JP2009068543A - Spindle device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely restrain the generation of an air hammer caused by the compressibility of air. <P>SOLUTION: A spindle 14 is rotatably supported to a housing 12 via porous air bearings 26-29. The spindle 14 is connected to a motor rotary shaft 44 of an electric motor 38. The housing 12 has air passages 30-33 exhausting air introduced from an air supply port 34 from an exhaust port 36 via the porous air bearings 26-29. The porous air bearings 26 and 27 are constituted as radial berings. The porous air bearings 28 and 29 are constituted as thrust bearings. A flange 16 of the spindle 12 has pockets 50 and 51 introducing and storing air flowing in a bearing clearance and air passing through the porous air bearings 28 and 29, an air exhaust passage 52 introducing air stored in the pockets 50 and 51 to the outside of the bearings, and orifices 54 and 55 adjusting flow rates of air passing through the air exhaust passage 52. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a spindle device suitable for rotating a spindle rotatably supported by a static pressure gas bearing by an electric motor and transmitting the rotational force of the spindle to a precision measuring instrument or processing machine.

  The spindle device is used as an element of a machine tool that rotationally drives a tool such as cutting and grinding, or as an element of an inspection machine that rotationally drives a magnetic disk or the like. In this type of spindle device, a spindle (spindle shaft), which is a rotating shaft, is supported by a cylindrical housing via a static pressure gas bearing, and a motor rotating shaft of an electric motor is connected to the spindle to drive the electric motor. Thus, the spindle is driven to rotate. At this time, the static pressure gas bearing is supplied with air to form a gap with the spindle, and supports the spindle in a non-contact manner so that the spindle can rotate at high speed.

  On the other hand, high rigidity is required for a spindle device used for precision processing machines, precision measuring instruments, and the like. Therefore, the most rigid porous air bearing among the air bearings is adopted as the static pressure gas bearing of the spindle device.

  However, when an air bearing is used as the static pressure gas bearing, self-excited vibration called an air hammer may occur due to air compressibility. In particular, when a porous air bearing is used as the air bearing, the porous itself becomes an air reservoir, and an air hammer is more easily generated.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a spindle device that can reliably suppress the generation of an air hammer due to the compressibility of air.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a spindle is rotatably supported by a cylindrical housing via a static pressure thrust gas bearing, and an electric motor is juxtaposed with the housing, and one end of the spindle in the longitudinal direction is provided. A spindle device in which a motor rotating shaft of the electric motor is connected to the side, and an air passage is formed in the housing to discharge air introduced from an air supply port from an exhaust port through the static pressure gas bearing; The hydrostatic gas bearing is composed of a radial bearing that receives a radial load from the spindle and a thrust bearing that receives a thrust load from a flange of the spindle, and the spindle has air flowing through a thrust bearing gap. And a pocket for introducing and storing the air that has passed through the static pressure thrust gas bearing, and an energy stored in the pocket. The in which it characterized the air discharge channel leading to the outside spindle, that the aperture to adjust the flow rate of air passing through the air discharge channel is formed.

  According to this configuration, when air flowing through the thrust bearing gap or air passing through the static pressure thrust gas bearing is introduced into the pocket, the pocket stores the introduced air and discharges the stored air to the air discharge path. It functions as a buffer, and the pressure of the air in the bearing gap can be increased. As a result, the rigidity can be increased. Further, the flow rate is controlled by the throttle in the process in which the air introduced into the pocket flows through the air discharge path. At that time, the air attenuation action by the throttle is enhanced, and the occurrence of an air hammer (self-excited vibration) due to the compressibility of the air can be reliably suppressed.

  In configuring the spindle device, the following elements can be added. Preferably, the pocket, the air discharge path, and the throttle are formed in a flange of the spindle, and the pocket of the flange is formed opposite to a thrust receiving surface of a thrust bearing of the hydrostatic gas bearing. .

  According to such a configuration, the pocket, the air discharge path, and the throttle are formed on the flange as the rotating member, so that the pocket, the air discharge path, and the throttle can be easily formed. Since the pocket of the flange is formed opposite to the thrust receiving surface of the hydrostatic gas bearing, it flows on the thrust receiving surface of the hydrostatic gas bearing among the air flowing through the bearing gap and the air passing through the hydrostatic gas bearing. Air can be smoothly guided to the pocket.

  Preferably, a flange is formed in the middle in the longitudinal direction of the spindle, and a thrust bearing among the hydrostatic gas bearings is disposed on the outer periphery of the spindle adjacent to the flange with the flange in between. It becomes.

  According to this configuration, the thrust bearings are disposed adjacent to the flanges, so that the spindle can be smoothly supported by each thrust bearing.

  Preferably, a pocket is formed on a surface of the flange facing the thrust receiving surface of each thrust bearing, and each pocket is connected to the air discharge path.

  According to such a configuration, the pocket, the air discharge path, and the throttle are formed on the flange as the rotating member, so that the pocket, the air discharge path, and the throttle can be easily formed. Since each pocket is formed opposite to the thrust receiving surface of each thrust bearing, the air flowing through the thrust bearing surface of the thrust bearing out of the air flowing through the bearing gap and the air passing through each thrust bearing is smooth in the pocket. Can lead to.

  Suitably, the said static pressure gas bearing is comprised with the porous air bearing.

  According to such a configuration, air permeability can be improved.

  According to the present invention, generation of an air hammer can be reliably suppressed, and a highly rigid spindle device can be realized.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a spindle apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, a spindle apparatus 10 includes metal (stainless steel) housings 12 and 13 formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and a cylindrical spindle (spindle shaft) 14 is a rotating shaft in the housings 12 and 13. It is stored in a freely rotatable manner.

  An annular flange 16 is integrally formed in the middle of the spindle 14 in the longitudinal direction (axial direction), and a tool for cutting and polishing, a magnetic disk, or the like is connected to the longitudinal end of the spindle 14. It has become so.

  A pair of porous air bearings 26 and 27 are disposed between the housing 12 and the spindle 14 along the longitudinal direction (axial direction) of the spindle 14 as a static pressure gas bearing. The porous air bearings 26 and 27 function as a radial bearing that receives a radial load (a load in the radial direction) from the spindle 14, and the surface of the porous air bearings 26 and 27 that faces the outer periphery of the spindle 14 receives the radial load. It is comprised as radial receiving surface 26a, 27a.

  Between the housing 13 and the spindle 14, a pair of porous air bearings 28, 29 are arranged along the longitudinal direction (axial direction) of the spindle 14 as static pressure gas bearings. 28 and 29 are arranged adjacent to the flange 16 with the flange 16 in between. The porous air bearings 28 and 29 function as a thrust bearing that receives a thrust load (a load in the thrust direction) from the flange 16 of the spindle 14, and a surface facing the flange 16 of the porous air bearings 28 and 29 has a thrust load. The thrust receiving surfaces 28a and 29a are configured to receive.

  The housings 12 and 13 are formed with air passages 30, 31, 32 and 33 for supplying air to the porous air bearings 26, 27, 28 and 29. The air is supplied from an air supply source. The air introduced into the air supply port 34 is supplied to the porous air bearings 26, 27, 28, and 29 through the air passage 30, and the air that has passed through the porous air bearings 26, 27, 28, and 29 is air The gas is discharged from the exhaust ports 35, 36, and 37 through the passages 31, 32, and 33. In the process in which the air from the air supply source is exhausted from the exhaust ports 35 to 37 through the air passage 30, the porous air bearings 26 to 29 and the air passages 31 to 33, a part of the air is outside the spindle 14 and each porous portion. The air is discharged from the bearing gap between the porous air bearings 26 to 29, and is discharged from the bearing gap between the porous air bearing 28 and the flange 16 and the bearing gap between the porous air bearing 29 and the flange 16.

  At this time, in the state in which the porous air bearings 26 to 29 are supported by the housings 12 and 13, the surfaces facing the spindle 14 function as radial receiving surfaces 26 a and 27 a that receive a radial load, and face the flange 16. The surfaces function as thrust receiving surfaces 28a and 29a for receiving a thrust load, and the spindle 14 and the flange 16 can be rotatably supported in a non-contact state.

  On the other hand, an electric motor 38 is juxtaposed to the housing 13 adjacent to the housing 13, and the electric motor 38 is housed and fixed in a cylindrical motor bracket 40. The motor bracket 40 has one longitudinal end connected to the housing 13 and the other longitudinal end closed by a cover 42.

  The electric motor 38 includes a motor rotating shaft 44, a rotor 46, and a stator 48, and one end in the longitudinal direction (axial direction) of the motor rotating shaft 44 is connected to the longitudinal end of the spindle 14 via a bolt (not shown). A rotor 46 is press-fitted and fixed to the outer periphery of the motor rotating shaft 44. A stator 48 that generates a rotating magnetic field is disposed outside the rotor 46, and the stator 48 is fixed to the inner wall surface of the motor bracket 40. The electric motor 38 transmits the rotational force associated with the rotation of the rotor 46 to the spindle 14 via the motor rotation shaft 44 to drive the spindle 14 to rotate.

  In the spindle device 10 configured as described above, air from an air supply source is supplied to the porous air bearings 26 to 29, and the spindle 14 and the flange 16 are rotatably supported in a non-contact state by the porous air bearings 26 to 29. When the spindle 14 is rotationally driven by the electric motor 38, an air hammer (self-excited vibration) may be generated due to the compressibility of the air if the aperture of the porous thrust bearing is weak. If an air hammer is generated, it cannot be used at a high supply pressure and high rigidity cannot be obtained.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, in order to quickly exhaust the air exhausted into the bearing gap and the air that has passed through the porous air bearings 28 and 29 to the outside, a rotating member that constitutes the spindle device 10, for example, the spider 14. As shown in FIG. 2, pockets 50 and 51 for introducing and storing the air discharged into the bearing gap and the air that has passed through the porous air bearings 28 and 29, as shown in FIG. An air discharge path 52 that guides the air stored in 51 to the outside of the bearing, and throttles 54 and 55 that adjust the flow rate of the air passing through the air discharge path 52 are provided.

  At this time, the pockets 50 and 51 are formed opposite to the thrust receiving surfaces 28a and 29a of the porous air bearings 28 and 29, respectively. That is, the pockets 50 and 51 formed on the surfaces of the flange 16 opposite to the thrust receiving surfaces 28a and 29a are porous air bearings out of the air flowing through the bearing gap and the air passing through the porous air bearings 28 and 29. The air flowing through the thrust receiving surfaces 28a and 29a of the 28 and 29 is introduced and stored, and functions as a buffer for discharging the stored air from the air discharge path 52 to the air passage 33, thereby increasing rigidity.

  On the other hand, when the air flowing through the bearing clearance and the air passing through the porous air bearings 28 and 29 and flowing through the thrust receiving surfaces 28a and 29a are introduced into the pockets 50 and 51, the air passes through the pockets 50 and 51. The flow rate is controlled by the throttles 54 and 55 in the process of flowing through the air discharge path 52 via At this time, the air attenuation action by the throttles 54 and 55 is enhanced, and the occurrence of an air hammer (self-excited vibration) due to the air compressibility can be reliably suppressed.

  According to the present embodiment, the air flowing through the thrust gaps 28a and 29a out of the air flowing through the bearing gap and the porous air bearings 28 and 29 is introduced and stored in the pockets 50 and 51, and the stored air. Since the air is discharged from the air discharge passage 52 to the air passage 33, the air pressure in the bearing gap can be increased, and as a result, the rigidity can be increased.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, the flow rate is controlled by the throttles 54 and 55 in the process in which the air introduced into the pockets 50 and 51 flows through the air discharge path 52, so that the air is attenuated by the throttles 54 and 55. The action is enhanced and the occurrence of an air hammer (self-excited vibration) due to air compressibility can be reliably suppressed.

  Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, the pockets 50 and 51 and the air discharge path 52 and the throttles 54 and 55 are formed in the flange 16 as the rotating member. , 55 can be formed more easily than the pockets 50, 51, the air discharge path 52, and the throttles 54, 55.

It is sectional drawing of the spindle apparatus which shows one Example of this invention. It is sectional drawing of an air discharge path.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Spindle apparatus, 12, 13 Housing, 14 Spindle, 16 Flange, 26, 27, 28, 29 Porous air bearing, 30, 31, 32, 33 Air passage, 38 Electric motor, 44 Motor rotating shaft, 46 Rotor, 48 Stator, 50, 51 pocket, 52 Air discharge path, 54, 55 Aperture

Claims (5)

A spindle is rotatably supported by a cylindrical housing via a static pressure gas bearing, an electric motor is arranged in parallel with the housing, and a motor rotation shaft of the electric motor is connected to one end side in the longitudinal direction of the spindle. In the spindle device in which the housing is formed with an air passage for discharging air introduced from the air supply port from the exhaust port through the static pressure gas bearing,
The static pressure gas bearing is composed of a radial bearing that receives a radial load from the spindle and a thrust bearing that receives a thrust load from a flange of the spindle. A pocket that introduces and stores air that has passed through the static pressure gas bearing, an air discharge path that guides the air stored in the pocket to the outside of the spindle, and a throttle that adjusts the flow rate of air that passes through the air discharge path are formed. A spindle device characterized by comprising:   The pocket, the air discharge path, and the throttle are formed in a flange of the spindle, and the pocket of the flange is formed opposite to a thrust receiving surface of a thrust bearing of the static pressure gas bearing. The spindle device according to claim 1.   A flange is formed in the middle in the longitudinal direction of the spindle, and a thrust bearing among the hydrostatic gas bearings is disposed on the outer periphery of the spindle adjacent to the flange with the flange in between. The spindle device according to claim 1.   4. The spindle according to claim 3, wherein pockets are respectively formed on surfaces of the flanges opposite to the thrust receiving surfaces of the thrust bearings, and the pockets are connected to the air discharge path. apparatus.   5. The spindle device according to claim 1, wherein the static pressure gas bearing is formed of a porous air bearing. 6.

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