WO2024090281A1

WO2024090281A1 - Device for machine tool, method for manufacturing device for machine tool, and machine tool

Info

Publication number: WO2024090281A1
Application number: PCT/JP2023/037463
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yuta Watanabe; Takashi Inoue; Junichiro Okuno; Kazuyuki Yamamoto
Original assignee: Dmg Mori Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2022-10-28
Filing date: 2023-10-17
Publication date: 2024-05-02

Abstract

A device for a machine tool includes: a holder having a portion to be fixed to an attaching unit of the machine tool; a holder-attaching unit attached to the holder in a state sandwiched between the holder to be fixed to the attaching unit of the machine tool and an engaging member engaged with the holder; and a functional unit attached to a portion of the holder-attaching unit, the portion being located outside of the holder when viewed along the longitudinal direction of the holder.

Description

DEVICE FOR MACHINE TOOL, METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING DEVICE FOR MACHINE TOOL, AND MACHINE TOOL

This invention relates to a device for a machine tool attachable to the machine tool and the like.

Examples of machine tools include machines in which tools are attached to a spindle to machine a workpiece, machines in which multiple tools are attached to a turret to rotate and machine a workpiece, machines for additive machining that perform machining while melting materials with a laser, and multitasking machines equipped with a combination of these machines.

In recent years, in addition to machining, there has been an increase in the number of functions that can be performed by machine tools, such as observation of a workpiece with a camera attached to a machine tool. In order to implement these functions, devices for machine tools attachable to the machine tools have been developed (PTL 1).

As with a cutting tool, a device for a machine tool needs a mechanism to attach it to a spindle. In the case of cutting tools, a tool such as a face mill is attached to a tool holder, and the shank of the tool holder is fitted into the spindle (PTL 2). The tool holder is a part that can fix a tool to integrate the tool with the spindle of the machine tool. Using the tool holder in a device for a machine tool allows the device for the machine tool to be attached to the spindle in the same way as cutting tools.

JP 6656707 B JP S63-131316 U

As described above, a tool is fixed to the spindle of a machine tool via a tool holder. However, the specifications of tool holders are not standardized for various machine tools. Therefore, the shapes of joint parts of tool holders to be connected to tools also vary. For example, in the case of the "arbor" type, where a protruding portion of the tool holder is inserted into an attachment hole of a tool and then the tool holder and the tool are fixed with a bolt or the like, the diameter of the protruding portion is different for each tool holder.

Because the tool holders vary in shape, a device for a machine tool needs to have an attachment hole depending on the shape of the protruding portion of the tool holder. However, it is undesirable to prepare many types of devices for machine tools according to a large number of tool holders from the viewpoint of manufacturing and management costs.

Of the various joining methods, the arbor is superior in terms of stability during mounting because of its high strength when the protruding portion of the tool holder is fitted into the recessed portion without gaps. For stable imaging, it is desirable that a device for a machine tool be stably mounted on the spindle. However, on the other hand, there are issues as described above.

A device for a machine tool in a certain aspect of the present invention includes: a holder having a portion to be fixed to an attaching unit of the machine tool; a holder-attaching unit attached to the holder in a state sandwiched between the holder to be fixed to the attaching unit of the machine tool and an engaging member engaged with the holder; and a functional unit attached to a portion of the holder-attaching unit, the portion being located outside of the holder when viewed along the longitudinal direction of the holder.

The present invention provides a device for a machine tool, the device being easily adaptable to various types of tool holders.

FIG. 1 is an external view of the inside of a machine tool. FIG. 2 is an exploded assembly view of a cutting tool. FIG. 3 is an exploded assembly view of a device for a machine tool in a reference example. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a functional unit in an embodiment. FIG. 5 is an exploded assembly view of a device for a machine tool in an embodiment. FIGS. 6A to 6D show the appearance of a connected tool holder and a holder-attaching unit. FIG. 7 is a side view of a device for a machine tool in an embodiment.

The following describes a machine tool and a device for the machine tool attachable to the machine tool according to an embodiment with reference to the drawings. In the following description, identical configurations will be represented by the same reference numerals.

An embodiment will be described with reference to a machine tool that can automatically attach a next tool to be used to an attaching unit (e.g., a spindle 100 or a turret) of the machine tool by an automatic tool changer (ATC) when changing tools on the basis of an NC (Numerical Control) program in the process of machining based on the NC program. In the description of the embodiment, an "attaching unit of a machine tool" is the spindle 100. The machine tool of this embodiment machines a workpiece with a tool attached to the spindle. A device for the machine tool can also be attached to the spindle.

FIG. 1 is an external view of the inside of a machine tool.
The illustrated machine tool is a vertical machining center. The machine tool has a bed 802 and a column 804 that is set up on the bed 802. A spindle head 806 is attached to the column 804. The spindle head 806 is movable in the Z-axis direction (vertical direction). A spindle 100 is provided at the tip of the spindle head 806. The spindle 100 includes a cylindrical portion 101 and a rotating member 106 therein. The rotating member 106 is rotatably supported by the cylindrical portion 101 and rotates around a rotation axis extending in the Z-axis direction. A tool or a device 600 for the machine tool is attached to the rotating member 106 of the spindle 100.

The bed 802 is equipped with a saddle 810 that is movable in the Y-direction. A table 814 that is movable in the X-direction is set on the saddle 810. A workpiece to be machined and measured is placed on the table 814. The machine tool changes the relative positions of the workpiece and the spindle 100 by moving the saddle 810 and the table 814 in the X and Y directions. The machine tool also changes the distance between the workpiece and the spindle 100 by moving the spindle head 806 up and down.

The spindle 100 is an example of the "attaching unit of the machine tool" to which the device 600 for the machine tool is attached. When the machine tool is a turning center, the turret corresponds to the "attaching unit of the machine tool". The device 600 for the machine tool may be attached to the turret to image the workpiece. In any case, the device 600 for the machine tool is removably attached to the "attaching unit of the machine" so that it is rotatable with the rotating member 106 inside the "attaching unit of the machine tool" with respect to the machine tool and the cylindrical portion 101. The device 600 for the machine tool, which is attached to the spindle 100, performs predetermined functions (such as imaging, touch measurement, and laser scanning).

The mechanism for attaching the device 600 for the machine tool to the spindle 100 of the machine tool is the same as for the tools. Specifically, the tool holder used for tools is also used for the device 600 for the machine tool. In the following, an example of the use of a tool holder for a cutting tool will be described, followed by a description of the use of a tool holder for the device 600 for the machine tool. The tool holder is primarily a "holder" that can be used to fix a tool and integrate it with the spindle 100.

FIG. 2 is an exploded assembly view of a cutting tool.
The rear side of FIG. 2 corresponds to the spindle 100 side, and the front side corresponds to the workpiece side. Here, a milling tool, which is a type of cutting tool, is shown as an example. The cutter body 400, equipped with a blade, is attached to a tool holder 200 by using a bolt 500. The tool holder 200 of the type illustrated is called an "arbor". The arbor has a protruding portion 204 is formed at the point where the cutting tool is to be held.

The tool holder 200 has a grip portion 212 to be gripped by a tool changer. Behind the grip portion 212 protrudes a shank 202 that is attached to the inside of the spindle 100 of the machine tool. The shank 202 corresponds to a portion that is fixed to the spindle 100 of the machine tool. By attaching the shank 202 to the spindle 100, the tool holder 200 is fixed to the spindle 100. A cylindrical portion 210 that comes in contact with the cutter body 400 is formed in front of the grip portion 212. A protruding portion 204 for holding the cutter body 400 is provided in front of the cylindrical portion 210.

The protruding portion 204 is formed as a hollow cylinder. The protruding portion 204 is inserted into the cutter body 400 with its axial center aligned with that of the cutter body 400. The protruding portion 204 is also referred to as a "spigot joint". A female thread is formed inside the protruding portion 204. This portion is referred to as an "inner threaded portion 206". Thus, a female thread is provided on the axis of the tool holder 200 to fasten the cutter body 400. On the front face of the cylindrical portion 210, two small protrusions are provided close to the outer edge. These protrusions are referred to as "keys 208".

The cutter body 400 has a blade for cutting a workpiece on its periphery. Provided on the rear surface of the back of the cutter body 400 is an attachment hole (not shown) into which the protruding portion 204 is slid. The attachment hole forms a cylindrical space that is assembled with the protruding portion 204 without a gap. Two small cutouts are provided on the outside of the rear surface of the cutter body 400. These cutouts are referred to as "key grooves 404". When the cutter body 400 is attached to the tool holder 200, the keys 208 are fitted into the key grooves 404. The operator aligns the protruding portion 204 with the attachment hole, further aligns the keys 208 with the key grooves 404, and pushes the cutter body 400 into the tool holder 200 so that the two are non-rotatably assembled.

The attachment hole in the cutter body 400 penetrates forward to allow the threaded portion of the bolt 500 to be inserted. The forward end of the attachment hole is a receiving port 402 for the bolt 500 and receives the head of the inserted bolt 500. With the cutter body 400 assembled to the tool holder 200, the bolt 500 is inserted through the receiving port 402 to connect the threaded portion of the bolt 500 with the inner threaded portion 206. The operator inserts the short-handled end of a hexagonal wrench into the hexagonal hole formed in the head of the bolt 500 to fasten the bolt 500 and the inner threaded portion 206. By tightening the bolt 500 against the cutter body 400, the cutter body 400 is strongly fixed to the tool holder 200. The bolt 500 is an example of the engaging member engaged with the tool holder 200. Thus, the cutter body 400 is attached to the tool holder 200 in a state where the cutter body 400 is sandwiched between the tool holder 200 and the engaging member (bolt 500).

The tool holder 200 is also used when the device 600 for the machine tool is attached instead of the tool. The use of the tool holder 200 also allows for removal and attachment operations by the tool changer, as with the cutting tool. In the following, an imaging probe with an imaging function is used as an example of the device for the machine tool, and the configuration in which a functional unit that performs the imaging is directly attached to the tool holder 200 is shown as a reference example. Problems in this reference example will also be pointed out.

FIG. 3 is an exploded assembly view of the device 600 for the machine tool in the reference example.
The device 600 for the machine tool in the reference example is composed of a functional unit 601, a tool holder 200, and a bolt 500. The functional unit 601 is a device having an imaging function. The tool holder 200 and the bolt 500 are the same as those in the configuration shown in FIG. 2. Instead of the cutter body 400 in the configuration shown in FIG. 2, the functional unit 601 is attached to the tool holder 200.

The imaging probe, an example of the device 600 for the machine tool, captures images of the workpiece while attached to the spindle 100 of the machine tool. The functional unit 601 accommodates parts including optical components, such as a camera 610 and a lens 612, and electrical components, such as a control board 608 and batteries 604, within a housing 602 and an acrylic pipe 628. The housing 602 is a cylindrical frame with half of its side being open. The operator connects the housing 602 to the tool holder 200 from the open side and then places each part. A front plate 606 in front of the housing 602 has a first circular hole 637 for illuminating the workpiece and for the camera 610 to capture images.

The housing 602 has the same attaching mechanism as the cutter body 400 shown in FIG. 2. Specifically, an attachment hole is provided in a back plate 605 at the rear of the housing 602. Key grooves are provided on the outside of the back plate 605. The operator aligns the protruding portion 204 with the attachment hole in the housing 602, further aligns the keys 208 with the key grooves, and pushes the housing 602 into the tool holder 200, so that the two are non-rotatably assembled. The housing 602 is then fixed to the tool holder 200 by inserting the bolt 500 through the receiving port 603 to connect with the inner threaded portion 206. Here, the short handle of the hexagonal wrench is inserted inside the housing 602 to perform the fastening. The back plate 605 of the housing 602 is attached to the tool holder 200 in a state where the back plate 605 is sandwiched between the tool holder 200 and the engaging member (bolt 500).

After the above-mentioned connecting operations are completed, the operator places each part in the housing 602. The camera 610 and the lens 612 are placed in the rear of the housing 602, facing forward. The batteries 604 are placed on respective sides of the camera 610 and lens 612. A camera-fixing plate 614, a camera mount 616, a ring illumination device 618, an acrylic window 622, and a packing (rubber seal) 624 are arranged in this order from back to front with their axial centers being aligned with that of the lens 612.

Subsequently, a board-fixing plate 607 is attached above the camera 610. The control board 608 is placed on the board-fixing plate 607. With all parts accommodated and the necessary wiring completed, the acrylic pipe 628 is fitted to the outside of the housing 602. After covering the front plate 606 of the housing 602 with a front cap 626, the front cap 626, the front plate 606 of the housing 602, and the camera mount 616 are connected with screws 636.

In this way, the bolt 500 is fastened first, and the housing 602 is attached to the tool holder 200 before the functional unit 601 is assembled. The reason for fastening the bolt 500 first is that if the functional unit 601 is assembled first, the parts in the functional unit 601 will prevent the insertion of the hexagonal wrench, making it impossible to fasten the bolt 500.

In the reference example, the work to remove the tool holder 200 from the assembled device 600 for the machine tool cannot be performed with the parts housed. This is because the operator cannot put the hexagonal wrench inside the housing 602. In other words, in order to rotate the bolt 500, it is not enough to remove the front cap 626 and the acrylic pipe 628, but most of the parts need to be removed. If the user were to replace it with another tool holder 200, the user would have to go through the complicated process of disassembling the functional unit 601 and then reassembling it in the same way again.

The device 600 for the machine tool of the present embodiment shown below has a structure in which the tool holder 200 can be replaced without disassembling the functional unit 601 after the assembly.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the functional unit 601 in the embodiment.
The functional unit 601 in the embodiment is the same as that in the reference example (FIG. 3), except for the structure of the back plate 605. The front cap 626 is fixed by screws 636. The ring illumination device 618 is located inside the first circular hole of the front cap 626. The ring illumination device 618 illuminates the workpiece, and a camera 610, not shown, captures images of the workpiece through the center hole of the ring illumination device 618. In the acrylic pipe 628, there are provided the batteries 604 that supply power to the camera 610 and the ring illumination device 618, and a control board 608 that controls the camera 610 and the ring illumination device 618, among others. Infrared LEDs 630 and Status LEDs 632 are placed near the rear of the functional unit 601. The back plate 605 is ring-shaped with a second circular hole 638 in the center. The back plate 605 has eight female threaded holes 640 at even intervals.

FIG. 5 is an exploded assembly view of the device 600 for the machine tool in the embodiment.
The device 600 for the machine tool in the embodiment is composed of the functional unit 601, the tool holder 200, the bolt 500, and a holder-attaching unit 300. In the embodiment, the functional unit 601 and the tool holder 200 are connected via the holder-attaching unit 300. The holder-attaching unit 300 connects the tool holder 200 with the functional unit 601. The holder-attaching unit 300 is a component used to absorb the diversity of tool holders 200 and unify the structure of the functional unit 601, as described in detail below. The tool holder 200 and the bolt 500 are the same as those in FIG. 2. In this figure, the parts housed inside the functional unit 601 are omitted from illustration. It is assumed that the functional unit 601 has already been assembled.

The holder-attaching unit 300 includes a first joint portion 310 that contacts the cylindrical portion 210 of the tool holder 200, a second joint portion 330 that contacts the back plate 605 of the functional unit 601, a slope portion 320 that connects the first joint portion 310 and the second joint portion 330, and an insertion portion 340 that is inserted into the second circular hole 638 of the back plate 605. The holder-attaching unit 300 has an attachment hole 334 into which the protruding portion 204 of the tool holder 200 is inserted. Key grooves 304 are provided on the outside of the first joint portion 310. Through-holes 332 are provided in the second joint portion 330. Through the through-holes 332, the holder-attaching unit 300 and the functional unit 601 are connected by male screws. A power switch 322 is provided on the slope portion 320.

In the assembly process, the operator first attaches the holder-attaching unit 300 to the tool holder 200. Several types of holder-attaching units 300 are prepared in advance according to the multiple types of tool holders 200. More specifically, there are multiple holder-attaching units 300 with different diameters of attachment holes 334, and the operator selects the holder-attaching unit 300 in accordance with the type of the tool holder 200. The operator inserts the protruding portion 204 of the tool holder 200 into the attachment hole 334 of the selected holder-attaching unit 300, aligns the keys 208 with the key grooves 304, and pushes the holder-attaching unit 300 into the tool holder 200. The operator then fixes the holder-attaching unit 300 to the tool holder 200 by inserting the bolt 500 through the receiving port 302 of the holder-attaching unit 300 and connecting it with the inner threaded portion 206. The bolt 500 corresponds to the engaging member engaged with the tool holder 200. The above process joins the holder-attaching unit 300 and the tool holder 200. At this point, the functional unit 601 is not yet attached.

FIGS. 6A to 6D show the appearance of the connected tool holder 200 and the holder-attaching unit 300.
FIG. 6A is a front perspective view and FIG. 6B is a rear perspective view. FIG. 6C is a front view and FIG. 6D is a rear view.

As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6C, a packing 344 is provided inside the through-holes 332 of the second joint portion 330. The insertion portion 340 has a contact point on the front side of the first connector 342 that penetrates the holder-attaching unit 300. The first connector 342 is a connector for charging. The insertion portion 340 also has a contact point 323 that connects to the power switch 322. In addition, the insertion portion 340 has a gas vent valve 346 provided at the end of a gas vent hole 348 that penetrates the holder-attaching unit 300.

As shown in FIGS. 6B and 6D, the slope portion 320 is provided with a contact point at the rear side of the first connector 342 and the power switch 322. The end of the through-hole 332 in the second joint portion 330 is a male screw receiving port.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the device 600 for the machine tool in the embodiment.
Next, the method of attaching the functional unit 601 to the holder-attaching unit 300 will be described. The operator inserts the insertion portion 340 of the holder-attaching unit 300 into the second circular hole 638 formed in the back plate 605 of the functional unit 601. With the second joint portion 330 contacting the back plate 605, male screws 700 are screwed into the receiving port of the through-hole 332 to connect the male screws 700 with the female threaded holes 640. By tightening the male screws 700 at eight locations, the functional unit 601 is attached to the holder-attaching unit 300.

The through-holes 332 are located outside of the side of the cylindrical portion 210 which has the largest diameter in the tool holder 200. In other words, the through-holes 332 are located outside of the tool holder 200 when viewed along the longitudinal direction of the tool holder 200. The functional unit 601 is attached to this portion by the male screws 700. Since the through-holes 332 and the female threaded holes 640 are located outside the tool holder 200, the screwdriver does not interfere with the tool holder 200, allowing the operator to perform the fastening easily.

In this operation, the contact point on the front side of the first connector 342 of the holder-attaching unit 300 shown in FIGS. 6A to 6D is connected to the second connector in the functional unit 601. The second connector is connected to the batteries 604 (see FIG. 4) by a power line. The first connector 342 in the holder-attaching unit 300 is provided at a position contacting the second connector. By connecting a charger to the rear contact point of the first connector 342, the batteries 604 incorporated in the functional unit 601 can be charged while the functional unit 601 remains attached to the holder-attaching unit 300.

Furthermore, the contact point 323 of the power switch 322 shown in FIGS. 6A to 6D is connected to a third connector (not shown) in the functional unit 601. The third connector is connected by an electrical wire to the control board 608 (see FIG. 4). The contact point 323 of the power switch 322 is provided in the surface contacting the inside of the functional unit 601, and the third connector is provided at a position to connect with the contact point 323 of the power switch 322 when the functional unit 601 is attached to the holder-attaching unit 300. Therefore, by operating the power switch 322, the operator can turn the power of the functional unit 601 on and off while the functional unit 601 remains attached to the holder-attaching unit 300.

The airtightness of the interior of the functional unit 601 is maintained by the packing 344 shown in FIGS. 6A and 6C. If there is a manufacturing defect in the batteries 604, gas may be generated when the battery is overcharged. Even if gas is generated due to a defect in the battery 604, the gas is vented through the gas vent hole 348 shown in FIG. 6A. The gas vent hole 348 connects the outside of the device 600 for the machine tool to the inside of the functional unit 601 where the batteries 604 are located. Since the gas vent hole 348 leads to the interior space of the functional unit 601, the gas generated inside is released to the outside through the gas vent hole 348. This prevents the gas from being trapped in the functional unit 601 and causing the internal pressure of the functional unit 601 to rise excessively. The gas vent valve 346 provided at the end of the gas vent hole 348 is a vent filter that allows gas to be discharged in the event of an abnormality (when the internal pressure rises) while maintaining waterproof property. Discharging gas and controlling the rise in internal pressure can prevent malfunctions such as deformation or breakage of the acrylic pipe 628.

The method for manufacturing the device 600 for the machine tool is summarized as follows.
The operator first assembles the device 600 for the machine tool. Next, the operator fixes the holder-attaching unit 300 to the tool holder 200 by using the bolt 500. Finally, the operator attaches the functional unit 601 to the through-holes 332 of the holder-attaching unit 300, which are located outside of the tool holder 200 when viewed along the longitudinal direction of the tool holder 200. The tool holder integrated with the device 600 for the machine tool is attached to the spindle of the machine tool.

ADAPTABILITY TO A VARIETY OF TOOL HOLDERS 200
According to the embodiment, the device 600 for the machine tool having the common functional unit 601 can be manufactured regardless of the type and shape of the tool holder 200. For example, consider the case of adaptability to three types of tool holders A, B, and C. Assume that the tool holders A to C have different shapes of joints (shapes of the protruding portion 204, the keys 208, and the bolt 500). In the case of the reference example, three types of functional units 601 having parts such as the camera 610 and the control board 608 need to be prepared. This is because the three types of functional units A to C with different shapes of the back plate 605 (FIG. 3) need to be prepared for each of the tool holders A to C to be supported. In contrast, in the embodiment, it is sufficient to prepare only one type of functional unit 601. This is because the structural differences among the tool holders A to C can be absorbed by preparing three types of holder-attaching units A to C corresponding to the shapes of the joint portions of tool holders A to C. Therefore, any of the three types of tool holders A to C can be accommodated by selecting one of the holder-attaching units A to C and attaching it to the common functional unit 601.

In the reference example, if it is not decided which one of the tool holders A to C is to be used, the one of the housings A to C to be used cannot be specified, and assembly work cannot be performed; in contrast, in the case of the embodiment, there is only one type of housing 602, and the functional unit 601 can be assembled first before the one of the tool holders A to C to be used is decided. This is because once the one of the tool holders A to C is decided, the one of the holder-attaching units A to C that is compatible with the selected one of the tool holders A to C can be selected and attached to the functional unit 601. Therefore, the manufacturing process is easier to manage.

In addition, manufacturing and management costs are reduced by having only one type of functional unit 601. For example, compared with metal such as iron or aluminum, the holder-attaching unit 300 made of high-strength resin is easier to mold and reduces material costs. Thus, by separating the housing 602 and the holder-attaching unit 300 as individual parts, it is possible to make the holder-attaching unit 300 from a different material than the housing 602.

MANAGEABILITY OF FUNCTIONAL UNIT 601
According to the embodiment, the functional unit 601 can be used with multiple tool holders 200 without disassembly. For example, assume that a tool holder A attached to the device 600 for the machine tool is to be changed to a tool holder B. When the functional unit 601 is removed from a holder-attaching unit A or reattached to a holder-attaching unit B, it is sufficient to work only with the male screws 700. Since the bolt 500 is not involved, there is no need to do any work inside the functional unit 601. In the reference example, however, when removing the tool holder A from the functional unit 601, the functional unit 601 needs to be disassembled in order to turn the bolt 500. Also, after the tool holder B is attached, the parts of the functional unit 601 need to be reassembled. Thus, the functional unit 601 in the embodiment is highly convenient because this functional unit 601 is easily attached and detached and does not require disassembly and reassembly.

FAILURE PREVENTION
According to the embodiment, the packing 344, which maintains airtightness, can prevent failure of optical components and electrical components, among others, due to coolant or water intrusion. In addition, the gas vent hole 348 and the gas vent valve 346 can prevent an increase in internal air pressure when gas is generated from the batteries 604, thereby preventing malfunctions such as deformation of or damage to the acrylic pipe 628.

IMPROVED OPERABILITY
The power switch 322 provided in the embodiment simplifies the ON/OFF operations of the power supply of the device 600 for the machine tool. The first connector 342 allows easy charging of the batteries 604. If the power switch 322 and the first connector 342 are provided on a side of the functional unit 601, a gap may be created at the machining point of the acrylic pipe 628 and airtightness may not be maintained. In contrast, in the embodiment, the power switch 322 and the first connector 342 are provided in the holder-attaching unit 300, making it easier to maintain airtightness.

MODIFICATIONS
An arbor with a protrusion for holding the cutting tool is shown as an example of the tool holder 200, but a tool holder 200 other than the arbor may be used. For example, a tool holder 200 with a recess for holding the cutting tool may be used.

The device 600 for the machine tool, which is attachable to the machine tool, may include, but is not limited to, an imaging device other than an imaging probe, a touch probe, a laser scanner, an angle head, a tool with an angle head, a power tool, a tool with functions, an ultrasonic generator, and a laser oscillator.

The device 600 for the machine tool may be attached to an attaching unit of a multitasking machine.

The machine tool has a machining unit, a tool changer, a programmable logic controller (PLC), and a numerical control unit. The machining unit performs machining of the workpiece. The machining unit includes an attaching unit to which a tool or a device 600 for the machine tool is attached and a drive unit such as a servomotor that rotates a shaft. If the machine tool is a machining center, the spindle corresponds to the attaching unit, and the servo motor that rotates the spindle corresponds to the drive unit. The drive unit of the machining center also moves the attaching unit (spindle) to which the device 600 for the machine tool is attached. If the machine tool is a turning center, the turret corresponds to the attaching unit, and the machine tool has a drive unit that moves the turret in addition to a servomotor that rotates a rotary shaft to which the workpiece is attached. The drive unit of the turning center moves the attaching unit (turret) to which the device for the machine tool is attached. The machining unit includes a tool magazine that can hold a number of tools and devices 600 for the machine tool, which are to be attached to the attaching unit.

The numerical control unit executes a numerical control program and operates the machining unit of the machine tool according to the commands specified in the numerical control program. The numerical control unit also controls the movement of the attaching unit based on the numerical control program and gives instructions for changing tools and devices for the machine tool. The numerical control unit is a kind of information processor that includes a processor (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU)) and a memory. Therefore, the numerical control unit can implement the above-mentioned functions, such as control and instructions, by executing the numerical control program.

The above embodiments and the above modifications are described as examples of the technology disclosed in this application. However, the technology of this disclosure is not limited thereto and may be applied to embodiments with modifications, substitutions, additions, and omissions as appropriate.

This application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-173288 filed on October 28, 2022, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.

Claims

A device for a machine tool, comprising:
a holder having a portion to be fixed to an attaching unit of the machine tool;
a holder-attaching unit attached to the holder in a state sandwiched between the holder to be fixed to the attaching unit of the machine tool and an engaging member engaged with the holder; and
a functional unit attached to a portion of the holder-attaching unit, the portion being located outside of the holder when viewed along the longitudinal direction of the holder.
The device according to claim 1, wherein
the functional unit incorporates a battery, and
the holder-attaching unit has a gas vent valve for discharging gas generated by overcharging of the battery.
The device according to claim 1, wherein
the holder-attaching unit has a first connector in a surface contacting the inside of the functional unit, and
the functional unit has a second connector that is connected to the first connector.
The device according to claim 1, wherein the holder-attaching unit has a power switch connected to a contact point in a surface contacting the inside of the functional unit.
A method of manufacturing a device for a machine tool, comprising:
a first step of attaching a holder-attaching unit to a holder having a portion to be fixed to an attaching unit of the machine tool, and fixing the holder-attaching unit to the holder by an engaging member,
a second step of attaching a functional unit to a portion of the holder-attaching unit, the portion being located outside of the holder when viewed along the longitudinal direction of the holder.
A machine tool comprising the device according to claim 1.
A machine tool, comprising:
a movable attaching unit;
a numerical control unit that controls movement of the attaching unit based on a program; and
a device for the machine tool, the device being attachable to the attaching unit, wherein
the device for the machine tool includes:
a holder having a portion fixed to the attaching unit;
a holder-attaching unit attached to the holder in a state sandwiched between the holder fixed to the attaching unit and an engaging member engaged with the holder; and
a functional unit attached to a portion of the holder-attaching unit, the portion being located outside of the holder when viewed along the longitudinal direction of the holder.