JP2896590B2 - Manufacturing method of prototype master for golf ball - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a high-precision golf ball master by numerically controlled cutting.

[Problems to be Solved by Conventional Techniques and Inventions] Conventionally, a pressing method or a precision casting method has been mainly used for manufacturing a mold for a golf ball, but a precise prototype master is required in any method. It is.

This prototype master is usually manufactured by cutting dimples with a cutter having a dimple cross-sectional shape on a hemispherical surface of an easily cutable metal, for example, a hemispherical solid master made of brass or aluminum. In this case, the dimples of the prototype master greatly affect the flight performance of the golf ball of the product, and a difference in dimple depth of several microns in the product produces a distinct flight performance difference. The accuracy of the dimple depth of about 2μ is required.

For this reason, in the past, dimple processing of the prototype master has been based on the point where the tip of the cutter and the hemispherical surface of the solid master are in contact with each other, and a certain amount of depth is cut in order to accurately obtain the depth. Procedures are adopted.
In this case, the reference is set using a microscope, a magnifying glass, or the like. However, this operation requires a considerable amount of skill, and it is inevitable to obtain such a specific technique. For this reason, fabrication of a prototype master requires extremely cost and time.

On the other hand, there is an attempt to automate the production of a prototype master.
For example, automatic machining for centering the tool length and the prototype master in the machine coordinate system of a high-precision numerically controlled machining machine to which an induct thin is added is possible. However, it is necessary to perform the above-mentioned centering in at least two axial directions, and it is practically very difficult to perform centering in the rotation two-axis direction with high accuracy of ± 1μ level in the above-described method. Considering the time required for the centering operation, it can be said that the aforementioned manual surface detection method is much easier.

For this reason, at present, the processing of the prototype master of the golf ball cannot eliminate the manual reference setting operation while automation is desired.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a master master for a golf ball, which can automatically and efficiently process dimples on a solid master.

Means for Solving the Problems According to the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, the surface of a hemispherical solid master fixed to a table of a numerically controlled machine tool is cut by a cutter attached to a main shaft capable of rotating and retreating. In forming dimples on the surface of the solid master, the X axis, the Y axis, and the Z axis of the standard coordinate system passing through the center of the basal plane of the hemispheric solid master are respectively orthogonal axes, and the A rotation around the X axis and the Y axis At least two rotations of the rotation B and the rotation C around the Z axis are given to the table or the main spindle with the cutter by numerical control, and the cutter with the main spindle with the cutter facing the center point of the base surface of the solid master. Place the cutter at a predetermined position outside the solid master, and then move the cutter forward from this state toward the center of the base surface of the solid master. At this time, the distance between the cutter tip and the solid master surface is detected by a surface sensing mechanism, and the position of the cutter tip when this interval reaches a preset interval is set as a reference point, and a numerical value is calculated from the reference point. A method for manufacturing a master master for a golf ball, wherein dimples are formed on the surface of the solid master by further rotating the cutter through the main shaft by a control and moving the cutter forward a predetermined distance to cut the surface of the solid master. I do.

In this case, the type of the numerically controlled machine tool is not limited, and for example, a high-precision 5-axis machining machine, a high-precision vertical machining center, or the like can be suitably used.

In addition, the surface sensing mechanism adds a touch sensor function to the cutter on the spindle side to detect the point at which the distance between the master surface and the cutter tip becomes zero, or to detect the gap between the master surface and the cutter tip. A mechanism for continuously monitoring with a contact displacement sensor and detecting a point at which the above-mentioned interval reaches a predetermined value can be preferably employed.

[Operation] According to the method of manufacturing a master master for a golf ball of the present invention, dimples can be accurately and efficiently processed on the master master.

That is, in the manufacturing method of the present invention, the cutter is set by the above-described axis control using the numerically controlled machine tool, so that the cutter can be accurately arranged at a predetermined position outside the surface of the solid master. In addition, the cutter for cutting dimples on the solid master surface is advanced toward the center of the solid master, and the distance between the tip of the cutter and the solid master surface is measured by a surface sensing mechanism. For example, by setting a point at which the interval becomes zero or a point at which a predetermined distance l is reached as a reference point for cutting, a constant reference point can always be accurately set, and the setting of this reference point is automatically performed. In addition, the cutting can be performed to a constant depth by cutting the solid master surface by further advancing the cutter tip by a predetermined distance by a numerical control from this reference point, and thus always cutting at a constant depth. Dimples having a depth can be reliably formed. Furthermore, by automatically controlling the axis between the solid master and the cutter by numerical control,
A dimple of a certain depth can be formed reliably and automatically over the entire hemispherical surface of the master.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to examples.

First Embodiment FIG. 1 shows an example of an apparatus for manufacturing a master mold for a golf ball used in the embodiment of the present invention. This apparatus uses a 5-axis machine for a main body.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an indexing table, on which a hemispherical solid master 2 made of brass or aluminum is fixed via a fixing ring made of an insulator such as ceramic. The table 1 can rotate A with a straight line 4 passing through the center point O of the solid master 2 and orthogonal to the base surface 3 of the hemispherical portion 2a of the master 2 as the X axis. The rotation can be numerically controlled by a numerical controller 8 described later.

In the drawing, reference numeral 5 denotes a milling unit provided with a main shaft 5a, and a cutter 6 is attached to a tip of the main shaft 5a. The main shaft 5a can move forward and backward W along the straight line 7 passing through the center point O, and can rotate B around the Y axis as a rotation axis. The stop and stop are controlled by the numerical controller 8. The B rotation is performed by the operation of the circular table.

1, reference numeral 9 denotes a touch sensor for detecting contact between the tip of the cutter 6 and the hemisphere 10 of the master 2. When the sensor 9 detects contact between the tip of the cutter 6 and the master 2, numerical control is performed. And sends a signal to the control unit 8.
Is set to the machining reference point. The touch sensor 9 may be a sensor of an energization type (ring sensor), an AE sensor (vibration sensor), a capacitance type (limit switch), or the like.

When dimples are formed on a solid master using this apparatus to produce a master for a golf ball, first, the tip of the cutter 6 passes through the central point O from the state where the tip of the cutter 6 is not in contact with the surface 10 of the solid master 2. When the tip of the cutter 6 contacts the surface 10, the touch sensor 9 detects the contact and sends a signal to the numerical control unit 8 to process the control unit 8. A reference point is set. Subsequently, the cutter 6 is controlled by the control unit 8 to further advance by a predetermined distance from the reference point, and cuts the surface 10 of the master 2 to form dimples. Then, after cutting to a predetermined depth, that is, after the cutter 6 advances by a predetermined distance, the cutter 6 retreats according to a command from the control unit 8. Next, the table 1 rotates A by a predetermined amount according to a command from the control unit 8, and the
5a is fixed after a predetermined amount of B rotations about the Y axis as a rotation axis, and the same operation is repeated thereafter to form a large number of dimples having a constant depth at predetermined positions on the entire surface of the master 2.

Therefore, according to this device, dimples can be efficiently and automatically processed on the prototype master, and the dimples formed are precise with a constant depth.

Actually, a high-precision 5-axis processing machine was used as the cutting machine body, a limit type touch switch (Tateishi Electric NL-3) as a touch sensor, and a FANUC15M controller.
(Manufactured by FANUC) is combined to form a prototype master manufacturing apparatus shown in FIG. 1. After a large number of dimples are cut and formed on a solid master made of brass using this apparatus, variations in the depth of each dimple are determined. When measured with a light cutting measuring machine (manufactured by Nissho Precision Optical), the target depth was ±
It was within 1μ (n = 50).

[Second Embodiment] FIG. 2 shows another example of an apparatus used for carrying out the present invention, and this apparatus uses a vertical machining center for a main body. In the present apparatus, the table 1 to which the solid master 2 is fixed can rotate C with the straight line 4 orthogonal to the base surface 3 of the hemispherical portion 2a of the master 2 as the Z axis, and the straight line 11 orthogonal to the straight line 4 It is configured to be able to make A rotation about the X axis. Further, the cutter 6 advances and retreats along the straight line 4.

2, 12 and 13, 13 constitute a non-contact displacement sensor for continuously measuring the interval l between the tip of the cutter 6 and the hemisphere 10 of the solid master 2, and 12 is a circuit unit, 1
3 and 13 are a pair of laser sensors. When the distance l between the tip of the cutter 6 and the hemisphere 10 detected by the laser sensors 13 and 13 reaches a predetermined distance set in advance, the circuit unit 12 sets a processing reference point in the numerical control unit 8. It has become. Since other configurations are the same as those of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, the same reference numerals are given to the drawings, and the description will be omitted.

When dimples are formed on a solid master using the apparatus shown in FIG. 2 to produce a prototype master for a golf ball, the cutter 6 is first advanced toward the center O along the Z axis. At this time, the distance l between the tip of the cutter 6 and the master surface 10 is continuously detected by the laser sensors 13 and 13. Then, when the interval 1 reaches a predetermined interval set in advance, the circuit unit 12 sets the machining reference point in the numerical control unit 8. Subsequently, the cutter 6 is controlled by the control unit 8 and further advances by a predetermined distance from the reference point to cut the surface of the master 2 to form a dimple. Then, after cutting by a predetermined depth to form a dimple of a predetermined depth, the cutter 6 is retracted under the control of the control unit 8. Next, the table 1 is fixed after the predetermined amount of A rotation and C rotation by the command of the control unit 8, and thereafter the same operation is repeated to form a large number of dimples of a constant depth at predetermined positions on the entire surface 10 of the master 2. Is done.

Therefore, according to the present apparatus, dimples having a constant depth can be efficiently and automatically formed on the prototype master. Further, according to this device, the master may be a non-conductive material, and it does not detect the contact between the master and the cutter, so that there is no danger of leaving a trace of contact with the cutter on the master. is there.

Actually, a high-precision vertical machining center with a two-axis table driven by the center of the work is used as the cutting machine body, and a non-contact displacement sensor (Keyence's laser measuring machine LS300
0) and the FANUC15M as a controller are combined to form the prototype master manufacturing apparatus shown in Fig. 2. Using this apparatus, a large number of dimples are cut and formed on a solid brass master, and the depth of each dimple is varied. When measured in the same manner as in Example 1, the target depth was ± 2 μm.
(N = 50).

In addition, the method of manufacturing the prototype master for a golf ball of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and for example, a plurality of cutters can be used. In addition, the sensing mechanism for detecting the distance between the tip of the cutter and the solid master and the method and mechanism for controlling the axes of the cutter and the table can be appropriately changed. For example, when dimples having a complicated shape are formed, various other methods are used. Can be given to a table or a spindle by numerical control. Further, other configurations may be variously changed within the scope of the present invention.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the method of manufacturing a prototype master for a golf ball of the present invention, dimples can be accurately and efficiently processed on the prototype master.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIGS. 1 and 2 are schematic diagrams each showing an example of a golf ball prototype master manufacturing apparatus used in the embodiment of the present invention. 1 ... Table, 2 ... Solid master, 5a ... Spindle, 6 ... Cutter, 8 ... Numeric control unit, 9 ... Touch sensor, 12 ... Sensor circuit unit, 13,13 ... Laser sensor.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B23C 3/00 B23Q 15/00 B23Q 17/22 A63B 37/00

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] A dimple is formed on the surface of a solid master by fixing a surface of a solid semi-spherical master fixed to a table of a numerically controlled machine tool with a cutter attached to a main shaft capable of rotating and retreating. X-axis and Y-axis of the standard coordinate system passing through the center of the base surface
Axis and Z axis are orthogonal axes, A rotation around X axis,
At least two rotations of the B rotation around the Y axis and the C rotation around the Z axis are given to the table or the main shaft with a cutter by numerical control, and the main shaft with the cutter is oriented toward the center point of the base surface of the solid master. Place the cutter at a predetermined position outside the solid master, and then move the cutter forward from this state toward the center point of the base surface of the solid master, and measure the distance between the tip of the cutter and the solid master surface at this time by a surface sensing mechanism. And the position of the tip of the cutter when this interval reaches a preset interval is set as a reference point. From this reference point, the cutter is further rotated through the main spindle by numerical control and advanced a predetermined distance to advance the solid master surface. A golf club, wherein dimples are formed on the surface of the master by cutting. Method of manufacturing Lumpur for the original master. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein a touch sensor for detecting contact between the surface of the solid master and the tip of the cutter is used as the surface sensing mechanism. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein a non-contact displacement sensor for continuously detecting a distance between the surface of the solid master and the tip of the cutter is used as the surface sensing mechanism.