JPH0890313A - Flexible power transmission device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To enable it to set a tool to a boss part and vice versa with a onetouch manner by externally fitting a sliding cover in this boss part free of slide motion in the axial direction. CONSTITUTION: An end of a base 24 of a tool 8 pushes a sphere to the side of a recess 38, and thereby this base 24 is made fittable in a fitting hole 23. When an end face of this base 24 comes into contact with a bottom surface of the fitting hole 23, a peripheral groove 25 of the base 24 corresponds to the sphere 32. In this state intact, if being unhanded from a sliding cover 33, this cover slides automatically toward the axial direction by dint of energizing force of a spring 39, and an incline 38a of the recess 38 smoothly presses a part of the sphere 32 and thus the other part of this sphere 32 is gradually advancing into the fitting hole 23. With this, the other part of the sphere 32 advanced into the fitting hole 23 is fitted in the peripheral groove 25 of the base 24 of the tool 8, therefore this tool 8 is attached to a boss part 22.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a flexible power transmission device used in a drilling machine, a screw tightening machine or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is a flexible power transmission device constructed as follows.

That is, a flexible shaft having a drive source attachable to one end thereof and rotatable about its axis, and a tool attached to the other end of the flexible shaft to detachably attach the tool. Detachment means is provided.

The tool attaching / detaching means comprises a drill chuck attached to the other end of the flexible shaft and a chuck handle provided separately from the chuck for operating the chuck.

When the drill is to be attached to or detached from the chuck, first, a chuck handle is attached to the chuck, and the chuck is interlocked with the rotation operation of the chuck handle. Then, the chuck is opened and closed to attach and detach the drill.

[0006]

By the way, in the above-mentioned conventional structure, when the drill is to be attached to or detached from the chuck, the chuck handle is attached to the chuck and the chuck handle is rotated a considerable number as described above. Therefore, the work of attaching / detaching the drill is complicated.

Moreover, there is a problem in that a large working space is required on the side of the chuck for the above-mentioned rotation operation of the chuck handle.

On the other hand, in a multi-axis drilling machine, a plurality of flexible shafts and a plurality of tool attaching / detaching means are provided, and the other ends of the flexible shafts are usually provided in parallel with each other and close to each other. In this case, since the space between the adjoining tool attaching / detaching means is small, it is difficult to rotate the chuck handle as described above. Therefore, also in this respect, the attaching / detaching work of the drill is complicated.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to make it easy to attach / detach a tool to / from a tool attaching / detaching means attached to the end of a flexible shaft. To aim.

Further, in particular, a plurality of flexible shafts are provided, the ends of these flexible shafts are parallel to each other, and are brought close to each other, and the tool attaching / detaching means attached to the ends of these flexible shafts respectively. It is an object of the present invention to facilitate the work of attaching / detaching the tool to / from the tool attaching / detaching means even when the space between the two is narrow.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, the flexible power transmission device according to the invention of claim 1 is such that a drive source 7 can be attached to one end portion thereof and rotates about its axis 4. A flexible shaft 3 that is freely movable, and a tool attaching / detaching means 9 that is attached to the other end of the flexible shaft 3 to detachably attach the tool 8.
In the flexible power transmission device including the above, the tool attaching / detaching means 9 has one end connected to the other end of the flexible shaft 3 on the same axis 4 as the other end of the flexible shaft 3. Boss portion 22
A fitting hole 23 having a polygonal cross section and formed on the shaft center 4 so as to open at the other end of the boss portion 22 so that the base portion 24 of the tool 8 can be fitted and removed, and the boss portion 2.
A through hole 31 that radially penetrates the peripheral wall of the other end of 2, a sphere 32 having a high rigidity that is fitted into the through hole 31, and a boss portion 22 that is fitted on the boss portion 22 so as to be slidable in the axial direction. A sliding cover 33, a recess 38 formed in an inner surface 37 of the sliding cover 33, and a spring 39 for urging the sliding cover 33 to slide in one axial direction of the boss portion 22. When the sliding cover 33 slides in the one direction, the inner surface 37 of the sliding cover 33 presses a part of the spherical body 32, and the other part of the spherical body 32 is inserted into the fitting hole 23. When the sliding cover 33 is slid in the other axial direction of the boss portion 22 against the urging force of the spring 39, a part of the spherical body 32 is fitted into the recess 38. Then, the other part of the same spherical body 32 can be retracted from the fitting hole 23 into the through hole 31. Than it is.

A flexible power transmission device according to a second aspect of the present invention is, in addition to that of the first aspect, provided with a plurality of flexible shafts 3 and a plurality of tool attaching / detaching means 9, respectively. The other ends of 3 are provided parallel to each other and close to each other.

[0013]

[Operation] The operation of the above configuration is as follows.

In FIG. 6, when the tool 8 is attached to or detached from the boss portion 22, the sliding cover 33 is sandwiched by fingers, and the sliding cover 33 is resisted against the urging force of the spring 39 to form the boss portion 2.
The concave portion 38 is made to correspond to the spherical body 32 by sliding it with respect to 2.
Next, the base portion 24 of the tool 8 is fitted into the fitting hole 23 from the state where the tool 8 is positioned axially outward of the boss portion 22 (two-dot chain line in FIG. 6).

Then, the end of the base portion 24 pushes the spherical body 32 toward the recess 38 side, and the base portion 24 with respect to the fitting hole 23.
Can be inserted. By fitting the base portion 24 into the fitting hole 23, the circumferential groove 25 of the base portion 24 corresponds to the sphere 32.

In the above state, when the hand is released from the sliding cover 33, the sliding cover 33 automatically slides in one axial direction by the urging force of the spring 39, and the recess 38 is separated from the spherical body 32. The inner surface 37 of the sliding cover 33 comes off and the spherical body 32
Part of the sphere 32 and the other part of the sphere 32 is inserted into the fitting hole 23.
Gradually advance into.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, when the sliding cover 33 slides in one direction so that the other part of the spherical body 32 advances into the fitting hole 23 as described above.
The other part of the sphere 32 is the peripheral groove 25 of the base 24 of the tool 8.
, So that the tool 8 is attached to the boss portion 22.

To remove the tool 8 from the boss portion 22, a procedure reverse to the above may be performed.

Therefore, according to the above configuration, the boss portion 22
The tool 8 can be attached / detached to / from the one-touch type by sliding the sliding cover 33 in the axial direction of the boss portion 22.

Moreover, the tool 8 can be attached to and detached from the boss portion 22 by sliding the sliding cover 33 in the axial direction of the boss portion 22.
A narrow working space extending along the outer peripheral surfaces of the boss portion 22 and the sliding cover 33 is sufficient.

In addition to the above structure, as shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of flexible shafts 3 and a plurality of tool attaching / detaching means 9 are provided, and the other ends of the flexible shafts 3 are parallel to each other and , May be provided close to each other.

In the above case, adjacent tool attaching / detaching means 9, 9
Although the spaces 43 and 44 between them are narrow, the work of attaching and detaching the tool 8 to and from the boss portion 22 can be performed in a narrow work space as described above, so that the flexible shaft 3 and the tool attaching / detaching means 9 are respectively provided in a plurality, and thus multi-axis machining is performed. Even in the case of the machine 1, the tool 8 can be easily attached and detached.

[0023]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Reference numeral 1 in FIG. 2 denotes a multi-axis machine tool,
More specifically, it is a multi-axis drilling machine. For convenience of explanation, the following description will be given with the direction of arrow Fr in the drawing as the front.

In all the figures, the multi-axis machine tool 1 has a flexible power transmission device 2. The flexible power transmission device 2 includes a plurality of flexible shafts 3 extending in the front-rear direction, which is one direction.
The flexible shaft 3 is a power transmission shaft having flexibility.

Having a shaft center 4 common to each of the above flexible shafts 3,
A plurality of flexible tubular bodies 5 that respectively accommodate the flexible shafts 3 are provided. The front end of each of the flexible cylinders 5 is detachably fixed to the movable table 6 of the multi-axis machine tool 1. Each of these flexible cylinders 5 is arranged so that the flexible shaft 3 housed therein is rotatable about its axis 4.
Is supported.

A drive source 7 which is an electric motor is detachably attached to a rear end portion which is one end portion of the flexible shaft 3, and the operation of the drive source 7 causes the flexible shaft 3 to rotate around its axis 4. It is supposed to be rotatable. A tool attaching / detaching means 9 for attaching / detaching a tool 8 which is a drill is attached to a front end portion which is the other end portion of the flexible shaft 3. In this case, the front ends of the flexible shafts 3 are supported by the movable table 6 in parallel with each other and close to each other.

When the movable base 6 is advanced toward the workpiece while the tools 8 are driven by the drive sources 7 via the flexible power transmission device 2, the tools 8 are moved. Thus, a plurality of holes are simultaneously formed in the work.

The flexible shaft 3 has a flexible shaft body 11. The flexible shaft main body 11 is an elastically bendable shaft-shaped wire formed by twisting a large number of elastic metal wire rods. In the free state, the flexible shaft main body 11 is
It extends linearly by its own elastic force.

A first shaft 12 is fixed to the rear end, which is one end of the flexible shaft main body 11, on the shaft center 4. A second shaft body 13 is fixed to a front end portion that is the other end portion of the flexible shaft main body 11 on the same axial center 4.
The first shaft body 12 and the second shaft body 13 are both made of rigid metal, and the drive source 7 is attached to the first shaft body 12.

The flexible cylinder 5 has a flexible cylinder body 15. The flexible tube body 15 is an elastically bendable cylindrical wire formed by combining a plurality of elastic metal wire rods in a coil shape, and the flexible tube body 15 is in a free state. , Which extends linearly by its own elastic force.

A first cylinder 16 is fixed to the rear end, which is one end of the flexible cylinder body 15, on the axis 4. Further, a second tubular body 17 is fixed to the front end portion, which is the other end portion of the flexible tubular body main body 15, on the same axial center 4. The first cylindrical body 16 and the second cylindrical body 17 are both made of rigid metal.

The first shaft body 12 is rotatably supported on the first cylinder body 16 by a pair of front and rear bearings 18, 18 about the axis 4. In addition, the second shaft body 13 is the second
A pair of front and rear bearings 19, 19 are rotatably supported on the cylindrical body 17 about the axis 4. As a result, as described above, the flexible shaft 3 is rotatably supported by the flexible cylindrical body 5 about the axis 4.

The tool attaching / detaching means 9 has a boss portion 22,
A rear end which is one end of the boss portion 22 is integrated with the second shaft body 13 of the front end on the same axis 4 as the front end of the flexible shaft 3. A fitting hole 23 is formed on the shaft center 4 at the front end, which is the other end of the boss portion 22, and is open to the end surface. The fitting hole 23 has a polygonal (hexagonal) cross section.

On the other hand, the base portion 24 of the tool 8 has a polygonal (hexagonal) cross section and can be fitted into and removed from the fitting hole 23 in a close fitting manner. A peripheral groove 25 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the base portion 24.

The outer diameter of the front end portion of the boss portion 22 is smaller than the outer diameter of the rear end portion thereof. The rear end portion of the boss portion 22 has a large diameter portion 27 and the front end portion has a small diameter portion 28. A step surface 29 is formed between the portion 27 and the small diameter portion 28.

A circular through hole 31 is formed through the peripheral wall of the small diameter portion 28 in the radial direction, and a spherical body 32, which is a steel ball having high rigidity, is fitted into the through hole 31.

The boss portion 22 is provided with a cylindrical sliding cover 33 which is fitted onto the boss portion 22 so as to be slidable in its axial direction. The sliding cover 33 has a large diameter hole portion 34 which is fitted on the large diameter portion 27 and a small diameter hole portion 35 which is fitted on the small diameter portion 28. Is the large diameter hole 34
A stepped surface 36 is formed between the small-diameter hole portion 35 and the small-diameter hole portion 35.

A circumferential groove-like recess 38 is formed in the inner surface 37 of the small diameter hole portion 35 of the sliding cover 33. An inclined surface 38a is formed on the bottom surface of the recess 38, and the inclined surface 38a extends from the front which is one direction of the axial direction of the boss 22 to the rear which is the other direction of the boss 22.
Inclined to the side.

A spring 39 is provided in the space surrounded by the small-diameter portion 28, the large-diameter hole portion 34, and the step surfaces 29 and 36. The sliding cover 33 is arranged so that the sliding cover 33 slides forward in the axial direction of the boss portion 22.
Is urged by the spring 39. A snap ring 40 that prevents the sliding cover 33 from sliding forward more than a predetermined amount is detachably attached to the free end side of the small diameter portion 28. The sliding cover 33 and the spring 39 can be removed from the boss 22 by removing the snap ring 40 from the boss 22.

1 to 5, as described above,
The sliding cover 3 until it is blocked by the snap ring 40
3 slides forward, the inner surface 3 of the sliding cover 33
The inner surface of the small diameter hole portion 35, which is 7, presses a part of the spherical body 32 so that the other portion of the spherical body 32 advances into the fitting hole 23.

Then, the other part of the sphere 32 is fitted into the circumferential groove 25 of the base portion 24 of the tool 8 fitted in the fitting hole 23, whereby the tool 8 is placed on the axial center 4 of the boss portion 2.
2 attached. Thus, the sphere 3 in the fitting hole 23
When 2 and the circumferential groove 25 of the base portion 24 face each other in the radial direction of the boss portion 22, the end surface of the base portion 24 comes into contact with the bottom surface of the fitting hole 23.

As shown by the phantom line in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the sliding cover 33 slides rearward in the other axial direction of the boss 22 against the biasing force of the spring 39. Then, a part of the sphere 32 is fitted into the recess 38, and the other part of the sphere 32 is retractable from the fitting hole 23 into the through hole 31.

In FIG. 6, as described above, the sphere 32
By retracting into the through hole 31, the base portion 24 of the tool 8 can be inserted into and removed from the insertion hole 23, and the tool 8 can be attached to and detached from the boss portion 22.

In FIG. 5, an annular locking protrusion 42 is integrally formed on the inner peripheral surface of the through hole 31 at the opening edge to the fitting hole 23. The locking projections 42 prevent the spherical body 32 from falling out of the through hole 31 toward the fitting hole 23.

In FIG. 6, when the tool 8 is attached to or detached from the boss portion 22, the sliding cover 33 is sandwiched by fingers, and the sliding cover 33 is resisted against the urging force of the spring 39 and the boss portion 2 is pushed.
The concave portion 38 is made to correspond to the spherical body 32 by sliding it with respect to 2.
Next, the base portion 24 of the tool 8 is fitted into the fitting hole 23 from the state where the tool 8 is positioned axially outward of the boss portion 22 (two-dot chain line in FIG. 6).

Then, the end of the base portion 24 pushes the spherical body 32 toward the recess 38 side, and the base portion 24 with respect to the fitting hole 23.
Can be inserted. When the end surface of the base portion 24 abuts on the bottom surface of the fitting hole 23, the circumferential groove 25 of the base portion 24 corresponds to the sphere 32.

In the above state, when the sliding cover 33 is released, the sliding cover 33 automatically slides in one axial direction by the urging force of the spring 39, and the inclined surface 38a of the recess 38 is A part of the sphere 32 is smoothly pressed, and the other part of the sphere 32 gradually advances into the fitting hole 23.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, when the sliding cover 33 comes into contact with the snap ring 40 and further sliding is prevented, the inner surface 37 of the sliding cover 33 has the inner surface 37 of the spherical body 32. A part of it is pressed so that the fitting hole 2
The other part of the sphere 32 that has advanced into the inside of the tool 3 is fitted into the circumferential groove 25 of the base part 24 of the tool 8, and the tool 8 is inserted into the boss part 22.
Attached to.

To remove the tool 8 from the boss portion 22, the procedure reverse to the above may be performed.

Therefore, according to the above configuration, the boss portion 22
The tool 8 can be attached / detached to / from the one-touch type by sliding the sliding cover 33 in the axial direction of the boss portion 22.

The work for attaching / detaching the tool 8 to / from the boss 22 is as follows.
Since it suffices to slide the sliding cover 33 in the axial direction of the boss portion 22, the attachment / detachment work of the tool 8 is sufficient in a narrow working space extending along the outer peripheral surface of the boss portion 22 and the sliding cover 33. .

As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of flexible shafts 3 and tool attaching / detaching means 9 are provided, and the other ends of the flexible shafts 3 are parallel to each other and are close to each other. It is provided.

In the above case, adjacent tool attaching / detaching means 9, 9
The spaces 43 and 44 between them are narrow, but as described above, the boss portion 2
Since the work of attaching and detaching the tool 8 to and from the tool 2 can be performed in a narrow work space, the work of attaching and detaching the tool 8 can be easily performed even when a plurality of flexible shafts 3 and tool attaching / detaching means 9 are provided.

[0055]

According to the present invention, the drive source is attachable to one end of the flexible shaft and is rotatable about its axis, and the other end of the flexible shaft is attached to the tool. In the flexible power transmission device including a tool attaching / detaching means for making the tool detachable, the tool attaching / detaching means has one end on the other end of the flexible shaft on the same axis as the other end of the flexible shaft. A boss portion to which the parts are connected, a fitting hole having a polygonal cross-section, which is formed on the axial center so that the other end portion of the boss portion is open to the end surface thereof, and which allows the base portion of the tool to be removably fitted thereinto; A through hole that radially penetrates the peripheral wall of the other end of the boss portion, a high-rigidity spherical body that is fitted into the through hole, and a sliding cover that is slidably fitted onto the boss portion in the axial direction thereof. And a recess formed on the inner surface of the sliding cover and the sliding cover on one side in the axial direction of the boss. When the sliding cover slides in the one direction, the inner surface of the sliding cover presses a part of the spherical body and the other part of the spherical body When the sliding cover is slid in the other axial direction of the boss portion against the biasing force of the spring, a part of the spherical body fits into the recess. The other part of the spherical body can be retracted from the fitting hole into the through hole, which has the following effects.

That is, when the tool is attached to or detached from the boss, the sliding cover is sandwiched by fingers, and the sliding cover is slid against the boss against the urging force of the spring to form a recess in the spherical body. Correspond. Next, the base portion of the tool is inserted into the insertion hole from the outside in the axial direction of the boss portion.

Then, the base end pushes the sphere toward the recess, so that the base can be fitted into the fitting hole.
For example, the circumferential groove formed in the base by fitting the base into the fitting hole corresponds to a sphere.

In the above state, if you release your hand from the sliding cover,
The sliding cover automatically slides in one axial direction by the urging force of the spring, the recess is disengaged from the spherical body, and the inner surface of the sliding cover presses a part of the spherical body. The other part gradually advances into the fitting hole. As a result, the other part of the sphere that has advanced into the fitting hole is fitted into the circumferential groove of the base part of the tool, and the tool is attached to the boss part.

To remove the tool from the boss, the procedure reverse to the above may be performed.

Therefore, according to the above construction, the tool can be attached to and detached from the boss portion by one-touch operation by sliding the sliding cover in the axial direction of the boss portion.
Therefore, when attaching or detaching the tool, the attaching / detaching work of the tool becomes easier as compared with the conventional case in which the chuck handle is rotated.

Moreover, since the work of attaching / detaching the tool to / from the boss portion is sufficient by sliding the sliding cover in the axial direction of the boss portion, the work of attaching / detaching the tool is performed on the boss portion or the sliding cover. A narrow work space extending along the outer peripheral surface is sufficient, and workability is improved.

In addition to the above structure, a plurality of flexible shafts and a plurality of tool attaching / detaching means may be provided, and the other ends of the flexible shafts may be provided in parallel with each other and close to each other.

In the above case, the space between the adjacent tool attaching / detaching means is narrow, but since the work for attaching / detaching the tool to / from the boss portion can be performed in a small work space as described above, a plurality of flexible shafts and tool attaching / detaching means are provided. Even in the case of a provided multi-axis machine tool, the workability for such a multi-axis machine tool is improved because the work of attaching and detaching the tool can be easily performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially enlarged view of FIG.

FIG. 2 is an overall view of a multi-axis machine tool.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a flexible power transmission device.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG.

5A and 5B are explanatory views of a partially enlarged operation of FIG.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of the operation corresponding to FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Multi-axis machine tool 2 Flexible power transmission device 3 Flexible shaft 4 Shaft center 5 Flexible cylinder 7 Drive source 8 Tool 9 Tool attaching / detaching means 22 Boss part 23 Fitting hole 24 Base 25 Circumferential groove 31 Through hole 32 Sphere 33 Sliding cover 37 Inner surface 38 Recess 38a Sloping surface 39 Spring 43, 44 Space

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A flexible shaft having a drive source attachable to one end thereof and rotatable about its axis, and a tool attached to the other end of the flexible shaft to detachably attach the tool. A flexible power transmission device including a detachable means, wherein the tool attachable / detachable means has a boss whose one end is connected to the other end of the flexible shaft on the same axis as the other end of the flexible shaft. Department,
A fitting hole having a polygonal cross section, which is formed on the shaft center so as to open at the other end of the boss portion so that the base portion of the tool is removably fitted, and a peripheral wall of the other end portion of the boss portion. A through hole penetrating in the radial direction, a high-rigidity spherical body fitted in the through hole, a sliding cover externally fitted on the boss portion slidably in the axial direction, and an inner surface of the sliding cover. A recess formed and a spring for urging the sliding cover to slide in one direction of the axial direction of the boss, and the sliding cover slides in the one direction when the sliding cover slides in the one direction. The inner surface of the dynamic cover presses a part of the spherical body so that the other part of the spherical body advances into the fitting hole, and the sliding cover is moved in the axial direction of the boss portion against the biasing force of the spring. When slid in the other direction, part of the sphere is fitted into the recess and the other part of the sphere is fitted into the recess. Retractable into the through hole from the the flexible power transmission device. 2. A plurality of flexible shafts and a plurality of tool attaching / detaching means are provided, and the other ends of the respective flexible shafts are parallel to each other, and
The flexible power transmission device according to claim 1, wherein the flexible power transmission devices are provided close to each other.