US 6,125,731 A · Feeder for an industrial machine, particularly a turret punch press, and an industrial machine utilizing the same

Abstract

A ball screw spline shaft 41 is driven for rotation by a drive motor 53 provided at least on one end thereof. When a feeder ball nut 61 moves in response to the rotation of the ball screw spline shaft 41 from one end of the ball screw spline shaft 41 toward the other end, intermediate supports 65 on both sides thereof travel in the same direction at a lower speed on a support guide 67 and the ball screw spline shaft 41. As a result, the intermediate supports 65 on both sides are located in positions around the middle of the distances between the feeder ball nut and both of the ends and moves while supporting the ball screw spline shaft 41. This increases the critical speed of the ball screw spline shaft 41 to increase the speed of rotation of the ball screw spline shaft 41.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A feeder for an industrial machine, comprising:

a ball screw spline shaft formed with a ball screw thread groove and a ball spline groove in a crossing relationship with each other and rotatably supported on both ends thereof;
a drive motor provided on at least one end of the ball screw spline shaft;
a feeder ball nut engaged with the ball screw spline shaft;
an object to be fed to which the feeder ball nut is attached;
an intermediate support driven directly by the rotation of the ball screw spline shaft for movement on the ball screw spline shaft in the same direction as the feeder ball nut at a speed which is at least equal to or lower than the moving speed of the feeder ball nut;
and
a support guide for guiding the intermediate support in a manner such that the intermediate support is movably supported.

4 more elements

A feeder for an industrial machine, comprising:

a ball screw spline shaft formed with a ball screw thread groove and a ball spline groove in a crossing relationship with each other and rotatably supported on both ends thereof;
a drive motor provided on at least one end of the ball screw spline shaft;
a feeder ball nut engaged with the ball screw spline shaft;
an object to be fed to which the feeder ball nut is attached;
intermediate supports driven directly by the rotation of the ball screw spline shaft for movement on the ball screw spline shaft in the same direction as the feeder ball nut at a speed which is lower than the moving speed of the feeder ball nut, the intermediate supports arranged on both sides of the feeder ball nut;
and
a support guide for guiding the intermediate supports in a manner such that the intermediate supports are movably supported.

4 more elements

A feeder for an industrial machine, comprising:

a ball screw spline shaft formed with a ball screw thread groove and a ball spline groove in a crossing relationship with each other and rotatably supported on both ends thereof;
a drive motor provided on at least one end of the ball screw spline shaft;
a feeder ball nut engaged with the ball screw spline shaft;
an object to be fed to which the feeder ball nut is attached;
intermediate supports driven by the rotation of the ball screw spline shaft for movement on the ball screw spline shaft in the same direction as the feeder ball nut at a speed which is lower than the moving speed of the feeder ball nut, the intermediate supports arranged on both sides of the feeder ball nut;
and
a support guide for guiding the intermediate supports in a manner such that the intermediate supports are movably supported;
each of the intermediate supports comprising:
an intermediate support main body movably provided on the support guide;
a spline sleeve engaged with the ball spline groove of the ball screw spline shaft and rotatably provided in the intermediate support main body;
and
a speed-converting rotation transmission for transmitting the rotation of the spline sleeve to the intermediate ball nut in the same direction with the speed of rotation converted;
wherein:
the intermediate supports are arranged on the ball screw spline shaft on both sides of the feeder ball nut;
the two intermediate supports are spaced at an interval being substantially one-half of the entire length of the ball screw spline shaft;
and
the moving speed of the intermediate supports is set at one-half of the moving speed of the feeder ball nut.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Feeder for an industrial machine, particularly a turret punch press, and an industrial machine utilizing the same

Life of this patent

Feeder for an industrial machine, particularly a turret punch press, and an industrial machine utilizing the same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16