JP3984097B2 - Pallet changer - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a pallet changer provided in a machine tool such as a horizontal machining center.
[0002]
[Prior art]
For example, in a horizontal machining center, a table that can clamp a pallet on which a workpiece is set is provided in front of a column that is erected on a bed and has a main shaft, and is movable in the axial direction of the main shaft (Z-axis direction). The tool magazine and the control door are arranged facing each other on the left and right sides of the table. In addition, an arm having pallet gripping portions at both ends is provided in front of the table so that it can be turned horizontally, and a turning unit that constitutes a pallet changing device together with the table is provided so that the pallet on the table can be exchanged. Yes. At the time of pallet replacement, the table moves to a position where the arm gripping part waits and delivers the pallet to the gripping part, and then the arm rises and lifts the pallet. Next, the arm pivots horizontally to replace the pallet with the next pallet gripped by the gripping part on the opposite side, and the arm descends and places the next pallet on the table to complete the replacement. .
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the above exchange device, the pivot center of the arm is located on the extension of the table center line, and therefore the pivot range of the arm holding the pallet protrudes greatly outward from the left and right end surfaces of the table. Therefore, the operation door must be provided outside the swivel range of the arm, and the distance between the operator and the table is increased and workability is reduced. In addition, a space for installation on the front side is increased in order to secure a turning range.
On the other hand, since the front space of the pallet is opened by the installation of the swivel unit, the chips are easily scattered in a wide range, and the collection work is troublesome.
[0004]
Accordingly, an object of the invention described in claim 1 is to provide a pallet exchanging device that can maintain good workability with respect to a table and reduce the installation space even when a turning unit is used. Is.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the grip portion is formed in an orientation inclined from a horizontal center line in the direction between the grip portions of the arm, and the pivot center of the arm is defined as follows. It is set so as to be shifted to the left or right of the center line of the table, and at the arm standby position, the arm is inclined with respect to the center line of the table and the gripping part faces the pallet. It is what.
In addition to the object of claim 1, the invention described in claim 2 is provided with a partition that can close the front space of the pallet at the standby position on the arm in order to facilitate the collection of chips. It is one that is located opposite to the central point symmetrical position.
[0006]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a horizontal machining center as a machine tool. The horizontal machining center 1 has a column 3 provided on a bed 2 with a main shaft 4 in front (right side in FIG. 1). The tool magazine 5 is erected. The main shaft 4 is supported by a carrier 6 having a Y-axis guide and movable in the X-axis direction, and is movable in the X-axis and Y-axis directions.
A sliding operation door 7 is provided on the bed 2 on the left side in front of the column 3, and a machining chamber space 8 is formed in front of the spindle 4 with the tool magazine 5. A table 9 movable in the Z-axis direction is provided on the bed 2 in the processing chamber space 8. The table 9 has a flat rectangular pallet 10 on which the work can be fixed placed on the upper surface thereof in a clamped state.
[0007]
On the other hand, a swivel unit 11 is provided in front of the processing chamber space 8 on the bed 2. The turning unit 11 is connected to a turning shaft 12 as a turning center that can be rotated and moved up and down by a motor and a hydraulic cylinder (not shown) provided in the bed 2 and an upper end of the turning shaft 12. The gripping portions 14 and 14 are composed of an arm 13 formed symmetrically with respect to the turning axis 12. Here, the turning shaft 12 is provided at a position shifted from the center line L of the table 9 in the Z-axis direction to the right side in the plane direction on the tool magazine 5 side (that is, the side opposite to the operation door 7). Therefore, the gripping portions 14, 14 provided on the arm 13 are placed on the pallet 10 at the standby position of the arm 13 where one gripping portion 14 is positioned in front of the table 9 for delivery of the pallet 10. It is formed in a direction inclined from the center line of the arm 13 so as to face each other. The turning unit 11 and the table 9 form a pallet changing device. The movement of the table 9, the clamping / unclamping operation of the pallet 10, and the rotation and vertical movement of the arm 13 are performed by well-known NC control similarly to the main shaft 4.
[0008]
On the arm 13, partitions 15 and 15 are erected. The partition 15 is a planar U-shaped plate body that is larger than the width of the arm 13, and is a first partition plate 16 that extends in the Z-axis direction inside the operation door 7 at the standby position of the arm 13, and the first partition plate 16. It consists of a second partition plate 17 parallel to the partition plate 16 and along the right end of the processing chamber space 8, and a third partition plate 18 connecting the front ends of the first and second partition plates 16, 17. In other words, at the standby position of the arm 13, the front side of the processing chamber space 8 (the front space of the pallet 10) where the left and right sides are closed by the operation door 7 and the tool magazine 5 can be closed by the partition 15.
Since the partitions 15 and 15 are also provided point-symmetrically around the turning shaft 12, as in the case of the gripping portions 14 and 14, the screen is independent of any of the gripping portions 14 and 14 in front of the table 9. The processing chamber space 8 can be closed by 15.
[0009]
In the pallet exchanging apparatus configured as described above, the table 9 that clamps the pallet 10 on which the workpiece is placed moves forward at the standby position of the arm 13 after the processing is finished, and the forward movement position (delivery position of the pallet 10). Thus, the grip 14 of the arm 13 enters between the table 9 and the pallet 10. At this time, the pallet 10 on which the next workpiece is placed is held by the holding portion 14 on the opposite side of the arm 13. After the table 9 releases the clamp of the pallet 10, the arm 13 slightly rises and the gripping part 14 lifts the pallet 10 and separates it from the table 9.
[0010]
Next, after the arm 13 rotates 180 ° horizontally and the pallet 10 that has been processed is replaced with the next pallet 10, the arm 13 is lowered. Then, the next pallet 10 is placed on the upper surface of the table 9, and the table 9 clamps the pallet 10. Thereafter, the table 9 slides backward to separate the pallet 10 from the gripping part 14 and set the workpiece on the pallet 10 at the machining position. When machining with the spindle 4, the machining chamber space 8 is surrounded by the operation door 7 and the tool magazine 5 on both the left and right sides, and the front is surrounded by the partition 15 on the arm 13. It will only scatter inside.
[0011]
As described above, according to the pallet exchanging device of the above embodiment, the pivot 13 of the arm 13 is set so as to be shifted from the center line L of the table 9 to the tool magazine 5 side. 1 is accommodated on the bed 2 as shown by the one-dot chain line S in FIG. 1, and the protrusion to the operation door 7 side in particular is reduced. Therefore, the operation door 7 can be arranged close to the table 9, and the distance between the operator and the table 9 when the operation door 7 is opened becomes close to improve workability. Further, since the arm 13 is inclined at the standby position, the length of the bed 2 in the Z-axis direction can be shortened, and the installation space can be reduced.
On the arm 13, the partition 15 capable of closing the front space of the pallet 10 at the standby position is provided at one point symmetrical position with the pivot shaft 12 as the center, so that the front space of the pallet 10 is closed. This makes it possible to reduce the scattering range of chips and facilitate the collection of chips.
[0012]
The shape of the screen is not limited to the above form, and the shape can be changed as appropriate as long as the frontal shape of the pallet can be closed, such as a semicircular shape or a U shape. Depending on the positional relationship, it may be L-shaped or a simple plate. Further, the partition is not limited to the plate body erected, and a ceiling plate that covers the space above the partition can be provided.
[0013]
【The invention's effect】
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the gripping portion is formed in an orientation inclined from the horizontal center line in the direction between the gripping portions in the arm, so that the turning radius of the arm is accommodated on the bed, and the operation door side The protrusion to the can be reduced. Therefore, the operation door can be arranged close to the table, and the distance between the operator and the table when the operation door is opened is reduced, and workability is improved. In addition, since the arm is inclined with respect to the center line of the table at the standby position where the grip portion faces the pallet, the length of the bed in the Z-axis direction can be shortened and the installation space is also small. That's it.
According to the second aspect of the invention, in addition to the effect of the first aspect, the partition that can close the front space of the pallet at the standby position on the arm is opposed to the point-symmetrical position about the turning center. By providing it, the scattering range of chips can be reduced, and the collection of chips becomes easy.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a horizontal machining center.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 .... Horizontal machining center, 2 .... Bed, 3 .... Column, 4. Spindle, 5 .... Tool magazine, 7 .... Control door, 8 .... Processing room space, 9 .... Table, 10 .... Pallet, 11 .. Rotating unit, 12 .. Rotating shaft, 13 .. Arm, 14.

Claims (2)

A table provided on the bed of the machine tool, on which a pallet can be placed and moved in the Z-axis direction, and an arm having gripping portions of the pallet at both ends in front of the table in the moving direction are provided so as to be able to turn horizontally. A pallet exchanging device that enables delivery of the pallet to the gripping part at a standby position of the arm, wherein one of the gripping parts is positioned forward in the moving direction of the table,
The gripping portion is formed in a direction inclined from a horizontal center line in the direction between the gripping portions in the arm ,
The pivot center of the arm is set to be shifted to the left or right with respect to the center line of the table. At the standby position of the arm, the arm is inclined and tilted with respect to the center line of the table. A pallet changer characterized in that the part faces the pallet. 2. The pallet exchanging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a partition capable of closing the front space of the pallet at the standby position is provided on the arm at a point-symmetrical position about the turning center.

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