JP2006218591A - Index device, clamping mechanism and machine tool - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To accurately fix an index table fixed with a plurality of tools at the respective indexed angles. <P>SOLUTION: An index device 1 comprises a base 3, the index table 5 rotatably supported to the base 3 and mounted with a plurality of the tools 4, a driving device 6 for rotating/driving the index table 5, and a clamping mechanism 2 for fixing the rotation of the index table 5 to the base 3. The clamping mechanism 2 comprises clamping members 20 placed to be evenly spaced apart on a cylindrical outer peripheral surface 5a of the index table 5 in the circumferential direction and simultaneously pressed inward from at least three directions to the radial direction. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an index device, a clamp mechanism, and a machine tool.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an index device that includes an index table on which a plurality of tools are mounted, and if necessary, an index device that fixes the tool at an index angle, and a machine tool that includes the index device and processes the workpiece. Are known. In such a machine tool, as a clamping mechanism for fixing the index table at a predetermined indexing angle, a thin plate-like disk fixed to the index table and extending over the entire circumference in the radial direction around the rotation axis, and the disk in the direction of the rotation axis What is provided with the press member pinched | interposed into is employ | adopted (for example, refer patent document 1, 2).
JP-A-8-294835 JP 2004-74328 A

However, the clamp mechanism that fixes the index table by sandwiching the thin plate-like disk in the direction along the rotation axis as described above has the following problems.
First, in the clamp mechanism that sandwiches the disk in the axial direction, a force directed in the axial direction may act on the disk when sandwiched by the pressing member. In such a case, a force directed in the axial direction also acts on the index table on which the disk is fixed, and as a result, the cutting edge of the tool mounted on the index table varies in the axial direction.

Secondly, a thin disk-shaped disk is difficult to achieve flatness, and it is necessary to ensure a large outer diameter of the disk in order to perform effective clamping. For this reason, the outer peripheral edge of the disc swings in a direction along the rotation axis. In this way, in the clamp mechanism that fixes the disk that swings in the axial direction by pinching it in the axial direction, the force applied to the disk in the axial direction varies when the disk is pinched by the pressing member. Accordingly, the position of the tool blade on the index table also varies in the axial direction depending on the mounting position.
Therefore, there is a problem that the workpiece cannot be processed with high accuracy.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and provides an index device, a clamp mechanism, and a machine tool capable of accurately fixing an index table to which a plurality of tools are fixed at respective index angles. It is aimed.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following means.
The present invention includes a base, an index table that is rotatably supported with respect to the base, and on which a plurality of tools are mounted, a drive device that rotationally drives the index table, and rotation of the index table fixed to the base. An index device comprising: a clamping mechanism that is pressed against the cylindrical outer peripheral surface of the index table at the same time from at least three directions radially inward at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. I will provide a.

  According to the present invention, the index table is rotationally driven with respect to the base by the operation of the driving device, and the tool mounted on the index table is fixed to the base at the predetermined index angle by the operation of the clamp mechanism. The clamp mechanism fixes the rotation of the index table with respect to the base by pressing the clamp member radially inward against the outer peripheral surface of the index table. Accordingly, no force along the axial direction acts on the index table during the clamping operation, and as a result, the tip of the tool does not fluctuate in the axial direction. In addition, since at least three clamp members equally spaced in the circumferential direction are simultaneously pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the index table, the pressing force applied in the radial direction is evenly distributed in the circumferential direction, and the index table is in the radial direction. Is also prevented from being displaced. As a result, the tool mounted on the index table can be accurately fixed at a predetermined index angle.

In the above-mentioned invention, it is preferable that the clamp mechanism comprises a diaphragm chuck including a diaphragm portion that fixes the clamp member and is elastically deformable, and an actuator that elastically deforms the diaphragm portion.
With this configuration, the diaphragm portion is elastically deformed by the operation of the actuator, and the clamp member is simultaneously pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the index table by the elastic deformation. Therefore, by configuring the clamp mechanism with a diaphragm chuck, the index table can be fixed to the base easily and accurately.

In the above invention, the clamp member is defined by a ring-shaped member fitted with a small gap on the outer peripheral surface of the index table by slits formed radially at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. It may be formed.
In the diaphragm chuck, it is necessary to provide a plurality of clamp members that are simultaneously displaced in the radial direction. By comprising in this way, the some clamp member divided by the slit can be formed integrally at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. Accordingly, the positioning work between the clamp members is not necessary, and a plurality of clamp members can be handled as one body, so that the handleability during assembly is also improved.

Further, in the above invention, the diaphragm portion is formed in a ring plate shape, and the radially outer side thereof is provided so as to be elastically deformable, and the actuator is a ring shape capable of pressing the diaphragm portion over almost the entire circumference. It is good also as providing a piston.
By doing in this way, the diaphragm part formed in the ring-plate shape is pressed over the perimeter of the circumferential direction by the action | operation of the ring-shaped piston which comprises an actuator. As a result, a plurality of clamp members arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction can be simultaneously displaced in the radial direction.

In addition, the present invention simultaneously presses at least three directions radially inward at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on a cylindrical outer peripheral surface of an index table that is rotatably provided with a plurality of tools mounted thereon. Provided is a clamp mechanism of an index device including a clamp member to be used.
According to the present invention, the force along the axial direction does not act on the index table during the clamping operation, and as a result, the tip of the tool does not fluctuate in the axial direction. In addition, the pressing force applied in the radial direction to the outer peripheral surface of the index table by the clamp member is evenly distributed in the circumferential direction, and the index table is also prevented from being displaced in the radial direction. As a result, the tool mounted on the index table can be accurately fixed at a predetermined index angle.

In the above-mentioned invention, it may be composed of a diaphragm chuck that includes a diaphragm part that fixes the clamp member and is elastically deformable, and an actuator that elastically deforms the diaphragm part.
The diaphragm portion is elastically deformed by the operation of the actuator, and the clamp member is simultaneously pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the index table by the elastic deformation. Therefore, the index table can be fixed easily and accurately by configuring the clamp mechanism with a diaphragm chuck.

In the above invention, the clamp member is defined by a ring-shaped member fitted with a small gap on the outer peripheral surface of the index table by slits formed radially at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. It may be formed.
By comprising in this way, the several clamp member divided by the slit can be formed integrally at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. Accordingly, the positioning work between the clamp members is not necessary, and a plurality of clamp members can be handled as one body, so that the handleability during assembly is also improved.

Further, in the above invention, the diaphragm portion is formed in a ring plate shape, and the radially outer side thereof is provided so as to be elastically deformable, and the actuator is a ring-shaped member that can press the diaphragm portion over almost the entire circumference. It is good also as providing a piston.
By doing in this way, the diaphragm part formed in the ring-plate shape is pressed over the perimeter of the circumferential direction by the action | operation of the ring-shaped piston which comprises an actuator. As a result, a plurality of clamp members arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction can be simultaneously displaced in the radial direction.

In addition, the present invention provides a machine tool that includes any one of the index devices described above, and that processes a workpiece by fixing a tool mounted on the index device at a predetermined index angle.
According to the present invention, since the tool mounted on the index table can be fixed at a predetermined index angle with respect to the base without being displaced in the axial direction and the radial direction by the operation of the index device, the work piece can be accurately obtained. Can be processed.

  According to the present invention, the index table on which a plurality of tools are fixed is pressed and fixed in the radial direction, so that displacement along the rotation axis direction of the tool is prevented, and the radius from at least three directions at equal intervals. By pressing in the direction, it is possible to prevent the tool from being displaced in the radial direction and to accurately fix the tool at each indexing angle.

Hereinafter, an index device 1, a clamp mechanism 2, and a machine tool according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 1, the index device 1 according to the present embodiment includes a base 3, an index table 5 that is supported so as to be rotatable about a horizontal axis with respect to the base 3, and on which a plurality of tools 4 are mounted, A motor (driving device) 6 and a speed reducer 7 that rotationally drive the index table 5 and a clamp mechanism 2 that fixes the index table 5 to the base 3 at a predetermined index angle are provided. Moreover, as a machine tool provided with the index apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the lathe which has the spindle spindle apparatus which is not shown in figure which rotates a workpiece at high speed can be mentioned, for example.

The base 3 is fixed to an XY stage (not shown) and is provided so as to be movable to an arbitrary position in the horizontal direction.
A plurality of, for example, twelve tools 4 are fixed to the index table 5 in a cantilever shape so as to extend from the index table 5 in the horizontal direction at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. Yes. The index table 5 is provided with a cylindrical outer peripheral surface 5a. A clamp member described later is brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface 5a.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the clamp mechanism 2 includes an annular main body bracket 8 fixed to the base 3, and an annular peripheral groove 9 formed on one end surface side in the thickness direction of the main body bracket 8. And an annular piston 10 that is accommodated in the circumferential groove 9 so as to be movable in the thickness direction of the main body bracket 8, that is, in the rotation axis direction of the index table 5, and is fixed to the main body bracket 8. It is comprised by what is called a diaphragm chuck provided with the substantially ring-plate-shaped diaphragm 11 arrange | positioned in the position which contact | abuts, and the ring-shaped member 12 fitted to the outer peripheral surface of this diaphragm 11. FIG. Reference numeral 13 in the figure denotes a cover that covers the clamp mechanism 2.

  An O-ring 14 is disposed between the side wall of the peripheral groove 9 of the main body bracket 8 and the inner peripheral surface and outer peripheral surface of the piston 10, and the gap between the two is sealed. The body bracket 8 is provided with a through hole 15 communicating with the circumferential groove 9, and a pneumatic tube 16 capable of supplying pressurized air is connected to the through hole 15. When air pressure is supplied from the pneumatic tube 16, the air pressure in the space in the circumferential groove 9 closed by the piston 10 and the O-ring 14 rises, whereby the piston 10 protrudes from the inside of the circumferential groove 9 to the outside of the body bracket 8. It is to be urged in the direction to do. A plurality of through holes 15 and pneumatic tubes 16 are preferably provided at intervals in the circumferential direction of the circumferential groove 9. As a result, the pistons 10 in the circumferential groove 9 are biased in the direction in which they are simultaneously projected over the entire circumference, and can be projected without twisting.

The diaphragm 11 includes a thin portion 11a which is formed on the inner side in the radial direction so as to be thinly formed and easily deformed elastically. Then, by fixing the inner portion 11b in the radial direction from the thin portion 11a to the main body bracket 8, the outer portion 11c in the radial direction from the thin portion 11a is displaced in the direction of approaching and separating from the main body bracket 8 in the axial direction. Be able to.
In addition, the diaphragm 11 is arranged at a position where the radially outer portion 11 c comes into contact with the piston 10 with respect to the thin portion 11 a in a state where the diaphragm 11 is fixed to the main body bracket 8.

  The ring-shaped member 12 includes a clamp portion 17 formed in a ring plate shape and a fitting portion 18 provided on the outer peripheral side of the clamp portion 17. As shown in FIG. 2, the clamp portion 17 has a plurality of slits 19 formed along the thickness direction and extending in the radial direction at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, for example, in the example shown in FIG. Twelve are provided. The slit 19 is formed up to an intermediate position of the fitting portion 18 so as to partition the clamp portion 17 into a plurality of clamp members 20. The fitting portion 18 is fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the diaphragm 11, positions the clamp member 20 of the ring-shaped member 12 in the radial direction with respect to the diaphragm 11, and a plurality of clamp members 20 defined by the slits 19. Are connected together.

  The clamp members 20 are separated from each other by twelve slits 19 so that twelve sections are formed, and each is formed in an arc shape. The inner peripheral surface of each clamp member 20 is disposed with a small gap in the radial direction with respect to the outer peripheral surface 5a of the index table 5 when the thin portion 11a of the diaphragm 11 is not elastically deformed. When the thin-walled portion 11a is elastically deformed, it is pressed against the outer peripheral surface 5a of the index table 5 to apply a force inward in the radial direction.

The operation of the index device 1, the clamp mechanism 2, and the machine tool according to this embodiment configured as described above will be described below.
In order to set the tool 4 to be used to an accurate indexing angle from among the plurality of tools 4 mounted on the index table 5 using the index device 1 according to the present embodiment, the motor 6 and the speed reducer 7 are driven. Then, the index table 5 is rotated. Then, the clamp mechanism 2 is operated in a state where the tool 4 to be used is positioned at the use position by the rotational position control of the motor 6, and the tool 4 is fixed at the use position.

  In order to operate the clamp mechanism 2, pressurized air is supplied into the circumferential groove 9 provided in the main body bracket 8 through the pneumatic tube 16. Since the piston 10 is disposed in the circumferential groove 9 and the gap with the side wall of the circumferential groove 9 is sealed by the O-ring 14, the piston 10 moves in a direction protruding from the inside of the circumferential groove 9 to the outside of the body bracket 8. Be made.

  Since the distal end of the piston 10 is arranged with a radially outer portion 11c than the thin portion 11a of the diaphragm 11, when the piston 10 is protruded, the distal end presses the radially outer portion 11c of the diaphragm 11, and the thin portion 11a is elastically deformed. As a result of the thin wall portion 11a being elastically deformed, the radially outer portion 11c of the diaphragm 11 is displaced so as to tilt toward the rotation axis with the thin wall portion 11a serving as a fulcrum, so that it is fixed to the radially outer portion 11c. The ring-shaped member 12 is also displaced in the same manner. As a result, the clamp member 20 constituting the ring-shaped member 12 is moved radially inward while narrowing the interval between the slits 19, and comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface 5a of the index table 5 to push inward in the radial direction. Apply pressure.

  In this case, a plurality of clamp members 20 are arranged on the outer circumference of the index table 5 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, and the piston 10 presses the diaphragm 11 over the entire circumference, so that all the clamp members 20 are arranged. Simultaneously presses the outer peripheral surface 5a of the index table 5 with the same pressing force. Accordingly, the index table 5 is fixed from the entire circumference with a uniform force directed inward in the radial direction, and thus is fixed without causing a positional deviation in the radial direction by the clamping operation. Further, since no force in the direction along the rotation axis is applied to the index table 5 during the clamping operation, the index table 5 is fixed without being displaced in the direction along the rotation axis. The index table 5 is fixed so as not to rotate in the circumferential direction with respect to the base 3 by the frictional force between the outer peripheral surface 5a and the inner peripheral surface of the clamp member 20.

  According to the index apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment configured as described above, the index table 5 can be fixed to the base 3 without being displaced in both the rotation axis direction and the radial direction. Therefore, an arbitrary tool 4 can be accurately fixed at a predetermined index angle. In addition, according to the machine tool according to the present embodiment, the workpiece can be processed by the tool 4 positioned and fixed with high accuracy by the index device 1, so that there is an advantage that the processing accuracy can be improved.

Further, by adopting the clamp mechanism 2 formed of a diaphragm chuck, it is not necessary to dispose the piston 10 as an actuator along the radial direction, and the size around the outer peripheral surface 5a of the index table 5 can be reduced.
In addition, since the clamp mechanism 2 includes the ring-shaped piston 10, the plurality of clamp members 20 can be easily and simultaneously displaced with the same amount of displacement.
Further, since the plurality of clamp members 20 are integrated into the ring-shaped member 12 by the fitting portions 18, all the clamp members 20 are positioned in the radial direction and the circumferential direction simply by fitting the fitting portions 18 to the diaphragm 11. It is possible to improve handling and assembly.

  In the index device 1 and the clamp mechanism 2 according to the present embodiment, the example in which the number of tools 4 and the number of clamp members 20 are twelve has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. About the clamp member 20, three or more should just be arrange | positioned at equal intervals in the circumferential direction with respect to the outer peripheral surface 5a of the index table 5. FIG.

It is the longitudinal cross-sectional view which fractured | ruptured a part which shows the index apparatus and clamp mechanism which concern on one Embodiment of this invention. It is the side view which looked at the index device of Drawing 1 from the index table side. It is a top view of the index apparatus of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Index device 2 Clamp mechanism 3 Base 4 Tool 5 Index table 5a Outer peripheral surface 6 Motor (drive device)
10 Piston (actuator)
11 Diaphragm (diaphragm part)
12 Ring-shaped member 19 Slit 20 Clamp member

Claims (9)

Base and
An index table which is rotatably supported with respect to the base and carries a plurality of tools;
A driving device for rotationally driving the index table;
A clamp mechanism for fixing the rotation of the index table with respect to the base,
An indexing device comprising: a clamping member, wherein the clamping mechanism is pressed against a cylindrical outer peripheral surface of the index table at the same time from at least three directions radially inward at equal intervals in the circumferential direction.   The index device according to claim 1, wherein the clamp mechanism includes a diaphragm chuck including a diaphragm portion that fixes the clamp member and is elastically deformable, and an actuator that elastically deforms the diaphragm portion.   3. The clamp member is defined by a ring-shaped member that is fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the index table with a small gap by slits that are radially formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The indexing device described in 1. The diaphragm portion is formed in a ring plate shape, and its radially outer side is provided so as to be elastically deformable,
The index device according to claim 3, wherein the actuator includes a ring-shaped piston capable of pressing the diaphragm portion over substantially the entire circumference.   An index having a clamp member that is simultaneously pressed from at least three directions toward the radially inner side at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on a cylindrical outer peripheral surface of an index table that is rotatably mounted with a plurality of tools mounted thereon The clamping mechanism of the device.   6. The clamp mechanism for an index device according to claim 5, comprising a diaphragm part that fixes the clamp member and is elastically deformable, and an actuator that elastically deforms the diaphragm part.   The said clamp member is section-formed by the slit formed radially at equal intervals in the circumferential direction at the ring-shaped member fitted in the outer peripheral surface of the said index table with a micro clearance gap. The clamp mechanism of the index device as described in 1. The diaphragm portion is formed in a ring plate shape, and its radially outer side is provided so as to be elastically deformable,
The index mechanism clamping mechanism according to claim 7, wherein the actuator includes a ring-shaped piston capable of pressing the diaphragm portion substantially over the entire circumference.   A machine tool comprising the index device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, and machining a workpiece by fixing a tool mounted on the index device to a predetermined index angle.

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