JP2004025397A - Lapping liquid tank device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce ununiformity of density of abrasive grains in lapping liquid in a tank. <P>SOLUTION: The tank of a lapping liquid tank device is held on a tank holding member 30. The tank holding member 30 is made free to revolve at a first position in a state where the tank 10 is inclined and at a second position in a state where the tank vertically stands. The tank 10 is held from below on a turn table 60 constituting a tank rotating device 14. It is possible to favorably stir lapping oil in the tank 10 by rotating the tank 10 by rotating the turn table 60 at the position where the tank 10 is inclined and to uniform the density of the abrasive grains in the lapping oil. It is also possible to efficiently stir the lapping oil even by a vane 24 provided in the tank 10. A pump device 80, etc. are released from the tank 10 by revolving the tank 10 to the second position and raising a pump holding member 82 to a rising position along a guide part 42 at the time of changing (cleaning) the tank 10. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a lap liquid tank device capable of storing a lap liquid in a tank and supplying the lap liquid to the outside.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In a gear lap finishing device, a pair of gears, which are workpieces, are rotated while being meshed with each other, and a lapping liquid is interposed between the gears so that the tooth surface of each gear is scraped by a minute amount using abrasive grains. Finishing is done. The lapping liquid is a mixture mainly composed of a liquid such as oil and abrasive grains such as fine-grained fused alumina or silicon carbide. The conventional lapping liquid tank device includes a box-shaped or bottomed cylindrical tank that stores the lapping liquid, and a pump directly or indirectly attached to the tank via another member such as a mounting member. The lapping liquid contained in the tank is pumped up and supplied to a portion to be processed of a workpiece attached to the lapping device. The used lap liquid is collected again and returned to the tank.
However, the lapping liquid in the tank contains abrasive grains and chips generated during processing, and these abrasive grains accumulate on the bottom of the tank with the passage of time, resulting in uneven density of the abrasive grains in the lapping liquid. And there is a problem that the processing accuracy varies. Also, the abrasive particles deposited on the bottom of the tank do not move in the tank, and only the lapping liquid that easily flows in the upper part of the tank is pumped up and used, so the lapping liquid in the tank is used effectively. However, there was a problem that the life was short. Further, since the lapping liquid tank device is fixedly provided on the lapping processing device main body, it is difficult to perform maintenance such as cleaning of the tank on a daily basis.
[0003]
Problems to be Solved by the Invention, Means for Solving Problems, and Effects
The present invention is based on the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to achieve at least one of avoiding uneven density of abrasive grains in a lapping liquid and facilitating maintenance of a lapping liquid tank device. According to the present invention, the following wrapping liquid tank devices can be obtained. As in the case of the claims, each aspect is divided into sections, each section is numbered, and the number of another section is cited as necessary. This is for the purpose of facilitating the understanding of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the technical features and combinations thereof described in the present specification to those described in the following sections. . In addition, when a plurality of items are described in one section, the plurality of items need not always be adopted together. It is also possible to select and adopt only some of the items.
[0004]
In the following items, (1) corresponds to claim 1, (2) to claim 2, (4) to claim 3, (6) and (7). The combination corresponds to claim 4, and the item (10) corresponds to claim 5.
[0005]
(1) a tank for storing the lap liquid,
A tank holding device for holding the tank,
A tank rotating device for rotating the tank held by the tank holding device around an inclined rotation axis,
A supply device for supplying the lap liquid in the tank to the outside,
A lapping liquid tank device comprising:
If the tank is rotated around the inclined rotation axis, the abrasive grains and metal powder which settle down and accumulate on the bottom of the tank are favorably stirred and tend to be uniformly present in the lapping liquid.
(2) The tank has a generally cylindrical shape having a hollow cylindrical peripheral wall and a bottom plate that closes an opening below the peripheral wall, and the tank holding device tilts the cylindrical cylindrical tank. The lapping liquid tank device according to (1), wherein the tank rotating device rotates the tank around a central axis of the peripheral wall.
Although the shape of the tank is arbitrary, it is generally convenient to handle the tank with a bottomed cylindrical shape. In addition, the movement of the lapping liquid in the tank with the rotation is smooth, so that the tank rotating device has a relatively small capacity. When the tank is of an open type having an opening at the top, there is little risk of the lap liquid spilling or scattering from the tank.
(3) The lap liquid tank device according to (2), wherein a plurality of blades extending substantially parallel to a central axis of the peripheral wall are provided at least at a lower end portion of an inner peripheral surface of the peripheral wall of the tank.
Although the blades are not indispensable, if provided, the lapping liquid in the tank is agitated well as the tank rotates, and the abrasive grains tend to be uniformly present in the lapping liquid.
(4) The tank holding device comprises:
A tank holding member for holding the tank,
(1) Items (1) to (4) include a rotating device that rotates the tank holding member at least to a first position in which the tank is inclined and a second position in which the tank stands vertically. The lap liquid tank device according to any one of the above items 3).
The tank holding device may be capable of holding the tank only in an inclined posture. However, it is often more convenient to be able to perform the tank in a vertical position. For example, when the tank can be removed from the tank holding device, it is often easier to remove the tank while standing vertically. In the case where the rotating device has a structure in which the height position of the tank is lowered when the tank is placed in a vertical position, the work of attaching and detaching the tank is particularly easy.
(5) The lap liquid tank device according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the tank holding device is movable with a plurality of wheels.
It becomes easy to move the lap liquid tank to a desired position, and the usability is improved.
(6) The lap liquid tank device according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the supply device includes a pump that supplies the lap liquid in the tank.
Generally, it is desirable that the tank be located as low as possible, and that the supply device include a pump. However, the supply device can be constituted by, for example, an outlet extending from the tank bottom along the rotation axis of the tank. In this case, it is desirable that the tank is disposed above the lap portion of the lap device to which the lap liquid is to be supplied.
(7) a pump holding member for holding the pump;
A pump elevating device that raises and lowers the pump holding member between a lowering position where at least a lower portion of the pump is located in the tank and a raising position where the pump holding member is separated upward from an upper end opening of the tank. A lapping liquid tank device according to item 1.
The pump may be provided in the tank as a submerged pump or may be provided above the tank. In the latter case, it is desirable that the pump be provided with a suction pipe extending downward in order to pump up the lap liquid near the bottom of the tank. If a suction pipe is provided, the suction pipe will be at the lower part of the pump, and the tank is easily removed from the tank holding device if the pump is raised until the suction pipe is also disengaged above the tank. be able to.
(8) The pump lifting device comprises:
A guide fixed to the tank holding device and extending in a direction having a vertical component,
A movable member guided by the guide and movable,
The lap liquid tank device according to (7), wherein the pump holding member is fixed to the moving member.
The moving member may be moved up and down along a guide by an operator, or may be moved up and down by a lifting drive device.
(9) The lap liquid tank device according to (8), wherein the pump elevating device includes an ascending position maintaining device that maintains the moving member at an ascending position.
If the pump elevating device includes an ascending position maintaining device, the pump can be maintained at the ascending position, and in that state, the work of removing the tank from the tank holding device or performing maintenance work inside the tank can be performed. Can be convenient.
(10) The tank rotating device includes:
A turntable rotatably held by the tank holding device and supporting the tank from below,
The lapping liquid tank device according to any one of the above items (1) to (9), including a rotary drive device for driving the turntable to rotate.
In this aspect, the turntable may be considered to constitute the tank holding member, and the member that rotatably holds the turntable may be considered to constitute the tank holding member that holds the tank via the turntable. In the case where the configuration in which the tank is supported on the turntable is adopted, if the tank is placed on the turntable, the tank can be rotated by the tank rotating device, and the tank can be easily attached to and detached from the tank holding device.
[0006]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
1 and 2 schematically show main components of a lap liquid tank device according to one embodiment of the present invention. The lapping liquid tank device includes a tank 10 that stores lapping oil, which is a type of lapping liquid, a tank holding device 12 that holds the tank 10, and a rotation of the tank 10 held by the tank holding device 12 about an inclined rotation axis. The apparatus includes a tank rotating device 14 for performing wrapping, and a supply device 16 for supplying wrap oil in the tank 10 to a lap processing device (not shown) provided outside the lap liquid tank device.
[0007]
The tank 10 includes a hollow cylindrical peripheral wall 20 and a bottom plate 22 that closes an opening below the peripheral wall 20 and has a generally bottomed cylindrical shape. At the lower end of the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral wall 20 of the tank 10, a plurality of blades 24 extending substantially parallel to the central axis of the peripheral wall 20 are integrally provided. In the present embodiment, the plurality of blades 24 are provided at equal angular intervals in the circumferential direction of the peripheral wall 20, as shown in FIG.
[0008]
The tank holding device 12 includes a tank holding member 30 that holds the tank 10, a first position where the tank 10 is tilted, and a second position where the tank 10 is vertically stood. And a rotating device 32 for rotating. The tank holding device 12 is supported by a support base 36. A plurality of (in total, four on each side of the support base 36 in this embodiment) wheels 38 are rotatably attached to the support base 36, and the tank holding device 12 can be moved to a desired position.
[0009]
The tank holding member 30 includes a flat holding portion 40 capable of supporting the tank 10 from below, and a flat guiding portion 42 extending upward from one end of the holding portion 40. A support shaft 44 is provided at the one end of the holding portion 40 so as to protrude on both sides, and is supported by a bracket 46 fixed to the support base 36 so as to be relatively rotatable. It is rotatable around the axis. As shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of (two in the case of the present embodiment) rollers 48 are spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the tank 10 on a surface of the guide portion 42 facing the tank 10 by a bracket (not shown). It is rotatably mounted. With the rollers 48, the tank 10 is supported from the side while the tank holding member 30 is rotated to the first position and the tank 10 is tilted, thereby preventing the tank 10 from moving. The frictional force at the time of rotation of 10 is reduced. The support shaft 44 and the bracket 46 of the support base 36 and the like constitute the rotating device 32.
[0010]
The tank holding device 12 also includes a first position maintaining device 50 for holding the tank 10 at the first position. The first position maintaining device 50 includes an engagement recess 52 of an engagement member 51 integrally provided substantially at a center of an outer surface of the guide portion 42 opposite to the inner surface on which the roller 48 is provided, and a tank. An engaging lever 54 whose base end is rotatably held on the support base 36 of the holding member 40 is provided. An engaging portion 56, which is a free end of the engaging lever 54, is bent in a hook shape, and the engaging portion 56 is engaged with the engaging concave portion 52, whereby the holding portion 40 is moved to the first position. Is maintained. However, in the present embodiment, the first position where the tank 10 is tilted includes a plurality of positions where the tilt angle of the tank 10 with respect to the horizontal plane is variously different. The engagement recesses 52 are formed at four locations in the longitudinal direction of the guide portion 42 (in a direction having a vertical component), and the engagement portions 56 are engaged with the engagement recesses 52 located above. For example, the inclination angle of the tank 10 with respect to the horizontal plane becomes larger. A handle 58 that can be gripped by an operator when rotating the tank holding member 30 is provided at the upper end of the guide portion 42.
[0011]
The tank rotation device 14 includes a turntable 60 rotatably supported by the holding portion 40 of the tank holding member 30 and a rotation drive device 62 that drives the turntable 60 to rotate. The tank 10 is supported from below on a support surface 61 which is the upper surface of the turntable 60. In the present embodiment, the rotation drive device 62 is integrally provided on a turntable 60, a motor 64, which is a type of actuator serving as a drive source, a drive pulley 66 provided integrally on an output shaft of the motor 64. It has a driven pulley 68 and a belt 70 wound around the pulleys 66, 68. The motor 64 is fixed to the guide section 42 by a bracket 72. When the motor 64 is driven, the turntable 60 is rotated via the driving pulley 66, the belt 70, and the driven pulley 68, and the tank 10 is turned by the frictional force between the support surface 61 of the turntable 60 and the bottom surface of the tank 10. It is rotated around the central axis of the tank 10 together with the table 60.
[0012]
The supply device 16 includes a pump device 80 that supplies the wrap oil stored in the tank 10. The pump device 80 is held by a pump holding member 82. As shown in FIG. 3, the pump device 80 includes a motor 90 constituting an upper part thereof, and a pump 92 constituting a lower part thereof. The pump 92 is a submerged pump, and sucks wrap oil from a suction port 94 opened to the outside and discharges the wrap oil from a discharge pipe 100 having a discharge passage 98. The discharge pipe 100 is connected to the lapping machine via a pipe having a supply passage (not shown). 102 is a filter. A rotation shaft 106 is connected to an output shaft of the motor 90. An impeller 110 having a plurality of blades 108 is fixed to a distal end (lower end) of the rotary shaft 106 opposite to the side connected to the output shaft. The impeller 110 is provided so as to be located between the suction port 94 and the discharge passage 98, and communicates with the suction port 94 and the discharge passage 98 between adjacent ones of the plurality of blades 108 in the circumferential direction. A passage 112 is formed. When the motor 90 is driven in a state where the lower part of the pump 80 is located in the wrap oil in the tank 10, the impeller 110 is rotated, and the wrap oil is sucked from the suction port 94 as shown by an arrow in FIG. Is supplied to a processing portion of a workpiece attached to the lap processing device via a discharge passage 98. The used wrap oil is collected again and returned to the tank 10 via a passage (not shown).
[0013]
The pump holding member 82 is moved up and down by the pump elevating device 120 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 so that the lower portion of the pump device 80 is located in the tank 10 and the pump device 80 is detached upward from the upper end opening of the tank 10. It is raised and lowered between positions. When the pump holding member 82 is in the lowered position, the pump 92, which is the lower end of the pump device 80, is located in the lower part of the wrap oil in the tank 10, and the lower part of the lap oil is sucked well. . The pump holding member 82 has a generally flat plate shape, and one end thereof is fixed to a pair of guide blocks 124. The pair of guide blocks 124 are movably fitted to both sides of the guide portion 42, and are moved by being guided by the guide portion 42, so that the pump holding member 82 and the pump 80 held by the pump holding member 82 are moved up and down. Note that FIGS. 1 and 2 show only one guide block 124 because the guide blocks 124 overlap each other. Handles 126 are fixedly provided on the opposite side of the guide block 124 from the side on which the pump holding member 82 is fixed. The operator can grip the handles 126 to raise and lower the pump 80 and the pump holding member 82. The pair of guide blocks 124 constitute a moving member, and the pump elevating device 120 includes the guide portions 42 and the guide blocks 124.
[0014]
The pump elevating device 120 also includes an elevating position maintaining device 130 for maintaining the guide block 124 and the pump holding member 82 at the elevating position. The ascending position maintaining device 130 includes a hook 132 rotatably attached to the guide block 124, and an engaging portion 134 provided integrally with the guide portion 42 and capable of engaging with the hook 132. The engaging portion 134 is provided at a position on the upper end of the guide portion 42 where the pump holding member 82 can be maintained at the raised position by engaging with the hook 132.
[0015]
The pump holding member 82 also holds a float 140 constituting the liquid amount detection device at a position closer to the support shaft 44 than the pump 80 so as to be able to move up and down. When the pump holding member 82 is in the lowered position, the detection unit at the lower part of the float 140 is located in the tank 10, and the amount of oil in the tank 10 can be detected. Can be managed.
[0016]
The pump holding member 82 further holds a magnet 150 at a position that does not interfere with the pump 80 and the float 140. With the pump holding member 82 in the lowered position, the lower part of the magnet 150 is positioned in the wrap oil, so that the chips mixed in the wrap oil are adsorbed. The adsorbed chips can be removed by extracting the magnet 150, and wrap oil with less chips can be supplied.
In addition, the pump holding member 82, the pump device 80, the float 140, and the magnet 150 are provided in an arrangement that does not hinder the rotation of the tank 10.
[0017]
According to the present lap liquid tank device, during operation of the device, as shown in FIG. 1, the tank holding member 30 is rotated to the first position and the tank 10 is tilted, so that the first position maintaining device 50 The tank 10 is rotated by the rotation drive of the rotation drive device 62 in a state where the attitude is maintained. By rotating the tank 10 in an inclined state, the upper layer and the lower layer of the wrap oil in the tank 10 are well stirred. Further, the wrap oil is more efficiently stirred by the action of the blades 24 provided in the tank 10. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the abrasive grains in the lap oil from being deposited on the bottom of the tank 10 in a good manner, to make the density of the abrasive grains in the lap oil uniform, to improve the processing accuracy of the lapping process, and to stabilize the effect. Is maintained. In addition, since the lap oil is well stirred in the tank 10, the flow to the suction port 94 of the pump 92 is not easily rectified, and the entire lap oil in the tank 10 is evenly supplied to the processing portion of the lap processing device. can do. In the regular replacement of the lap oil, an appropriate amount of the lap oil in use is drained, and new oil is replenished to such an extent that the sharpness of the lap processing device does not change drastically. If it exists uniformly, the amount of wrap oil to be changed periodically can be reduced.
[0018]
Further, at the time of tank replacement (or maintenance), as shown in FIG. 2, the tank holding member 82 is rotated to the second position so that the tank 10 stands in the vertical direction, and the pump holding member 82 is moved to the raised position. By raising, the pump 92 at the lower end of the pump device 80, the float 140, the magnet 150 and the like are detached upward from the upper end opening of the tank 10. In this state, maintenance such as replacement of the tank 10 and cleaning of the inside of the tank 10 can be easily performed.
[0019]
As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail. However, these are merely examples, and the present invention starts with the modes described in the section [Problems to be Solved by the Invention, Problem Solving Means and Effects]. Various modifications and improvements can be made based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a front sectional view showing a state in which a tank is at a first position in a lapping liquid tank device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a front sectional view showing a state in which the tank is at a second position in the lap liquid tank device.
FIG. 3 is a front view (partial cross section) showing a pump of the lap liquid tank device.
FIG. 4 is a plan sectional view of the lap liquid tank device.
[Explanation of symbols]
10: Tank 12: Tank holding device 14: Tank rotating device 16: Supply device 20: Peripheral wall 22: Bottom plate 24: Blade 30: Tank holding member 32: Rotating device 50: First position maintaining device 60: Turntable 62: Rotation Drive device 80: Pump device 82: Pump holding member 92: Pump 120: Pump elevating device 124: Guide block 130: Ascending position maintaining device

Claims (5)

A tank for storing the lap liquid,
A tank holding device for holding the tank,
A tank rotating device for rotating the tank held by the tank holding device around an inclined rotation axis,
A supply device for supplying the lap liquid in the tank to the outside,
A lapping liquid tank device comprising: The tank has a hollow cylindrical peripheral wall and a bottom plate that closes an opening below the peripheral wall to form a generally bottomed cylindrical shape, and the tank holding device tilts the bottomed cylindrical tank into an inclined posture. The lapping liquid tank device according to claim 1, wherein the tank rotating device rotates the tank around a central axis of the peripheral wall. The tank holding device,
A tank holding member for holding the tank,
3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a rotating device configured to rotate the tank holding member at least to a first position in which the tank is inclined and a second position in which the tank stands vertically. 4. The lap liquid tank device according to the above. The supply device includes a pump that supplies a lapping liquid in the tank, and the lapping liquid tank device includes:
A pump holding member for holding the pump,
A pump elevating device that raises and lowers the pump holding member between a lowering position in which at least a lower portion of the pump is located in the tank and a raising position in which the pump holding member is separated upward from an upper end opening of the tank. 4. The lap liquid tank device according to any one of 3. The tank rotating device,
A turntable rotatably held by the tank holding device and supporting the tank from below,
The lapping liquid tank device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a rotation driving device that rotationally drives the turntable.

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