# US 10,478,932 B1 · Machining center

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,478,932 B1
- Document ID: US10478932B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 16/403,989
- Filed: 2019-05-06
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2018-11-07
- Assignees: Buffalo Machinery Company Limited
- Applicants: Buffalo Machinery Company Limited
- Inventors: Paul Chang; Chia-Hui Tang; Hsun-Fu Chiang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10478932B1

## CPC

- B23Q 7/18: Orienting work on conveyors
- B23Q 1/012: {Portals}
- B23Q 1/015: {Frames, beds, pillars}
- B23Q 1/626: {followed perpendicularly by a single sliding pair}
- B23Q 1/66: Worktables interchangeably movable into operating positions
- B23Q 7/1431: {Work holder changers (B23Q7/1442 takes precedence)}
- B23Q 7/1494: {using grippers}
- B23Q 11/08: Protective coverings for parts of machine tools; Splash guards
- B23Q 17/005: {by measuring a force, a pressure or a deformation}
- B23Q 1/5406: {a single rotating pair followed perpendicularly by a single rotating pair (B23Q1/545 takes precedence)}
- Y10T 29/5196: Multiple station with conveyor
- B23Q: DETAILS, COMPONENTS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR MACHINE TOOLS, e.g. ARRANGEMENTS FOR COPYING OR CONTROLLING (tools of the kind used in lathes or boring machines B23B27/00); MACHINE TOOLS IN GENERAL CHARACTERISED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF PARTICULAR DETAILS OR COMPONENTS; COMBINATIONS OR ASSOCIATIONS OF METAL-WORKING MACHINES, NOT DIRECTED TO A PARTICULAR RESULT
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A machining center includes a machine bed, a work table unit, a sliding unit, a first driving unit, a conveying member, a second driving unit and a loading seat. The machine bed has a machining zone and a transferring zone. The first driving unit is operable for driving the conveying member to move along a conveying axis which extends in a first direction, thereby driving the loading seat to move along first adjusting axes which extend in the first direction between the transferring and machining zones. The second driving unit is operable for driving the loading seat to move along second adjusting axes which extend in a second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction and which is substantially vertical.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A machining center comprising:
a machine bed having
a top surface,
a bottom surface that is opposite to said top surface,
a machining zone that is defined between said top and bottom surfaces,
a transferring zone that is defined between said top and bottom surfaces, said machining zone and said transferring zone being arranged in a first direction, and
a gate that is disposed between said machining and transferring zones;
a work table unit mounted in said machining zone of said machine bed;
a sliding unit mounted to said top surface, being slidable along a first sliding axis which extends in the first direction, and including a tool spindle that is movably disposed above said work table unit;
a first driving unit mounted in said transferring zone and extending in the first direction;
a conveying member disposed between said first driving unit and said bottom surface of said machine bed, and movably mounted to said first driving unit;
a second driving unit co-movably mounted to said conveying member; and
a loading seat movably mounted to said second driving unit;
wherein said first driving unit is operable for driving said conveying member to move along a conveying axis which extends in the first direction, thereby driving said loading seat to move along first adjusting axes which extend in the first direction between said transferring and machining zones via said gate; and
wherein said second driving unit is operable for driving said loading seat to move along second adjusting axes which extend in a second direction, which are perpendicular to the first direction, and which are substantially vertical.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The machining center as claimed in claim 1, wherein said work table unit includes:
a base seat having a shaft that is rotatably mounted to said machine bed and that extends along a first axis extending in a third direction which is perpendicular to the first and second directions;
a first rotary driver operable for rotating said shaft of said base seat about the first axis, thereby driving said base seat to rotate about the first axis relative to said machine bed;
said work table co-rotatably mounted to said base seat; and
a second rotary driver operable for driving said work table to rotate relative to said base seat about a second axis which extends substantially in the second direction.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The machining center as claimed in claim 2, wherein:
said loading seat is L-shaped, and has an upstanding portion that is movably mounted to said second driving unit, and a bearing portion that is transverse to said upstanding portion;
said machining center further comprises a sensor unit that includes
a sensor mounted in said transferring zone of said machine bed for measuring a deformation of said bearing portion toward said bottom surface, and
a control module electrically connected to said sensor and said first rotary driver of said work table unit; and
said sensor is capable of sending a signal of the deformation to said control module, so that said control module controls said first rotary driver to actuate the rotation of said base seat of said work table unit about the first axis in accordance therewith.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The machining center as claimed in claim 2, wherein said work table has a top end surface, and a plurality of positioning protrusions connected to said top end surface and adapted to be engaged with positioning holes of a workpiece pallet which are formed in a bottom end surface of the workpiece pallet when the workpiece pallet is disposed on said work table.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The machining center as claimed in claim 4, wherein:
said loading seat is L-shaped, and has an upstanding portion that is movably mounted to said second driving unit, and a bearing portion that is transverse to said upstanding portion;
said machining center further comprises a sensor unit that includes
a sensor mounted to said bearing portion of said loading seat for measuring a sum of weights of a workpiece pallet and at least one workpiece; and
a control module electrically connected to said sensor and said first rotary driver of said work table unit, and having built-in matching data that matches the sum of weights to a corresponding value of the deformation of said bearing portion relative to said bottom surface; and
said sensor is capable of sending a signal of the sum of weights to said control module, so that said control module controls said first rotary driver to actuate the rotation of said base seat of said work table unit about the first axis in accordance with said value of the deformation.