JP2024012089A - Workpiece fixing mechanism and measuring apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a workpiece fixing mechanism capable of automatizing fixation of a workpiece, and a measuring apparatus.

SOLUTION: The fixing mechanism for a workpiece held on a rotatable table (12) comprises: a holding part (22) that holds the workpiece on the table, is activated by supplying or sucking gas, maintains the workpiece to be held by maintaining pressurized state or negative pressure state; a gas pressure source (34) generating positive pressure or negative pressure; first coupler parts (28, 42) connected to the gas pressure source via a first pipeline; second coupler parts (30, 44) that are provided on the table and connected to the holding part via the second pipeline, can be connected to the first coupler part and are separable from the first coupler part while maintaining the pressure state of the holding part; and a first drive part (52) moving forward and backward the first coupler part along a connection direction with respect to the second coupler part positioned on the first position to connect/disconnect the first coupler part to/from the second coupler part.

SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

COPYRIGHT: (C)2024,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a workpiece fixing mechanism and a measuring device, and more particularly to a workpiece fixing mechanism and a measuring device equipped with a rotatable table.

In devices that rotate the workpiece (for example, the object to be measured) to perform measurements, such as a roundness measuring device with a rotating table, the workpiece must be placed on the table so that it does not move while the workpiece is being rotated. It may be fixed.

Patent Document 1 describes a jig that uses negative pressure to fix a workpiece on a table. Further, Patent Document 1 describes that by providing a valve in a suction conduit, a jig can be separated from a source of negative pressure while maintaining a negative pressure state.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-211985

By the way, in order to automate processing in an apparatus equipped with the above-mentioned workpiece fixing mechanism, it is necessary to also automate the fixing. In Patent Document 1, since the valve is opened and closed manually, there is a problem that the fixing cannot be automated.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a workpiece fixing mechanism and a measuring device that can automate the fixation of a workpiece.

In order to solve the above problems, a first aspect of a workpiece fixing mechanism according to the present invention is a fixing mechanism for a workpiece held on a rotatable table, the holding part holding the workpiece on the table, comprising: a holding part that is operated by gas supply or suction and maintains a state in which a workpiece is held by maintaining a pressurized state or a negative pressure state; a gas pressure source that generates positive pressure or negative pressure; a first coupler section connected to a gas pressure source via piping; and a second coupler section provided on the table and connected to the holding section via second piping, the second coupler section being connectable to the first coupler section; and a second coupler part that can be separated from the first coupler part while maintaining the pressure state of the holding part, and the first coupler part is moved forward and backward along the connection direction with respect to the second coupler part located at the first position. and a first drive section that connects and separates the first coupler section and the second coupler section.

A second aspect of the work fixing mechanism according to the present invention is that in the measuring device of the first aspect, the first coupler portion is detachably attached to the table and supports the second coupler portion in a radially outer region of the table. A support part is provided.

A third aspect of the work fixing mechanism according to the present invention is the measuring device of the second aspect, in which the first support part elastically supports the second coupler part.

A fourth aspect of the work fixing mechanism according to the present invention is the measuring device of the first aspect, including a second support part that elastically supports the first drive part.

A fifth aspect of the workpiece fixing mechanism according to the present invention is that in the measuring device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the second coupler portion is brought into contact with the second coupler portion to position the second coupler portion at the first position. a positioning member; a second drive unit that moves the positioning member between a second position located on the movement trajectory of the second coupler portion and a third position evacuated from the movement trajectory of the second coupler portion; Be prepared.

A sixth aspect of the work fixing mechanism according to the present invention is that in the measuring device of the fifth aspect, the second driving section moves the positioning member and the first driving section integrally, and the positioning member moves to the second position. , the first coupler portion is placed in the first position.

A seventh aspect of the work fixing mechanism according to the present invention is that in the measuring device of the sixth aspect, one of the second coupler part and the positioning member has a magnet part and the other has a magnetic part, and the second coupler part and the positioning member have a magnetic part. The portion is magnetically attached to the positioning member.

An eighth aspect of the workpiece fixing mechanism according to the present invention is that in the measuring device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the connection direction of the first coupler part to the second coupler part is parallel to the rotation axis of the table. Set.

A ninth aspect of the work fixing mechanism according to the present invention is the measuring device according to the third aspect, in which the first support portion elastically supports the second coupler portion via a leaf spring.

A tenth aspect of the work fixing mechanism according to the present invention is the measuring device according to the fourth aspect, wherein the second support portion elastically supports the first drive portion via a leaf spring.

An eleventh aspect of the work fixing mechanism according to the present invention is that in the measuring device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the first drive section, when connecting the first coupler section to the second coupler section, It has a third support part that supports the second coupler part by coming into contact with the rear end part of the second coupler part in the connection direction.

A twelfth aspect of the work fixing mechanism according to the present invention is that in the measuring device of the first aspect, the first coupler section and the second coupler section are arranged on the rotation axis of the table, and the first drive section is arranged on the rotation axis of the table. The first coupler section is moved forward and backward along the rotation axis of the table to connect and separate the first coupler section and the second coupler section.

A thirteenth aspect of the work fixing mechanism according to the present invention is the measuring device according to the first, second, third, fourth, or twelfth aspect, in which the table is supported via a gas bearing.

A fourteenth aspect of the measuring device according to the present invention is a workpiece fixing mechanism according to the first, second, third, fourth, or twelfth aspect, which detects displacement of the surface of the workpiece in synchronization with the rotation angle of the table. Measure roundness or cylindricity.

According to the present invention, workpiece fixing can be automated.

FIG. 1 is a front view of the roundness measuring device. FIG. 2 is a front view showing the configuration of the automatic workpiece fixing mechanism. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the configuration of the automatic workpiece fixing mechanism. FIG. 4 is a view taken along arrow 4-4 in FIG. FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram of a system for supplying and exhausting an air chuck (an example of a gas chuck) using a coupler. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the coupler. FIG. 7 is a front view of the automatic work fixing mechanism with the first coupler and the second coupler located at the supply/exhaust position. FIG. 8 is a plan view of the automatic work fixing mechanism in a state where the first coupler and the second coupler are located at the supply/exhaust position. FIG. 9 is a block diagram of the control system of the automatic workpiece fixing mechanism. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the procedure for fixing a workpiece. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the procedure for releasing the fixation of the workpiece. FIG. 12 is a plan view showing another example of setting the connection direction of the coupler. FIG. 13 is a plan view showing another example of setting the coupler connection direction. FIG. 14 is a front view showing the configuration of main parts of the roundness measuring device. FIG. 15 is a sectional view showing the configuration of main parts of the roundness measuring device according to the third embodiment.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[First embodiment]
Here, an example will be explained in which the workpiece fixing mechanism according to the present invention is applied to a table rotation type roundness measuring device. A table rotation type roundness measuring device is a roundness measuring device in which a detector side is fixed and a table side is rotated to measure a workpiece (for example, an object to be measured).

FIG. 1 is a front view of the roundness measuring device. FIG. 1 shows an X direction, a Y direction, and a Z direction. The X direction, Y direction, and Z direction are orthogonal to each other. As an example, the X direction and the Y direction are horizontal directions, and the Z direction is a vertical direction. The axis parallel to the X direction is the X axis, the axis parallel to the Y direction is the Y axis, and the axis parallel to the Z direction is the Z axis.

The roundness measuring device 1 of this embodiment is configured as a roundness measuring device having a function of automatically fixing the work W. The function of automatically fixing the workpiece W is realized by the workpiece automatic fixing mechanism 20.

[Basic configuration of roundness measuring device]
First, the basic configuration of the table rotating type roundness measuring device 1 will be outlined.

In the table rotation type roundness measuring device 1, a workpiece W is held on a table 12, and a detector detects the displacement of the surface of the workpiece W in synchronization with the rotation angle of the table 12, and measures the roundness, etc. Obtain the data required for calculation (polar coordinate data). The roundness measuring device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a so-called contact type roundness measuring device. In a contact-type roundness measuring device, a stylus (also referred to as a probe or stylus) is brought into contact with the surface of the workpiece W to detect displacement of the surface of the workpiece W.

As shown in FIG. 1, the roundness measuring device 1 includes a base 10, a table 12, a table rotation mechanism 14 for rotating the table 12, a detector 16, a detector moving mechanism 18 for moving the detector 16, and the like. Be prepared.

The base 10 is a support stand (base) that supports each part of the roundness measuring device 1 . As shown in FIG. 1, the roundness measuring device 1 of this embodiment has a base 10 in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped.

The table 12 has a disk shape and rotates around the rotation axis θ. The rotation axis θ is set parallel to the Z axis. As will be described later, in the roundness measuring device 1 of this embodiment, an air chuck 22 is installed on the table 12, and the workpiece W is held on the table 12 via the air chuck 22. Although omitted for convenience, the table 12 is preferably provided with a centering mechanism, a tilting mechanism, and the like. The centering mechanism is a mechanism that adjusts the center position of the table 12. The tilting mechanism is a mechanism that adjusts the tilt of the table 12.

The table rotation mechanism 14 includes a support part (not shown) that rotatably supports the table 12, a motor 14M as a rotational drive source, a rotation transmission mechanism (not shown) that transmits the rotation of the motor 14M to the table, and the table 12. It includes a rotational position detector 14S for detecting the rotational position of the rotational position. The support portion includes a bearing, and the bearing is, for example, a gas bearing (for example, an air bearing) (see, for example, FIG. 15). The rotational position detector 14S is composed of, for example, a rotary encoder, and detects the rotational position of the rotational axis θ of the table 12 to detect the rotational position of the table 12 (the position of a reference point on the table 12).

The detector 16 is a contact type detector. The contact type detector 16 has a stylus 16A, and detects displacement of the surface of the workpiece W by bringing the tip of the stylus 16A into contact with the surface of the workpiece W. More specifically, the amount of displacement of the tip of the stylus 16A is detected to detect the displacement of the surface of the workpiece W. The amount of displacement of the stylus 16A is detected by, for example, a differential transformer.

The detector moving mechanism 18 moves the detector 16 on the base 10 in the Z direction and the X direction. As shown in FIG. 1, the detector moving mechanism 18 includes a column 18A installed on the base 10, a carriage 18B that moves along the column 18A, an arm 18C held by the carriage 18B, and a tip of the arm 18C. A detector holder 18D and the like are provided. Column 18A is arranged along the Z direction. The carriage 18B is driven by a drive mechanism (not shown) provided in the column 18A, and moves along the column 18A. Therefore, the carriage 18B moves (raises and lowers) in the Z direction. The arm 18C is driven by a drive mechanism (not shown) provided in the carriage 18B to move forward and backward in the X direction. The detector 16 is held in a detector holder 18D provided at the tip of the arm 18C. The detector 16 is moved in the Z direction by moving the carriage 18B along the column 18A, and moved in the X direction by moving the arm 18C back and forth.

The basic configuration of the roundness measuring device 1 (excluding the automatic workpiece fixing mechanism 20) is as described above. The measurement is performed in the following steps. First, the workpiece W is set on the table 12. Next, the stylus 16A of the detector 16 is brought into contact with the surface of the workpiece W. Next, the table 12 is rotated. While the table 12 is rotating, the displacement of the surface of the workpiece W is detected by the detector 16 to obtain polar coordinate data. The acquired data is processed to calculate roundness or cylindricity. Note that the arithmetic processing is performed by a data processing device (not shown). The data processing device is composed of a computer (for example, a personal computer) equipped with a processor and a memory, and functions as a data processing device by executing a predetermined program. Note that the data processing device may be configured to be integrated with the roundness measuring device 1, or may be configured as a separate device.

[Workpiece automatic fixing mechanism]
[Configuration of automatic workpiece fixing mechanism]
Next, a mechanism for automatically fixing the workpiece W (referred to as "automatic workpiece fixing mechanism") will be described. Note that here, a case where a cylindrical workpiece W is measured will be explained as an example. The automatic workpiece fixing mechanism is an example of a workpiece fixing mechanism.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing the configuration of the automatic workpiece fixing mechanism. Further, FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the configuration of the automatic workpiece fixing mechanism. Further, FIG. 4 is a view taken along arrow 4-4 in FIG.

The automatic work fixing mechanism 20 includes an air chuck 22 that holds the work W on the table 12, and supplies and discharges gas (compressed gas, for example, air) to and from the air chuck 22. An air supply/exhaust mechanism 24 is provided.

[Air chuck]
The air chuck 22 is a chuck device that operates with air. Here, the chuck device is not limited to the air chuck 22, but it is also possible to use a chuck device (gas chuck) that operates with gas other than air. As an example, in this embodiment, the air chuck 22 is configured as a so-called three-jaw air chuck. The three-jaw air chuck 22 has three jaws arranged radially, as shown in FIG. The three claws expand and contract by supplying and exhausting air. More specifically, it moves inward in the radial direction by supplying (pressurizing) air. Furthermore, due to air exhaust (opening to atmosphere), it moves radially outward. The workpiece W is gripped (clamped) by the three claws moving inward in the radial direction. Moreover, the workpiece W is released (unclamped) by moving the three claws outward in the radial direction. By maintaining the pressurized state, the air chuck 22 maintains the state in which the workpiece W is clamped. That is, the locked state by the clamp is maintained. This type of air chuck is known. Therefore, a detailed explanation of its structure will be omitted.

The air chuck 22 is positioned and installed on the table 12 so that the center of the clamp coincides with the center of the table 12. Thereby, the air chuck 22 is arranged coaxially with the table 12 (arranged on the rotation axis θ). The air chuck 22 installed on the table 12 is fixed to the table 12 with screws or the like. Thereby, when the table 12 is rotated, the air chuck 22 rotates integrally with the table 12. In this embodiment, the air chuck 22 is an example of a holding section.

[Supply/exhaust mechanism]
The air supply/exhaust mechanism 24 uses a coupler 26 to supply/exhaust the air chuck 22 . In particular, in the roundness measuring device 1 of this embodiment, a so-called non-leak type coupler 26 is used to supply and exhaust air to the air chuck 22. A non-leak type coupler is a coupler that can be separated under pressure (pressure separation). Non-leak type couplers have a non-leak mechanism that prevents air leakage for a long time even after separation. Therefore, the pressure state can be maintained for a long time. First, a system for supplying and exhausting the air chuck 22 using the coupler 26 will be outlined.

[Air chuck supply/exhaust system using coupler]
FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram of an air chuck supply/exhaust system using a coupler.

The coupler 26 includes a first coupler 28 on the socket side and a second coupler 30 on the plug side. The first coupler 28 and the second coupler 30 are configured so that they can be connected and separated from each other. Note that "connection" here means that mutual flow paths are connected in a state where they can communicate, that is, that mutual air circuits are connected.

The first coupler 28 is a coupler on the pressure source side. The first coupler 28 is connected to a compressed air source 34 via a first pipe 32 . The compressed air source 34 is composed of, for example, an air compressor, and supplies compressed air. Compressed air source 34 is an example of a gas pressure source that generates positive pressure.

The first pipe 32 includes a main pipe 32A, an air supply pipe 32P, and an exhaust pipe 32R. The main pipe 32A is a pipe connected to the first coupler 28. The main pipe 32A is composed of a flexible pipe. An air supply pipe 32P and an exhaust pipe 32R are connected to the main pipe 32A via a 3-port solenoid valve 36. The air supply pipe 32P is a pipe connected to the compressed air source 34. The exhaust pipe 32R is a pipe opened to the atmosphere. The solenoid valve 36 selectively switches the connection destination of the main pipe 32A. That is, the connection destination of the main pipe 32A is switched to the air supply pipe 32P or the exhaust pipe 32R. The first coupler 28 is connected to the compressed air source 34 by connecting the main pipe 32A to the air supply pipe 32P. This allows air to be supplied from the compressed air source 34 via the first coupler 28 . On the other hand, by connecting the main pipe 32A to the exhaust pipe 32R, air can be discharged via the first coupler 28.

As shown in FIG. 5, the first coupler 28 includes a first coupler main body 28A, a fixed valve 28B, a fixed valve support plate 28C, a movable sleeve 28D, a coil spring 28E, and the like.

The first coupler main body 28A has a cylindrical shape, and is provided with a fixed valve 28B, a fixed valve support plate 28C, a movable sleeve 28D, a coil spring 28E, etc. therein.

The fixed valve 28B has a cylindrical shaft portion 28b1 and an inverted truncated conical valve portion 28b2 provided at the tip of the shaft portion 28b1. The fixed valve 28B is arranged along the axis of the first coupler body 28A and is fixedly provided inside the first coupler body 28A.

Fixed valve support plate 28C is a member that supports fixed valve 28B. The fixed valve support plate 28C is constituted by a disc-shaped plate having a plurality of openings (flow paths) 28c, and is fixedly provided inside the first coupler body 28A. The fixed valve 28B is fixedly provided to the first coupler body 28A by being supported by the fixed valve support plate 28C, and is arranged along the axis of the first coupler body 28A.

The movable sleeve 28D is provided so as to be slidable along the axis on the inner circumference of the first coupler body 28A. The movable sleeve 28D has a tapered opening 28d at the center of the tip. The opening 28d has a shape corresponding to the shape of the valve portion 28b2 of the fixed valve 28B (inverted cone shape), and is opened and closed by the valve portion 28b2. FIG. 5 shows the opening 28d in a closed state. By closing the opening 28d, the distal end surface of the movable sleeve 28D and the distal end surface of the valve portion 28b2 are located on the same plane (so-called flush state). When the opening 28d is closed, the movable sleeve 28D is arranged to protrude by a predetermined amount from the distal end surface of the first coupler body 28A.

The coil spring 28E is disposed along the axis of the fixed valve 28B, and urges the movable sleeve 28D in a direction (upward in FIG. 5) to protrude from the distal end surface of the first coupler body 28A. The direction in which the first coupler main body 28A protrudes from the distal end surface is the direction in which the opening 28d is closed.

In the first coupler 28 configured as described above, the opening 28d is opened by pushing the movable sleeve 28D against the urging force of the coil spring 28E. Then, by releasing the pushing force, the movable sleeve 28D automatically returns to its original position due to the biasing force of the coil spring 28E, and the opening 28d is closed.

The second coupler 30 is a coupler on the pressure maintaining side. The second coupler 30 is connected to the air chuck 22 via a second pipe 38. The second piping 38 is made of flexible piping.

As shown in FIG. 5, the second coupler 30 includes a second coupler main body 30A, a movable valve 30B, a movable valve support plate 30C, a coil spring 30D, and the like.

The second coupler main body 30A has a cylindrical shape, and a movable valve 30B, a movable valve support plate 30C, a coil spring 30D, etc. are arranged inside the second coupler main body 30A. The second coupler main body 30A has an opening 30a at the center of its tip. The opening 30a has a tapered shape, and the diameter of the inner peripheral portion decreases toward the tip.

The movable valve 30B has a cylindrical shaft portion 30b1 and a valve portion 30b2 provided at the tip of the shaft portion 30b1. The valve portion 30b2 has a tip whose shape corresponds to the shape of the opening 30a of the second coupler main body 30A (truncated cone shape). The movable valve 30B is disposed along the axis of the second coupler main body 30A and is supported so as to be freely movable along the axis. The opening 30a of the second coupler main body 30A is opened and closed by the movable valve 30B moving forward and backward along the axis. FIG. 5 shows a state in which the opening 30a is closed. When the opening 30a is closed, the distal end surface of the valve portion 30b2 is located on the same plane as the distal end surface of the second coupler main body 30A (so-called flush state).

The movable valve support plate 30C is a member that supports the movable valve 30B, and supports the movable valve 30B so as to be movable along the axis. The movable valve support plate 30C is composed of a disc-shaped plate having a plurality of openings (flow paths) 30c, and is fixedly provided inside the second coupler main body 30A.

The coil spring 30D is arranged along the axis of the movable valve 30B, and biases the movable valve 30B in the direction of the tip of the second coupler body 30A (downward in FIG. 5). The direction of the tip of the second coupler body 30A is the direction in which the opening 30a is closed.

In the second coupler 30 configured as described above, the opening 30a is opened by pushing the movable valve 30B against the biasing force of the coil spring 30D. Then, by releasing the pushing force, the movable valve 30B automatically returns to its original position due to the biasing force of the coil spring 30D, and the opening 30a is closed.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the coupler. FIG. 6(A) shows a state in which the coupler is separated. FIG. 6(B) shows a state in which the coupler is connected.

The coupler 26 is connected by arranging the first coupler 28 and the second coupler 30 on the same axis so as to face each other, and by relatively moving one coupler toward the other. FIG. 6 shows an example in which connection is made by moving the first coupler 28 toward the second coupler 30.

When the first coupler 28 is coaxially moved toward the second coupler 30, the tip surface of the first coupler body 28A and the tip surface of the second coupler body 30A come into contact with each other, as shown in FIG. come into contact with In this state, the movable sleeve 28D of the first coupler 28 is pushed by the second coupler main body 30A, and the first coupler 28 is retracted rearward (downward in FIG. 6). As a result, the opening 28d of the movable sleeve 28D is opened. On the other hand, the movable valve 30B of the second coupler 30 is pushed by the fixed valve 28B of the first coupler 28, and retreats rearward (upward in FIG. 6). As a result, the opening 30a of the second coupler main body 30A is opened. By opening the openings of each other, the flow paths (air circuits) are communicated with each other, and air can be supplied and discharged.

When disconnecting, the first coupler 28 and the second coupler 30 are separated from each other. Specifically, the first coupler 28 is moved in a direction away from the second coupler 30.

When the first coupler 28 and the second coupler 30 are separated, the movable sleeve 28D of the first coupler 28 is moved toward the distal end (upward in FIG. 6) by the biasing force of the coil spring 28E, as shown in FIG. 6(A). Moving. Thereby, the opening 28d of the movable sleeve 28D is closed by the fixed valve 28B. Furthermore, the movable valve 30B of the second coupler 30 moves toward the tip (downward in FIG. 6) due to the biasing force of the coil spring 30D. Thereby, the opening 30a of the second coupler main body 30A is closed by the movable valve 30B. By closing the opening 30a of the second coupler main body 30A, the pressure state of the air chuck 22 to which the second coupler 30 is connected is maintained. In this way, the first coupler 28 and the second coupler 30 are configured to be connectable to each other and separable while maintaining a pressure state.

The workpiece W is held by the air chuck 22 in the following procedure.

It is assumed that the air chuck 22 is in an unclamped state (its claws are open). Further, it is assumed that the first pipe 32 is connected to the main pipe 32A to the air supply pipe 32P.

First, the workpiece W is set on the air chuck 22. Next, coupler 26 is connected. That is, the first coupler 28 and the second coupler 30 are connected to each other. This makes it possible to supply air to the air chuck 22. After the coupler 26 is connected, air is supplied from the compressed air source 34 to pressurize the air chuck 22. As a result, the air chuck 22 is activated and the workpiece W is clamped to the air chuck 22.

When the air chuck 22 is pressurized to a specified pressure, the supply of air is stopped. After this, the coupler 26 is separated. As mentioned above, the second coupler 30 maintains its pressure state even when separated. Therefore, the pressurized state of the air chuck 22 is maintained. Thereby, the workpiece W can be maintained in a clamped state. That is, the locked state by the clamp can be maintained.

Unclamping of the workpiece W is performed in the following procedure.

First, the solenoid valve 36 is driven to switch the connection destination of the main pipe 32A in the first pipe 32 to the exhaust pipe 32R. After that, coupler 26 is connected. That is, the first coupler 28 and the second coupler 30 are connected to each other. As a result, the air in the air chuck 22 is exhausted and the workpiece W is unclamped. After exhausting the air, coupler 26 is separated.

As described above, by connecting the coupler 26, air can be supplied to the air chuck 22 and air can be discharged from the air chuck 22. Further, since the coupler 26 can maintain the pressure state even when separated, the state in which the workpiece W is held by the air chuck 22 can be maintained even if it is separated from the compressed air source 34. That is, the locked state by the clamp can be maintained.

[Coupler automatic connection mechanism]
The supply/exhaust mechanism 24 has a mechanism that automatically connects and disconnects the coupler 26. The coupler 26 is connected and disconnected by an automatic coupler connection mechanism 40.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the coupler automatic connection mechanism 40 includes a first block 42 to which the first coupler 28 is attached, a second block 44 to which the second coupler 30 is attached, and a second block 42 to which the second coupler 30 is attached. 44, a first drive unit 48 that moves the first block 42 forward and backward along the connection direction of the coupler 26, a second drive unit 54 that moves the first drive unit 48 forward and backward, and a first A support pin 60 supports the second coupler 30 by coming into contact with the rear end of the second coupler 30 in the connection direction when connecting the coupler 28 to the second coupler 30, and A positioning pin 62 and the like are provided for positioning the second coupler 30 at a predetermined position when connecting the second coupler 30 to a predetermined position.

The first block 42 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The first block 42 has a mounting portion for the first coupler 28 . Further, the first block 42 has a connection portion for the first pipe 32. The first pipe 32 connected to the first block 42 is connected to the first coupler 28 via a flow path 42A (see FIG. 5) provided inside the first block 42. The integral body of the first coupler 28 and the first block 42 is an example of a first coupler portion.

The second block 44 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The second block 44 has a mounting portion for the second coupler 30. Further, the second block 44 has a connection portion for the second pipe 38. The second pipe 38 connected to the second block 44 is connected to the second coupler 30 via a flow path 44A (see FIG. 5) provided inside the second block 44. The integral body of the second coupler 30 and the second block 44 is an example of a second coupler portion.

The second block support section 46 is provided at a predetermined position on the table 12 and supports the second block 44 at a predetermined position with respect to the table 12. Further, the second block 44 is supported with respect to the table 12 in a predetermined posture. The second block support portion 46 supports the second block 44 with respect to the table 12 via a plate spring 46A. The leaf spring 46A is disposed perpendicular to the rotation axis θ of the table 12. That is, it is arranged horizontally. One end (base end) of the leaf spring 46A is fixed to the table 12. More specifically, one end is fixed to the table 12 by screwing it to a bracket 46B attached to the table 12. The bracket 46B is screwed to the side surface of the table 12, for example. Therefore, the bracket 46B is removable from the table 12, and the leaf spring 46A is also removable from the table 12. The second block 44 is attached to the other end (tip) of the leaf spring 46A by being screwed.

The second block 44 supported by the second block support portion 46 is arranged in a region outside the table 12 in the radial direction. Further, the second coupler 30 mounted on the second block 44 is arranged downward (vertically downward) along the rotation axis θ of the table 12. Therefore, the connection direction of the coupler 26 is set along the rotation axis θ of the table 12 (vertical direction).

The second block 44 supported by the second block support portion 46 is elastically supported by the table 12 via a plate spring 46A. Note that the direction in which the leaf spring 46A is bent is the direction (vertical direction) along the rotation axis θ of the table 12, and the direction along the connection direction of the coupler 26. In this embodiment, the second block support section 46 is an example of the first support section.

The first drive unit 48 includes a first frame 50 and a first actuator 52.

The first frame 50 is a frame that supports the first actuator 52. The first frame 50 has a horizontal portion 50H and a vertical portion 50V that are orthogonal to each other, and has an L-shape as a whole. The first frame 50 has a vertical portion 50V arranged along the rotation axis θ of the table 12.

The first actuator 52 moves the first block 42 forward and backward along the connection direction (vertical direction) of the coupler 26 . The first actuator 52 is composed of, for example, a rodless cylinder (air cylinder), and has an actuator main body 52A that is a fixed part and a slide table 52B that is a movable part. In the first actuator 52, the slide table 52B moves directly with respect to the actuator main body 52A using the energy of compressed air. The first actuator 52 is attached to the vertical portion 50V of the first frame 50 so that the slide table 52B moves along the connection direction (vertical direction) of the coupler 26. In this embodiment, the first actuator 52 is an example of a first drive section.

The first block 42 is attached to the slide table 52B and moves integrally with the slide table 52B. The first block 42 is attached to the slide table 52B so that the first coupler 28 is arranged vertically upward along the rotation axis θ of the table 12. Thereby, when the first coupler 28 and the second coupler 30 are positioned coaxially, they can be arranged so as to face each other.

The second drive unit 54 includes a second frame 56 and a second actuator 58.

The second frame 56 is a frame that supports the second actuator 58. The second frame 56 has a horizontal portion 56H and a vertical portion 56V that are orthogonal to each other, and has an L-shape as a whole. The second frame 56 has a vertical portion 56V attached to the base 10 of the roundness measuring device 1, and is integrated with the base 10. The second frame 56 is attached using, for example, screws 56A. Therefore, the second frame 56 is removably attached to the base 10. The second frame 56 attached to the base 10 is arranged so that the horizontal portion 56H is orthogonal to the rotation axis θ of the table 12.

The second actuator 58 horizontally moves the first drive unit 48 forward and backward toward the table 12. The second actuator 58 is composed of, for example, a rodless cylinder (air cylinder), and has an actuator main body 58A that is a fixed part and a slide table 58B that is a movable part. In the second actuator 58, the slide table 58B moves directly with respect to the actuator main body 58A using the energy of compressed air. The second actuator 58 is attached to the horizontal portion 56H of the second frame 56 so that the slide table 58B is disposed perpendicular to the rotation axis θ of the table 12. Further, the second actuator 58 is attached to the horizontal portion 56H of the second frame 56 so that the slide table 58B moves along the X-axis. In this embodiment, the second actuator 58 is an example of a second drive section.

In the first drive unit 48, the horizontal portion 50H of the first frame 50 is attached to a slide table 58B. Thereby, when the slide table 58B is moved, the first drive unit 48 moves horizontally forward and backward toward the table 12.

The installation positions of the first drive unit 48 and the second drive unit 54 are adjusted so that the first coupler 28 moves forward and backward horizontally along the radial direction of the table 12. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the installation position is adjusted so that the first coupler 28 moves forward and backward along a straight line L that passes through the center of the table 12 and is orthogonal to the rotation axis θ of the table 12. be done. In particular, in this embodiment, the straight line L is set along the X axis. Therefore, the first drive unit 48 and the second drive unit 54 are set so that the first coupler 28 moves forward and backward along the X-axis.

The support pin 60 is provided in the first drive unit 48 . The support pin 60 is attached to the actuator body 52A of the first actuator 52 via a bracket 60A. The position where the support pin 60 is attached is on the extension line of the first coupler 28 in the connection direction. In this embodiment, a support pin 60 is arranged vertically above the first coupler 28. The support pin 60 has, for example, a cylindrical shape and is arranged along the Y direction. The support pin 60 is an example of a third support portion.

The positioning pin 62 is provided in the first drive unit 48 . The positioning pin 62 is attached to the vertical portion 50V of the first frame 50 via a bracket 62A. The position where the positioning pin 62 is attached is the position where the positioning pin 62 comes into contact with the side surface of the second block 44 when the first coupler 28 and the second coupler 30 are positioned coaxially. The positioning pin 62 has, for example, a cylindrical shape and is arranged along the Z direction. Since it is cylindrical, the positioning pin 62 makes a line contact with the second block 44 .

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the positioning pin 62 is composed of a magnet. On the other hand, the second block 44 is made of a magnetic material (for example, iron). Thereby, the second block 44 can be magnetically attached to the positioning pin 62, and the second coupler 30 can be held in a predetermined position. In addition, by forming the positioning pin 62 with a magnet and forming the second block 44 with a magnetic material, the following effects are achieved. That is, when the second block 44 is brought close to the positioning pin 62, the second block 44 can be automatically drawn to the positioning pin 62 by magnetic force. Thereby, the second coupler 30 can be automatically positioned at a predetermined position without accurate alignment. In this embodiment, the positioning pin 62 is an example of a positioning member. Further, the positioning pin 62 made of a magnet is an example of a magnet portion. Further, the second block 44 made of a magnetic material is an example of a magnetic material portion.

[Coupler connection using coupler automatic connection mechanism]
The coupler 26 is connected by the coupler automatic connection mechanism 40 as follows.

The coupler 26 is connected by positioning the first coupler 28 and the second coupler 30 at predetermined supply/exhaust positions. First, this supply/exhaust position will be explained.

As mentioned above, the second coupler 30 is attached to the table 12 via the second block support 46. Therefore, it rotates together with the table 12. As shown in FIG. 3, when the table 12 is rotated, the second coupler 30 rotates along a circle C centered on the rotation axis θ of the table 12. Circle C is the movement locus of the second coupler 30. The intersection of this circle C and the straight line L (the intersection on the first coupler 28 side) is the supply/exhaust position P of the coupler 26. The supply/exhaust position P is an example of a first position.

The first coupler 28 is moved forward and backward along the straight line L by the second drive unit 54, thereby moving between the supply/exhaust position and the standby position. The standby position is set at a position spaced a predetermined distance from the air supply/exhaust position. This position is a position where the second block 44 does not come into contact with the positioning pin 62 or the like even if the table 12 is rotated. 2 and 3 show the first coupler 28 in a standby position.

The first coupler 28 is located at the standby position except when connected. When connecting the coupler 26, first, the second actuator 58 is driven to position the first coupler 28 at the supply/exhaust position P. When the first coupler 28 is positioned at the air supply/exhaust position P, the positioning pin 62 is positioned at a predetermined position (referred to as a "contact position") on the movement trajectory (circle C) of the second coupler 30. The contact position is a position where the second block 44 contacts the positioning pin 62 when the second coupler 30 is located at the air supply/exhaust position P. Note that when the first coupler 28 is located at the standby position, the positioning pin 62 is retracted from the movement trajectory of the second coupler 30 and is located at a predetermined position (referred to as a "non-contact position"). The non-contact position is a position where the second block 44 does not come into contact even if the table 12 is rotated. The contact position is an example of the second position. The non-contact position is an example of the third position. It is assumed that when the first coupler 28 is located at the supply/exhaust position P, the second coupler 30 is not located at the supply/exhaust position P. For example, it is assumed that the position is rotated by a predetermined amount from the air supply/exhaust position P (in particular, a position where the magnetic force of the positioning pin 62 does not act).

After the first coupler 28 is positioned at the supply/exhaust position P, the motor 14M is driven to rotate the table 12, and the second coupler 30 is positioned at the supply/exhaust position P. At this time, the motor 14M is driven as follows to position the second coupler 30 at the supply/exhaust position P. That is, the drive of the motor 14M is stopped before the second coupler 30 is located at the supply/exhaust position P, and the restraining force in the rotational direction of the table 12 is eliminated. When the drive of the motor 14M is stopped before the second coupler 30 is located at the supply/exhaust position P, and the restraining force in the rotational direction of the table 12 is eliminated, the second block 44 is attracted to the positioning pin 62 by magnetic force, and the positioning It is magnetically attached to the pin 62. As a result, the second block 44 comes into contact with the positioning pin 62 and stops. Furthermore, this positions the second coupler 30 at the supply/exhaust position P.

The position at which the rotation of the motor 14M is stopped is set on the upstream side in the rotational direction of the table 12 with respect to the supply/exhaust position P, and is set within the range where the magnetic force of the positioning pin 62 acts. That is, even if the rotation of the table 12 is stopped, the second block 44 is set within a range where it can be attracted by the magnetic force of the positioning pin 62 and magnetically attached to the positioning pin 62.

7 and 8 are a front view and a plan view of the automatic workpiece fixing mechanism. 7 and 8 show a state in which the first coupler and the second coupler are located at the supply/exhaust position.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, when the first coupler 28 and the second coupler 30 are located at the air supply/exhaust position P, they are arranged coaxially with each other. Further, when the first coupler 28 and the second coupler 30 are located at the supply/exhaust position P, they are arranged facing each other with a predetermined gap.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, when the second coupler 30 is located at the supply/exhaust position P, the second block 44 is located directly below the support pin 60. At this time, the second block 44 is located directly below the support pin 60 in a non-contact state. That is, the second block 44 is arranged directly below the support pin 60 with a small gap between the second block 44 and the support pin 60 .

After the first coupler 28 and the second coupler 30 are positioned at the supply/exhaust position P, the first actuator 52 is driven to move the first coupler 28 toward the second coupler 30 by a predetermined amount. Thereby, the first coupler 28 and the second coupler 30 are connected.

At the time of connection, the rear end (upper end) of the second block 44 comes into contact with the support pin 60, and the connection is supported. That is, the force pushing the second coupler 30 is received by the support pin 60. Thereby, the first coupler 28 and the second coupler 30 can be reliably connected.

By the way, as mentioned above, the coupler 26 presses the first coupler 28 against the second coupler 30 to connect them. Therefore, when the first coupler 28 is connected to the second coupler 30, an axial force acts on the second coupler 30. However, in the roundness measuring device 1 of the present embodiment, the second coupler 30 is elastically supported with respect to the table 12 via the leaf spring 46A, so that the force received during connection is applied to the table 12. 12 can be suppressed. This can prevent unnecessary loads from being placed on the table 12. This is particularly effective when the table 12 is supported by an air bearing. That is, it is possible to prevent a load exceeding the capacity from acting on the air bearing. In particular, it is possible to effectively prevent the table 12 from tilting and the support portion from being damaged due to the application of a load exceeding its capacity.

When separating the coupler 26, the first actuator 52 is driven to move the first coupler 28 downward by a predetermined amount. As a result, the first coupler 28 is retracted from the second coupler 30, and the first coupler 28 and the second coupler 30 are separated.

After separating the coupler 26, the second actuator 58 is driven to move the first coupler 28 to the standby position. That is, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the entire first drive unit 48 is separated from the table 12. As a result, the positioning pin 62 is retracted from the movement trajectory (circle C) of the second coupler 30, and the table 12 can be freely rotated.

[Control system of automatic workpiece fixing mechanism]
FIG. 9 is a block diagram of the control system of the automatic workpiece fixing mechanism.

The entire operation of the automatic workpiece fixing mechanism 20 is controlled by a controller 70. The controller 70 is composed of, for example, a computer equipped with a processor, memory, and the like. That is, the computer functions as the controller 70 by executing a predetermined program.

The controller 70 controls the rotation of the table 12 by controlling the drive of the motor 14M. The rotational position of the table 12 is detected by a rotational position detector 14S. The controller 70 detects the position of the second coupler 30 based on the detection result of the rotational position detector 14S.

The controller 70 controls the drive of the compressed air source 34 to control the supply of air. Further, the controller 70 controls the solenoid valve 36 to control switching of the connection destination of the first pipe 32. By connecting the first pipe 32 to the compressed air source 34, air can be supplied to the air chuck 22. Furthermore, by connecting the first pipe 32 to the exhaust pipe 32R that is open to the atmosphere, exhaust from the air chuck 22 becomes possible.

The controller 70 controls the driving of the second actuator 58 to control the movement of the first drive unit 48 toward and away from the table 12 . More specifically, the first coupler 28 is controlled to move back and forth between the standby position and the air supply/exhaust position P. Further, the controller 70 controls the driving of the first actuator 52 to control the movement of the first coupler 28 toward and away from the second coupler 30 . That is, it controls the connection and separation of the coupler 26.

[Operation of automatic workpiece fixing mechanism]
Next, the operation of fixing (clamping) and releasing fixing (unclamping) the workpiece W using the automatic workpiece fixing mechanism 20 will be described.

First, a method for fixing a workpiece W using the automatic workpiece fixing mechanism 20 will be described.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the procedure for fixing a workpiece.

First, the workpiece W is supplied to the air chuck 22 (step S1). The workpiece W is automatically supplied using a robot or the like, for example. Note that during supply, the air chuck 22 is assumed to be in an unclamped state. That is, it is assumed that the three claws are in an open state. The workpiece W is set at the center of the three jaws of the air chuck 22.

When the workpiece W is supplied to the air chuck 22, the second actuator 58 is driven, and the first coupler 28 moves from the standby position to the supply/exhaust position P (step S2). When the first coupler 28 is located at the supply/exhaust position P, the positioning pin 62 is located at the contact position.

Next, the motor 14M of the table 12 is driven, and the second coupler 30 moves to the supply/exhaust position P (step S3). At this time, as described above, the driving of the motor 14M is stopped before the second coupler 30 is located at the supply/exhaust position P, and the restraining force in the rotational direction is eliminated. The second coupler 30 is moved by the magnetic force of the positioning pin 62 after the drive of the motor 14M is stopped. Then, because the second block 44 is magnetically attached to the positioning pin 62, it stops at the air supply/exhaust position P, and the stopped state is maintained.

When the second coupler 30 is located at the supply/exhaust position P, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the first coupler 28 and the second coupler 30 are arranged coaxially and face each other with a predetermined gap. will be placed. After this, the coupler 26 is connected (step S4). The coupler 26 is connected by moving the first coupler 28 by a predetermined amount toward the second coupler 30 by the first actuator 52 . This makes it possible to supply air to the air chuck 22.

After connecting the coupler 26, the solenoid valve 36 is controlled to set the connection destination of the first pipe 32 to the compressed air source 34 (step S5). Thereafter, the compressed air source 34 is driven to supply air to the air chuck 22. By supplying air to the air chuck 22, the workpiece W set on the air chuck 22 is clamped to the air chuck 22.

When a predetermined amount of air is supplied to the air chuck 22, the supply of air is stopped. That is, driving of the compressed air source 34 is stopped. After this, the coupler 26 is separated (step S7). The coupler 26 is separated by lowering the first coupler 28 by a predetermined amount by the first actuator 52 and retracting it from the second coupler 30 .

As described above, the coupler 26 of this embodiment is a so-called non-leak type coupler. Therefore, pressure separation is possible. That is, the pressure state (pressurized state) of the air chuck 22 can be maintained even after separation. Thereby, the clamped state of the workpiece W can be maintained even after the coupler 26 is separated.

After the coupler 26 is separated, the second actuator 58 is driven, and as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the first coupler 28 moves from the supply/exhaust position P to the standby position (step S8). As the first coupler 28 moves to the standby position, the positioning pin 62 moves to the non-contact position. That is, the second coupler 30 moves to a position evacuated from the movement trajectory (circle C). This allows the table 12 to rotate.

Thereafter, the workpiece W is measured using the detector 16.

Next, a method for releasing the fixation of the workpiece W will be explained.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the procedure for releasing the fixation of the workpiece.

When the measurement is completed, first, the second actuator 58 is driven, and the first coupler 28 moves from the standby position to the air supply/exhaust position P (step S11). When the first coupler 28 is located at the supply/exhaust position P, the positioning pin 62 is located at the contact position.

Next, the motor 14M of the table 12 is driven, and the second coupler 30 moves to the supply/exhaust position P (step S12). This allows the coupler 26 to be connected.

After this, the coupler 26 is connected (step S13). That is, the first coupler 28 moves toward the second coupler 30 by a predetermined amount and is connected to the second coupler 30 .

After connecting the coupler 26, the solenoid valve 36 is controlled to set the connection destination of the first pipe 32 to the exhaust pipe 32R (step S14). As a result, the air in the air chuck 22 is discharged, and the grip on the workpiece W is released. That is, the workpiece W is unclamped.

After this, the coupler 26 is separated (step S15). That is, the first coupler 28 is lowered by a predetermined amount and retracted from the second coupler 30.

After the coupler 26 is separated, the second actuator 58 is driven, and as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the first coupler 28 moves from the supply/exhaust position P to the standby position (step S16). As the first coupler 28 moves to the standby position, the positioning pin 62 moves to the non-contact position.

After this, the workpiece W is collected from the air chuck 22 (step S17). As in the case of supply, collection of the workpiece W is automatically performed using, for example, a robot.

As described above, according to the roundness measuring device 1 of the present embodiment, the automatic workpiece fixing mechanism 20 can automatically fix and release the workpiece W. Thereby, supply and collection of the workpiece W can be automated, and measurement can be automated.

Further, by elastically supporting the second coupler 30 with respect to the table 12, the coupler 26 can be connected and separated without applying unnecessary load to the table 12. Thereby, even if the table 12 is supported via an air bearing, for example, it can be supported stably.

Further, since the automatic workpiece fixing mechanism 20 is detachably attached to the table 12 or the base 10 as a so-called external unit, it can be used without any special modifications to the apparatus. That is, it can also be used with existing roundness measuring devices.

[Modified example]
[Setting the coupler connection direction]
In the embodiment described above, the connecting direction of the coupler 26 and the direction (vertical direction) of the rotation axis θ of the table 12 are made to match, but the setting of the connecting direction of the coupler 26 is not limited to this. For example, it can also be set in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis θ of the table 12.

12 and 13 are plan views showing other examples of setting the coupler connection direction. 12 and 13 show an example in which the connection direction of the coupler 26 is the Y direction. In this case, the first coupler 28 is moved along the Y direction to connect the coupler 26. Note that FIG. 12 shows a state in which the first coupler 28 is located at the standby position. Moreover, FIG. 13 shows a state in which the first coupler 28 is connected to the second coupler 30.

Since the first coupler 28 is moved along the Y direction to connect the couplers 26, the first coupler 28 is arranged along the Y direction. Further, the second coupler 30 is disposed perpendicular to the rotation axis θ of the table 12 and along the tangential direction of a circle centered on the rotation axis θ of the table 12.

Furthermore, in order to move the first coupler 28 along the Y direction, the first drive unit 48 is arranged along the Y direction. That is, the first actuator 52 is attached to the first frame 50 so that the first coupler 28 moves along the Y direction.

Further, the leaf spring 46A of the second block support portion 46 is attached so as to be bent in the connection direction when the coupler 26 is connected. Specifically, they are arranged along the radial direction of the table 12.

The automatic coupler connection mechanism 40 of this example does not have a positioning pin, and the support pin 60 also serves as a positioning pin. Therefore, in this example, the support pin 60 is composed of a magnet.

The coupler 26 is connected as follows.

First, the motor 14M is driven to rotate the table 12, and the second coupler 30 is stopped at a predetermined position. This position is a position where the integral body of the second coupler 30 and the second block 44 is disposed between the first coupler 28 and the support pin 60.

Next, the second actuator 58 is driven to advance the first drive unit 48 toward the table 12 and position the first coupler 28 at a predetermined position. This position is defined as the supply/exhaust position of the first coupler 28 in this example. When the first coupler 28 is located at the supply/exhaust position, the second block 44 is magnetically attached to the support pin 60, and the second coupler 30 is located at a predetermined position with a predetermined attitude. This position is the supply/exhaust position of the second coupler 30 in this example. When the second coupler 30 is located at the supply/exhaust position, it is arranged along the Y direction. When the first coupler 28 and the second coupler 30 are both located at the supply/exhaust position, they are arranged coaxially with each other and are arranged opposite to each other with a predetermined interval. In this state, when the first actuator 52 is driven to move the first coupler 28 by a predetermined amount toward the second coupler 30, the first coupler 28 is connected to the second coupler 30.

In this way, it is also possible to connect the coupler 26 by moving the first coupler 28 in the horizontal direction.

[Positioning pin]
In the above embodiment, the entire first drive unit 48 including the support pin 60 and the positioning pin 62 is moved forward and backward relative to the table 12, but only the positioning pin 62 is moved forward and backward relative to the table 12. You can also do it. That is, since only the positioning pin 62 substantially obstructs the rotation of the table 12, the configuration is such that only the positioning pin 62 can be retracted from the movement trajectory of the second coupler 30. In this case, the first drive unit 48 including the support pin 60 is fixed in a fixed position. Note that it is preferable that the support pin 60 and the first coupler 28 be installed with a sufficient distance between them so as not to impede the rotation of the table 12 (so that the second coupler 30 does not come into contact with each other). Further, it is preferable that the support pin 60 is also configured to be able to move forward and backward as necessary.

Further, in the configuration in which only the positioning pin 62 is moved, the direction in which the positioning pin 62 is moved is not particularly limited. For example, the positioning pin 62 may be moved forward and backward along the rotation axis θ of the table 12 to move between a contact position and a non-contact position.

Further, in the above embodiment, the positioning pin 62 itself is made of a magnet in order to magnetically attach the second block 44, but a part of the positioning pin 62 can also be made of a magnet. Further, for example, the positioning pin 62 made of a magnetic material may have a built-in magnet to generate magnetic force. Similarly, only a portion of the second block 44 may be made of a magnetic material. For example, only the portion that contacts the positioning pin 62 may be made of a magnetic material.

Further, in the above embodiment, the positioning pin 62 side is made of a magnet, but the second block side 44 can also be made of a magnet.

[Support structure of second coupler]
In the embodiment described above, the second coupler 30 is supported via the leaf spring 46A, but the structure for supporting the second coupler 30 is not limited to this. Any configuration may be used as long as it can elastically support the second coupler 30. For example, it may be configured to be elastically supported via a coil spring. Furthermore, in addition to springs, it is also possible to provide elastic support via an elastic body such as rubber or elastomer.

[First actuator and second actuator]
In the embodiment described above, the first actuator 52 and the second actuator 58 are configured with rodless cylinders, but the configurations of the first actuator 52 and the second actuator 58 are not limited to this. In addition to this, for example, it may be configured to be driven by a linear motor, a feed screw mechanism, or the like.

[Second embodiment]
In the first embodiment, by elastically supporting the second coupler 30 side, unnecessary loads are prevented from being applied to the table 12 when the coupler 26 is connected. In this embodiment, the first coupler 28 side is elastically supported. Specifically, the first actuator 52 is elastically supported with respect to the first frame 50.

Note that, except for the support structure of the first coupler 28 and the second coupler 30, the configuration is substantially the same as the configuration of the roundness measuring device 1 of the first embodiment. Therefore, only the support structure for the first coupler 28 and the second coupler 30 will be described below.

FIG. 14 is a front view showing the configuration of main parts of the roundness measuring device.

As shown in FIG. 14, in the roundness measuring device of this embodiment, the first actuator 52 is elastically supported by the first frame 50 via the elastic support section 80.

The elastic support section 80 includes a main support section 82 and an auxiliary support section 84. In this embodiment, the elastic support section 80 is an example of a second support section.

The main support portion 82 elastically supports the first actuator 52 via a plate spring 82A. One end of the leaf spring 82A is fixed to the actuator body 52A of the first actuator 52 via a bracket 82B. Further, the other end of the leaf spring 82A is fixed to the top of the vertical portion 50V of the first frame 50. Thereby, the first actuator 52 is elastically supported with respect to the first frame 50. Note that the direction in which the leaf spring 46A is bent is the direction (vertical direction) along the rotation axis θ of the table 12. This direction is along the connection direction of the coupler 26.

The auxiliary support section 84 assists the main support section 82 in supporting the first actuator 52 . The auxiliary support part 84 has a coil spring 84A, and supports the weight of the first actuator 52 and its attached object by the coil spring 84A.

The first actuator 52 is supported by the auxiliary support portion 84, so that the first actuator 52 is supported substantially along the Z direction (vertical direction) in an unloaded state. Therefore, the first coupler 28 is also supported substantially along the Z direction in the unloaded state.

The second coupler 30 is fixed to the table 12 via a bracket 86. The bracket 86 is fixed to the table 12 by being screwed to the side surface of the table 12 with screws. Therefore, the second coupler 30 can be attached to and detached from the table 12.

The method of connecting the coupler 26 is the same as that of the roundness measuring device 1 of the first embodiment.

First, the second actuator 58 is driven to position the first coupler 28 at the supply/exhaust position P. When the first coupler 28 is positioned at the air supply/exhaust position P, the positioning pin 62 is positioned at the abutment position of the second coupler 30 .

Next, the motor 14M of the table 12 is driven to rotate the table 12 and position the second coupler 30 at the supply/exhaust position P. Similarly to the first embodiment, the motor 14M stops driving before the second coupler 30 is located at the supply/exhaust position P. The second coupler 30 is stopped and held at the air supply/exhaust position P by the second block 44 being magnetically attached to the positioning pin 62 .

Since the first coupler 28 and the second coupler 30 are both located at the supply/exhaust position P, they are arranged coaxially with each other and are arranged opposite to each other with a predetermined gap.

Thereafter, the first actuator 52 is driven to move the first coupler 28 toward the second coupler 30 by a predetermined amount. Thereby, the first coupler 28 and the second coupler 30 are connected. During connection, an axial force acts on the second coupler 30, but the elastic support portion 80 suppresses the force from being transmitted to the table 12.

When separating the coupler 26, the first actuator 52 is driven to move the first coupler 28 downward by a predetermined amount. As a result, the first coupler 28 is retracted from the second coupler 30, and the first coupler 28 and the second coupler 30 are separated.

After separating the coupler 26, the second actuator 58 is driven to move the first coupler 28 to the standby position. As a result, the positioning pin 62 is retracted from the movement trajectory of the second coupler 30, allowing the table 12 to rotate freely.

Note that the modified example of the first embodiment can also be applied to the roundness measuring device of this embodiment as appropriate.

[Third embodiment]
FIG. 15 is a sectional view showing the configuration of main parts of the roundness measuring device.

The roundness measuring device of this embodiment is a roundness measuring device in which a mechanism for supplying and discharging air to and from the air chuck 22 is built into the main body of the device.

As shown in FIG. 15, the table 12 is supported by the base 10 via an air bearing 110. The air bearing 110 sends compressed air between the shaft portion 110A and the bearing portion 110B, and uses air pressure to support the shaft portion 110A in a non-contact manner. Compressed air is supplied from an air source (not shown). Note that this type of air bearing 110 is well known. Therefore, a detailed explanation of the configuration will be omitted. Further, the bearing is not limited to the air bearing 110, and it is also possible to use a gas bearing that uses a gas other than air. In the air bearing 110, a bearing portion 110B is fixed to a first support frame 112A provided on the base 10. Further, in the air bearing 110, the table 12 is connected to the shaft portion 110A. The table 12 is coaxially connected to the shaft portion 110A. Thereby, the table 12 is supported by the base 10 via the air bearing 110.

The table 12 is driven by a motor 14M and rotates. The rotation of the motor 14M is transmitted to the table 12 via the rotation transmission mechanism 114. The rotation transmission mechanism 114 includes a drive shaft 116, a kelley 118, a kelley pin 120, a driven pulley 122, a drive pulley 124, a drive belt 126, and the like.

The drive shaft 116 is rotatably supported via a bearing 128 by a second support frame 112B attached to the first support frame 112A. The drive shaft 116 is disposed coaxially below the air bearing 110. Therefore, the drive shaft 116 is arranged coaxially with the table 12.

Kelley 118 is attached to drive shaft 116. Kelley 118 has a groove 118A at the tip. The celery pin 120 is attached to the shaft portion 110A of the air bearing 110. The celery pin 120 has a spherical ball portion 120A at the tip (lower end). By inserting the ball portion 120A of the celery pin 120 into the groove 118A of the celery 118, the celery 118 and the celery pin 120 are connected to enable rotation transmission. By connecting the celery 118 and the celery pin 120, the drive shaft 116 and the shaft portion 110A of the air bearing 110 are connected so that rotation can be transmitted.

The driven pulley 122 is attached to the drive shaft 116. The drive pulley 124 is attached to the output shaft of the motor 14M. The drive belt 126 is wound around the driven pulley 122 and the drive pulley 124 . As a result, when the motor 14M is driven, its rotation is transmitted from the drive pulley 124 to the driven pulley 122 via the drive belt 126, causing the drive shaft 116 to rotate. When the drive shaft 116 rotates, the shaft portion 110A of the air bearing 110 rotates, and the table 12 connected to the shaft portion 110A also rotates.

The drive shaft 116 is hollow and has a flow path 116A inside. A second coupler 30 is integrally attached to the lower end of the drive shaft 116 via a second block 44 . The second coupler 30 attached to the drive shaft 116 is arranged coaxially with the drive shaft 116 and is arranged vertically downward. Further, the second coupler 30 attached to the drive shaft 116 is communicated with the flow path 116A of the drive shaft 116 via the second block 44. Note that since the drive shaft 116 is arranged coaxially with the table 12, the second coupler 30 is also arranged coaxially with the table 12. That is, the second coupler 30 is arranged on the rotation axis of the table 12.

A flexible relay pipe 132 is connected to the upper end of the drive shaft 116 via a connector 130. The other end of the relay pipe 132 is connected to a first connection port 12A provided at the center of the lower surface of the table 12. The table 12 has a channel 12B inside, and one end of the channel 12B communicates with the first connection port 12A. The other end of the flow path 12B is communicated with a second connection port 12C provided on the side surface of the table 12. The air chuck 22 is connected to the second connection port 12C of the table 12 via a flexible connection pipe 134. Thereby, the air chuck 22 and the second coupler 30 are connected. In this embodiment, piping that connects the air chuck 22 and the second coupler 30 (flow path 116A of the drive shaft 116, relay piping 132, flow path 12B of the table 12, connection piping 134, etc.) is an example of the second piping.

The first coupler 28 is attached to the first block 42 and coaxially disposed below the second coupler 30 . The first coupler 28 is arranged vertically upward, and is arranged opposite to the second coupler 30 with a predetermined gap therebetween.

The first coupler 28 is driven by the actuator 136 to move forward and backward in the vertical direction (Z direction). Specifically, by moving forward and backward in the vertical direction, it moves between the connection position and the separation position. The first coupler 28 is connected to the second coupler 30 by being located in the connection position. Moreover, by being located at the separation position, the second coupler 30 is separated from the second coupler 30 by a predetermined distance. That is, by being located at the separation position, it is separated from the second coupler 30. FIG. 15 shows the first coupler 28 in the separated position. The actuator 136 is composed of, for example, a cylinder (an air cylinder as an example), and the first block 42 is connected to a rod portion, which is a movable portion, via a bracket 138. In this embodiment, actuator 136 is an example of a first drive section. The actuator 136 is fixed to the base 10 via a bracket (not shown).

The supply/exhaust mechanism including the coupler 26 is configured as described above. The coupler 26 is connected as follows.

When connecting the coupler 26, the actuator 136 is driven to move the first coupler 28 to the connection position. This connects the first coupler 28 to the second coupler 30.

When supplying air, the connection destination of the first pipe 32 is set to the compressed air source 34 using the solenoid valve 36, and air is supplied from the compressed air source 34.

When exhausting, the solenoid valve 36 is used to connect the first pipe 32 to the exhaust pipe 32R, which is open to the atmosphere.

When separating the coupler 26, the actuator 136 is driven to move the first coupler 28 to the separation position. This separates the first coupler 28 from the second coupler 30.

As explained above, also in the roundness measuring apparatus of this embodiment, the air chuck 22 can be automatically supplied and exhausted. Thereby, the workpiece W can be automatically fixed and unfixed.

In the roundness measuring device of this embodiment, the coupler 26 is connected and separated on the same axis of the air bearing 110. This can prevent the table 12 from tilting when connecting and disconnecting the coupler 26. Moreover, this can prevent the support portion of the table 12 from being damaged.

Note that in this embodiment, a cylinder is employed as the actuator 136, but the configuration of the actuator 136 is not limited to this. In addition to this, for example, a configuration in which it is driven by a linear motor, a feed screw mechanism, etc. can also be used.

[Other embodiments]
[Work holding part]
In the above embodiment, a case has been described in which the workpiece W is held using the air chuck 22, but the means (holding section) for holding the workpiece W on the table 12 is not limited to this. It operates by supplying air and holds the workpiece W by maintaining a pressurized state, or it operates by suctioning air and holds the workpiece W by maintaining a negative pressure state. Good to have.

The holding section that operates by supplying gas includes, for example, a holding section that operates by supplying a gas other than air, such as nitrogen gas.

For example, a vacuum chuck can be used as a holding part configured to operate by suctioning air. In this case, instead of the compressed air source 34, a suction source composed of an ejector or the like is used as the gas pressure source. A suction source is an example of a gas pressure source that generates negative pressure.

[measuring device]
In the above embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to a roundness measuring device has been described as an example, but the application of the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention can be applied to a measuring device that includes a rotatable table and measures an object to be measured held on the table. Therefore, for example, the present invention can also be applied to a three-dimensional measuring device equipped with a rotatable table.

Further, in the above embodiments, the case where the present invention is applied to a so-called contact type roundness measuring device has been described as an example, but the present invention can also be applied to a so-called non-contact type roundness measuring device. The non-contact roundness measuring device detects the displacement of the surface of the workpiece W using an optical sensor such as a laser displacement meter, for example.

Furthermore, the device to which the work fixing mechanism according to the present invention is applied is not limited to a roundness measuring device. For example, it is also possible to apply the present invention to an apparatus that processes (for example, measures or processes) a work while fixing and rotating it, such as a shape measuring apparatus, a rotary processing apparatus, a lathe processing apparatus, and the like.

1... Roundness measuring device, 10... Base, 12... Table, 12A... First connection port, 12B... Channel, 12C... Second connection port, 14... Table rotation mechanism, 14M... Motor, 14S... Rotation position detection instrument, 16...detector, 16A...stylus, 18...detector moving mechanism, 18A...column, 18B...carriage, 18C...arm, 18D...detector holder, 20...work automatic fixing mechanism, 22...air chuck, 24 ...Supply/exhaust mechanism, 26...Coupler, 28...First coupler, 28A...First coupler body, 28B...Fixed valve, 28C...Fixed valve support plate, 28D...Movable sleeve, 28E...Coil spring, 28b1...Shaft of fixed valve , 28b2... Valve portion of fixed valve, 28d... Opening of movable sleeve, 30... Second coupler, 30A... Second coupler body, 30B... Movable valve, 30C... Movable valve support plate, 30D... Coil spring, 30a... Second Opening of coupler body, 30b1...Shaft part, 30b2...Valve part, 32...First pipe, 32A...Main pipe, 32P...Air supply pipe, 32R...Exhaust pipe, 34...Compressed air source, 36...Solenoid valve, 38 ...Second piping, 40...Coupler automatic connection mechanism, 42...First block, 42A...Flow path of first block, 44...Second block, 44A...Flow path of second block, 46...Second block support part, 46A...plate spring, 46B...bracket, 48...first drive unit, 50...first frame, 50H...horizontal part of first frame, 50V...vertical part of first frame, 52...first actuator, 52A...first Actuator body of actuator, 52B...Slide table of first actuator, 54...Second drive unit, 56...Second frame, 56A...Screw, 56H...Horizontal part of second frame, 56V...Vertical part of second frame, 58 ...Second actuator, 58A...Actuator body of second actuator, 58B...Slide table of second actuator, 60...Support pin, 60A...Bracket, 62...Positioning pin, 62A...Bracket, 70...Controller, 80...Elastic support part , 82...Main support part, 82A...Plate spring, 82B...Bracket, 84...Auxiliary support part, 84A...Coil spring, 86...Bracket, 110...Air bearing, 110A...Air bearing shaft part, 110B...Air bearing bearing part , 112A...First support frame, 112B...Second support frame, 114...Rotation transmission mechanism, 116...Drive shaft, 116A...Flow path, 118...Keley, 118A...Keley groove, 120...Keley pin, 120A...Keley pin ball Part, 122... Driven pulley, 124... Driving pulley, 126... Drive belt, 128... Bearing, 130... Connector, 132... Relay piping, 134... Connection piping, 136... Actuator, 138... Bracket, C... No. 2 coupler movement locus, P...supply/exhaust position, W...workpiece, θ...table rotation axis

Claims (14)

In a fixing mechanism for a workpiece held on a rotatable table,
a holding part that holds the workpiece on the table, the holding part being operated by gas supply or suction, and maintaining the state in which the workpiece is held by maintaining a pressurized state or a negative pressure state; ,
a gas pressure source that generates positive or negative pressure;
a first coupler section connected to the gas pressure source via a first pipe;
a second coupler part provided in the table and connected to the holding part via a second pipe, the second coupler part being connectable to the first coupler part and maintaining the pressure state of the holding part to maintain the pressure state of the holding part; a second coupler part that is separable from the first coupler part;
A first drive that connects and separates the first coupler part and the second coupler part by moving the first coupler part forward and backward along the connection direction with respect to the second coupler part located at the first position. Department and
A workpiece fixing mechanism equipped with a first support part that is removably attached to the table and supports the second coupler part in a radially outer region of the table;
The workpiece fixing mechanism according to claim 1. the first support part elastically supports the second coupler part;
The workpiece fixing mechanism according to claim 2. comprising a second support part that elastically supports the first drive part;
The workpiece fixing mechanism according to claim 1. a positioning member that abuts the second coupler portion to position the second coupler portion at the first position;
a second drive unit that moves the positioning member between a second position located on the movement trajectory of the second coupler portion and a third position retreated from the movement trajectory of the second coupler portion;
The workpiece fixing mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising: The second driving section moves the positioning member and the first driving section integrally,
When the positioning member is located at the second position, the first coupler portion is located at the first position.
The workpiece fixing mechanism according to claim 5. Either one of the second coupler part and the positioning member has a magnet part, the other has a magnetic body part, and the second coupler part is magnetically attached to the positioning member.
The workpiece fixing mechanism according to claim 6. The connection direction of the first coupler part to the second coupler part is set parallel to the rotation axis of the table.
A workpiece fixing mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The first support part elastically supports the second coupler part via a plate spring.
The workpiece fixing mechanism according to claim 3. The second support part elastically supports the first drive part via a plate spring.
The workpiece fixing mechanism according to claim 4. When the first coupler part is connected to the second coupler part, the first drive part is configured to abut on a rear end part of the second coupler part in the connecting direction and support the second coupler part. having 3 supporting parts;
A workpiece fixing mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 4. the first coupler section and the second coupler section are arranged on the rotation axis of the table,
the first drive unit moves the first coupler unit forward and backward along the rotation axis of the table to connect and separate the first coupler unit and the second coupler unit;
The workpiece fixing mechanism according to claim 1. the table is supported via a gas bearing;
A workpiece fixing mechanism according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, or 12. detecting the displacement of the surface of the workpiece in synchronization with the rotation angle of the table, and measuring the circularity or cylindricity of the workpiece;
A measuring device comprising the work fixing mechanism according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, or 12.

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