of the square butting column 53, the two locking rods 58, the locking compression spring 59 and the butting seat 54, the corresponding machining tool bit 65 can be conveniently and quickly replaced; the use of the pressing weight pressing block 57 facilitates the pressing of the locking lever 58 during the mounting and dismounting of the square docking post 53, so that the unlocking notch 66 corresponds to the side projection 61; the triangular lug 63 can be elastically supported by the locking pressure spring 59 to press on the locking extrusion slope surface 62, so that the square butting column 53 is locked in the square butting hole 56; the two locking levers 58 are arranged to be centrosymmetric with respect to the central axis of the output shaft of the tool driving motor 51, so that the stability of rotation can be ensured during rotation, and the pressing force of the triangular projection 63 and the pressing slope surface 62 can be enhanced by pressing the centrifugal force of the counterweight pressing block 57, thereby ensuring the locking effect; the movement range of the lock lever 58 can be limited by the engagement of the lock lever limit slide groove 67 with the lock lever limit slider 60.
Further, the tire pressing mechanism comprises an annular supporting plate 5, a pressing driving motor 32, a pressing driving screw 35 and four pressing rods 9; the central annular hole of the annular supporting plate 5 is fixedly arranged in the middle of the tubular main shaft 4; the pressing drive screw 35 is rotatably arranged at the axis of the tubular main shaft 4 in a penetrating way, and a pressing drive block 10 is screwed on the pressing drive screw 35; the pressing driving motor 32 is fixedly arranged on a pipe orifice at one end of the tubular main shaft 4, and the end part of an output shaft of the pressing driving motor 32 is butted with the pressing driving screw 35; four hinged strip-shaped notches 33 are arranged at the other end of the tubular main shaft 4 at intervals, and a hinged pin shaft 30 is arranged at the inlet of each of the four hinged strip-shaped notches 33; a strip-shaped sliding hole 11 is formed in each of the four pressing rods 9 along the length direction of the pressing rod; the four pressing rods 9 are respectively arranged at the four hinged strip-shaped notches 33, and the hinged pin shaft 30 penetrates through the strip-shaped sliding hole 11 at the corresponding position; one end parts of four pressing rods 9 are all hinged on a pressing driving block 10; a limiting frustum 34 is arranged at the center of the pressing support surface of the annular support plate 5; a pressing drive circuit electrically connected to the controller is provided in the control box 18, and the pressing drive circuit is electrically connected to a pressing drive motor 32. The solid tire can be pressed and fixed on the annular supporting plate 5 by using a tire pressing mechanism consisting of the annular supporting plate 5, the pressing driving motor 32, the pressing driving screw 35 and the four pressing rods 9, so that the stability of tread processing is ensured; the use of the stop cones 34 can facilitate the centering of the solid tire.
Further, a supporting roller 37 is rotatably mounted on the upper side of the apparatus base plate 1 via a roller support 36, and the circumferential edge of the ring-shaped supporting plate 5 is supported on the tread of the supporting roller 37. The stability of the ring support plate 5 can be enhanced by the support rollers 37.
Further, the control box 18 is fixedly installed on the pipe wall of the vertical pipe column 2 through a side fixing bracket 42; a display screen 38, a numeric keypad 43, a stop key 39, a start key 40, and an initialization key 41 are provided on the front side of the control box 18; the controller is electrically connected with the display 38, the numeric keyboard 43, the stop key 39, the start key 40 and the initialization key 41 respectively; an indicator 44 electrically connected to the controller is provided on the top of the control box 18.
The type of the solid tire to be processed can be conveniently set by using the numeric keyboard 43, so that the controller reads a corresponding control program in the memory according to the set type of the tire, and the lifting driving mechanism, the transverse driving mechanism, the rotary driving mechanism, the tire pressing mechanism and the cutter switching mechanism are coordinately controlled; the input tire model can be displayed in real time by using the display screen 38; the stop button 39, the start button 40, and the initialization button 41 can control the elevation drive motor 12, the lateral drive mechanism, the rotational drive mechanism, the tire pressing mechanism, and the cutter switching mechanism to stop, start, and return to the initial state; the indicator lamp 44 is used to indicate that the corresponding control program is flashing after the execution of the corresponding control program is completed, so that the operator can replace the next solid tire conveniently.
In the automatic tire tread processing device, the controller adopts a corresponding single chip microcomputer controller module, such as an STM32 controller module, for coordination control; the memory adopts the existing memory and is used for storing the control program; the indicator lamp 44 adopts the existing LED indicator lamp and is provided with a driving circuit; the display screen 38 is an existing display screen; the numeric keyboard 43 adopts the existing numeric keyboard panel; the stop key 39, the start key 40 and the initialization key 41 are all provided with corresponding key circuits; the lifting driving motor 12, the switching driving motor 25, the transverse driving motor 13, the rotating driving motor 6 and the pressing driving motor 32 are all conventional driving motors, and start-stop control is performed through corresponding driving circuits when the lifting driving motor is used; the cutter driving motor 51 of each electric cutter 23 is fixed to the ring plate 22 by U-bolts at the time of mounting.
When the automatic tire tread processing device is used, corresponding electric cutters 23, such as grinding cutters, slotting cutters, cutting cutters and the like, are installed on the annular plate 22 according to processing requirements; the driving block 10 is pressed in the tubular main shaft 4 in the initial state, most of the four pressing rods 9 are positioned in the tubular main shaft 4, then the solid tire is installed on the tubular main shaft 4, the tire model is input through the digital keyboard 43, the input tire model is displayed on the display screen 38 in real time, the start key 40 is pressed, and the controller loads a control program corresponding to the tire model: firstly, starting a pressing driving motor 32, moving a pressing driving block 10 out of a tubular main shaft 4, pressing the end parts of four pressing rods 9 on the side surface of the solid tire, and carrying out relative clamping with a limiting frustum 34; when the tread of the solid tire is processed, the height and the transverse position of the electric cutter 23 are adjusted by starting and stopping control of the lifting driving motor 12 and the transverse driving motor 13; when the tool is switched, the start-stop control switching drive motor 25 is switched, so that the processing tool bit 65 of the corresponding electric tool 23 is switched to a vertical downward direction; in the tread processing, the rotation of the solid tire is realized by controlling the rotation driving motor 6, so that the entire circumference of the tread can be processed.
After the execution of each control program is finished, the controller controls the indicator lamp 44 to flash for reminding; when the machining needs to be stopped in the middle of machining, the stop button 39 is pressed to realize stopping; when it is necessary to return to the initial state, the initialization button 41 is pressed, and at this time, the tire model needs to be input again.
As mentioned above, although the invention has been shown and described with reference to certain preferred embodiments, it should not be construed as being limited thereto. Various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.