JP5046403B2 - Tool changer for machine tools - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a tool changer for a machine tool, and more particularly to a tool changer for a machine tool having a configuration for finely adjusting the position of a tool in the tool magazine to a position where the tool can be taken out when the tool is taken out from the tool magazine.

In a machine tool, when a workpiece is machined using a plurality of tools, a plurality of tools are provided in a tool changer and the tools are changed as appropriate. For example, such a tool change may be performed by rotating the tool magazine while holding the tool in the insertion hole provided in the tool magazine of the tool changer so that the insertion hole reaches a predetermined removal position. The tool is removed from the insertion hole by the mechanism and transferred to the main shaft as appropriate. For such a technique, for example, a technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 is referred to.

JP 07-040174 A

However, when the tool magazine rotates, the tool may be displaced in the insertion hole, and the removal of the tool from the insertion hole by the removal mechanism may fail. In such a case, the removal of the tool is performed again, but there is no guarantee that it will succeed, and if the removal again fails, the operator will finely adjust the position of the tool in the insertion hole or remove the tool. Conventionally, there is a case where the removal of the tool from the tool magazine is not performed stably, such as passing to the mechanism.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and a machine tool that can stably remove a tool from the tool magazine by finely adjusting the position of the tool in the insertion hole of the tool magazine. An object is to provide a tool changer.

To achieve the above object, the invention of claim 1 of the tool changer of the machine tool, taken out required to by revolves the said tool magazine while inserting holding a tool into the insertion hole of the tool holding member of the tool magazine In a tool changer of a machine tool that takes out a tool from the insertion hole when the insertion hole reaches a predetermined removal position by the mechanism and delivers the removed tool to the spindle, the tool has a hole so that the upper end surface is opened. The tool holding member is formed in the outer direction of the circulation path and has an opening that communicates with the insertion hole and functions as a tool outlet smaller than the diameter of the tool. provided with a suction nozzle which force is applied, is inserted inside the suction nozzle of the holes formed in the upper end face of the tool and can be emitted while sucking the tool, the tool in the insertion hole Located in a position that can be taken out by the mechanism removed, characterized in that it comprises a position fine adjustment element for finely adjusting.

According to the present invention, it has a take-out mechanism for taking out the tool from the insertion hole at the take-out position, and includes a position fine adjustment member for finely adjusting the position of the tool in the insertion hole to a position where the take-out mechanism can take out the tool. Therefore, even when the tool is displaced in the insertion hole, the position of the tool is appropriately finely adjusted to a position where the tool can be taken out, and the tool can be stably taken out from the tool magazine. it can. When the suction nozzle is inserted into the tool hole and the tool is sucked, the clearance between the suction nozzle and the tool hole is made as small as possible so that the suction force of the suction nozzle is reliably transmitted to the tool. Since it is necessary to set, there is a possibility that removal may fail even if the tool is slightly displaced in the insertion hole. Accordingly, by providing the position fine adjustment member in such a case, the tool can be taken out more stably.

The position fine adjustment member has a shape portion along a circular locus drawn when the tool magazine can be taken out in the insertion hole, and the shape portion is provided so as to be in contact with the circular locus. For example, when the tool magazine moves around, the tool comes into contact with the position fine adjustment member, so that the position of the tool is finely adjusted appropriately to a position where the tool can be taken out.

Here, for example, the tool magazine is cantilevered so that the insertion hole is positioned in an area outside the circulation path by a predetermined circulation mechanism that moves around along a horizontal plane, and follows the rotation locus of the position fine adjustment member. The shape portion may be provided so as to be in contact with the outer contour of the circular locus (claim 3).

That is, when the tool magazine is cantilevered by the orbiting mechanism, the tool is displaced in the outer direction of the orbiting path in the insertion hole. By making contact with the outside of the circular trajectory, the tool is appropriately finely adjusted in the insertion hole, for example, the tool is appropriately pushed back in the insertion hole, that is, in the direction opposite to the direction of displacement. be able to.

Furthermore, if the tool magazine has a tool holding member extending in a substantially U shape in the outer direction of the circulation path, and the area inside the substantially U shape of the tool holding member is an insertion hole, the holding member Since the opening communicating with the insertion hole is formed without being blocked on the distal end side, that is, the outer direction of the circulation path, the tool is more easily displaced in the outer direction in the insertion hole. Therefore, by adopting the position fine adjustment member in such a case, the tool can be taken out from the tool magazine more stably (claim 4).

If the position fine adjustment member is provided in the vicinity of the removal position, the position of the tool in the insertion hole is finely adjusted to a position where the removal can be performed immediately before the removal position. The tool can be taken out of the machine (claim 5).

Furthermore, if the position where the position fine adjustment member is provided is a position where the tool is taken out from the insertion hole by the take-out mechanism and is delivered at the shortest distance, the position fine adjustment member interferes. And the delivery operation can be performed efficiently (claim 6).

According to the present invention, the tool can be stably taken out from the tool magazine by finely adjusting the position of the tool in the insertion hole of the tool magazine.

It is a front view showing an outline of the whole composition of a machine tool provided with a tool changer concerning an embodiment of the present invention. It is a front view which shows the whole structure of a tool change apparatus. It is a top view which shows the detailed structure of the pick-up position periphery. It is a top view which shows the detailed structure of the tool holding member of a tool magazine. It is side surface sectional drawing containing the partial cross section which shows the state by which the tool was inserted and hold | maintained at the insertion hole of the tool holding member. It is a side view for demonstrating the taking-out operation | movement and delivery operation | movement of a tool by a suction nozzle. It is a top view which shows the state which the tool shifted in the outer side direction in the insertion hole. FIG. 8 is an enlarged plan view showing a part of FIG. 7 in an enlarged manner. It is a side view which shows arrangement | positioning of a position fine adjustment member. It is the top view which shows the structure of a position fine adjustment member, a front view, and a side view. It is a top view which shows the state from which the position of the tool in an insertion hole deviated to the outer side from the circular locus | trajectory of the position which can be taken out. FIG. 12 is a plan view following FIG. 11 illustrating a state in which the position of the tool in the insertion hole is finely adjusted to a position where the tool can be taken out by the position fine adjustment member. FIG. 13 is a plan view subsequent to FIG. 12 showing a state where the position fine adjustment member finely adjusts the position of the tool in the insertion hole to a position where it can be taken out. FIG. 14 is a plan view following FIG. 13 showing a state in which the position of the tool in the insertion hole is finely adjusted to a position where it can be taken out by the position fine adjustment member. It is a top view which shows the modification of this invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view showing an outline of the overall configuration of a machine tool provided with a tool changer according to an embodiment of the present invention. An outline of the machine tool 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 1. The machine tool 1 includes a base 2, a column 3 erected from the rear portion of the base 2, and an upper front portion of the column 3. A main shaft 4 movably provided in the X-axis direction (left-right direction in FIG. 1) and Z-axis direction (up-down direction in FIG. 1) via the head saddle 4b, and the Y-axis direction mounted on the front portion of the base 2 And a work table 5 configured to be movable in the front-rear direction of FIG. 1. The tool 6 is mounted on the spindle 4 while the tool 6 is mounted on the work table 5 as required. The workpiece W is cut.

The machine tool 1 is provided with a tool changer 10. That is, the tool changer 10 transfers the tool 6 from the tool magazine 20 to the reversing arm 40 via the take-out mechanism 30. The tool changer 10 further reverses the reversing arm 40 in a state where the spindle 4 is moved from the machining position 7 to the tool changing position 8 by the spindle head 4a and the spindle head saddle 4b, and the tool 6 is further rotated by the spindle 4 Pass to. The tool magazine 20 and the reversing arm 40 are respectively provided on pedestals 20a and 40a provided on the base 2, and the take-out mechanism 30 is attached to the column 3 via a predetermined moving mechanism 30a in the height direction and the horizontal direction. It is provided to move freely.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the tool magazine 20 has a rotating chain 22 as a rotating mechanism. The rotating chain 22 rotates in the clockwise direction in the drawing along the horizontal plane by the driving force of the driving device 21. . The circling chain 22 includes a plurality of tool holding members 23 that hold the tool 6.

As shown in FIG. 4 in an enlarged manner, the tool holding member 23 includes a base portion 23a and an outer direction of the circulation path 22a from the base portion 23a (more specifically, an outer direction of the rotation path 22a is orthogonal to the rotation path 22a. The straight portion 23b 'extends in the direction facing outward in the direction or the direction facing outward in the normal direction of the circular path 22a (hereinafter, the outer direction of the circular path 22a may be simply referred to as the outer direction). Thus, the base portion 23a is fastened to the circulating chain 22 with a tool holding portion 23b extending in a substantially U shape. That is, the tool holding member 23 is cantilevered by the rotating chain 22 via the base portion 23 a, and the tool holding portion 23 b is located in a region outside the rotating path 22 a of the rotating chain 22.

The substantially U-shaped inner region of the tool holding portion 23b functions as an insertion hole 23c for inserting and holding the tool 6, and the insertion hole 23c has a stepped cross section.
That is, the insertion hole 23c is countersunk as required, and includes an arc-shaped first insertion hole 23d formed on the upper side and a substantially U-shaped second insertion hole 23e formed on the lower side. The diameter of the insertion hole 23d is set larger than the diameter of the second insertion hole 23e.

That is, as shown in FIG. 5, the tool 6 includes a tool main body 6a for cutting the workpiece W and a holder portion 6b for holding the tool main body 6a, and the holder portion 6b is formed so as to project laterally at the center portion. A flange-shaped flange portion 6c, a tapered spindle attaching portion 6d sandwiching the flange portion 6c, and a substantially cylindrical tool body holding portion 6e, and the flange portion 6c is inserted into the first portion with a predetermined clearance 23g. When the tool body holding portion 6e is inserted into the hole 23d, the tool body holding portion 6e is inserted into the second insertion hole 23e with a clearance 23h larger than the clearance 23g, and the back surface side 6c 'of the flange portion 6c is the lower end of the first insertion hole 23d. And the upper end of the second insertion hole 23e, the tool 6 is held by the tool holding portion 23b.

Here, referring back to FIG. 4, an opening 23 i communicating with the insertion hole 23 c is formed on the distal end side of the tool holding portion 23 b, that is, on the outer side of the circulation path 22 a. The size of the opening 23i is smaller than the diameter of the flange portion 6c of the tool 6 and larger than the diameter of the tool main body holding portion 6e, and functions as an outlet for the tool 6.

That is, when the insertion hole 23c reaches the take-out position 60 by the revolving movement of the revolving chain 22, the tool 6 is moved by the take-out mechanism 30 so that the rear surface side 6c 'of the flange portion 6c is the upper surface of the tool holding member 23 as shown in FIG. Then, the tool 6 is moved in the horizontal direction by the take-out mechanism 30, and more specifically, the tool 6 is taken out by the take-out mechanism 30 to the outside of the circulation path 22a. By moving in the direction, the tool main body holding portion 6e is extracted from the opening 23i and delivered to the reversing arm 40 (left side in FIG. 6). That is, the tool 6 is delivered to the reversing arm 40 through the opening 23i at the shortest distance.

As shown in FIG. 7, when the tool 6 is inserted and held in the insertion hole 23c and the tool 6 is displaced in the outer direction, the circumferential surface of the flange portion 6c is the first insertion hole 23d. Since the tool 6 does not come out of the opening 23i, the amount of displacement is relatively large.

That is, as shown in an enlarged view in FIG. 8, if the opening 23i is not formed and the first insertion hole 23d has a perfect circular shape, the positional deviation in the outer direction of the tool 6 is naturally a clearance 23g. However, since the opening 23i is actually formed, the amount is larger than the clearance 23g, for example, the circumferential surface of the flange portion 6c is displaced to a position where it hits the end portion 23d 'of the first insertion hole 23d. Misalignment occurs. That is, the amount of positional deviation in the outer direction in the insertion hole 23c of the tool 6 is relatively larger than the amount of positional deviation in the inner direction and the side of the circulation path 22a.

Here, in the present invention, the suction nozzle 30 to which a predetermined suction force is applied is employed in the take-out mechanism 30 that takes out the tool 6 from the insertion hole 23c, and the spindle attachment portion 6d of the tool 6 includes: A hole 6f (hereinafter, the hole 6f is referred to as a suction hole 6f) is provided so that the upper end surface is opened.

In other words, in the present invention, the suction nozzle 30 is inserted into the suction hole 6f from above and is taken out from the insertion hole 23c while sucking the tool 6, and the suction force of the suction nozzle 30 is reliably transmitted to the tool 6. Therefore, the clearance between the suction nozzle 30 and the suction hole 6f of the tool 6 is set to be as small as possible. And the front-end | tip part 31 of the suction nozzle 30 is formed in the taper shape so that a diameter may reduce gradually.

That is, the clearance between the suction nozzle 30 and the suction hole 6f is set to be smaller than the clearance 23g between the flange portion 6c of the tool 6 and the first insertion hole 23d. Is formed in a taper shape, the insertion of the tool 6 into the suction hole 6f can be performed smoothly if the amount of positional deviation of the tool 6 is within the clearance 23g. There are few mistakes.

However, as described above, the tool 6 may be displaced beyond the clearance 23g in the outer direction, and even if the tip portion 31 is formed in a tapered shape, the suction nozzle 30 sucks when the outer position is displaced. It may not be inserted into the hole 6f.

Therefore, in the present invention, even if the tool 6 is displaced in the outer direction in the insertion hole 23c, the position fine adjustment member 50 is finely adjusted so that the position of the tool 6 can be taken out by the suction nozzle 30. It is going to be equipped with.
The position fine adjustment member 50 is provided on the pedestal 20 a via the support member 50 a, and is disposed in the vicinity of the take-out position 60 in an area outside the circulation path 22 a. Further, as shown in FIG. 9, the position fine adjustment member 50 is provided through a slight gap from the upper surface 23 j of the tool holding member 23.

As shown in FIG. 10, the position fine adjustment member 50 is formed in a semi-cylindrical rod shape, and includes an inclined surface 51a arranged in an inverted C shape at both end portions 51, while the central portion 52 is inserted. A position where the tool 6 can be taken out in the hole 23c is formed in a shape portion along a circular locus 60a drawn when the tool magazine 20 rotates.

That is, in the present invention, the loop path 22a of the loop chain 22 is set to a path 22a along a straight line in the vicinity of the take-out position 60 (hereinafter, the path 22a is referred to as a straight path 22a). In the vicinity of, the circular locus 60a is also linear. Therefore, the central portion 52 is formed in a shape along the linear circular locus 60a, and more specifically, the top 52a of the arc surface of the central portion 52 is formed in a shape that can contact the linear circular locus 60a.

That is, the position fine adjustment member 50 is arranged so that the inclined surface 51a faces the circulation path 22a and along the outer contour portion of the linear circulation locus 60a on the side where the central portion 52 is displaced. More specifically, the top 52a of the circular arc surface of the central portion 52 is provided so as to be in contact with the outer contour portion of the linear circular locus 60a on the side where the position is displaced (FIG. 3).

Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 12, even when the tool 6 is displaced in the outer direction in the insertion hole 23c and deviates in the outer direction with respect to the circular locus 60a, as shown in FIG. When 6 reaches the inclined surface 51a of the fine position adjusting member 50, the circumferential surface of the flange 6c of the tool 6 comes into contact with the inclined surface 51a of the fine position adjusting member 50, so that the tool 6 is in the inner direction of the circular path 22a. It is gradually pushed back in the direction opposite to the direction of displacement.

Then, as shown in FIG. 13, when the tool 6 further moves around and reaches the central portion 52 of the position fine adjustment member 50, the tool 6 is further pushed back in the inside of the turning path 22a, and the tool 6 is guided into the turning path 60a. The position of the tool 6 in the insertion hole 23c is finely adjusted to a position where the tool 6 can be taken out, and the tool 6 is sent to the taking-out position 60 as shown in FIG. Since the position fine adjustment member 50 is provided in the vicinity of the take-out position 60 as described above, the position of the tool 6 in the insertion hole 23c is finely adjusted to a position where the take-out can be taken out immediately before reaching the take-out position 60. . Therefore, the tool 6 can be sent to the take-out position 60 while maintaining the finely adjusted position.

Here, the position provided with the position fine adjustment member 50 is set to a position where the operation of taking out and transferring the tool 6 by the suction nozzle 30 does not interfere.
That is, in the present invention, an area 70 including the take-out position 60 and including a trajectory for transferring the tool 6 from the take-out position 60 to the reversing arm 40 with the shortest distance by the suction nozzle 30 (hereinafter, this area 70 is transferred). The position fine adjustment member 50 is provided so as to be adjacent to the delivery region 70 on the upstream side in the circumferential movement direction.

As a result, the position provided with the fine position adjusting member 50 can be set to a position where the trajectory for transferring the tool 6 from the take-out position 60 to the reversing arm 40 at the shortest distance is removed, so that the position fine adjusting member 50 interferes. And the delivery operation can be performed efficiently. By providing the position fine adjustment member 50 so as to be adjacent to the delivery region 70 on the upstream side in the circumferential movement direction, the position fine adjustment member 50 can be provided at a position closest to the take-out position 60.

As described above, according to the present invention, since the position fine adjustment member 50 that finely adjusts the position of the tool 6 in the insertion hole 23c to a position where it can be taken out by the suction nozzle 30 is provided, the insertion hole 23c is provided. Even when the tool 6 is misaligned, the position of the tool 6 is finely adjusted appropriately to a position where the tool 6 can be taken out, and the tool 6 can be taken out from the tool magazine 20 stably. Can do. In the present invention, the tool magazine 20 is inserted into the insertion hole 23c by the circulating chain 22 under the circumstances that the clearance between the suction nozzle 30 and the suction hole 6f provided in the tool 6 must be set small. An opening 23i that is cantilevered so as to be positioned in the outer region of the circulation path 22a and communicates with the insertion hole 23c is formed in the outer direction of the tool holding member 23, and the tool 6 is located outside in the insertion hole 23c. The position is easily displaced in the direction, and the technical effect of providing the position fine adjustment member 50 is extremely large.

In addition, this invention is not limited to embodiment mentioned above, Of course, various application implementation or deformation | transformation implementation is possible as needed. For example, in the above-described embodiment, a case has been described in which the tool magazine 20 moves in one direction (clockwise). However, the tool magazine 20 is not limited to such a case, and the tool magazine 20 can be rotated clockwise or counterclockwise. Of course, the present invention can also be applied to a case where it is configured for both forward and reverse rotations that can move around.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 15, transfer areas 70 and 70 ′ including trajectories for transferring the pick-up positions 60 and 60 ′ and the tool 6 at the shortest distance in both clockwise and counterclockwise rotation directions are respectively provided. The position fine adjustment members 50 and 50 ′ may be provided adjacent to the respective transfer areas 70 and 70 ′ on the upstream side in the circumferential movement direction.

The present invention can be used for a tool changer of a machine tool. Specifically, it is useful for stably removing a tool from a tool magazine.

W: Workpiece 1: Machine tool 2: Base 3: Column 4: Spindle 4a: Spindle head 4b: Spindle head saddle 5: Work table 6: Tool 6a: Tool body 6b: Holder portion 6c: Flange portion 6c ': Back side 6d : Spindle mounting portion 6e: Tool body holding portion 6f: Suction hole 7: Processing position 8: Tool changing position 10: Tool changing device 20: Tool magazine 20a: Base 21: Driving device 22: Circulating chain (circulating mechanism)
22a: circular path 22a ': linear path 23: tool holding member 23a: base 23b: tool holding part 23c: insertion hole 23d: first insertion hole 23d': end 23e: second insertion hole 23f: plane 23g: Clearance (clearance between the circumferential surface of the flange portion 6c of the tool 6 and the first insertion hole 23d)
23h: Clearance (clearance between the circumferential surface of the tool body holding portion 6e of the tool 6 and the second insertion hole 23e)
23i: Opening 23j: Upper surface 30: Suction nozzle (extraction mechanism)
30a: moving mechanism 31: tip portion 40: reversing arm 40a: pedestal 50: position fine adjustment member (position fine adjustment member for clockwise rotation)
50 ': Position fine adjustment member (position fine adjustment member for counterclockwise rotation)
51: End 51a: Inclined surface 52: Center portion 52a: Top portion of arc surface 60: Extraction position (removal position when clockwise)
60 ': removal position (removal position when counterclockwise)
60a: Circulation locus 70: Delivery area (delivery area when clockwise)
70 ': Delivery area (delivery area when counterclockwise)

Claims (6)

While the tool is inserted and held in the insertion hole of the tool holding member of the tool magazine, the tool magazine is rotated around as required, and when the insertion hole reaches a predetermined removal position by the removal mechanism, the tool is removed from the insertion hole. , In a tool changer for a machine tool that delivers the removed tool to the spindle,
The tool is provided with a hole so that the upper end surface is open,
The tool holding member has an opening which is formed in the outer direction of the circulation path and communicates with the insertion hole and which functions as a tool outlet port smaller than the diameter of the tool.
The take-out mechanism includes a suction nozzle to which a predetermined suction force is applied, and is configured to take out the tool while sucking the tool by inserting the suction nozzle into a hole formed in the upper end surface of the tool,
A tool changer for a machine tool, comprising: a position fine adjustment member that finely adjusts the position of the tool in the insertion hole to a position where the tool can be taken out by the taking-out mechanism. The position fine adjustment member has a shape portion along a circular locus drawn when the tool magazine can be taken out in the insertion hole along the circular movement of the tool magazine, and the shape portion touches the circular locus. The tool changer for a machine tool according to claim 1, further comprising: The tool magazine is cantilevered so that the insertion hole is located in a region outside the circulation path by a predetermined circulation mechanism that moves around along a horizontal plane, and the shape of the position fine adjustment member along the rotation locus 3. The tool changer for a machine tool according to claim 2, wherein the portion is provided so as to be in contact with an outer contour of the circular locus. The tool magazine includes a tool holding member extending in a substantially U shape in an outer direction of the circulation path, and a region inside the substantially U shape of the tool holding member serves as the insertion hole. Item 4. A tool changer for a machine tool according to Item 3. The tool changer for a machine tool according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the fine position adjustment member is provided in the vicinity of the take-out position. 6. The position including the fine position adjustment member is a position where a delivery trajectory of the tool from which the tool is taken out from the insertion hole by the take-out mechanism and delivered at the shortest distance is removed. The tool changer for the machine tool described.

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