JPH0825092B2 - Position detection device for gear cutting device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for cutting a helical gear such as a helical bevel gear and a hypoid gear, and more particularly to a device for detecting the position of a gear cutting tool or a workpiece. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Spiral gear cutting devices are usually (a)
A tool headstock with a tool spindle that holds a gear cutting tool and can rotate around its axis, (b) a tool spindle rotating device that rotates the tool spindle around its axis, and (c) holds a workpiece. A workpiece headstock equipped with a workpiece spindle that can rotate around an axis, (d) a workpiece spindle rotating device that rotates the workpiece spindle around the axis, and (e) relative movement between the tool spindle and the workpiece spindle. A moving device for relatively moving the gear cutting tool and the workpiece, and (f) a tool spindle rotating device, a workpiece spindle rotating device, and a controller connected to the moving device and controlling those devices. Composed. While holding the gear cutting tool on the tool spindle and the work on the workpiece spindle, rotate the workpiece spindle with the workpiece spindle rotating device while the gear cutting tool and the workpiece are relatively positioned by the moving device. While indexing is performed, the tool spindle is rotated by the tool spindle rotation device to perform cutting such as gear cutting and chamfering on the workpiece.

Generally, in the machining of helical gears, the workpiece is first roughed and then finished, so that the workpiece is detached from the workpiece spindle during each stage. Be seen. At that time, it is necessary to perform relative positioning between the gear cutting tool and the workpiece. If the axial position and the rotational position of both are different, cutting will not be performed properly,
This is because the desired tooth profile cannot be obtained.

As a device for detecting the mounting position of the workpiece on the workpiece spindle in the rotational direction, the applicant of the present invention has filed Japanese Patent Application No. 2-28.
The device described in Japanese Patent No. 3270 was developed and filed. This device holds the rough-machined work on the work spindle at an arbitrary phase, and positions the rough-machined work at a constant rotation direction position by the touch sensor whose detection part is positioned at a fixed position. The difference between the rotational direction position of the workpiece spindle at that time and a predetermined reference rotational direction position is obtained. Position the detector of the touch sensor in the tooth groove of the workpiece held by the workpiece spindle, rotate the workpiece spindle in that state, and check from the touch sensor that the tooth of the workpiece touches the detector. The workpiece is positioned at a constant rotational direction position by the detection of the output of the signal of 1., and the resulting difference in the rotational direction position is started by the starting rotational direction position correcting means of the control device. It is used to correct the rotational position. By doing so, even if the workpiece is held at a rotational direction position that is deviated from the reference rotational direction position of the workpiece spindle, the starting rotational direction position of the workpiece spindle is corrected by the amount of the deviation. As a result, there is no relative deviation in the rotational position between the workpiece and the machining tool, and good machining can be performed.

On the other hand, in order to detect the position of the gear cutting tool,
Conventionally, a manual axial position detection auxiliary device and a rotational direction position detection auxiliary device have been used. Both of these devices are attached to the tool spindle stock.First, the operator manually moves the position detection member of the axial position detection auxiliary device from the retracted position to the working position and then operates the tool spindle by operating the manual button. The tool headstock is moved with respect to the housing to bring the cutting edge surface of the gear cutting tool into contact with the position detection member, and the axial position of the tool spindle at the time of contact, that is, the axial position of the gear cutting tool is stored in the control device. .

Next, while the position detecting member of the axial position detection assisting device is retracted to the retracted position, the position detecting member of the rotational position detective assisting device is moved from the retracted position to the operating position, and the manual button is operated. Thus, the tool spindle is rotated to bring the rake face of the gear cutting tool into contact with the position detection member, and the rotational direction position of the tool spindle at the time of contact, that is, the rotational direction position of the gear cutting tool is stored in the control device. And
During cutting, if the gear cutting tool is controlled based on the stored axial position and rotational direction position, proper cutting will be performed regardless of the position of the gear cutting tool attached to the tool spindle. Processing can be performed.

[0007]

However, in the above-mentioned axial position detection assisting device and rotational direction position detecting assisting device, the operator manually moves the position detecting member to prevent contact between the detecting member and the gear cutting tool. Since the position is detected by operating the manual button while visually checking, there is a problem that the work is troublesome and requires time and skill. In particular, in recent years, gear cutting devices have been used in NC (Numerical Contr
ol), it is strongly desired to reduce the time required for attaching and detaching gear cutting tools and workpieces, which is becoming a more serious problem.

The first object of the present invention is to obtain a device capable of easily detecting the axial position and phase of a gear cutting tool.

The second aspect of the present invention has an object to obtain a device which can easily detect the position of the gear cutting tool and the position of the workpiece and has a simple structure. .

[0010]

A position detecting device for a gear cutting tool according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises a tool headstock having a tool spindle that holds a gear cutting tool and is rotatable around an axis.
A tool spindle rotating device that rotates the tool spindle around an axis, and a touch sensor that includes a detection unit that makes a detection signal by contacting the rake surface and the cutting edge surface of the gear cutting tool,
Movement to move the touch sensor and the tool spindle relative to the rake face detection position and blade edge face detection position where the detector can contact the rake face and the blade tip face respectively, and the non-detection position where the detector is separated from the gear cutting tool. Connected to the device, the tool spindle rotation device and the moving device, and controlling each of these devices to sequentially contact the detection part of the touch sensor of the gear cutting tool and the rake face and the cutting edge face, and at the time of contact, And a control device that stores the position of at least one of the touch sensor and the touch sensor.

A gear cutting tool and a work position detecting device according to a second aspect of the present invention include: (a) a tool headstock having a tool spindle that holds a gear cutting tool and is rotatable about an axis;
(B) a tool spindle rotating device that rotates the tool spindle around an axis; (c) a workpiece headstock provided with a workpiece spindle that holds a workpiece and is rotatable about the axis; and (d) the workpiece. A workpiece spindle rotating device that rotates a spindle around an axis, and (e) a touch sensor that is in contact with the rake face and the cutting edge face of a gear cutting tool and that has a detection unit that emits a detection signal in contact with the workpiece. (F) The touch sensor, the tool spindle, and the workpiece spindle are detected by the rake face, the cutting edge face, and the workpiece, respectively. A moving device for relatively moving to a non-detection position separated from both the gear cutting tool and the workpiece, and (g) connected to the tool spindle rotating device, the workpiece spindle rotating device and the moving device,
By controlling these devices, the detection part of the touch sensor is brought into contact with the rake face, the cutting edge face and the workpiece of the gear cutting tool one after another, and the gear cutting tool and the touch sensor when the gear cutting tool and the touch sensor are in contact with each other. And a controller for storing the position of at least one of the workpiece and the tip.

In the first and second inventions,
The control device may perform each control with the help of an operator operating an input device such as a button, a lever, and a keyboard, or may perform each control fully automatically.

[0013]

In the position detecting device for the gear cutting tool according to the first aspect of the present invention, after the gear cutting tool is held on the tool spindle, the axial position and the rotational direction position of the gear cutting tool are detected by the touch sensor. . That is, a command is issued from the control device in response to a fully automatic operation or a button operation of an operator, and the touch sensor and the tool spindle are moved relative to each other by the moving device in accordance with the command, whereby the detection unit of the touch sensor, By being located at a detection position that can contact the rake face and the cutting edge face of the tool from the non-detection position separated from the tool, and the tool spindle is rotated around the axis by the tool spindle rotation device,
The rake surface and the cutting edge surface of the tool are brought into contact with the detection portion of the touch sensor. As a result, a detection signal is emitted from the touch sensor and sent to the control device. In accordance with this detection signal, the control device stores the axial position and rotational direction position of the tool spindle, or the position of the touch sensor. That is, the axial position and the rotational direction position of the gear cutting tool attached to the tool spindle are stored. For example, the axial position and rotational direction of the tool spindle at the start of gear cutting are stored based on the stored data. If the position command value is corrected, proper gear machining is possible.

Further, in the gear cutting tool and the position detecting device for the workpiece according to the second invention, the position of the gear cutting tool is detected as described above, and the touch sensor is moved by the moving device based on the command of the control device. And the workpiece spindle holding the workpiece are moved relative to each other, and the position of the workpiece is detected. For example, the detection unit of the touch sensor is located in the roughened tooth groove of the workpiece, and the workpiece spindle is rotated around the axis by the workpiece spindle rotating device, thereby detecting the workpiece and the touch sensor. As a result, the rotational direction position of the workpiece spindle, that is, the rotational direction position of the workpiece held by the workpiece spindle is stored in the control device in response to the detection signal emitted from the touch sensor. . The data of the rotational direction position and the axial direction position of the workpiece thus obtained are used, for example, to correct the command value of the rotational direction position and the axial direction position of the workpiece spindle at the start of gear cutting.

[0015]

In the position detecting device according to the first aspect of the present invention, the position of the gear cutting tool mounted on the tool spindle is detected by using the touch sensor as described above, so that the operator manually positions the gear cutting tool. The position of the tool can be easily detected and the working time can be shortened, as compared with the conventional device that performs the detection.

In the position detecting device according to the second aspect of the invention, the position of the gear cutting tool and the position of the work can be detected in a short time. In addition, the touch sensor for detecting the position of the gear cutting tool is also applied to the position detection of the work piece so that the equipment can be compared with the case where the position detection of the gear cutting tool and the work piece is performed by separate devices. The effect is that the cost is low.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a gear cutting machine of a helical bevel gear will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. 12 and 13, 10 is a bed. A rib 12 is formed on the periphery of the bed 10.
The upper surface of the bed 10 is horizontal, and a work table 16 is provided. A swivel base 18 that swivels around a vertical axis is provided on the work moving base 16.
A work headstock 20 is fixed on the top.

A work spindle 24 is rotatably held on the work spindle stock 20. The work spindle 24 extends in the horizontal direction, and is intermittently rotated about its own axis by a predetermined angle by an indexing motor 28. A collet chuck (not shown) is attached to the end of the work spindle 24 protruding from the work headstock 20, so that the work 26 shown in FIG. 1 can be held in an arbitrary phase. Therefore,
With the rotation of the work spindle 24, the work 26 is integrally rotated. In the present embodiment, the indexing motor 28
The work spindle rotating device is constituted by the above.

The workpiece 26 has been rough-processed in advance, and as shown in FIG. 20, a plurality of teeth 29, 30 and a tooth groove 3 are provided.
It has the shape of a helical bevel gear having 1 and the like. The work piece 26 includes a plurality of pairs of tooth flanks 32, 33 facing each other.

A tool moving base 34 is disposed on the bed 10 adjacent to the work moving base 16 and the tool moving base 3 is provided.
A tool headstock 36 is fixed on the tool 4. As shown in FIG. 1, a tool spindle stock 36 rotatably holds a tool spindle 40 that holds a gear cutting cutter 38 that is a gear cutting tool. The tool spindle 40 projects from the tool spindle stock 36 in a state of facing the workpiece spindle 24, and in the reference state, the axis L thereof is positioned on the same straight line as the axis N of the workpiece spindle 24. Workpiece spindle 24 of spindle 40
The gear cutting cutter 38 is held at a portion on the side opposite to.

As shown in FIG. 1, the gear cutting cutter 38 is composed of a disc-shaped main body 41 and a plurality of blades 42 fixed to the main body 41 by bolts.
As shown in, each blade 42 has a main cutting edge 43 and a sub cutting edge 44, and by these cutting edges 43, 44,
By cutting both tooth surfaces 32 and 33 of the tooth groove 31 formed in the workpiece 26, the teeth of the workpiece 26 are finished. Further, as shown in FIG. 14, a main body 41 of the gear cutting cutter 38 is provided with an index area W to which the blade 42 is not attached.
The workpiece 26 is intermittently rotated by the workpiece spindle 24 while the workpiece 26 faces the workpiece 26.
Is being indexed.

The gear cutting cutter 38 is held by the tool spindle 40, and together with the tool spindle 40, a spindle rotation drive motor 47.
(Refer to FIG. 12), it is rotated in the direction of arrow A in FIG. In this embodiment, the tool spindle rotation device is constituted by the spindle rotation drive motor 47. The tool spindle 40 is also held in the N-axis direction with respect to the housing of the tool spindle stock 36, that is, the workpiece spindle 24, by a ball screw (not shown) provided on the spindle feed motor 48 and its output shaft so as not to rotate relative to each other. It is designed to be sent in the direction of approaching the workpiece 26.

As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, a pair of guide rails 52 extending in a direction orthogonal to the tool spindle 40 are disposed below the work moving table 16. The guide rail 52 is fixed to the bed 10 and guides the work moving base 16 in a horizontal direction orthogonal to the tool spindle 40.

On the bed 10, a work headstock moving motor 5 is provided.
6 is provided, and the work head stock 20 is moved along with the work moving base 16 along the guide rail 52 by the motor 56, so that the work 26 held by the work spindle 24 is moved to the tool spindle 40. It is moved in the horizontal direction (hereinafter, referred to as the X-axis direction) perpendicular to.

Below the tool moving table 34, a tool spindle 40 is provided.
A guide rail 62 extending in a direction parallel to is provided to guide the movement of the tool moving base 34 in a direction parallel to the axis L of the tool spindle 40. Further, the bed 10 is provided with a tool headstock horizontal movement motor 66.
By moving the tool headstock 36 along with the tool moving base 34 along the guide rails 62 by 6, the direction in which the gear cutting cutter 38 held by the tool spindle 40 approaches and separates from the workpiece 26 in the horizontal plane (hereinafter , Z axis direction)
Be moved to.

The tool headstock 3 is mounted on the tool moving base 34.
A column 70 is provided adjacent to the column 6. Column 70
A pair of guide rails 72 extending in the vertical direction is provided on the surface of the tool headstock 36 side, and the tool headstock 36 is slidably fitted to the guide rails 72. A tool headstock vertical movement motor 76 is attached to the column 70, and driving of the motor 76 causes the tool headstock 3 to move.
6 is moved along the guide rail 72 in the vertical direction (hereinafter referred to as the Y-axis direction).

A swivel base 18 provided on the work moving base 16.
Is rotated by a workpiece headstock rotation motor 82,
Along with this, the work headstock 20 is swiveled around a vertical axis perpendicular to the axis of the work spindle 24. Swivel 18
The swivel range is about 90 degrees, that is, the workpiece headstock 2
4 is between a state parallel to the tool spindle 40 shown in FIG. 13 and a right-angled state (state parallel to the guide rail 52) not shown, and the work spindle 24 is the tool spindle 4
0 is not only inclined but parallel to the direction in which it is moved by the work headstock moving motor 56, and the work holding end of the spindle 24 is outside the main gear cutting machine, that is, the gear cutting cutter 38. The workpiece 26 can be swung in a direction away from the machining space.

The motors 47, 48, 56, 66, 76 and 82 including the indexing motor 28 are servo motors that can rotate in both forward and reverse directions. As shown in FIG. 15, the spindle rotation drive motor 47, the spindle feed motor 48, the tool headstock horizontal movement motor 66, and the tool headstock vertical movement motor 76 are controlled by drive circuits 90, 92, 94, and 96, respectively. Output port 1 of barrel computer 100
02 is connected. Therefore, the computer 10
By driving each motor based on the command signal from 0, the gear cutting cutter 38 attached to the tool spindle 40
Exercise suitable for gear cutting is given to.

The rotation amount of the main spindle rotation drive motor 47 is detected by the tool main spindle first encoder 104, and the rotation amount of the main spindle feed motor 48 is detected by the tool main spindle second encoder 106. These encoders 104 and 106 are absolute encoders, and their detection values are input to the input port 108 of the computer 100. Therefore, the computer 100 can control the rotation angles of both the motors 47 and 48, whereby the tool spindle 40 is rotated by an arbitrary angle and moved by an arbitrary distance.

On the other hand, the indexing motor 28, the workpiece headstock moving motor 56 and the workpiece headstock turning motor 82 are similarly connected to the output port 102 of the computer 100 via the drive circuits 112, 114 and 116, respectively. ing. The rotation amount of the indexing motor 28 is detected by the workpiece spindle encoder 118, and the detection value of this encoder 118 is input to the input port 108 of the computer 100, so that the computer 100 can perform indexing. The rotation angle of the motor 28 is controlled, and the work spindle 24 is intermittently rotated by an arbitrary angle.

As shown in FIG. 1, brackets 120 and 122 extending in a direction perpendicular to the plate surface are attached to the end surface of the tool headstock 36 facing the workpiece headstock 20. The brackets 120 and 122 are each provided with a flange as shown in FIG. 8, and at positions separated in a direction perpendicular to the axis L of the tool spindle 40, the tool spindle stock 3
6 fixed. A ball screw 124 is rotatably and axially immovably supported by the brackets 120 and 122 via a bearing. The ball screw 124 extends in a direction perpendicular to the axis L of the tool spindle 40, and a pulley 126 is fixed to the end of the ball screw 124 far from the tool spindle 40. A female screw member 128 is screwed onto the ball screw 124. The female screw member 128 is fitted to the slider 130, and the slider 130 is fitted to the guide bar 132 via a linear bearing. The guide bar 132 is supported by the brackets 120 and 122 in a posture extending in parallel with the ball screw 124. Therefore, the slider 130 approaches and separates from the tool spindle 40 as the ball screw 124 rotates.

A touch sensor 136 is fixed to the slider 130. Touch sensor 136 is ball screw 12
4 and the axis T thereof is orthogonal to the axis L of the tool spindle 40. A touch probe 138 serving as a detection terminal is provided at the tip of the touch sensor 136.
The touch probe 138 has a rake face 140 of the blade 42.
Also, the workpiece 26 is also provided on the cutting edge surface 142 (see FIGS. 3 to 6).
The touch sensor 136 can move in any direction relative to the main body of the touch sensor 136, and the touch sensor 136 issues a detection signal regardless of which direction the touch probe 138 contacts the detection target. Is configured. The touch sensor 136 is the computer 1
00, and a detection signal is input to the computer 100.

The tool headstock 36 includes a lifting motor 146.
(See FIG. 15) is attached. Lifting motor 14
A pulley is attached to the rotation shaft of 6 such that the pulley cannot rotate relative to the pulley.
A belt 148 wound between the ball screw 124 and the belt 26 allows the rotation of the lifting motor 146 to be transmitted to the ball screw 124. The lifting motor 146 is connected to the output port 102 of the computer 100 via the drive circuit 150. The rotation amount of the lifting motor 146 is detected by the lifting encoder 152, and the detection signal is input from the input port 108 of the computer 100.

Therefore, the touch sensor 136 is moved in its axial direction by driving the lifting motor 146 by an arbitrary amount based on the command signal of the computer 100, and the touch probe 138 moves the rake face 140 of the blade 42 and It is moved to a detection position where it can contact the cutting edge surface 142 and a non-detection position which is separated from the cutter 38. In this embodiment, the touch sensor 136 can be moved with respect to the tool spindle 40.

Further, the touch sensor 136 is connected to the tool headstock 3
6 is attached to the spindle feed motor 4
The drive of 8 moves the tool spindle 40 relative to the touch sensor 136 in the axial direction.

On the other hand, when the tool headstock horizontal movement motor 66 is driven to move the tool headstock 36 in the Z direction, the touch sensor 136 is moved in the axial direction of the work spindle 24.

Further, the touch sensor is driven by the movement of the tool headstock 36 in the Y direction by the drive of the tool headstock vertical movement motor 76 and the movement of the tool headstock 36 in the Z direction by the drive of the tool headstock horizontal movement motor 66. 136 moves with the tool headstock 36, and the touch probe 138 moves the workpiece 26.
To a non-detection position separated from the workpiece 26.

An input device 154 is further connected to the input port 108 of the computer 100. Input device 1
Reference numeral 54 indicates the control data of each motor for gear cutting, the reference rotational direction position θ _{0 of} the tool spindle 40, the descending amount D of the touch sensor 136, the starting axial direction position and the starting rotational direction position of the tool spindle 40. Various data required for correction,
And the rotation angle θ ₁₁ of the work spindle 24, the tool headstock 36
It is possible to set a floppy disk in which various data necessary for correction of the starting rotation direction position of the work spindle 24 such as the movement amount Z _{1 of} the workpiece are set, and the data of these floppy disks can be set by the operator's key operation. Computer 1
00 is input.

The computer 100 includes a CPU 16
0, a ROM 162 and a RAM 164 are provided and connected to the input port 108 and the output port 102 by a bus 166. As shown in FIG. 16, the RAM 164 has a touch sensor descending amount memory 170 and a tool spindle reference rotational direction position memory (hereinafter referred to as a CS reference rotational direction position memory. The same applies to other memories) 17
2, CS first rotation angle memory 174, CS second rotation angle memory 176, CS correction start rotation direction position memory 17
8, a CS feed amount memory 186, a CS reference axis direction position memory 188, a CS retraction amount memory 190, a CS correction start axis direction position memory 194 and the like are provided.

The RAM 164 further includes a tool headstock first movement amount memory 196, a tool headstock second movement amount memory 19.
8, tool headstock third movement amount memory 200, tool headstock fourth movement amount memory 202, tool headstock fifth movement amount memory 2
03, work spindle (hereinafter, referred to as WS, the same applies to other memories) movement amount memory 204, WS first rotation angle memory 206, WS second rotation angle memory 208, WS total rotation angle memory 210, etc. A memory is provided together with a working memory and a flag F, and the input device 1
Various data including data input from 54 is stored in each memory.

On the other hand, the ROM 162 has a main routine shown in FIG. 17, a tool spindle correction routine for correcting the axial position and the rotational direction position of the tool spindle 36 at the time of start shown in FIG. 18, and the workpiece shown in FIG. Various control programs such as a workpiece spindle correction routine for correcting the starting rotation direction position of the spindle 24 are stored.

The gear cutting of the workpiece 26 by the gear cutting device will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Prior to executing the program, the operator attaches the gear cutting cutter 38 to the tool spindle 40. The tool spindle 40 is a first encoder 1 that detects its rotational position.
The detection value of 04 and the detection value of the second encoder 106 that detects the axial position are stopped in a state where they are predetermined constant values (here, set to 0 for easy understanding). . In this state, the gear cutting cutter 38 is attached to the tool spindle 40, whereby the blade 4
The second cutting edge surface 142 retreats from the axis T of the touch sensor 136 by a substantially constant distance G _A , and the rake surface 140 rotates in the forward direction (FIG. 4) with respect to the plane including the axis T of the tool spindle 40.
(Direction of arrow A in FIG. 2) is rotated in a direction substantially constant angle θ _A.

Next, the work 26 is attached to the work spindle 24. The work headstock 20 is in a turning position where the work spindle 24 is parallel to the guide rail 52 and faces outward (in front of the main gear cutting machine), and the tip of the work spindle 24 is located near the front end of the bed 10. It is in a position to Therefore,
The work piece 26 can be easily attached. Also,
The work spindle 24 is stopped at the reference rotation direction position. The virtual machine is stopped on the workpiece spindle 24 in a state where the reference line m shown by the broken line in FIG. 20 is the vertical direction, and the workpiece 26 is fixed to the workpiece spindle 24 at an arbitrary rotational direction position. Generally, the reference line n thereof does not coincide with the reference line m of the work spindle 26. Workpiece 2
When the installation of 6 is completed, the work headstock 20 and the work spindle 24 become the tool spindle 4 according to the button operation by the operator.
The axis of the workpiece spindle 24 is moved in the X direction while being rotated until it becomes parallel to 0, and the axis of the workpiece spindle 24 is located in the same vertical plane as the axis of the tool spindle 40.

Next, the operator inserts the workpiece 2 into the input device 154.
Set the floppy disk in which data such as size 6 and processing conditions are stored. Accordingly, step S1
In the following (simply represented by S1. The same applies to other steps), the initial setting is performed, each memory of the RAM 164 is cleared, and the flag F is turned off.
Then, in S2, the data in the floppy disk is read and stored in each memory of the RAM 164.

Thereafter, it is awaited that the execution key is turned on in S3, and if the execution key is turned on by the operator,
Based on the axial position and the rotational position of the cutter 38 fixed to the tool spindle 40 in S4, the tool spindle 40
The starting axial direction position and the rotational direction position are corrected. Then, in S5, the work spindle 2 is determined based on the rotational position of the work 26 fixed to the work spindle 24.
The correction of the position of the starting rotation direction 4 is performed. Finally, S6
In the above, various command signals based on the corrected position of the starting axis direction and the starting rotational direction position of the tool spindle 40 and the position of the starting rotational direction of the workpiece spindle 24 are output from the output port 102, and each command circuit outputs each command signal. The motors are controlled on the basis of the command signals, respectively, to finish the rough-worked teeth of the workpiece 26. When all the processing is completed, the program execution is completed.

Next, the correction of the axial position and the rotational position at the time of starting the tool spindle 40 in S4 will be described with reference to the flowchart of the tool spindle correction routine of FIG. In the present embodiment, among the blades 42 of the gear cutting cutter 38, as shown in FIG. 14, the blade is located immediately after the indexing region W in the rotation direction of the gear cutting cutter 38, and the gear cutting is first performed on the workpiece 26. Tool spindle 40 of blade 42 (P) to be performed
The axial position and the rotational position of the tool spindle 40 are detected, and the starting axial position and the rotational position of the tool spindle 40 are corrected based on the detection result.

When the operator operates the correction start switch of the input device 154, first, in S11, the descending amount D of the touch sensor 136 is read from the touch sensor descending amount memory 170 of the RAM 164, and is shown in FIG. As described above, the touch probe 13 of the touch sensor 136
8 is lowered until it is located on the axis B of the blade 42.

Subsequently, in S12, C of the RAM 164 is
The feed amount G ₁ of the tool spindle 40 is read from the S feed amount memory 186, and the tool spindle 40 is moved forward. Feed amount G
₁ is a value slightly larger than the distance G _A. Next, in S13, the tool spindle 40 is rotated forward, and S
14, whether the touch sensor 136 is ON,
That is, it is determined whether the rake face 140 of the blade 42 and the touch probe 138 are in contact with each other. If the touch probe 138 is in contact with the rake face 140, the determination result is YES, but if it is not in contact, the determination result is NO, S13 is executed again, and the normal rotation of the tool spindle 40 is continued. .

While S13 to S14 are repeatedly executed, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG.
If 8 contacts the rake face 140 (at this time, the feed amount G ₁ is set so that the touch probe 138 contacts a substantially predetermined portion of the rake face 140), the determination result in S14 is If YES, the normal rotation of the tool spindle 40 is stopped in S15. And S1
6, the phase of the tool spindle 40 is calculated based on the output signal of the first encoder 104 and stored in the working memory of the RAM 164, and the starting rotation direction of the tool spindle 40 is calculated based on the stored rotation direction position. The position is corrected. That is, the difference between the reference rotation direction position θ _{0 of} the tool spindle 40 stored in the CS reference rotation direction position memory 172 of the RAM 164 and the rotation direction position θ ₁ stored in the working memory, that is, the blade 42 relative to the tool spindle 40. Position error in mounting rotation direction Δθ _E (= θ ₁ −
θ ₀ ), and the sum Δθ _{E of} this error _ΔE and a predetermined standard start rotation direction position θ _P of the tool spindle 40 (θ _P +
Δθ _E ) is stored in the CS correction start rotation direction position memory 178 as the correction start rotation direction position.

Next, in S17, the CS in the RAM 164 is CS.
The rotation angle θ ₂ of the tool spindle 40 is read from the first rotation angle memory 174, and the tool spindle 40 is reversed by the rotation angle θ ₂ . Subsequently, in S18, the RAM 164
CS retraction amount memory 190 to tool spindle 40 retraction amount B
₁ is read out and the tool spindle 40 is retracted by the retract amount B ₁ . Furthermore, in S19, the CS of the RAM 164 is
The rotation angle θ ₃ of the tool spindle 40 is read from the second rotation angle memory 176, and the tool spindle 40 is normally rotated by the rotation angle θ ₃ . The rotation angle θ ₃ is set to be larger than the rotation angle θ ₂ by a certain angle.
However, in S16, the touch probe 138 cuts the rake face 1
From the position in contact with 40, it will be further rotated forward by an angle of (θ ₃ −θ ₂ ).

As described above, the tool spindle 40 is once reversed and then retracted. Since the rake face 140 has a rake angle, the tool spindle 40 remains in contact with the touch probe 138. This is because the touch probe 138 interferes with the blade 42 if it is retracted. Therefore, the contact position of the touch probe 138 with respect to the rake face 140 is close to the auxiliary cutting edge 44, and the rake angle is small, so that the touch probe 138 and the blade 4
When the amount of interference with 2 is small, the reverse rotation of the tool spindle 40 can be omitted.

Subsequently, in S20, the tool spindle 40 is moved forward, and in S21, the touch sensor 136 is turned off.
N, that is, the cutting edge surface 142 of the blade 42.
It is determined whether or not the touch probe 138 and the touch probe 138 contact each other. If the touch probe 138 contacts the cutting edge surface 142, the determination result will be YES, but if it does not contact, the determination result will be NO, and S20 is executed again to execute the tool spindle 40.
Will continue to move forward.

While S20 to S21 are repeatedly executed, as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG.
If 8 contacts a predetermined specific portion of the cutting edge surface 142, the determination result in S21 is YES, and the tool spindle 40 is stopped in S22. Then, in S23, the axial position G ₁ of the tool spindle 40 is calculated based on the output signal of the second encoder 106, and the RAM 164 is calculated.
Is stored in the working memory, and the starting axial direction position of the tool spindle 40 is corrected based on the stored axial position G ₁ . That is, the axial reference position G _{0 of} the tool spindle 40 stored in the CS reference axial position memory 188 of the RAM 164 and the axial position G stored in the working memory.
Difference from ₁ , that is, blade 42 with respect to tool spindle 40
Mounting error _{ΔG E (= G 1 -G 0} ) is obtained in the axial direction, the tool spindle 40 with a predetermined this attached error .DELTA.G _E
The sum of the standard starting axial position G _P of (G ₀ + ΔG _E) is the is stored in CS correction start axis direction position memory 194 as the correction start axial position.

After the correction of the position of the tool spindle 40 in the starting axial direction is completed, the tool spindle 40 is moved to the initial retracted position in S24, and the cutting edge surface 142 of the blade 42 is separated from the axis T of the touch sensor 136 by a substantially constant distance G _A. Is returned to its original state. Finally, in S25, each memory is cleared, and the execution of the tool spindle correction routine ends.

Next, the start rotation direction position correction of the work spindle 24 in S5 of the main routine will be described with reference to the flow chart of the work spindle correction routine of FIG. First, in S38, the movement amount Z of the tool headstock 36 is calculated from the tool headstock first movement amount memory 196 of the RAM 164.
₁ is read out, the headstock 36 is advanced toward the workpiece headstock 20, and the touch sensor 136 is brought close to the workpiece 26. Next, in S39, the RAM 164
The movement amount X ₁ is read out from the WS movement amount memory 204, and the work spindle 24 is moved together with the headstock 20 in the X direction with respect to the tool spindle 40. As a result, as shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG.
When one of the tooth spaces 31 is located on the axis T of 6, the tooth space 31 is positioned so as to be substantially parallel to the axis T.

Next, in S40, the descending amount Y ₁ is read from the tool headstock second movement amount memory 198 of the RAM 164, the touch sensor 136 is lowered together with the tool headstock 36, and the touch probe 138 is displayed. As shown by the solid line in FIG. 9 and shown in FIG. 10, the workpiece 26 is moved to a position facing a portion of the average conical distance. Subsequently, in S41, the movement amount Z ₂ is read from the tool headstock third movement amount memory 200 of the RAM 164, the touch sensor 136 is moved close to the work piece 26 together with the head stock 36, and the touch probe 138 is moved to the work piece 26. To the position P ₁ (see FIG. 20) where the tooth tip cone can be contacted.
After that, the touch sensor 13 together with the tool headstock 36 is further added.
As shown in FIG. 11, the touch probe 138 enters the tooth space 31 to detect the tooth surface 33 when the workpiece 6 is brought close to the workpiece 26. The process will be described below with reference to FIGS. This will be described with reference to FIG. Note that FIG.
0 to 26 are cross-sectional views of the teeth 29 and 30 of the workpiece 26 and the touch probe 138 taken along the line CC in FIG. 11.

First, in S42, the work spindle 24 is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 20, and it is determined in S43 whether the flag F is ON. Since the first determination result is NO, it is determined in S44 whether or not the touch sensor 136 is ON, that is, whether or not the tooth crest surface of the tooth 29 is in contact with the touch probe 138. If the touch probe 138 is in contact with the tooth crest surface of the tooth 29, the determination result is YES, but if it is not in contact, the determination result is NO, and S42 is executed again to rotate the workpiece spindle 26. Continued.

While S42 to S44 are repeatedly executed, the touch probe 1 as shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG.
If 38 and the tooth crest surface of the tooth 29 come into contact with each other, the determination result in S44 is YES, and the flag F is turned ON in S45. The same applies when the touch probe 138 contacts the tooth crests of the teeth 29 when the touch probe 138 is lowered to the point P _{1 in} S41. Then, S46
In, it is determined whether or not the touch probe 138 and the tooth tip surface of the tooth 29 are separated. If not, the determination result is NO, and in S42, the work spindle 24
Is rotated further. Next, S43 is executed again, but since the flag F has already been turned ON in S45, the determination result is YES, S44 and S45 are skipped, and S46 is executed.

With the rotation of the work spindle 24, as shown by the solid lines in FIG. 21, the tooth crests of the teeth 29 and the touch probe 13 are shown.
If 8 and 8 are slightly separated from each other, the detection signal of the touch sensor 136 is turned off, so the determination result of S46 is YES, and the rotation of the work spindle 24 is stopped in S47. Then, in S48, the rotation angle θ ₁₁ of the work spindle 24 and the work 26 by the execution of S42 is calculated based on the output signal of the work spindle encoder 118, and stored in the WS first rotation angle memory 206 of the RAM 164. To be done.

Next, in S49, the work spindle 24 is rotated again, and in S50, based on the output signal of the work spindle encoder 118, the work spindle 24 rotates the work angle θ ₁₁ and the WS second rotation of the RAM 164. Sum of rotation angle θ ₂₂ stored in angle memory 208 θ ₁₁ + θ ₂₂
It is determined whether or not it has rotated. Rotation angle θ
₂₂ is the workpiece 26 that has stopped by rotating the angle θ ₁₁ first.
However, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 22, the angle is determined so that the center line of the tooth groove 31 of the tooth groove 31 rotates until it coincides with the axis of the touch probe 138 of the touch sensor 136. S50
If the result of the determination is YES, the rotation of the work spindle 24 is stopped in S51.

Subsequently, in S52, the tool headstock 36
The moving amount Z ₃ of the fourth moving amount memory 202 of the RAM 164.
23, and the touch probe 138 is advanced from the point P ₁ to the point P ₂ as shown in FIG. Then, in S53, the work spindle 24 is rotated, and S
At 54, it is determined whether the tooth surface 33 of the tooth 30 of the workpiece 26 contacts the touch probe 138, and the rotation of the workpiece spindle 24 is continued until the determination result is YES. As shown by the solid line in FIG. 24, when the tooth surface 33 comes into contact with the touch probe 138, a detection signal is issued and the determination result is YES, and the workpiece spindle 24 is stopped in S55. The workpiece 26 is rotated by a rotation angle θ ₃₃ from the position indicated by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. 24 to the position indicated by the solid line, whereby the reference line n of the workpiece 26 coincides with the axis of the touch probe 138, and The object 26 is positioned at the reference phase to be originally attached to the work spindle 24.
The rotation angle θ ₃₃ is stored in the working memory of the RAM 164.

Next, in S56, W of the RAM 164 is written.
Θ ₁₁ is read from the S first rotation angle memory 206 and θ ₂₂ is read from the WS second rotation angle memory 208, respectively, and added to the rotation angle θ ₃₃ stored in the working memory to calculate the total of the workpiece spindle 24. Rotation amount θ ₀₀ (= θ ₁₁ + θ ₂₂ + θ
₃₃ ) is calculated and stored in the WS total rotation angle memory 210. Then, in S57, the starting rotation direction position of the work spindle 20 is corrected based on the total rotation amount θ ₀₀ . That is, the angle θ ₀₀ at which the reference line n of the workpiece 26 is rotated from the position at the time of attachment to the workpiece spindle 24 shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. 25 to the position at which it coincides with the initial reference line m of the workpiece spindle 24. However, since the reference line m of the work spindle 24 is also rotating, as shown in FIG. 26, the work spindle 2 is set with the reference line m rotated by the angle θ ₀₀ as the starting rotation direction position.
The control data for processing is corrected so that the rotation of No. 4 is controlled. As a result, the difference in the rotational position between the work piece 26 and the gear cutting cutter 38 is canceled, and the work piece 26 can be rotated accurately in synchronization with the gear cutting cutter 38.

Thereafter, in S58, the movement amount Z ₄ is read from the tool headstock fifth movement amount memory 203 of the RAM 164, and the tool headstock 36 and the touch sensor 136 are read.
Is moved back to the initial position, the touch sensor 136 is moved up to the rising end position, and each memory, the flag F, etc. are cleared in S59.

After the start rotation direction position of the work spindle 24 is corrected as described above, the gear cutting cutter 38 and the work 26 are moved relative to each other for finishing in step S5 of the above-mentioned main routine. When the workpiece 26 is positioned at a position, the workpiece 26 is intermittently rotated by the indexing motor 28, and the gear cutting cutter 38 is rotated by the spindle rotation drive motor 47 while being fed in the axial direction by the spindle feed motor 48, The main cutting edge 43 and the sub cutting edge 44 of each blade 42 of the gear cutting cutter 36 allow the teeth 2 of the workpiece 26 to be cut.
Cutting processing is performed on 9, 30, and the like.

As is clear from the above description, in this embodiment, the spindle feed motor 48 constitutes the first moving device for relatively moving the touch sensor 136 and the tool spindle 40 in the axial direction. , Ball screw 1
24, etc., the touch sensor 136 and the tool spindle 40 are connected to the touch probe 138 by the rake face 14 of the gear cutting cutter 38.
The second moving device is configured to move relatively to a detection position that can contact 0 and the tooth tip surface 142 and a non-detection position that is separated from the tooth cutting cutter 38. Further, by the tool headstock horizontal movement motor 66, the touch sensor 136 and the work spindle 2 are
A third moving device that relatively moves 4 and 4 in the axial direction is configured, and the touch probe 136 works the touch sensor 136 and the work spindle 24 by the tool headstock horizontal movement motor 66, the tool headstock vertical movement motor 76, and the like. A fourth moving device configured to relatively move to a detection position that can contact the object 26 and a non-detection position that is separated from the workpiece 26. The first moving device and the second moving device form the moving device in claim 1, and the first to fourth moving devices form the moving device in claim 2.
In addition, a computer 100 that controls these moving devices,
A control device is constituted by the drive circuit 92 and the like.

In this embodiment, since the position of both the cutter 38 and the work piece 26 can be sequentially detected by one touch sensor 136, the cost of the device can be reduced as compared with the case where the positions are detected by different devices. Is cheap.

Further, the touch sensor 136 is connected to the tool headstock 3
6, the tool spindle 40 is attached to the touch sensor 136.
Relative to the axis. Further, the touch sensor 136 together with the tool headstock 36 is moved relative to the workpiece 26 in the axial direction (Z direction) and the vertical direction (Y direction) to approach and separate from the workpiece 26, and the touch sensor 136. On the other hand, the workpiece 26 is relatively moved in the left-right direction (X direction) together with the workpiece headstock 20. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide special devices as the first moving device, the third moving device, and the fourth moving device.
That is, the moving device necessary for gear cutting can be used to determine the axial position and rotational position of the gear cutting cutter 38 at the time of starting, as well as the rotational direction positioning of the workpiece 26 at the time of starting. As a result, it is possible to reduce the size of the entire apparatus and keep the equipment cost low.

However, the workpiece spindle 24, the tool spindle 40 and the touch sensor 136 are moved relative to each other so that the workpiece 2
6. It suffices that the gear cutting cutter 38 and the touch probe 138 can be positioned at a predetermined relative position, and the configuration of the moving device can be appropriately changed.

Further, in the above embodiment, the touch sensor 136 is only moved to the predetermined detection position, and the touch probe 1 of the touch sensor 136 is moved.
The workpiece spindle 24 and the tool spindle 40 are moved until the workpiece 26 and the gear cutting cutter 38 come into contact with the workpiece 38, their positions at the time of contact are stored in the storage means, and the tool spindle is based on the stored information. The positions of the workpiece spindle 24 and the workpiece spindle 24 were corrected, but a part of the movement of the workpiece spindle 24 and the tool spindle 40 was changed to the movement of the touch sensor 136, and the workpiece spindle 24 and the tool spindle 40 were changed. It is also possible that the position of the touch sensor 136 is stored in the storage means. In an extreme case, the tool spindle and the workpiece spindle are not moved at all, and the touch sensor is moved exclusively to bring the detection portion of the touch probe 138 or the like into contact with the gear cutting tool or the workpiece. By storing the position in the storage means, it is possible to correct the axial position and the rotational position of the tool spindle and the workpiece spindle.

In addition, various modifications, such as applying the present invention to a chamfering device for helical gears, based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art,
The present invention can be implemented in an improved manner.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view (partial cross section) showing a main part of a position detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged front view showing a tool position detection state of the above apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged front view showing a state different from that of FIG. 2 of the device.

FIG. 4 is a right side view of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged front view showing the state of the apparatus different from those in FIGS. 2 and 3.

FIG. 6 is a right side view of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged front view showing the state of the device different from those of FIGS. 2, 3 and 5.

FIG. 8 is a front view (partially sectional view) showing a state different from that of FIG. 1 of the apparatus.

FIG. 9 is a partially enlarged side view showing a workpiece position detection state of the above apparatus.

FIG. 10 is a front sectional view of FIG.

FIG. 11 is a front sectional view showing the state of the above apparatus different from that in FIG.

FIG. 12 is a front view showing a gear cutting machine equipped with the position detection device.

FIG. 13 is a plan view showing the gear cutting machine.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing a relative positional relationship between a tool and a workpiece in the gear cutting machine.

FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control device for the gear cutting machine.

FIG. 16 is a diagram conceptually showing the structure of a RAM of the control device.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing a main routine of a control program stored in a ROM of the control device.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart showing a tool spindle correction routine which is a part of the main routine.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing a workpiece spindle correction routine which is another part of the main routine.

20 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the flowchart of FIG. 19 is being executed. FIG.

FIG. 21 is an explanatory diagram showing another state in which the flowchart of FIG. 19 is being executed.

22 is an explanatory diagram showing a state different from that of FIG. 20 and FIG. 21 in which the flowchart of FIG. 19 is being executed.

FIG. 23 is a flowchart of FIG. 20 during execution of the flowchart of FIG. 19;
It is explanatory drawing which shows the state different from FIG.

FIG. 24 is a flowchart of FIG. 20 to FIG.
It is explanatory drawing which shows the state different from FIG.

FIG. 25 is a flowchart of FIG. 20 during execution of the flowchart of FIG.
It is explanatory drawing which shows the state different from FIG.

FIG. 26 is a flowchart of FIG. 20 during execution of the flowchart of FIG. 19;
It is explanatory drawing which shows the state different from FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 20 Work Spindle Headstock 24 Work Spindle Spindle 26 Workpiece 36 Tool Spindle Headstock 38 Gear Cutting Cutter 40 Tool Spindle 42 Blade 47 Spindle Rotation Drive Motor 48 Spindle Feed Motor 66 Tool Spindle Horizontal Movement Motor 76 Tool Spindle Vertical Movement Motor 100 Micro Computer 136 Touch sensor 138 Touch probe 140 Rake surface 142 Cutting edge surface

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A tool headstock having a tool spindle that holds a gear cutting tool and is rotatable about an axis, a tool spindle rotating device that rotates the tool spindle about the axis, and a rake face of the gear cutting tool. And a touch sensor having a detection unit that comes into contact with the cutting edge surface to generate a detection signal, and a rake face detection position and cutting edge where the detection unit can contact the touch sensor and the tool spindle with the rake face and the cutting edge face, respectively. A surface detection position and a moving device for moving the detection part relative to a non-detection position separated from the gear cutting tool, connected to the tool spindle rotating device and a moving device, and controlling each of those devices to control the gear cutting tool. At least one of the gear cutting tool and the touch sensor is brought into contact with the detection unit of the touch sensor and the rake face and the cutting edge face in order. Position detecting device of the gear cutting tool in a gear cutting machine, characterized in that it comprises a control device for storing position. 2. A tool headstock having a tool spindle capable of holding a gear cutting tool and rotating about an axis, a tool spindle rotating device for rotating the tool spindle about the axis, and an axis holding a workpiece. A workpiece headstock provided with a workpiece spindle that can rotate around, a workpiece spindle rotating device that rotates the workpiece spindle around an axis, and a workpiece spindle contacting a rake face and a cutting edge face of the gear cutting tool, A touch sensor having a detection unit that comes into contact with an object and emits a detection signal, and the touch sensor and the tool spindle and the workpiece spindle can be contacted by the detection unit to the rake face, the cutting edge face, and the workpiece, respectively. A moving device that relatively moves the rake face detection position, the cutting edge face detection position, and the workpiece detection position, and the detection unit to a non-detection position separated from both the gear cutting tool and the workpiece. It is connected to a tool spindle rotating device, a workpiece spindle rotating device, and a moving device, and controls these devices to sequentially contact the detecting portion of the touch sensor with the rake face, the cutting edge face, and the workpiece of the gear cutting tool. And including a position of at least one of the gear cutting tool and the touch sensor at the time of contact between the gear cutting tool and the touch sensor, and a control device that stores the position of at least one of the workpiece and the touch sensor. A gear cutting tool and a position detecting device for a workpiece in a characteristic gear cutting device.