Tool Changer
AssigneeDmg Mori Co., Ltd.
InventorsDai Wakisaka, Taketo Kimura
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tool changer includes a tool magazine, a support shaft disposed to have a center axis parallel to an axis of a tool spindle, a drive mechanism for rotating the support shaft about the center axis and moving the support shaft in the axial direction, three tool change arms fixed to the support shaft and each having a tool holding unit, a tool transfer mechanism for transferring a tool pot from the tool magazine to a standby position, and a provisional placing pot disposed at a provisional placing position. The tool changer starts a tool change operation in a state where a tool to be attached to the tool spindle, a tool to be used next, and a tool to be used after the next tool are held by the tool holding units of the tool change arms.
Claims8
A tool changer disposed at a tool change position in a machine tool for changing a tool attached to a spindle with a next tool, comprising:
- a support shaft disposed to have a center axis parallel to an axis of the spindle and provided to be rotatable about the center axis and to be movable in approaching and separating directions relative to the spindle, the approaching and separating directions being parallel to the axis of the spindle;
- a drive mechanism for rotating the support shaft in normal and reverse directions about the center axis and moving the support shaft in the approaching and separating directions along the axis of the spindle;
- a tool change arm disposed on the support shaft to extend in a radial direction with respect to the center axis of the support shaft in a plane perpendicular to the center axis, having a tool holding unit, and holding a tool with the tool holding unit in such a manner that an axis of the tool is parallel to the center axis of the support shaft, the tool holding unit being opening to one of side surfaces of the tool change arm in the normal and reverse directions for rotating the support shaft;
- a tool magazine holding a plurality of tools;
- a standby position pot provided at a position for taking a tool in and out of the tool magazine for holding the tool, the position corresponding to a turning circle followed by the tool holding unit of the tool change arm;
- and
- a tool transfer mechanism for transferring a tool between the tool magazine and the standby position pot,
- the tool changer comprising at least three said tool change arms in a common plane perpendicular to the center axis of the support shaft,
- the tool holding units of the tool change arms being positioned on a common pitch circle having its center on the center axis of the support shaft, and
- rotating the support shaft causes a tool attached to the spindle to be held by the tool holding unit of one of the tool change arms and a tool held by the standby position pot to be held by the tool holding unit of another one of the tool change arms.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.