JP6927598B2 - Connecting mechanism - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a connecting mechanism that can be used when attaching or detaching a nozzle arranged in a laser processing machine or the like.

Conventionally, a nozzle changer in which a nozzle constituting a laser processing head of a laser processing machine can be automatically replaced has been known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-307550

A ball lock mechanism is mainly used in the connection mechanism provided in the nozzle changer as described above and which enables the connection between the nozzle and the nozzle-connected portion to which the nozzle is connected. However, the ball lock mechanism has a problem that the number of parts is large, the structure is complicated, and the man-hours at the time of connecting work is increased.

Therefore, in the connecting mechanism that functions when attaching and detaching the nozzle of the laser processing machine, there is a problem that the number of parts is large and the structure is not complicated, and the man-hours at the time of connecting work are reduced.

The present invention for solving the above problems is a connecting mechanism for connecting a nozzle to a nozzle-connected portion, which is connected to an annular elastic body having a circular opening and the nozzle-connected portion. The elastic body accommodating tool includes an elastic body accommodating tool for accommodating the elastic body and an elastic body deforming tool for deforming the elastic body housed in the elastic body accommodating device by engaging with the elastic body accommodating device. Is formed by a boss portion, a plurality of engaging portions formed so as to surround the boss portion, an outer surface of the boss portion and an inner surface surface of the plurality of engaging portions, and an outer peripheral surface of the elastic body. A storage chamber for accommodating while exposing a part thereof is provided, and a plurality of the elastic body deforming tools are formed in the circumferential direction, and the engaging holes with which the engaging portions of the elastic body housing tools are engaged are provided in the circumferential direction. The accommodating chamber of the elastic body accommodating tool is provided with a pressing portion formed so as to be adjacent to the engaging hole, which abuts on the outer peripheral surface of the elastic body and presses a part of the elastic body inward in the radial direction. With one end side of the nozzle inserted into the opening of the contained elastic body, the elastic body deforming tool is engaged with the elastic body housing tool, and the pressing portion is applied to the exposed outer peripheral surface of the elastic body. By abutting, a part of the elastic body is pushed inward in the radial direction by the pressing portion, protrudes, enters a recess formed on the outer surface of the nozzle, and chucks the nozzle.

The elastic body is preferably a garter spring.

The connecting mechanism according to the present invention for connecting the nozzle to the nozzle-connected portion includes an annular elastic body having a circular opening and an elastic body accommodating tool connected to the nozzle-connected portion and accommodating the elastic body. , An elastic body deforming tool that engages with an elastic body accommodating tool and deforms an elastic body housed in the elastic body accommodating tool, and a plurality of elastic body accommodating tools are provided so as to surround the boss portion and the boss portion. It is provided with a formed engaging portion and a storage chamber formed by an outer surface of the boss portion and an inner surface of the plurality of engaging portions and accommodating the outer peripheral surface of the elastic body while exposing a part thereof, and deforms the elastic body. A plurality of tools are formed in the circumferential direction and are formed so as to be adjacent to the engaging holes in the circumferential direction and the engaging portions of the elastic body accommodating tools are engaged with each other. A pressing portion that presses a part inward in the radial direction is provided, and the elastic body deformer is housed in a state where one end side of the nozzle is inserted into the opening of the elastic body housed in the storage chamber of the elastic body container. By engaging with the tool and bringing the pressing part into contact with the exposed outer peripheral surface of the elastic body, a part of the elastic body is pushed inward in the radial direction by the pressing part to form a recess formed on the outer surface of the protruding nozzle. Since the entry nozzle can be chucked, the number of parts is reduced as compared with the ball lock mechanism, the structure is not complicated, and the number of steps during connection work can be reduced as compared with the ball lock mechanism.

Further, since the annular elastic body is a garter spring, deterioration of the elastic body when the chucking operation is performed a plurality of times in the connecting mechanism can be suppressed.

It is a perspective view which shows an example of an annular elastic body, an elastic body accommodating tool, and an elastic body deforming tool which constitute a connecting mechanism. It is a perspective view of an annular elastic body. It is a perspective view explaining the state which the nozzle plug which constitutes a nozzle is chucked by the connecting mechanism. It is a perspective view which shows the state which the nozzle plug which constitutes a nozzle is chucked by the connecting mechanism. It is a bottom view explaining the deformed elastic body in the connecting mechanism in the state of chucking a nozzle plug. It is sectional drawing explaining an example of the state which the nozzle is connected to the nozzle connected part by the connecting mechanism.

The connecting mechanism 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes an annular elastic body 20 having a circular opening 200 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in the center, an elastic body accommodating tool 3 accommodating the elastic body 20, and an elastic body accommodating tool 3. It includes an elastic body deformer 4 that engages and deforms the elastic body 20 housed in the elastic body accommodating tool 3.

The annular elastic body 20 is an endless garter spring formed of SUS or the like in the present embodiment, but is not limited to this, and may be a synthetic rubber having elasticity and formed in an annular shape.

The elastic body accommodating tool 3 is made of, for example, a metal such as SUS, and is integrally formed with a circular substantially plate-shaped base portion 30 so as to project from the base portion 30 in the thickness direction (Z-axis direction) of the base portion 30. A boss portion 31 formed, a plurality of engaging portions 34a and engaging portions 34b formed so as to surround the boss portion 31, and an outer surface of the boss portion 31 and a plurality of engaging portions 34a and engaging portions 34b. It is provided with a storage chamber 35 formed of an inner surface and accommodating the elastic body 20 while exposing a part of the outer peripheral surface thereof.

In FIG. 1, the cylindrical boss portion 31 projecting in the −Z direction has a smaller diameter than, for example, a circular substantially plate-shaped base portion 30. The diameter of the boss portion 31 is reduced by one step, and the lower surface thereof is a stepped stepped surface. That is, it is composed of a first surface 311 located one step lower and a second surface 312 located radially outside and above the first surface 311.
A plurality of (six in FIG. 1) engaging portions 34a and engaging portions 34b project from the base portion 30 in the −Z direction around the boss portion 31.

For example, the inner side surfaces of the engaging portion 34a and the engaging portion 34b are cut out in a substantially semicircular shape in terms of side view, so that an arcuate groove 340 into which the annular elastic body 20 is loosely fitted is formed. .. Then, the accommodation chamber 35 surrounded by the inner surface of the engaging portion 34a and the inner surface of the engaging portion 34b in which the groove 340 is formed, the second surface 312 of the boss portion 31, and the outer surface of the boss portion 31. Is formed.
The storage chamber 35 has a size that allows the elastic body 20 to be deformed at least in the radial direction in the storage chamber 35.

In the present embodiment, the engaging portions 34a and the engaging portions 34b are arranged alternately in a total of three at intervals of approximately 60 degrees in the circumferential direction of the boss portion 31. For example, the width of the engaging portion 34a is set to be larger than the width of the engaging portion 34b. The elastic body 20 housed in the storage chamber 35 is in a state where a part of the outer peripheral surface is exposed from between the engaging portion 34a and the engaging portion 34b. The number of engaging portions 34a and engaging portions 34b is not limited to this example.

A through hole 36 through which, for example, laser light can pass is formed in the central portion of the elastic body accommodating tool 3 in the thickness direction. The through hole 36 communicates with the plug opening 50a of the nozzle plug 50 shown in FIG.

The elastic body deforming tool 4 is made of a metal such as SUS and is formed in a substantially annular shape in a plan view. Then, the elastic body deforming tools 4 are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, for example, three are formed, and the engaging holes 40a with which the engaging portions 34a of the elastic body accommodating tools 3 are engaged, and the elastic body deforming tools 4 are spaced at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. It is provided with an engaging hole 40b to which three engaging portions 34b of the elastic body accommodating tool 3 are formed and engaged with each other. Further, in the center of the elastic body deforming tool 4, a deforming tool opening 47 through which the nozzle plug 50 constituting the nozzle 5 shown in FIG. 3 can pass is formed.

The elastic body deformer 4 is formed so as to be adjacent to the engagement hole 40a and the engagement hole 40b in the circumferential direction, and is in contact with the exposed outer peripheral surface of the elastic body 20 housed in the storage chamber 35 and is a part of the elastic body 20. A pressing portion 42 for pressing inward in the radial direction is provided. The pressing portion 42 is formed so as to project radially inward from the inner peripheral surface of the elastic body deforming tool 4, for example, in a substantially trapezoidal shape in a plan view.

For example, the free end surface side (the lower end surface side facing the −Z direction side in FIG. 1) opposite to the fixed end surface (the upper end surface facing the + Z direction side in FIG. 1) that abuts on the base 30 of the elastic body deformer 4. Is formed with a regulating portion 44 that regulates the elastic body 20 to be chucked from being deformed in the thickness direction (Z-axis direction in FIG. 1) of the elastic body accommodating tool 3. The regulating portion 44 is formed so as to protrude further inward in the radial direction from the pressing portion 42. The regulating portion 44 can limit the deformation of the elastic body 20 to be chucked in the radial direction. The elastic body deforming tool 4 does not have to include the regulating portion 44.

On the outer peripheral surface of the substantially cylindrical nozzle plug 50 shown in FIG. 3, for example, a plurality of O-ring accommodating grooves 502 are formed at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction (Z-axis direction) of the nozzle plug 50. An O-ring made of rubber or the like is attached to the O-ring accommodating groove 502. The outer diameter of the nozzle plug 50 is, for example, about 20 mm.

In the region on the upper end side of the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle plug 50, a recess 504 in which the protrusion of the deformed elastic body 20 enters is formed. In the present embodiment, the recess 504 is a single annular groove, but the present invention is not limited to this, and may be an arc-shaped hole formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the nozzle plug 50. ..

Hereinafter, a case where the nozzle plug 50 constituting the nozzle 5 shown in FIG. 3 is chucked by using the connecting mechanism 1 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 3, the elastic body 20 is housed in the storage chamber 35 of the elastic body accommodating tool 3, and a part of the outer peripheral surface of the elastic body 20 is exposed from the accommodating chamber 35. There is.
For example, one end side (upper end side) of the nozzle plug 50 is inserted between the circular opening 200 (see FIG. 2) of the elastic body 20 and the outer surface of the boss portion 31 from the lower side (−Z direction side). .. As a result, the elastic body 20 moves so as to enter the groove 340 side formed on the inner side surface of the engaging portion 34a and the engaging portion 34b, and the circular opening 200 of the elastic body 20 (see FIG. 2). The center, the center of the boss portion 31, and the center of the nozzle plug 50 are substantially aligned with each other.

In a state where the nozzle plug 50 is inserted into the circular opening 200 of the elastic body 20 as described above and the boss portion 31 is inserted into the plug opening 50a of the nozzle plug 50, the elastic body 20 in the accommodation chamber 35 is , It is not deformed in the accommodation chamber 35 and can be moved in the radial direction. Further, the inner peripheral surface of the elastic body 20 and the recess 504 of the nozzle plug 50 are in a state of facing each other in the horizontal plane (in the X-axis and Y-axis planes). Further, the plug opening 50a of the nozzle plug 50 communicates with the through hole 36 of the elastic body accommodating tool 3.

Next, the elastic body deforming tool 4 is positioned below the elastic body accommodating tool 3 with the regulating portion 44 located on the lower side, and the center of the deforming tool opening 47 is aligned with the nozzle plug 50 and engaged. The engaging hole 40a is aligned with the engaging portion 34a, and the engaging hole 40b is aligned with the engaging portion 34b. In this state, the elastic body deforming tool 4 is lifted and engages with the elastic body accommodating tool 3 as shown in FIG.

When the elastic body deformer 4 engages with the elastic body accommodating tool 3, the nozzle plug 50 projects downward from the elastic body deformer 4. Further, the pressing portion 42 shown in FIG. 3 comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the elastic body 20 exposed from the accommodation chamber 35, and a part of the elastic body 20 is radially inside at a predetermined interval in the circumferential direction by the pressing portion 42. By being pushed toward, the bulge 204 shown in FIG. 5 is formed. In the present embodiment, six protrusions 204 are formed, which is the same as the number of pressing portions 42. Further, alternately with the protrusion 204 formed on the elastic body 20, a part of the elastic body 20 is dented outward in the radial direction and enters the inner side of the groove 340 of the engaging portion 34a of the elastic body accommodating tool 3, and the elastic body 20 is formed. Twenty deformations are allowed.

Each of the protrusions 204 formed on the elastic body 20 shown in FIG. 5 enters and fits into the recess 504 of the nozzle plug 50 shown in FIG. 3, so that the nozzle plug 50 is chucked by the connecting mechanism 1 and the nozzle plug 50 is engaged. Will not fall.

Next, a case where the connecting mechanism 1 is arranged in the laser processing means 8 shown in FIG. 6 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 6, the nozzle plug 50 constitutes, for example, the nozzle 5 arranged in the laser processing means 8. The laser processing means 8 moves up and down the connecting mechanism 1, the nozzle 5, the nozzle connected portion 6 to which the nozzle 5 is connected via the connecting mechanism 1, and the elastic body deformer 4 of the connecting mechanism 1. It is provided with at least a deformable tool vertical movement mechanism 7 for causing the metal plate to be processed, and can irradiate a metal plate to be processed with a laser beam to cut the metal plate while melting it.

In the nozzle 5 shown in FIG. 6, the nozzle tip 51 capable of irradiating a laser beam and measuring the capacitance and the nozzle tip 51 are connected to the lower end side and the upper end side is connected by the connecting mechanism 1 as described above. It includes a chucked nozzle plug 50.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, a thread groove 501 is cut on the inner peripheral surface of the nozzle plug 50, and a screw 511 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle tip 51 is screwed into the thread groove 501. , The nozzle tip 51 can be connected to the lower end side of the nozzle plug 50. The tip side (lower end side) of the nozzle tip 51 is formed, for example, in an inverted trapezoidal vertical cross section.
An O-ring 503 made of rubber or the like is attached to the O-ring accommodating groove 502 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle plug 50.

The nozzle-connected portion 6 is, for example, a substantially cylindrical casing, and has an optical system such as a beam splitter and a condenser lens (not shown) on the upper side inside the casing, and irradiates a laser beam in the −Z direction. , The laser beam can be focused on the focusing point below the nozzle tip 51.
For example, a gas insertion pipe 60 capable of injecting assist gas into the nozzle connected portion 6 communicates with the side surface of the nozzle connected portion 6.

The base 30 of the elastic body accommodating tool 3 of the connecting mechanism 1 is fixed to the lower surface side of the nozzle-connected portion 6 by a fixing bolt or the like (not shown). Further, a deformer vertical movement mechanism 7 for moving the elastic body deformer 4 of the connecting mechanism 1 up and down is attached to the lower surface side of the nozzle connected portion 6.
The deformable tool vertical movement mechanism 7 is, for example, a casing 73 connected to the lower surface of the nozzle-connected portion 6 and having the connecting mechanism 1 arranged inside, an air supply source 70 composed of a compressor or the like, and air. An air supply pipe 71 that communicates with the supply source 70 and sends air (for example, 0.5 MPa) of a predetermined pressure supplied from the air supply source 70 to the casing 73 side is provided.

Inside the casing 73, a movable space 733 having a size that allows the elastic body deformer 4 to move up and down is formed, and the elastic body deformer 4 has an outer surface on the inner side wall of the casing 73 that constitutes the movable space 733. Can move up and down so that it slides. In the example shown in FIG. 6, for example, an O-ring accommodating groove is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the elastic body deformer 4, and an O-ring 737 for improving airtightness is inserted into the O-ring accommodating groove. There is. Further, in the example shown in FIG. 6, for example, a plurality of spring accommodating holes 46 are formed on the upper end surface of the elastic body deforming tool 4 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, and each spring accommodating hole 46 is formed in the Z-axis direction. A compression coil spring 48 that expands and contracts is inserted in the. Then, in the state where the laser processing means 8 is not processing, the compression coil spring 48 urges the elastic body deformer 4 downward (−Z direction) in the movable space 733, and the nozzle plug 50 of the nozzle 5 is pressed. The state of being chucked by the connecting mechanism 1 is maintained. The spring accommodating hole 46 may be an annular groove, and even if one compression coil spring 48 is accommodated in the groove so as to surround the outer surface of the elastic body accommodating tool 3 with the inner surface of the spring. good.

In FIG. 6, the nozzle plug 50 of the nozzle 5 is chucked by the connecting mechanism 1. That is, a state in which the nozzle plug 50, which is one end side (upper end side) of the nozzle 5, is inserted into the circular opening 200 of the elastic body 20 housed in the storage chamber 35 (not shown in FIG. 6) of the elastic body accommodating tool 3. Then, the elastic body deforming tool 4 pushed in the −Z direction by the urging force of the compression coil spring 48 is engaged with the elastic body accommodating tool 3 to bring the pressing portion 42 into contact with the exposed outer peripheral surface of the elastic body 20. A part of the elastic body 20 is pushed inward in the radial direction by the pressing portion 42 to form a protrusion 204 (see FIG. 5), and the protrusion 204 enters the recess 504 formed on the outer surface of the nozzle plug 50 to push the nozzle 5 into the recess 504. Chucking. As a result, the nozzle 5 and the nozzle-connected portion 6 are connected via the connecting mechanism 1.

For example, in the example shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of through holes 302 are formed in the flange portion 301 extending radially outward from the base portion 30 of the elastic body accommodating tool 3 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. Then, when the laser processing means 8 processes the workpiece, a part of the assist gas injected into the nozzle-connected portion 6 flows through the through hole 302 into the movable space 733, and the assist gas is introduced. Since the elastic body deformer 4 urged downward by the compression coil spring 48 is further urged downward by the pressure of the gas, the chucking holding force of the nozzle 5 by the connecting mechanism 1 is improved.

A case where the nozzle 5 is removed from the normal state of the laser processing means 8 shown in FIG. 6, that is, the state where the nozzle 5 is chucked by the connecting mechanism 1 will be described.
For example, the air supply source 70 shown in FIG. 6 sends out air of a predetermined pressure (for example, 0.5 MPa), and the air is sent from the air supply pipe 71 into the casing 73. The air passes through the air flow path 735 in the casing 73 and is sealed in the space below the elastic body deformer 4. Then, the elastic body deforming tool 4 is pushed upward in the movable space 733 against the urging force of the compression coil spring 48 by the pressure of the air. As a result, the pressing of the elastic body 20 by the pressing portion 42 is released, the elastic body 20 is returned to an annular shape, and the protrusion 204 is eliminated, so that the elastic body 20 is disengaged from the recess 504 of the nozzle plug 50. That is, the chucking by the connecting mechanism 1 of the nozzle 5 is released.

As described above, the connecting mechanism 1 according to the present invention for connecting the nozzle 5 to the nozzle-connected portion 6 is connected to the annular elastic body 20 having a circular opening 200 and the nozzle-connected portion 6. An elastic body accommodating tool 3 for accommodating the elastic body 20 and an elastic body deforming tool 4 for engaging with the elastic body accommodating tool 3 and deforming the elastic body 20 housed in the elastic body accommodating tool 3 are provided and elastic. The body accommodating tool 3 includes a boss portion 31, a plurality of engaging portions 34a and 34b formed so as to surround the boss portion 31, an outer surface of the boss portion 31, and an inner surface surface of the plurality of engaging portions 34a and 34b. The accommodating chamber 35, which is formed of the elastic body 20 and accommodates the elastic body 20 while exposing a part of the outer peripheral surface thereof, The engagement holes 40a and 40b with which the 34b is engaged are formed so as to be adjacent to the engagement holes 40a and 40b in the circumferential direction, and abut on the outer peripheral surface of the elastic body 20 to press a part of the elastic body 20 inward in the radial direction. The elastic body deforming tool 4 is provided with the pressing portion 42 and the elastic body deforming tool 4 in a state where the nozzle plug 50, which is one end side of the nozzle 5, is inserted into the opening 200 of the elastic body 20 housed in the storage chamber 35 of the elastic body housing tool 3. Is engaged with the elastic body accommodating tool 3 to bring the pressing portion 42 into contact with the exposed outer peripheral surface of the elastic body 20, so that a part of the elastic body 20 is pushed inward in the radial direction by the pressing portion 42 and protrudes 204. Is formed, and the protrusion 204 can enter the recess 504 formed on the outer surface of the nozzle plug 50 to chuck the nozzle 5, so that the number of parts is smaller than that of the ball lock mechanism and the structure is not complicated. In addition, the number of steps required for connecting work can be reduced as compared with the ball lock mechanism. Further, since the annular elastic body 20 of the connecting mechanism 1 has more contacts with the nozzle plug 50 than the ball that comes into contact with the nozzle plug 50 of the ball lock mechanism, the nozzle 5 can be chucked more reliably. Become.
Even if the shape of the nozzle plug 50 of the nozzle 5 is not cylindrical as in the present embodiment, the annular elastic body 20 can be deformed according to the shape of the nozzle plug, for example, a square cylinder. Therefore, the connecting mechanism 1 can also chuck a square tubular nozzle plug or the like that cannot be chucked by the ball lock mechanism.

Further, since the annular elastic body 20 is a garter spring, deterioration of the elastic body 20 when the chucking operation is performed a plurality of times in the connecting mechanism 1 can be suppressed.

The connecting mechanism 1 according to the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and the configuration of the nozzle 5 and the nozzle-connected portion 6 connected by the connecting mechanism 1 shown in the attached drawings is also the same. The present invention is not limited to the above, and can be appropriately changed within the range in which the effects of the present invention can be exhibited.

For example, the connecting mechanism 1 may be used when a cutting tool such as an end mill or a drill is connected to a cutting tool connected portion. Further, the connecting mechanism 1 may be used when connecting an industrial pipe such as a metal pipe or a duct hose or a household pipe to a piped connected portion. In any of the above cases, for example, the elastic body deforming tool 4 is engaged with the elastic body accommodating tool 3 by the manual operation of the operator to perform chucking.

1: Connecting mechanism 20: An annular elastic body (garter spring) 200: Circular opening 204: Protrusion 3: Elastic body accommodating tool 30: Base 301: Flange part 302: Through hole 31: Boss part 311: First surface 312 : Second surface 34a, 34b: Engagement part 340: Groove 35: Containment chamber 36: Through hole 4: Elastic body deformer 40a, 40b: Engagement hole 42: Pressing part 44: Regulatory part 47: Deformer opening 46: Spring accommodating hole 48: Compression coil spring 5: Nozzle 50: Nozzle plug 501: Thread groove 502: O-ring accommodating groove 504: Recess 51: Nozzle tip 511: Screw 8: Laser processing means 6: Nozzle connected part 60: Gas insertion tube 7: Deformer vertical movement mechanism 73: Casing 737: O-ring 733: Movable space 735: Air flow path 71: Air supply pipe 70: Air supply source

Claims (2)

A connecting mechanism for connecting the nozzle to the nozzle-connected portion.
An annular elastic body having a circular opening, an elastic body accommodating device connected to a nozzle-connected portion and accommodating the elastic body, and an elastic body accommodating device engaged with the elastic body accommodating device and housed in the elastic body accommodating device. An elastic body deforming tool for deforming the elastic body, and
The elastic body accommodating tool is formed of a boss portion, a plurality of engaging portions formed so as to surround the boss portion, an outer surface of the boss portion, and an inner surface surface of the plurality of engaging portions. It is equipped with a storage room that accommodates a part of the outer peripheral surface of the body while exposing it.
A plurality of the elastic body deforming tools are formed in the circumferential direction and are formed so as to be adjacent to the engaging holes in which the engaging portions of the elastic body accommodating tools are engaged and the engaging holes in the circumferential direction. A pressing portion that abuts on the outer peripheral surface and presses a part of the elastic body inward in the radial direction is provided.
With one end side of the nozzle inserted into the opening of the elastic body housed in the storage chamber of the elastic body accommodating tool, the elastic body deforming tool is engaged with the elastic body accommodating tool to engage the pressing portion. Is brought into contact with the exposed outer peripheral surface of the elastic body, so that a part of the elastic body is pushed inward in the radial direction by the pressing portion and protrudes into a recess formed on the outer surface of the nozzle. Connecting mechanism for chucking. The connecting mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the elastic body is a garter spring.

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