JPH0740180A - Pallet supporting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a pallet supporting device, which can detect the existence and the seating condition of a pallet on a pallet supporting base accurately without generating the operation error. CONSTITUTION:A pallet supporting base 13 for supporting a pallet 6, to which a work is fitted, is provided. The pallet 6 is provided with a taper socket 17, and the pallet supporting base 13 is provided with a taper corn 19, and the taper socket 17 and the taper corn 19 are adhered to each other under the pallet supporting condition. Sensors 37, 38 are arranged at plural positions of the pallet supporting base 13 so as to correspond to the taper corn 19. Existence and the seating condition of the pallet 6 on the pallet supporting base 13 is detected by these sensors 37, 38.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pallet supporting device for supporting a pallet on which a work is mounted in a machine tool or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional pallet supporting device of this type, a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of a pallet and a sensor for detecting the seating of the pallet are provided at one position on the pallet supporting table at positions different from the pallet clamp portion. Moreover, they were arranged separately.

[0003]

However, in this conventional apparatus, since the sensors are arranged at limited positions on the pallet support base, the pallet on the pallet support base is, for example, a chip of chips. Even if the sensor is mounted in an inclined state due to jamming or the like, each sensor may erroneously perform a detection operation depending on the inclination direction. Therefore, even in such a case, there is a possibility that it may be determined to be normal, and there is a problem that it is not possible to accurately detect the presence or absence of the pallet on the pallet support base and the seated state.

The present invention has been made by paying attention to the problems existing in such conventional techniques. It is an object of the present invention to provide a pallet support device that can accurately detect the presence or absence of a pallet on a pallet support base and the seated state without malfunction.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pallet support device which can detect the presence or absence of a pallet and the seated state with a simple structure.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, concave taper portions are provided at a plurality of lower portions of a pallet on which a work is mounted, and
A pull stud protruding downward is fixed to the center of each concave taper portion, and the pallet is set at a predetermined position by engaging the concave taper portion at a plurality of locations on the pallet support table for supporting the pallet. A convex tapered portion for positioning and supporting is provided, and an insertion hole for inserting the pull stud is formed in the center of each convex tapered portion, and a collet for clamping the pull stud is vertically inserted in the insertion hole. A detection means for detecting the presence / absence of the pallet and the seated state by the inserting operation of each pull stud is provided near each insertion hole of the pallet support base.

Further, in the present invention, a movable body which is operated by inserting the pull stud is provided inside the insertion hole, and the detecting means detects the position of the movable body.

In addition, in the present invention, one levitation body is provided on the pallet support, and each collet is supported by the levitation body.

[0009]

In the present invention, when the pallet is placed on the pallet support, the presence or absence of the pallet and the seated state can be accurately detected by the detecting means at a plurality of locations. That is, the concave taper portion engages with the convex taper portion, the pallet is positioned at a predetermined position on the pallet support, and the pull stud of the pallet is clamped by the collet in the insertion hole of the convex taper portion. The concave taper portion is brought into close contact with the convex taper portion. The above detection is performed depending on the position of the pull stud at this time.

Also, by providing a movable body which is operated by the pull stud in the insertion hole, the above-mentioned detection can be performed by the operation of the movable body.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a pallet checking device embodying the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the rotary shaft 1 is supported by a fixed frame 2 of a machine tool so as to be rotatable and vertically movable. The rotation and the elevation of the swivel shaft 1 are performed by a driving unit (not shown). The swivel arm 3 is fixed to the upper end of the swivel shaft 1 at the center, and bifurcated support portions 3a are formed at both ends thereof. Each of the four temporary receiving pins 4 is arranged on the supporting portion 3a of the revolving arm 3 at predetermined intervals, and a conical head portion 4a is formed at the upper end thereof.

The setup change table 5 is arranged on one side of the swivel shaft 1. The pallet 6 is carried in and out on the setup change table 5 by a work robot (not shown) or the like, and a work is attached to the upper surface thereof. The four engaging seats 7 are pallets 6
Are arranged at a predetermined interval at the lower part of the bottom of them, and on their lower surfaces, conical recesses 7 engageable with the head 4a of the temporary receiving pin 4 are formed.
a is formed.

The pallet rotating mechanism 8 is the setup change table 5
Is arranged on the other side of the rotary shaft 1 so as to face the machine tool, and the machine tool is provided with a machining tool (not shown) corresponding to the pallet rotating mechanism 8. The rotary table 9 is rotatably supported by the housing 10 of the pallet rotating mechanism 8 and is rotated by a motor (not shown) via the worm 11 and the worm wheel 12. The pallet support base 13 is integrally fixed to the upper surface of the rotary table 9, and a clamp device 14 is provided between the pallet support base 13 and the pallet 6.

Then, with the pallet 6 carried in on the setup change table 5, the revolving arm 3 is moved up as the revolving shaft 1 is moved up, so that the pallet 6 is moved to the temporary receiving pin 4 and the temporary receiving seat 7. Is passed from the setup change table 5 onto the supporting portion 3a of the revolving arm 3 through the engagement of. After that, the revolving arm 3 is rotated half a turn and lowered,
The pallet 6 is transferred from the supporting portion 3a of the turning arm 3 onto the pallet rotating mechanism 8 and clamped on the pallet support base 13 by the clamp device 14.

On the pallet rotating mechanism 8, after the work on the pallet 6 is processed by the processing tool, the pallet 6 is lifted by raising the revolving arm 3 with the clamp device 14 released. Are transferred from the pallet rotating mechanism 8 onto the supporting portion 3a of the revolving arm 3. After that, the pallet 6 is transferred from the support portion 3a of the slewing arm 3 onto the setup changing table 5 by the slewing arm 3 being rotated by half a turn and lowered. Here, the pallet 6 is set up at the same time as the pallet 6 having a new work.

Therefore, the clamp device 14 will be described in detail. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the three taper sockets 17 forming the concave taper portion are provided on the lower surface of the pallet 6 at the same circumference on the same circumference. They are arranged at intervals, and a conical inner peripheral surface 17a is formed in the lower part thereof. The pull stud 18 is arranged and fixed at the center of each taper socket 17 and projects downward to the vicinity of the open end of the recess 17a.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, three taper cones 19 forming a convex taper portion are arranged on the upper surface of the pallet support base 13 on the same circumference at predetermined intervals, and their upper portions. A conical outer peripheral surface 19a is formed on the.
Then, when the pallet 6 is placed on the pallet support table 13, the conical inner peripheral surface 17 a of each tapered socket 17 is formed.
However, the pallet 6 is positioned at a predetermined position on the pallet support base 13 by engaging with the conical outer peripheral surface 19a of the tapered cone 19.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, an insertion hole is formed in the insertion hole at the center of each taper cone 19, and a hollow collet 20 is vertically inserted into the insertion hole. The inside thereof is the grip hole 20a. The upper end of the collet 20 has a plurality of clamp balls 21. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, when the collet 20 is moved to the lower position, the clamp ball 21 is moved inward by the engagement with the inner side surface of the tapered cone 19.

When the collet 20 is moved to the lower position and the pull stud 18 is inserted into the grip hole 20a, the clamp ball 21 engages with the neck portion of the pull stud 18, and the pull stud 18 is clamped. To be done. In this clamped state, normally, the taper socket 17 and the taper cone 19 are in close contact with each other, and the pallet 6 is positioned and fixed to the pallet support base 13. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, when the collet 20 is moved to the upper position, the clamp ball 21 is arranged corresponding to the annular groove 22 on the inner periphery of the taper cone 19 and can be moved outward, and the engagement with the pull stud 18 is increased. The combined state is released, and the clamped state of the pull stud 18 is released. Therefore, the pull ball 1 is pulled by the clamp ball 21.
A clamp mechanism for clamping 8 is configured.

A cylinder 23 as a clamp driving means is arranged at the center of the pallet support base 13, and a piston 24 as an ascending / descending body is housed therein so as to be vertically movable. The connecting plate 25 is tiltably attached to the lower end of the piston 24 via a pair of upper and lower spherical recesses 26 and a spherical washer 27, and has three connecting arm portions 2 projecting on the outer periphery thereof.
The collet 20 is supported by 5a via a sleeve 28. The plurality of disc springs 29 are interposed between each coupling arm portion 25a of the coupling plate 25 and the stopper plate 30 at the lower end of the collet 20 via washers 31, and the disc springs 29 couple the coupling support arm portion 25a to the collet 20. The tilting displacement and rattling of the sheet are absorbed.

A pair of upper and lower supply passages 32 and 33 are formed in the pallet support table 13, and the pressurized fluid is selectively supplied from the supply passages 32 and 33 to the upper portion or the lower portion in the cylinder 23. When the pressure fluid is supplied from the upper supply path 32 to the upper part of the cylinder 23, the piston 24 is lowered and the collet 20 is moved to the lower position via the connecting plate 25, as shown in FIG. Further, when the pressure fluid is supplied from the lower supply passage 33 to the lower part in the cylinder 23, the piston 24 is raised and the collet 20 is moved to the upper position, as shown in FIG.

The rod 34 is vertically movably fitted into the grip hole 20a at the center of each collet 20, and is urged upward by a spring 35. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, when the pallet 6 is removed from the pallet support 13 and the pull stud 18 is pulled out from the grip hole 20 a of the collet 20, the rod 34 is moved to the upper position by the urging force of the spring 35. Be moved. As a result, the grip hole 20a of the collet 20 is closed, the upper ends of the taper cone 19, the collet 20 and the rod 34 are arranged on the same plane, and cutting chips, dust, etc. enter from the upper end openings of the taper cone 19 and the collet 20. Is prevented.

The dog 36 is fixed to the lower end of each rod 34, and the dog 36 and the rod 34 constitute a moving body. A pair of upper and lower sensors 3 as detecting means
7, 38 are mounted on the rotary table 9 integrated with the pallet support 13 corresponding to the dog 36, and are arranged at intervals corresponding to the moving stroke of the rod 34.
Then, as shown in FIG. 3, when the pallet 6 is positioned and fixed in a normal state on the pallet support table 13 and the rod 34 is tightly moved to the lower position by the pull stud 18, the dog 36 is moved to the lower sensor 37. Correspondingly, detection signals for the presence and seating of pallet 6 are output. Also,
As shown in FIG. 4, when the pallet 6 is removed from the pallet support base 13 and the rod 34 is moved to the upper position by pulling out the pull stud 18, the dog 36 is removed.
Corresponding to the upper sensor 38, a detection signal of the absence state of the pallet 6 is output.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the air outlet 39 is formed at the upper end of the rod 34.
Then, with the rod 34 moved to the upper position in accordance with the removal of the pallet 6, the air outlet 3 provided from the air supply passage (not shown) provided in the pallet support base 13.
Air is blown upward through 9 and taper cone 1
Dust and the like on the upper surface of 9 and its surroundings are blown away.

Next, the operation of the pallet supporting device constructed as described above will be described. Now, in the apparatus of this embodiment, when the turning arm 3 is raised by the turning shaft 1 with the pallet 6 with the work being loaded on the setup changing table 5, the pallet 6 becomes the temporary receiving pin 4. Through the engagement with the temporary receiving seat 7, it is transferred from the setup changing table 5 onto the supporting portion 3 a of the revolving arm 3. After that, when the revolving arm 3 is rotated halfway and is lowered, the pallet 6 is transferred from the support portion 3 a of the revolving arm 3 onto the pallet rotating mechanism 8.

At this time, the piston 24 is raised and the collet 20 is moved to the raised position.
1 is in the unclamped position, and the pull stud 18 is allowed to enter the grip hole 20a as the pallet 6 descends. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, in the three clamping devices 14, the taper socket 17 engages with the taper cone 19 to position the pallet 6 at a predetermined position on the pallet support 13. After that, the piston 24 is lowered by the cylinder 23, and the collet 2
0 moves down. Therefore, the clamp ball 21 moves to the clamp position and the pull stud 18 is clamped. Therefore, the taper socket 17 is brought into close contact with the taper cone 19, the pallet 6 is normally seated on the pallet support 13, and is securely and firmly clamped and fixed.

Further, during the clamping operation of the clamping device 14, as shown in FIG. 3, the rod 34 is pressed and moved to the lower position as the pull stud 18 is inserted, and the dog 36 acts on the lower sensor 37. As a result, in the three clamp devices 14, the lower sensor 37 simultaneously outputs the presence and seating detection signals of the pallet 6.

On the other hand, when the pallet 6 is tilted or deviated from a predetermined position, no detection signal is output from one or more lower sensors 37. For example, if no detection signal is output from one or two lower sensors 37, it means that the pallet 6 is present but is not seated at a predetermined position due to inclination or the like. When no detection signal is output from all the lower sensors 37,
It means that the pallet 6 does not exist on the pallet support base 13, or even if it exists, it is not in a seated state, or if it is placed, it is in an abnormal mounting state such as if it is largely displaced from a predetermined position.

As described above, in this embodiment, the simultaneous detection signal from the lower sensor 37 is used to accurately detect both the presence and the seating of the pallet 6 on the pallet support base 13 by a common sensor without malfunction. It can be carried out. When the pallet 6 is tilted, a difference in height occurs between the rods 34 and the connecting plate 25 tilts.
The inclination is absorbed by the disc spring 29.

Then, while the pallet 6 is clamped to the pallet support 13, the rotary table 9 is rotated by the motor (not shown) via the worm 11 and the worm wheel 12, and the work on the pallet 6 is rotated while the workpiece (not shown) is processed. It is processed by a tool.

After completion of this processing, the lower supply passage 3
The pressure fluid is supplied from 3 to the lower part in the cylinder 23, and the piston 24 is moved upward as shown in FIG. As a result, the collet 20 of each clamp device 14 is moved to the upper position, the clamp ball 21 on the collet 20 is arranged corresponding to the annular groove 22 on the inner circumference of the taper cone 19, and the pull stud 18 is engaged with the collet 20. Freed from the state.

When the revolving arm 3 is raised in this state, the pull stud 18 is pulled out from the grip hole 20a of the collet 20, and the pallet 6 is transferred from the pallet rotating mechanism 8 onto the supporting portion 3a of the revolving arm 3. Be done. afterwards,
When the revolving arm 3 is rotated half a turn and lowered, the pallet 6
Is transferred from the supporting portion 3a of the revolving arm 3 onto the setup changing table 5 and is replaced with a new pallet 6.

Further, when pulling out the pull stud 18, as shown in FIG. 4, the rod 34 is moved to the upper position by the urging force of the spring 35, and the dog 36 corresponds to the upper sensor 38. As a result, in the three clamping devices 14, the detection signals of the absence state of the pallet 6 are simultaneously output from the upper sensors 38. Therefore, the absence state can be detected without error.

As described above, in this embodiment, it is possible to accurately detect the presence or absence of the pallet 6 and the seating state at a predetermined position. Moreover, in this embodiment,
Since the pallet is detected by using the rod 34 that constitutes a part of the pallet clamp mechanism, only the sensors 37 and 38 need be provided as the configuration for detecting the pallet, and the number of parts is minimized. The configuration can be simplified.

Further, in this embodiment, since the collet 20 is supported by the single piston 24 via the connecting plate 25, the structure for driving the collet 20 up and down can be simplified.

The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, but may be embodied in the following modes. (1) Use proximity sensors as the sensors 37 and 38. (2) Providing the taper socket 17 and the taper cone 19 at two locations or four or more locations. (3) A connecting member for connecting the rods 34 is provided, and a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of the pallet 6 and seating is arranged correspondingly to the connecting member. Therefore, in this case, the connecting member constitutes a part of the detecting means, and a plurality of connecting portions of the connecting member with the rod 34 are provided in the respective taper cones 19.
Corresponding to. (4) Operate each collet 20 by a single cylinder.

[0038]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, it is possible to accurately detect the presence or absence of a pallet on the pallet support base and the seating at the clamp position without malfunction. Further, according to the present invention, it is not necessary to provide each sensor for detecting the presence / absence of the pallet and the seating detection of the pallet in different places, and since the sensors can be shared, the configuration for detecting the pallet can be simplified. it can. Further, the present invention can simplify the structure of the clamp mechanism for the pallet clamp.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway front view showing an embodiment of a pallet support device embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a main part of the pallet support device.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a part of FIG. 1 in an enlarged manner.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a state in which a pallet is removed corresponding to FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

6 ... Pallet, 13 ... Pallet support, 14 ... Clamping device, 17 ... Taper socket, 18 ... Pull stud, 1
9 ... Taper cone, 20 ... Collet, 21 ... Clamp ball, 34 ... Rod, 36 ... Dog, 37 ... Lower sensor,
38 ... Upper sensor.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A pallet on which a work is mounted is provided with concave taper portions at a plurality of lower portions, and a pull stud projecting downward is fixed to a central portion of each concave taper portion,
At a plurality of locations on the pallet support table for supporting the pallet, convex taper portions for positioning and supporting the pallet at predetermined positions by engaging with the concave taper portions are provided, and An insertion hole into which the pull stud is inserted is formed in the central portion, and a collet for clamping the pull stud is provided in the insertion hole so as to be vertically movable. Each pull stud is provided near each insertion hole of the pallet support base. A pallet support device having a detecting means for detecting the presence / absence of a pallet and a seated state by the insertion operation of the pallet. 2. The pallet support device according to claim 1, wherein a moving body operated by inserting a pull stud is provided inside the insertion hole, and the detecting means detects a position of the moving body. 3. A pallet support is provided with one lifting body,
The pallet support device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each of the collets is supported by the lifting body.