# US 11,992,906 B2 · Machine tool

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- Number: US 11,992,906 B2
- Document ID: US11992906B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/002,073
- Filed: 2021-06-21
- Published: 2023-07-20
- Granted: 2024-05-28
- Earliest claimed: 2020-06-26
- Assignees: Fanuc Corporation
- Applicants: Fanuc Corporation
- Inventors: Naoya Ishiyama
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11992906B2

## CPC

- B23Q 1/0009: {Energy-transferring means or control lines for movable machine parts; Control panels or boxes; Control parts (control handles for driving or feeding mechanisms B23Q5/54)}
- H02G 11/006: {using extensible carrier for the cable, e.g. self-coiling spring (extensible conductors or cables H01B7/06)}
- B23Q 5/40: by feed shaft, e.g. lead screw
- 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
- H02G: INSTALLATION OF ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES, OR OF COMBINED OPTICAL AND ELECTRIC CABLES OR LINES

## Abstract

A machine tool including a base, a slider that is supported to be linearly movable in a direction with respect to the base, a ball screw configured to cause the slider to linearly move with respect to the base, and a chain-like carrier used for wiring a movable wire body between the base and the slider. The carrier is disposed between the base and the slider and curved in a U-shape around an axis extending in a direction in which the base and the slider are apart from each other, one end of the carrier is fixed to the slider and an other end of the carrier is fixed to the base, and a curved portion of the carrier, which is curved in the U-shape, is disposed at a position where the curved portion crosses an extension line of an axis of the ball screw.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A machine tool comprising:
a base;
a slider that is supported to be linearly movable in a direction with respect to the base;
a ball screw configured to cause the slider to linearly move with respect to the base; and
a chain-like carrier used for wiring a movable wire body between the base and the slider,
wherein the carrier is disposed between the base and the slider and curved in a U-shape around an axis extending in a direction in which the base and the slider are apart from each other,
one end of the carrier is fixed to the slider and an other end of the carrier is fixed to the base, and
a curved portion of the carrier, which is curved in the U-shape, is disposed at a position where the curved portion crosses an extension line of an axis of the ball screw.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The machine tool according to claim 1, wherein
the slider is supported so as to be movable in a horizontal direction,
the machine tool comprises a guide member to which the other end of the carrier is fixed, and
the guide member includes a horizontal support plane that supports a bottom surface of the carrier that moves in accordance with the movement of the slider, and is configured to be attached to the base in a detachable manner, at one of a first position where the curved portion is disposed at the position where the curved portion crosses the extension line of the axis of the ball screw and a second position where the curved portion is disposed at a position where the curved portion crosses an area above the ball screw.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The machine tool according to claim 2, wherein
the base includes a seating surface to which the guide member is detachably fixed, and
the guide member includes two attachment surfaces configured to place the guide member at the first position or the second position by being selectively fixed to the seating surface.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The machine tool according to claim 2, wherein
the base includes two seating surfaces to which the guide member is detachably fixed, and
the guide member includes an attachment surface configured to place the guide member at the first position or the second position by being fixed to one of the seating surfaces.