Spindle unit with switchable gear, and method for using the spindle unit
AssigneeSiemens Aktiengesellschaft
InventorMax Herla
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and a method are described that facilitate gear switching of a motor-driven spindle. A spindle head shaft is driven by a drive shaft via a gear mechanism in a first gear position. The drive shaft, including a rotor, can be switched from the first gear position to a second gear position where the spindle head shaft is connected by interference fit directly with the drive shaft without the interposed gear mechanism. The spindle head shaft can then be directly driven by the drive shaft in the second gear position. This eliminates the need to dismantle an anterior spindle from the drive unit.
Claims10
A spindle unit for a machine tool, comprising:
- a drive unit having a drive shaft,
- a spindle head assembly constructed to receive a tool and having a hollow spindle head shaft which is driven by the drive unit, said spindle head assembly being constructed for removal from the drive unit;
- a gear mechanism arranged between the drive unit and the spindle head assembly, wherein the gear mechanism is constructed for at least partial connection to the spindle head assembly;
- and
- a shifting unit for axially moving the drive shaft in such a way that in a first position the drive shaft is forced into engagement with the spindle head assembly through intervention of the gear mechanism, and in a second position is forced into direct engagement with the spindle head assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.