JPS6248438A - Tool storage device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To handle a tool to be promptly taken in and out, by arranging tool holders spacing a predetermined distance in independently travelably provided plural tool magazine main units so as to be aligned in a straight line when the tool magazine main unit stops. CONSTITUTION:A tool storage device, coaxially providing rotary shafts 2, 3 inside a main unit 1 and respectively fixing tool magazines 12, 13 in the upper end, mounts plural tool holders 14, storing tools A in the vertical direction, to the upper surface of said magazines. If the tool A to be carried out is determined by an instruction by a control unit, the device, rotating motors 7, 9, stops the tool holder 14, containing the assigned tool A, in a stop position S. The device provides a tool conveying mechanism 15 in said position, and the mechanism 15, in which a conveying head 17 catches a holder module from the tool magazine holder 12 to be next combined with an edge part module in the tool magazine holder 13, conveys the tool to a machine tool.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a tool storage device for storing a large number of tools of different types to be mounted on a machine tool in an aligned state.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems]

A tool storage device is provided near the machine tool, and a large number of types of tools stored in the tool storage device are selectively taken out based on production control information and supplied to the machine tool, and used tools are removed from the machine tool. An automatic tool exchange system is known in which tools are removed and carried into the tool storage device for storage.

In this type of system, there are various types of tool storage devices for storing tools, but those that are expanded in a two-dimensional manner and those that are expanded three-dimensionally are common. The planar tool storage device has a grid-like tool storage space on a tool storage table, and a large number of tools of different types are stored in these tool storage spaces in a lined manner, and the three-dimensional tool storage device In this method, a plurality of tool storage shelves are provided by columns, and one or more tools are placed and stored on these tool storage shelves.

However, the tool storage device is configured on the premise that tools are manually taken in and taken out by an operator, and tools are automatically taken in and out of the tool storage HIif by a pickup device. for,
The two axes of the pickup device, the Y-axis and the Y-axis, must be moved Im, and it is also necessary to run the pickup device over the entire tool storage device, making it inevitable to increase the size of the device. Furthermore, as mentioned above, running the pick-up device over the entire area of the tool storage device requires a longer stroke in proportion to the number of tools stored, which increases the time it takes to search for and retrieve the desired tool and the time it takes to store it. , the positioning time of the pickup device becomes longer,
This has the disadvantage of poor work efficiency. Further, when relying on a worker to replenish the tool storage device with tools, there is a risk of interference with the traveling pickup 8, which poses a safety problem.

[Purpose of the invention]

This invention was made with attention to the above-mentioned circumstances, and its purpose is to be able to store a large number of tools in a narrow space, improve space efficiency, and
To provide a tool storage device that allows tools to be quickly put in and taken out using a simple device.

[Summary of the invention]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention arranges a plurality of tool holders at predetermined intervals in a plurality of tool magazine bodies that are arranged in parallel so that they can run independently, and when the tool magazine body stops, The tool holder is configured to align in a straight line at the stop position, and the tool is moved in and out of the tool holder by a tool transport mechanism that is movable along the stop position.

[Embodiments of the invention]

Hereinafter, each embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

1 to 4 show a first embodiment, in which a plurality of endlessly continuous tool holders are provided so as to be movable independently, and a plurality of tools are arranged side by side on the movement stroke of a -axis conveyor. This is an example in which the device can be picked up. 1 is the main body of the tool storage device. Inside the main body 1, a first rotating shaft 2 and a second rotating shaft 3 coaxially fitted are each rotatably supported by bearings 4.5 and provided vertically. The lower end of the first rotating shaft 2 is linked to a first motor 7 that can rotate in forward and reverse directions via a transmission mechanism 6 such as a gear or chain, and the lower end of the second rotating shaft 3 is Similarly, it is linked to a second motor 9 which can rotate in forward and reverse directions via a transmission 1ts8. Further, the upper end of the first rotating shaft 2 is connected to a rotating cylinder 10 rotatably supported on the upper surface of the main body 1, and the upper end of the second rotating shaft 2 is provided concentrically inside the rotating cylinder 10. The rotary cylinder 11 is connected to the rotary cylinder 11. At the upper end of the outer rotary cylinder 10, a first
A second tool magazine main body 13 is fixed to the upper end of the inner rotary cylinder 11. The first and second tool magazine bodies 12.13 are of the same height and are constituted by annular bodies provided in a horizontal state. These first tool magazine bodies 1
On the upper surface of 2.13, a number of tool holders 14 for vertically storing the tools A are arranged at predetermined intervals. These tool holders 14 are formed, for example, by circular holes, and can be accommodated by inserting the tool A from above, and can be taken out from above. The tools A stored in these tool holders 14... may be either one integrated tool or an assembled modular tool. In the case of one integrated tool, the tools A are stored in the first tool magazine main body 12, the first tool magazine main body 12, the It can be divided and stored in two tool magazine bodies 13, and in modular tools,
The first tool magazine main body 12 includes a holder module a, an adapter module b, and a blade module C.
can be stored, and the blade module C can be stored in the second tool magazine main body 13.

The first and second tool magazine bodies 1 configured in this way
2.13 is provided with a stop position 5tfi in the radial direction passing through its center, and a tool carrier 11$15 is provided at this stop position S. This tool transport mechanism 15 is composed of a guide rail 16 and a transport rod 17 that reciprocates on the guide rail 16, and the lower part of the transport rack 17 holds the tool A and each module in the case of a modular tool. A pickup mechanism 18 is provided.

Next, the operation of the tool storage device configured as described above will be explained. The iiiJm device sets the program for each tool magazine body based on the production management information, and when the type of tool to be delivered is determined by the instruction from the control maam (not shown), the first and second motors 7.9 are activated. Operates simultaneously or selectively.

The rotation of both motors 7.9 is then transmitted to the first and second rotating shafts 2.3 via the transmission mechanism 6.8.

Therefore, the first tool magazine main body 12 and the second tool magazine main body 13 rotate simultaneously or selectively to perform indexing, and the tool holder 14 containing the designated tool is stopped at the stop position S. . At this time, the specified tool A is a modular tool, and the rotation of the first magazine body 12 causes the specified holder module a to stop at the stop position S, and the rotation of the second tool magazine body 13 causes the specified holder module a to stop at the stop position S. The blade module C coupled to the holder module a stops at a stop position S. That is, the tools A to be carried out are arranged side by side at the stop position S so as to be aligned on a straight line. Here, the tool transport mechanism 15 is activated and the transport rod 17 travels on the guide rail 16, and the pick-up mechanism 18 of the transport head 17 is first moved to the holder module a positioned at the stop position S by the first tool magazine main body 12. grasp. Next, the transport head 17 moves slightly and the second tool magazine main body 13 grips the blade module C located at the stop position S.

In this case, since the pick-up mechanism 18 holds the boulder module a, the blade module C can be taken out by combining the holder module a and the blade module C, and the holder module a and the blade module C can be taken out. When a modular tool is constructed by the section module C, the modular tool can be transported to a machine tool or the like by the tool transport mechanism 15. Further, the used tool A from the machine tool is transferred to the first
, and is transported to the second tool magazine main body 12.13, where the tool A can be accommodated and stored in a predetermined tool holder 14.

FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment, in which the first and second tool magazine bodies 12 and 13 are belt-running type and configured in a rectangular ring shape, and the belt is run by a drive mechanism such as a motor. By doing so, the same effects as in the first embodiment can be achieved.

Further, in the first and second embodiments, the first and second
Although the tool magazine main bodies 12 and 13 are constructed in a double ring shape, they may also have a triple or quadruple structure, and a fixed table is provided in the center, and large tools are supported on this fixed table by appropriate holder means. Good too. Furthermore, the tool is not limited to being placed vertically, but may be placed horizontally.

Further, in the above embodiment, an example in which the pick-up position is provided at one location has been described, but the pick-up position may be provided at a plurality of locations. In this case, the reindexing speed can be increased by moving the pick-up position of the selected tool closer to each tool magazine body by control of a countermeasure machine or the like. In this case, as many tool magazines as possible may be provided to increase the number of stored tools.

In general, it goes without saying that the same effect can be obtained not only when the tool is stored vertically but also horizontally. Further, the tool magazine may be driven by rotating a plurality of index tables, or by connecting each tool holder in a chain and rotating the chain.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, a plurality of tool holders are arranged at predetermined intervals in a plurality of tool magazine bodies arranged in parallel so as to be movable independently, and stop when the tool magazine body stops. The tool holders are configured to align in a straight line at the stop position, and the tool conveyance mechanism movable along the stop position is configured to move tools in and out of the tool holders, so that a large number of tools can fit into a narrow space. tools can be stored, and the tools can be taken in and out quickly. Furthermore, the position control of the pick-up mechanism provided in the tool transport mechanism is also performed on one axis, and the number of stopping points is also several, resulting in the effect that positioning accuracy can be improved and the control device can be simplified.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 4 show a first embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a vertical side view of the device, FIG. 2 is a plan view, and FIG.
4 is a side view of the modular tool, and FIG. 5 is a plan view of a device showing a second embodiment of the present invention. 12.13... Tool magazine body, 14... Tool holder, 15... Tool transport mechanism, S... Stop position, A... Tool. Applicant's agent Patent attorney Takehiko Suzue Figure 3 Figure 5

Claims (1)

[Claims] A plurality of tool magazine bodies arranged in a ring shape and arranged in parallel so that they can run independently, and a tool magazine body provided at a predetermined interval between these tool magazine bodies so that they align in a straight line at the stop position when the tool magazine bodies stop. The present invention is characterized by comprising a plurality of tool holders arranged in a row, and a tool transport mechanism that is movable along the stop position and that takes tools into and out of the tool holders when the tool magazine main body is stopped. Tool storage device.