JPH09103937A - Tool position detector of machine tool - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tool position detector of a machine tool which is capable of improving durability and detecting accuracy without interfering with a tool being operated or a main spindle cylinder, reducing an arranging space and securing a necessary arrangement space without enlarging the machine tool as a whole even when, for instance the machine is arranged with a tool exchanging device on the side to be arranged. SOLUTION: In a tool position detector for detecting the rotary shaft direction position of a tool T loaded in a main spindle head 5 in a machine tool having a column 4 arranged on a bed 2, a main spindle head 5 supported by the column 4 and a table 6 arranged on the bed 2, a sensor box is provided on the table 6 and a tool position detecting sensor is arranged so as to be moved up and down between a standby time position in which the sensor is housed in the sensor box and a detecting time position in which the sensor is protruded from the upper part of the sensor box.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for detecting a tool position of a machine tool such as a horizontal machining center.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 6, a conventional horizontal machining center has a column 32 on a bed 31 in the horizontal direction (X
Is arranged so as to be movable in the axial direction), a spindle head 33 is arranged in the front surface of the column 32 so as to be movable in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface (Y-axis direction), and a spindle cylinder 33a having a horizontal rotation axis is provided in the spindle head 33. The table 34 is arranged on the bed 31 so as to be movable in the rotation axis direction of the main shaft (Z axis direction).

By moving the column 32 and the spindle head 33 in the X-axis and Y-axis directions, the tool T mounted on the spindle cylinder 33a.
Is moved to a predetermined position, and the work is moved by moving the table 34 in the Z-axis direction to adjust the depth of cut, and the required machining is performed in this manner.

Therefore, in this type of machine tool, it is necessary to detect the position of the tool T mounted on the spindle cylinder 33a, particularly in the rotational axis direction (Z-axis direction).

As a conventional tool position detecting device, there is, for example, one in which a tool detecting sensor 35 is fixed to a portion of the table 34 opposite to the operation position A where the operator is located. In this detection device, the column 32 and the spindle head 33 are
By moving the tool T in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction so that the tool T faces the tool detection sensor 35, and moving the table 34 in the Z-axis direction so that the cutting edge of the tool T contacts the sensor 35. The position of the tool T in the Z-axis direction is detected.

However, in the above-mentioned conventional tool position detecting device,
Since the tool detection sensor 35 is fixed to the movable area of the tool T (within the machining range), it may interfere with the tool being machined or the spindle, and as a result, the machinable range of the tool is narrowed. There is a problem.

Further, there are problems that cutting powder and cutting oil are applied to the tool detection sensor 35, the durability of the sensor 35 is lowered, and a detection error is likely to occur.

In order to avoid the above problem, conventionally, a sensor box for accommodating a tool detection sensor is provided, and a standby position for accommodating the tool detection sensor in the sensor box,
There is a tilting tool position detecting device 36 arranged to tilt with respect to a position outside the sensor box at the time of detection, which is arranged on the work table 34 at the operation position A side.

[0009]

In the tilt type tool position detecting device 36, the tool detecting sensor is out of the machining range of the tool during machining, so that the problem that the machinable range becomes narrow can be avoided, and the tool detecting sensor can be avoided. Can be protected from cutting powder and cutting oil. However, since the detection device 36 is arranged on the side of the operation position A, the detection device 36 is likely to be an obstacle during setup work and cleaning work, resulting in poor workability.

In order to avoid the problem of the workability deterioration, the fixed tool detection sensor 35 of the related art may be arranged on a portion of the table 34 opposite to the operation position A.
However, in general, a tool changing device is provided on the opposite side, and a cover 37 for partitioning the magazine and the processing section and a shutter that opens and closes when changing the tool are arranged. On the other hand, the tilting tool position detecting device 36 requires a large arrangement space because the opening / closing lid and the tool detecting sensor are rotated due to its structure, and the tilting tool position detecting device 36 is set to the operation position A. When the cover 37 is arranged on the opposite side, the opening / closing lid and the tool detection sensor interfere with the cover 37. If the cover or the like is moved outward in order to avoid this interference, there is a problem that the entire machine tool becomes large.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and there is no possibility of interfering with a tool being processed and a spindle cylinder, durability and detection accuracy can be improved, and an installation space is small. It is an object of the present invention to provide a tool position detection device for a machine tool that can secure a necessary arrangement space without increasing the size of the entire machine tool even if the tool change device is arranged on the side where the tool changer is arranged. There is.

[0012]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a machine tool including a column arranged on a bed, a spindle supported by the column, and a table arranged on the bed. In a tool position detection device for detecting the rotational axis direction position of a tool mounted on the spindle, a sensor box is provided on the table, and a tool position detection sensor is provided in a standby position housed in the sensor box and the sensor. It is characterized in that it is arranged so as to be movable in the vertical direction between the detection position protruding above the box.

In the present invention, "movable in the vertical direction" includes not only the case of moving vertically but also the case of moving diagonally.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, an opening / closing lid is provided for opening / closing the sensor projecting / retracting opening of the sensor box, and the opening / closing lid is opened in association with ascending / descending driving of the tool position detection sensor. The feature is that it is equipped with a lifting and lowering mechanism that drives it to close.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1 to 5 are views for explaining a tool position detecting device for a horizontal machining center according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views and plan views of the machining center, and FIG. 3 is a tool position detecting device. FIG. 4 is a front view showing an arrangement state of the apparatus, FIG. 4 is a side view of the detection apparatus, and FIG.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a horizontal machining center in which the detection device of this embodiment is arranged, and the machining center 1 has the following schematic structure. A column 4 is arranged on a guide rail 3a fixed on a stepped right portion 2a of the bed 2 so as to be capable of reciprocating in the horizontal direction (X-axis direction), and fixed to a front wall 4a of the column 4. The spindle head 5 is arranged on the guide rail 3b so as to be movable in the vertical direction (Y-axis direction). In addition, the spindle head 5 has a horizontal direction (Z-axis direction).
A spindle cylinder 5a having a rotating shaft extending in the direction is mounted, and a tool T is detachably mounted on the spindle cylinder 5a. Furthermore, the table 6 is arranged on the guide rail 3c fixed on the left side portion 2b of the bed 2 so as to be movable in the horizontal direction (Z-axis direction). Then, the entire bed 2, column 4, spindle head 5, and table 6 are covered with a cover 7.

The front side area of the cover 7 is located at an operation position A where an operator is located to perform operations and inspections necessary for machining work. Although not shown, the wall surface facing the operation position A of the cover 7 is not shown. An opening for inspection operation is formed in the opening, and the opening can be opened and closed by an opening / closing lid.

At a portion B of the cover 7 opposite to the operation position A, a replacement arm 8a of a tool replacement device 8 is arranged. At the boundary between the tool changing device 8 and the moving area of the table 6, a cover 9 for avoiding scattering of cutting powder, cutting oil, etc. on the tool changing device 8 side is arranged. A shutter (not shown) is provided on the upper portion of 9 so as to be opened and closed. In the exchange arm 8a, the tool T held by the tip of the exchange arm 8a is placed between the magazine side position shown by the solid line in FIG. 2 and the spindle cylinder side position shown by the chain double-dashed line in the state where the shutter is opened. Turn to move. In FIG. 2, the exchange arm 8a is in a standby state extending in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing.

A pallet 10 is removably mounted on the table 6, and a work is removably positioned and fixed at a predetermined position on the pallet 10. In the figure, W indicates the maximum mountable size of the work.

A tool position detection device 11 is arranged at a position on the opposite side of the operation position A of the table 6 where it does not interfere even when a maximum workpiece is mounted. The tool position detecting device 11 is provided with a sensor box 12 bolted and fixed to a corner 9 side of the table 6 on the cover 9 side and the column 4 side, and is arranged in the sensor box 12 so as to be vertically movable. And a cylinder 14 for driving the sensor 13 up and down.

The sensor box 12 has a rectangular tubular shape extending in the vertical direction, and has an L-shaped opening 1 extending from the upper side surface of the sensor box 12 on the shutter 9 side to the upper surface thereof.
2a is formed. The upper end 12a 'corresponding to the lateral side of the opening 12a is opened and closed by the opening / closing lid 12b, and the lower end of the opening / closing lid 12b is the support pin 1.
It is pivotally supported by 2c. A bracket 12e fixed to the lower end of the sensor box 12 is bolted and fixed to the table 6.

The tool detection sensor 13 has a rod-shaped sensor body 13a having a detection portion 13b arranged at the upper end thereof in the Z-axis direction. The sensor body 13a is arranged in the sensor box 12. Guide member 12
It is movably supported in the vertical direction via d.

The cylinder 14 is the sensor box 1
It is arranged and fixed in 2 in parallel with the tool detection sensor 13. The upper end of the piston rod 14a of the cylinder 14 is connected to the upper end of the sensor body 13a via a bracket 13c, and the extension and contraction of the cylinder 14 causes the tool detection sensor 13 to be housed in the sensor box 12 at a housed position. And the detection portion 13b is moved up and down between the detection position and the detection portion 13b protruding upward from the sensor box 12.

The vertical center of the sensor body 13a and the vertical center of the inner surface of the opening / closing lid 12b are connected via brackets 13d and 12f and a link plate 15, and the cylinder 14 is connected. , The sensor body 13a, and the link plate 15 are interlocked with the rise and fall of the tool detection sensor 13, and the opening / closing lid 12b is connected.
An elevating opening / closing mechanism that opens and closes is configured.

Next, the operation and effects of this embodiment will be described. When exchanging tools, the column 4 and the spindle head 5 move in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction so that the tool T mounted on the spindle cylinder 5a is located at the tool exchanging position, and the shutter opens. The replacement arm 8a moves from the standby position to 9
The tool T of the spindle cylinder 5a and the tool T in the magazine are gripped by the grips at both ends by turning 0 °, and in this state, the replacement arm 8a moves to the left in the Z-axis direction to remove the tool.
Turn 80 ° and move to the right in the Z-axis direction. As a result, a new tool is mounted on the spindle cylinder 5a, and the original tool is stored in the magazine. Finally, the exchange arm 8a turns again by 90 ° and returns to the standby position, and the shutter closes. The tool changing device 8 is arranged at a high place where it does not interfere with the work.

When the tool position is detected, the column 4 and the spindle head 5 are moved in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction so that the tool T is located at the position when the tool position is detected. In the case of the present embodiment, the X-axis direction position of the tool position detection position and the tool replacement position are the same. Then, the cylinder 14 extends, the tool detection sensor 13 starts to move up, the opening / closing lid 12b is pushed by the link plate 15 and starts to open in the clockwise direction in FIG. 5, and the opening / closing lid 12b opens.
When the upper end 12a 'of a is opened, the sensor body 13a
When the cylinder 14 extends the entire stroke, the detecting portion 1
3b is located at the tool detection position (see FIG. 5A). The portion corresponding to the vertical side of the opening 12a is the opening / closing lid 1.
It is always covered with 2b and is never opened to the outside.

Next, the table 6 moves to the right in the Z-axis direction, the detecting portion 13a approaches the tip of the tool T, and the tool moves from the Z-axis direction position of the table 6 when the detecting portion 13a operates. The position is detected.

When the tool position detection is completed, the cylinder 14 contracts, and the tool detection sensor 13 causes the sensor box 1 to move.
2, the opening / closing lid 12b is pulled by the link plate 15 and rotated counterclockwise in FIG.
The whole is closed (see FIG. 5 (b)).

As described above, in the present embodiment, the tool detection sensor 13 is housed in the standby position inside the sensor box 12 during normal processing, and the tool detection position outside the sensor box 12 is detected only during tool position detection. Since the protrusion is made to protrude, it is possible to avoid the interference between the tool and the tool detection sensor 13 at the time of processing, and thus it is possible to prevent the problem that the workable range of the tool is limited by the tool detection sensor.

Further, since the tool detection sensor 13 is housed in the sensor box 12 in a substantially hermetically sealed state during normal processing, it is possible to avoid cutting powder, cutting oil, etc., from being applied to the tool detection sensor 13 and to improve the durability of the sensor. It is possible to improve, and it is possible to avoid occurrence of detection error. It is more desirable to enhance the airtightness of the sensor box 12 by interposing a seal member between the opening 12a of the sensor box 12 and the opening / closing lid 12b.

Further, the tool detecting sensor 13 is configured to move in the vertical direction between the housed position inside the sensor box 12 and the housed position outside the box, and the opening 12a of the sensor box is opened and closed by an opening / closing lid 12b. Since it is opened and closed by the rotation of, the necessary arrangement space of the tool detection device 11 as a whole can be greatly reduced as compared with, for example, the above-described tilting type device, so that the cover 9 side portion of the table 6 can be reduced. The tool detection device 11 can be arranged. As a result, it is possible to avoid the problem that the device is a hindrance during setup work or cleaning work, for example, when the tool detection device is arranged on the operation position A side.

Furthermore, since the cylinder 14 is connected to the sensor body 13a and the sensor body 13a and the opening / closing lid 12b are connected by the link plate 15, the opening / closing lid 12b is interlocked with the raising and lowering of the tool detection sensor 13.
Can be opened and closed, and only one cylinder 14 is required, and the structure of the lifting and lowering opening / closing mechanism can be simplified.

[0033]

As described above, according to the tool position detecting device for a machine tool of the first aspect of the present invention, the tool position detecting sensor is provided at a housed position inside the sensor box and a tool detected position outside the sensor box. It is possible to avoid interference between the tool detection sensor and the tool because it is moved vertically between
The arrangement of the tool detection device has an effect of preventing the workable range of the tool from being narrowed.

Further, it is possible to avoid cutting powder, cutting oil and the like from being applied to the tool position detection sensor, improve the durability of the sensor, and avoid the occurrence of detection error.

Further, since the tool detecting sensor is moved in the vertical direction, the necessary arrangement space of the entire tool detecting device can be reduced, and therefore, the tool detecting device is located on the side of the table opposite to the working position where the operator is located. It is possible to increase the degree of freedom in the arrangement position, such as the arrangement of.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the opening / closing lid is opened / closed in association with the ascent / descent of the tool detection sensor. Therefore, both the tool position detection sensor and the opening / closing lid are driven. There is an effect that can be simplified.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a machine tool including a tool position detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the machine tool of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing an arrangement state of the tool position detecting device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the tool position detection device.

FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory view of the tool position detection device.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a machine tool including a conventional tool position detection device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Horizontal machining center (machine tool) 2 Bed 4 Column 5, 5a Spindle head, spindle cylinder (spindle) 6 Table 11 Tool position detection device 12 Sensor box 12a Sensor entrance / exit opening 12b Open / close lid 13 Tool position detection sensor 13a, 14, 15 Sensor body, cylinder, link plate (opening / closing lift mechanism) T tool

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A rotation axis direction of a tool mounted on a spindle of a machine tool comprising a column arranged on a bed, a spindle supported by the column, and a table arranged on the bed. In the tool position detection device for detecting the position, a sensor box is provided on the table, and a tool position detection sensor is provided in the sensor box at a standby position and at a detection position protruding above the sensor box. A tool position detection device for a machine tool, wherein the tool position detection device is arranged so as to be vertically movable between them. 2. The lift according to claim 1, further comprising an opening / closing lid for opening / closing the opening / closing of the sensor box of the sensor box, the opening / closing lid being opened / closed in association with ascending / descending movement of the tool position detection sensor. A tool position detection device for a machine tool, which is provided with an opening / closing mechanism.