Processing equipment

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a processing device that can fasten a nut with sufficient torque in a short time. [Solution] A processing device 2, when the nut holding part 116 is rotated forward at a first rotational speed to screw the nut 64 onto the male screw 58a of the boss part 58 and the torque has reached a threshold, the nut holding part 116 is rotated in reverse. Then, the nut holding part 116 is rotated forward at a second rotational speed lower than the first rotational speed. When the nut 64 has been screwed onto the male screw 58a of the boss part 58 and the torque has reached the threshold, the screwing of the nut 64 is stopped to complete the fastening.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a processing apparatus, comprising a holding mechanism for holding a workpiece, a cutting mechanism equipped with a cutting blade for cutting the workpiece held in the holding mechanism, and a cutting blade mounting mechanism for mounting the cutting blade to the cutting mechanism. [Previous Technology]

[0002] A wafer formed on the front side by dividing multiple devices such as ICs and LSIs by predetermined dividing lines can be divided into individual device chips by a processing device equipped with cutting blades, and the divided device chips can be applied to electrical machines such as mobile phones and personal computers.

[0003] The applicant of this invention has proposed a machining apparatus having a cutting blade mounting mechanism that automatically changes the cutting blade (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] The cutting mechanism of this machining apparatus includes: a rotating shaft; a fixed flange disposed at the front end of the rotating shaft and supporting the back of the cutting blade; a boss portion protruding from the center portion of the fixed flange and fitting into an opening formed in the center portion of the cutting blade; and a male screw formed at the front end of the boss portion.

[0005] Furthermore, the cutting tool mounting mechanism includes a nut retaining portion, and the cutting tool can be automatically mounted onto the cutting mechanism. The aforementioned nut retaining portion detachably retains the nut, and the aforementioned nut and the fixing flange clamp the cutting tool already embedded in the boss portion. (Prior Art Documents, Patent Documents)

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-98536 [Summary of the Invention]

[0007] The problem the invention aims to solve

[0008] However, if the nut is tightened by rotating the nut retainer at a relatively high speed before the torque (load current value) of the nut retainer reaches the predetermined value, there may be a situation where the tightening force is insufficient even though the torque has reached the predetermined value, resulting in the nut coming loose during processing.

[0009] On the other hand, although if the nut retainer is rotated at a relatively low speed to tighten the nut until the torque of the nut retainer reaches a predetermined value, the tightening force will be sufficient and the problem of the nut coming loose during processing will be solved. However, there will be a problem that tightening the nut will take longer and reduce productivity.

[0010] The objective of this invention is to provide a processing apparatus that can tighten a nut with sufficient torque in a short time. Means for solving this objective

[0011] According to the present invention, a processing apparatus that solves the above-mentioned problems can be provided. That is, it can provide: "A processing apparatus comprising: a holding mechanism for holding a workpiece; a cutting mechanism equipped with a cutting insert for cutting the workpiece held in the holding mechanism; and a cutting insert mounting mechanism for mounting the cutting insert to the cutting mechanism, the cutting mechanism comprising: a rotating shaft; a fixing flange disposed at the front end of the rotating shaft and supporting the back of the cutting insert; a boss portion protruding from the central portion of the fixing flange and fitting into an opening formed in the central portion of the cutting insert; and a male screw formed at the front end of the boss portion, the cutting insert mounting mechanism comprising a nut retaining portion, the nut retaining portion being detachably retaining a nut, the nut and the fixing flange clamping the cutting insert embedded in the boss portion." When the nut retainer is rotated clockwise at a first rotational speed to engage the nut with the male screw and the torque reaches a threshold, the nut retainer is rotated counterclockwise. Then, the nut retainer is rotated clockwise at a second rotational speed lower than the first rotational speed. Once the nut is engaged with the male screw and the torque has reached the threshold, the rotation of the nut retainer is stopped, thus completing the tightening process. Effects of the Invention

[0012] The processing apparatus of the present invention includes: a holding mechanism for holding a workpiece; a cutting mechanism equipped with a cutting blade for cutting the workpiece held in the holding mechanism; and a cutting blade mounting mechanism for mounting the cutting blade on the cutting mechanism. The cutting mechanism includes: a rotating shaft; a fixing flange disposed at the front end of the rotating shaft and supporting the back of the cutting blade; a boss portion protruding from the central portion of the fixing flange and fitting into an opening formed in the central portion of the cutting blade; and a male screw formed at the front end of the boss portion. The cutting blade mounting mechanism includes a nut retaining portion that detachably retains a nut, and the nut and the fixing flange clamp the cutting blade embedded in the boss portion. When the nut retainer is rotated forward at a first rotational speed to screw the nut onto the male screw and the torque has reached a threshold, the nut retainer is rotated in reverse. Then, the nut retainer is rotated forward at a second rotational speed lower than the first rotational speed. When the nut has been screwed onto the male screw and the torque has reached the threshold, the rotation of the nut retainer is stopped to complete the tightening. Therefore, the aforementioned processing device can tighten the nut with sufficient torque in a short time.

Implementation Method

[0014] Form used to implement the invention

[0015] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the processing apparatus constructed according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0016] (Machining apparatus 2) As shown in FIG1, the machining apparatus, which is generally represented by the symbol 2, includes: a holding mechanism 4 for holding the workpiece, a cutting mechanism 6 for mounting a cutting blade that cuts the workpiece held in the holding mechanism 4, and a cutting blade mounting mechanism 8 for mounting the cutting blade on the cutting mechanism 6.

[0017] (Holding Mechanism 4) Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the holding mechanism 4 includes an X-axis movable plate 12 disposed on the upper surface of the base 10 (refer to Figure 2) so as to be freely movable in the X-axis direction, a support column 14 fixed to the upper surface of the X-axis movable plate 12, and a cover plate 16 fixed to the upper end of the support column 14. A circular opening 16a is formed in the cover plate 16, and a work clamp 18 extending upward through the circular opening 16a is rotatably mounted on the upper end of the support column 14.

[0018] Furthermore, the X-axis direction is the direction indicated by arrow X in Figure 1. Also, the Y-axis direction, indicated by arrow Y in Figure 1, is orthogonal to the X-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction, indicated by arrow Z in Figure 1, is an up-down direction orthogonal to both the X-axis and Y-axis directions. The XY plane defined by the X-axis and Y-axis directions is essentially horizontal.

[0019] A porous, circular suction chuck 20, which is connected to a suction mechanism (not shown), is disposed at the upper end of the work chuck 18. A plurality of clamps 22 are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction around the work chuck 18.

[0020] Furthermore, in the holding mechanism 4, an attraction force is generated on the upper surface of the suction chuck 20 by the attraction mechanism, thereby attracting and holding the workpiece that has been placed on the upper surface of the suction chuck 20. Thus, the upper surface of the suction chuck 20 becomes the holding surface for holding the workpiece, and the holding surface is positioned on the XY plane.

[0021] Furthermore, the work table 18 of the holding mechanism 4 is configured to rotate around the Z-axis by means of a work table motor (not shown) built into the support column 14, and to be fed in the X-axis direction by means of the X-axis feed mechanism 24.

[0022] The X-axis feed mechanism 24 has a ball screw 26 connected to the X-axis movable plate 12 and extending in the X-axis direction, and a motor 28 that rotates the ball screw 26. The X-axis feed mechanism 24 converts the rotational motion of the motor 28 into linear motion through the ball screw 26 and transmits it to the X-axis movable plate 12, causing the X-axis movable plate 12 to move along the guide rail 10a on the base 10 in the X-axis direction, and causing the worktable 18 to be fed in the X-axis direction.

[0023] As shown in FIG2, the processing device 2 includes a portal frame 30 arranged across the holding mechanism 4. The frame 30 has a pair of pillars 32 extending upward from the upper surface of the base 10 at intervals in the Y-axis direction, and a beam 34 extending in the Y-axis direction across the upper ends of the pair of pillars 32.

[0024] (Cutting Mechanism 6) A pair of cutting mechanisms 6 are provided on one side of the beam 34 (the back side in Figure 2) at intervals along the Y-axis. In the illustrated embodiment, a pair of cutting mechanisms 6 are provided with the cutting blades facing each other, and are configured to simultaneously perform cutting on the workpiece held in the holding mechanism 4 by means of a pair of cutting blades. Furthermore, there may also be only one cutting mechanism 6.

[0025] As shown in FIG4, the cutting mechanism 6 includes a rectangular Y-axis movable member 36 that is movably supported on one side of the beam 34 in the Y-axis direction, a Y-axis feed mechanism 38 that indexes and feeds the Y-axis movable member 36 in the Y-axis direction, a Z-axis movable member 40 that is flexibly supported on the Y-axis movable member 36 in the Z-axis direction with an L-shaped cross section, a Z-axis feed mechanism 42 that cuts and feeds the Z-axis movable member 40 in the Z-axis direction, and a housing 44 fixed to the lower end of the Z-axis movable member 40.

[0026] On one side of the movable member 36 along the Y-axis (the side near the front in FIG4), a pair of guided grooves 36a are formed, which are spaced apart in the Z-axis direction and extend in the Y-axis direction. The guided grooves 36a are slidably connected to a pair of guide rails (not shown). The pair of guide rails are on one side of the beam 34 and extend in the Z-axis direction, which are spaced apart in the Y-axis direction.

[0027] The Y-axis feed mechanism 38 includes a ball screw 46 connected to the Y-axis movable member 36 and extending in the Y-axis direction, and a motor 48 that rotates the ball screw 46. The Y-axis feed mechanism 38 converts the rotational motion of the motor 48 into linear motion through the ball screw 46 and transmits it to the Y-axis movable member 36, thereby feeding the Y-axis movable member 36 in the Y-axis direction along a guide rail attached to one side of the beam 34.

[0028] On the other side of the Y-axis movable member 36 (the side of the back side in FIG4), a pair of guide rails (not shown) are formed, which are spaced apart in the Y-axis direction and extend in the Z-axis direction. The Z-axis movable member 40 has a pair of guide grooves (not shown) that are slidably connected to the pair of guide rails of the Y-axis movable member 36.

[0029] The Z-axis feed mechanism 42 has a ball screw (not shown) connected to the Z-axis movable member 40 and extending in the Z-axis direction, and a motor 50 that rotates the ball screw. The Z-axis feed mechanism 42 converts the rotational motion of the motor 50 into linear motion by means of the ball screw and transmits it to the Z-axis movable member 40, thereby feeding the Z-axis movable member 40 along the guide track of the Y-axis movable member 36 in the Z-axis direction.

[0030] Referring to Figures 5 and 6, the cutting mechanism 6 further includes: a rotating shaft 52; a fixed flange 56 (refer to Figure 6), disposed at the front end of the rotating shaft 52 and supporting the back of the cutting blade 54; a boss portion 58 (refer to Figure 6), protruding from the central portion of the fixed flange 56 and fitting into the opening portion 54a formed in the central portion of the cutting blade 54; and a male screw 58a (refer to Figure 6), formed at the front end of the boss portion 58.

[0031] (Rotation shaft 52) ​​The rotation shaft 52 is rotatably supported on the housing 44 with the Y-axis as its axis. Furthermore, a motor (not shown) for rotating the rotation shaft 52 is housed in the housing 44.

[0032] (Cutting insert 54) As shown in FIG. 6, the cutting insert 54 has an annular base 60 and an annular cutting edge 62 fixed to the outer periphery of the base 60. The base 60 can be formed of a suitable metal material such as aluminum alloy. The opening 54a of the cutting insert 54 is circular and located in the center of the base 60. The cutting edge 62 is formed of a predetermined thickness (e.g., about 10 to 30 μm) by abrasive grains such as diamond and a bonding material such as metal or resin, and protrudes radially outward from the outer periphery of the base 60.

[0033] (Fixed flange 56) The fixed flange 56 protrudes annularly from the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft 52 in the radial direction. An annular recess 56a is formed on the radially inner portion of the front end face of the fixed flange 56. The outer peripheral portion of the front end face of the fixed flange 56 is a ring-shaped bearing portion 56b that protrudes in the axial direction.

[0034] Referring to FIG6, the cutting blade 54 is inserted into the boss portion 58 by the opening 54a of the cutting blade 54, and the male screw 58a of the nut 64 is installed on the boss portion 58. The cutting blade 54 is clamped by the receiving portion 56b of the fixing flange 56 and the nut 64, and is thus detachably fixed to the boss portion 58. Furthermore, a plurality of pin holes 64a are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the side of the nut 64. The aforementioned pin holes 64a allow the pin 138 of the nut retaining portion 116, which will be described later, to be inserted.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 5, a blade cover 66 covering the cutting blade 54 is provided at the front end of the housing 44. The blade cover 66 has a first cover member 66a fixed to the front end of the housing 44 and a second cover member 66b movably mounted at the front end of the first cover member 66a. The second cover member 66b is configured to move in the X-axis direction by means of a suitable actuator (not shown) such as a cylinder, and is positioned in the open position shown in FIG. 5 when the cutting blade 54 is replaced, and in the closed position shown in FIG. 4 when cutting is performed.

[0036] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, on the other side of the beam 34 (the side closest to the front in Figure 2), there is a pair of shooting mechanisms 68 that can move freely in the Y-axis direction to shoot the workpiece held in the holding mechanism 4, and there is a pair of moving mechanisms 70 that move the shooting mechanism 68 in the Y-axis direction.

[0037] The moving mechanism 70 includes a ball screw 72 connected to the shooting mechanism 68 and extending in the Y-axis direction, and a motor 74 that rotates the ball screw 72. The moving mechanism 70 converts the rotational motion of the motor 74 into linear motion and transmits it to the shooting mechanism 68, causing the shooting mechanism 68 to move in the Y-axis direction along a guide rail 34a attached to the side of the beam 34. Furthermore, the shooting mechanism 68 may be a single unit.

[0038] (Cutting Tool Mounting Mechanism 8) As shown in FIG7, the cutting tool mounting mechanism 8 includes: a cutting tool storage mechanism 76 for storing a plurality of cutting tools 54; a transfer mechanism 78 for transferring the cutting tools 54 from and into the cutting tool storage mechanism 76; a Y-axis positioning mechanism 80 for positioning the transfer mechanism 78 relative to the cutting tool storage mechanism 76 in an active position and a retracted position in the Y-axis direction; a Z-axis moving mechanism 82 for moving the transfer mechanism 78 in the Z-axis direction; and an X-axis moving mechanism 84 for moving the transfer mechanism 78 in the X-axis direction to act on the cutting tools 54 mounted on the rotating shaft 52 of the cutting mechanism 6.

[0039] (Cutting blade storage mechanism 76) Referring to FIG8, the cutting blade storage mechanism 76 includes: a drive gear 88 having a rotating shaft 86 extending in the Y-axis direction; a driven gear 92, which is away from the drive gear 88 in the Z-axis direction and has a rotating shaft 90 extending in the Y-axis direction; an endless track 94 wound around the drive gear 88 and the driven gear 92; and a support shaft 96 extending in the Y-axis direction and disposed at predetermined intervals on the endless track 94, and which can be fitted into the opening 54a of the cutting blade 54 to support the cutting blade 54.

[0040] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the cutting blade storage mechanism 76 of the illustrated embodiment includes a base plate 98 (see Figure 7), a support wall 100 extending upward from the upper surface of the base plate 98, and a motor 102 fixed to one side of the support wall 100. As shown in Figure 8, the motor 102 is connected to a rotating shaft 86 of a drive gear 88, and the motor 102 is configured to rotate the drive gear 88 about the Y-axis.

[0041] The driven gear 92 is positioned above the drive gear 88, and its rotation shaft 90 is rotatable about the Y-axis and freely movable up and down in the Z-axis direction, supported by the support wall 100. A lifting mechanism (not shown) is provided on the support wall 100 to move the driven gear 92 up and down in the Z-axis direction. The lifting mechanism may also have, for example, the following configuration: a ball screw connected to the rotation shaft 90 of the driven gear 92 and extending in the Z-axis direction, and a motor for rotating this ball screw.

[0042] The endless track 94 is composed of a plurality of interconnected connecting pieces (symbols omitted) and is wound around the drive gear 88 and the driven gear 92. The endless track 94 is configured to rotate in response to the rotation of the drive gear 88 by the motor 102.

[0043] A plurality of support shafts 96 are provided on the endless track 94 at predetermined intervals. Furthermore, as can be understood by referring to FIG9 and FIG8 together, the support shaft 96 has a cylindrical base 104 connected to the endless track 94 and a cylindrical shaft portion 106 extending from the end face of the base 104 in the Y-axis direction.

[0044] In the support shaft 96, the opening 54a of the cutting blade 54 is fitted into the shaft portion 106, and the shaft portion 106 supports a plurality of (e.g., 5) cutting blades 54. In the illustrated embodiment, as can be understood by referring to FIG8, the cutting blades 54 are supported on half of the plurality of support shafts 96. Furthermore, as shown in FIG9, a plurality of ball plungers 108 are installed at intervals in the circumferential direction on the front end side of the shaft portion 106. The aforementioned plurality of ball plungers 108 are used to prevent the cutting blades 54 supported by the shaft portion 106 from flying out.

[0045] As shown in FIG10, a flow path 104a is formed inside each base 104 of the support shaft 96, and a plurality of flow paths 94a connected to one end of each flow path 104a are formed on the endless track 94. As shown in FIG9, an opening is formed at the end face of the base 104 which is closer to the radially outer side than the shaft portion 106 at the other end of each flow path 104a.

[0046] Furthermore, as shown in FIG8, an air nozzle 110 protruding in the Y-axis direction below the drive gear 88 is provided on the support wall 100. The air nozzle 110 is connected to a high-pressure air supply mechanism (not shown). In the illustrated embodiment, the support shaft 96, which rotates with the endless track 94, has its lowermost support shaft 96 facing the front end of the air nozzle 110.

[0047] Furthermore, when the cutting blade 54 located at the front end of the shaft portion 106 is removed, it is configured such that high-pressure air can be supplied from the air nozzle 110 through the flow path 94a of the endless track 94 to the flow path 104a of the base 104 of the lowest support shaft 96, thereby pushing the cutting blade 54 remaining in the shaft portion 106 toward the front end of the shaft portion 106. However, due to the action of the positioning bead 108, the cutting blade 54 will not fall off the shaft portion 106.

[0048] (Loading and unloading mechanism 78) Referring to FIG11, the loading and unloading mechanism 78 includes a Z-rotation shaft 112 extending in the Z-axis direction, a blade holding portion 114 radially connected to the Z-rotation shaft 112 and attracting and holding the cutting blade 54, and a nut holding portion 116 that can be detachably held in place of a nut 64. The aforementioned nut 64 and fixing flange 56 clamp the cutting blade 54 that is embedded in the boss portion 58 of the cutting mechanism 6.

[0049] The loading / unloading mechanism 78 in the illustrated embodiment further includes a housing 118. The housing 118 has a hexagonal top plate 120 and six rectangular plate-shaped side walls 122 hanging from the periphery of the top plate 120. The aforementioned Z-rotation shaft 112 protrudes from the upper surface of the top plate 120. A motor (not shown) connected to the Z-rotation shaft 112 is housed inside the housing 118.

[0050] In the illustrated embodiment, among the six side walls 122 of the housing 118, blade retaining portions 114 are installed on four side walls 122, and nut retaining portions 116 are installed on two side walls 122. The two nut retaining portions 116 are provided on a pair of opposing side walls 122. In this way, the loading / unloading mechanism 78 has two blade retaining portions 114 relative to one nut retaining portion 116.

[0051] (Blade Holding Part 114) The blade holding part 114 is cylindrical, and has a circular central opening 126 on its end face 124 for receiving the shaft part 106 of the support shaft 96 and the boss part 58 of the cutting mechanism 6, and a plurality of suction holes 128 arranged at equal intervals around the central opening 126 along the circumferential direction. The suction holes 128 are connected to a suction mechanism (not shown).

[0052] Furthermore, when the blade holding part 114 is positioned so that its end face 124 contacts the base 60 of the cutting blade 54 stored in the cutting blade storage mechanism 76, the blade holding part 114 attracts and holds the cutting blade 54 by generating an attractive force in the attraction hole 128 through the attraction mechanism.

[0053] (Nut Retaining Part 116) Referring to Figures 11 and 12, the nut retaining part 116 includes: a cylindrical housing 130 (see Figure 11) fixed to the side wall 122 of the cover 118; an annular rotating body 132 (see Figure 11) rotatably housed inside the housing 130; and a motor 133 (see Figure 12) that rotates the rotating body 132.

[0054] A central opening 134 is formed in the rotating body 132 to receive the boss portion 58 of the cutting mechanism 6. On the end face 132a of the rotating body 132, a plurality of suction holes 136 and a plurality of pins 138 are alternately arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction. The suction holes 136 are connected to the suction mechanism (not shown). The pins 138 are positioned at a position protruding from the end face 132a of the rotating body 132 (the position shown in FIG. 11) by means of a spring (not shown) built into the rotating body 132, and when pressed towards the interior of the rotating body 132, the spring contracts and is housed inside the rotating body 132. Furthermore, the pins 138 are positioned corresponding to the pin holes 64a formed in the nut 64.

[0055] As shown in FIG12, the nut retaining portion 116 is configured to attract the retaining nut 64 by generating an attractive force in the attracting hole 136 using an attracting mechanism. With the pin 138 inserted into the pin hole 64a of the nut 64, the rotating body 132 is rotated by the motor 133, thereby allowing the nut 64 used to fix the cutting blade 54 to the cutting mechanism 6 to be tightened and removed by the male screw 58a of the boss portion 58.

[0056] Furthermore, when the nut 64 is removed from the boss portion 58, even if the position of the pin 138 of the nut retaining portion 116 is deviated from the position of the pin hole 64a of the nut 64, the end face 132a of the rotating body 132 can still be brought close to the end face of the nut 64 that is installed on the boss portion 58. And if the rotating body 132 is rotated by the motor 133 after the pin 138 is housed inside the rotating body 132, the pin 138 will be pushed out by the spring when the position of the pin 138 is aligned with the position of the pin hole 64a, and the pin 138 can be inserted into the pin hole 64a.

[0057] The loading / unloading mechanism 78, which can be configured as described above, is arranged inside the frame 140 as shown in FIG. 7 in the illustrated embodiment. The frame 140 is movably supported on the lifting worktable 142 in the Y-axis direction, and the lifting worktable 142 is movably supported on the base frame 144 in the Z-axis direction.

[0058] Referring to Figures 13 and 7 together, the frame 140 includes a rectangular plate-shaped bottom 146, four pillars 148 extending upward from the four corners of the upper surface of the bottom 146, and a plate-shaped top plate portion 150 fixed to the upper end of each pillar 148 (see Figure 7). On the lower surface of the bottom 146, a pair of guided members 152 are provided at intervals in the X-axis direction, and the guided members 152 are formed with grooves 152a extending in the Y-axis direction.

[0059] As shown in Figure 13, the lifting worktable 142 includes a rectangular plate-shaped top plate 154 and four cylindrical feet 156 extending downward from the four corners of the lower surface of the top plate 154. A pair of guide rails 158 are provided on the upper surface of the top plate 154, spaced apart in the X-axis direction and extending in the Y-axis direction, and the pair of guide rails 158 are slidably fitted into the grooves 152a of a pair of guided members 152 of the frame 140.

[0060] (Y-axis positioning mechanism 80) Furthermore, a Y-axis positioning mechanism 80 is provided on the upper surface of the top plate 154 of the lifting worktable 142. The Y-axis positioning mechanism 80 includes a ball screw 160 extending in the Y-axis direction between a pair of guide rails 158, and a motor 162 that rotates the ball screw 160. The nut portion (not shown) of the ball screw 160 is fixed to the lower surface of the bottom 146 of the frame 140.

[0061] The Y-axis positioning mechanism 80 converts the rotational motion of the motor 162 into linear motion and transmits it to the frame 140 via the ball screw 160, causing the frame 140 to move along a pair of guide rails 158 in the Y-axis direction. Thus, the frame 140, equipped with the loading / unloading mechanism 78, is slidably supported on the guide rails 158 that are already installed on the lifting worktable 142 and extend in the Y-axis direction, and can be positioned relative to the cutting tool storage mechanism 76 in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis positioning mechanism 80 to the active position and the retracted position in the Y-axis direction.

[0062] The above-mentioned operating position is when the blade holding portion 114 of the loading / unloading mechanism 78 is close to the cutting blade storage mechanism 76, and is a position in which the cutting blade 54, which is supported on the cutting blade storage mechanism 76, can be attracted and held by the blade holding portion 114. Furthermore, the above-mentioned retraction position is when the blade holding portion 114 of the loading / unloading mechanism 78 is further away from the cutting blade storage mechanism 76 than the above-mentioned operating position.

[0063] As shown in Figure 13, the base frame 144 includes a frame 164 and a rectangular base plate 166 fixed to the upper part of the frame 164. Four circular holes 168 are formed at the four corners of the base plate 166 for the legs 156 of the lifting worktable 142 to slide freely into. Furthermore, a female screw 170 is formed in the center of the base plate 166.

[0064] (Z-axis moving mechanism 82) Referring to FIG13, a Z-axis moving mechanism 82 is connected to the lifting worktable 142 and the base frame 144. The Z-axis moving mechanism 82 includes a ball screw 172 extending in the Z-axis direction, a motor 174 that rotates the ball screw 172, and a connecting plate 176 fixed to the upper end of the motor 174. The ball screw 172 is screwed into a female screw 170 on the base plate 166. The connecting plate 176 can be fixed to the lower surface of the top plate 154 of the lifting worktable 142 by a suitable connecting mechanism such as bolts (not shown).

[0065] The Z-axis moving mechanism 82 converts the rotational motion of the motor 174 into linear motion by means of the ball screw 172, thereby raising and lowering the lifting worktable 142 relative to the base frame 144, thereby moving the frame 140 equipped with the loading and unloading mechanism 78 in the Z-axis direction.

[0066] Referring to FIG14, the loading / unloading mechanism 78 is disposed in the first movable body 178 disposed inside the frame 140, and the first movable body 178 is slidably supported in a suspended state on the first guide rail 182 extending in the X-axis direction disposed on the lower part of the second movable body 180, and the second movable body 180 is slidably supported in a suspended state on the second guide rail 184 extending in the X-axis direction disposed on the top plate portion 150 of the frame 140.

[0067] The first moving body 178 has a rectangular plate-shaped body 186. A circular hole 188 is formed in the center of the body 186. The Z-rotation shaft 112 of the loading / unloading mechanism 78 can be inserted into the circular hole 188, and the Z-rotation shaft 112 is fixed to the body 186 in a non-rotatable manner. When the motor of the loading / unloading mechanism 78 connected to the Z-rotation shaft 112 is driven, the cover 118 of the loading / unloading mechanism 78 rotates relative to the first moving body 178, and the blade holding part 114 and the nut holding part 116 can be positioned in any direction.

[0068] On the upper surface of the body 186 of the first moving body 178, a pair of guided members 190 are provided at intervals in the Y-axis direction, and a block 192 is fixed thereon. The pair of guided members 190 are formed with grooves 190a extending in the X-axis direction, and the block 192 is formed with through holes 192a extending in the X-axis direction.

[0069] The second movable body 180 has a rectangular plate-shaped body 194, and a pair of first guide rails 182 are provided on the lower surface of the body 194 at intervals in the Y-axis direction. The first guide rails 182 are slidably fitted into the grooves 190a of a pair of guided members 190 of the first movable body 178, and the first movable body 178 is slidably supported on the first guide rails 182 provided on the second movable body 180 in a suspended state.

[0070] (X-axis moving mechanism 84) A first X-axis moving mechanism is provided below the body 194 of the second moving body 180 to move the first moving body 178 relative to the second moving body 180 in the X-axis direction. In the illustrated embodiment, the first X-axis moving mechanism is composed of a cylinder 196. The cylinder tube 196a of the cylinder 196 is fixed to the lower surface of the body 194 and extends in the X-axis direction between a pair of first guide rails 182. The front end of the piston rod 196b of the cylinder 196 is fitted and connected to the through hole 192a of the block 192 of the first moving body 178.

[0071] The cylinder 196, which serves as the first X-axis moving mechanism, moves the first moving body 178 relative to the second moving body 180 along the first guide rail 182 in the X-axis direction by moving the piston rod 196b forward and backward.

[0072] On the upper surface of the body 194 of the second moving body 180, a pair of guided members 198 are provided at intervals in the Y-axis direction, and a block 200 is fixed thereon. The pair of guided members 198 are formed with grooves 198a extending in the X-axis direction, and the block 200 is formed with female screws 200a extending in the X-axis direction.

[0073] A pair of second guide rails 184 are provided on the lower surface of the top plate portion 150 of the frame 140 at intervals in the Y-axis direction. The second guide rails 184 are slidably fitted into the grooves 198a of a pair of guided members 198 of the second movable body 180, and the second movable body 180 is slidably supported on the second guide rails 184 provided on the top plate portion 150 of the frame 140 in a suspended state.

[0074] A second X-axis movement mechanism 202 is provided below the top plate portion 150 of the frame 140 to move the second movable body 180 relative to the top plate portion 150 in the X-axis direction. The illustrated embodiment of the second X-axis movement mechanism 202 includes a ball screw 204 extending in the X-axis direction between a pair of second guide rails 184, and a motor 206 that rotates the ball screw 204. The ball screw 204 is a female screw 200a screwed into the block 200 of the second movable body 180. The motor 206 is fixed to the lower surface of the top plate portion 150.

[0075] The second X-axis moving mechanism 202 converts the rotational motion of the motor 206 into linear motion and transmits it to the second moving body 180 by means of the ball screw 204, so that the second moving body 180 moves relative to the top plate portion 150 along the second guide rail 184 in the X-axis direction.

[0076] The illustrated embodiment of the X-axis moving mechanism 84 includes a cylinder 196 serving as a first X-axis moving mechanism and a second X-axis moving mechanism 202 having a ball screw 204 and a motor 206. In the illustrated embodiment, by moving the first moving body 178 using the cylinder 196 serving as the first X-axis moving mechanism, the loading / unloading mechanism 78 can be rapidly advanced in the X-axis direction, and by moving the second moving body 180 using the second X-axis moving mechanism 202, the X-axis position of the loading / unloading mechanism 78 can be easily fine-tuned. In this way, the loading / unloading mechanism 78 is configured to move freely in and out in the X-axis direction using the first moving body 178 and the second moving body 180.

[0077] As shown in FIG1, the processing device 2 is equipped with a control mechanism 208 for controlling the operation of the processing device 2. The control mechanism 208 is composed of a computer, which has a central processing unit (CPU) for performing calculations according to the control program, a read-only memory (ROM) for storing the control program, and a read-write random access memory (RAM) for storing the calculation results.

[0078] (Cutting Processing) When performing cutting processing on a workpiece such as a wafer using the processing apparatus 2, the workpiece is first held in place by the work chuck 18. Next, the work chuck 18 is moved below the imaging mechanism 68 by the X-axis feed mechanism 24, and the Y-axis position of the imaging mechanism 68 is adjusted by the moving mechanism 70. Then, the imaging mechanism 68 images the workpiece from above to detect the cutting area of ​​the workpiece.

[0079] Next, based on the cutting area of ​​the workpiece detected by the imaging mechanism 68, the work chuck 18 is rotated to adjust the orientation of the cutting area of ​​the workpiece relative to the cutting blade 54 of the cutting mechanism 6. Then, the work chuck 18 is moved in the X-axis direction by the X-axis feed mechanism 24, and the cutting mechanism 6 is moved in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis feed mechanism 38, thereby positioning the pair of cutting blades 54 above the cutting area of ​​the workpiece.

[0080] Next, the cutting mechanism 6 is lowered by the Z-axis feed mechanism 42, causing the cutting edge 62 of the high-speed rotating cutting insert 54 to cut into the cutting area of ​​the workpiece. While supplying cutting water to the portion of the cutting edge 62 that has cut into the cutting insert 54, the worktable 18 is fed in the X-axis direction, thereby performing a predetermined cutting process on the cutting area of ​​the workpiece. While the cutting mechanism 6 is indexed and fed in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis feed mechanism 38, the above cutting process is appropriately repeated to perform cutting on the entire cutting area of ​​the workpiece. The workpiece whose cutting process has been completed is then transferred to the next step.

[0081] (Replacement of cutting insert 54) Because the cutting insert 54 will wear down if the cutting steps are repeated, and if the wear of the cutting insert 54 reaches a predetermined amount, it will become impossible to maintain cutting accuracy. Therefore, the cutting insert 54 installed in the cutting mechanism 6 must be replaced with a new cutting insert 54. Furthermore, even if the wear of the cutting insert 54 installed in the cutting mechanism 6 has not reached the predetermined amount, when cutting a workpiece made of a material different from the workpiece material previously cut, the cutting insert 54 must be replaced with one corresponding to the workpiece material.

[0082] When replacing the cutting blade 54 that has been installed in the cutting mechanism 6, the endless track 94 of the cutting blade storage mechanism 76 is rotated first, and the support shaft 96 supporting the new cutting blade 54 to be moved into the cutting mechanism 6 is positioned in a predetermined position (e.g., the lowest position in the track of the support shaft 96).

[0083] Next, as shown in FIG15, the cover 118 is rotated by a motor connected to the Z-axis 112 of the loading / unloading mechanism 78, so that the side wall 122 of the cover 118, on which the blade holder 114 is mounted, is aligned along the X-axis direction, and the blade holder 114 faces the cutting blade storage mechanism 76. Furthermore, the X-axis moving mechanism 84 and the Z-axis moving mechanism 82 are actuated to adjust the X-axis and Z-axis positions of the blade holder 114 so that the shaft portion 106 of the support shaft 96 at the predetermined position can be inserted into the central opening 126 of the blade holder 114.

[0084] Next, as shown in FIG16, the frame 140 is moved in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis positioning mechanism 80, and the loading / unloading mechanism 78 is positioned so that the cutting blade 54 supported on the support shaft 96 can be held by the blade holding part 114. Thereby, the shaft portion 106 of the support shaft 96 at the predetermined position is inserted into the central opening 126 of the blade holding part 114, and the end face 124 of the blade holding part 114 contacts the end face of the cutting blade 54 located at the front end of the shaft portion 106. Then, an attractive force is generated in the suction hole 128 of the blade holding part 114, and the cutting blade 54 located at the front end of the shaft portion 106 is attracted and held by the blade holding part 114.

[0085] Next, the Y-axis positioning mechanism 80 is actuated, causing the loading / unloading mechanism 78 to move away from the cutting blade storage mechanism 76 in the Y-axis direction and be positioned in a retracted position. Then, the cover 118 of the loading / unloading mechanism 78 is rotated 180°, and the blade holding part 114 opposite to the blade holding part 114 that holds the cutting blade 54 is brought to face the cutting blade storage mechanism 76.

[0086] Next, the Y-axis positioning mechanism 80 is actuated, positioning the loading / unloading mechanism 78 in an operating position where the cutting blade 54 supporting the shaft 96 can be held by the blade holding portion 114 on the opposite side. Then, an attractive force is generated in the suction hole 128 of the blade holding portion 114 on the opposite side, attracting and holding the cutting blade 54 located at the front end of the shaft portion 106 by the blade holding portion 114. This results in a state where a new cutting blade 54 is attracted and held by a pair of opposing blade holding portions 114 among the four blade holding portions 114.

[0087] Next, as shown in FIG17, the frame 140 is moved in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis positioning mechanism 80, and the lifting worktable 142 is moved in the Z-axis direction by the Z-axis moving mechanism 82. This moves the loading / unloading mechanism 78 away from the cutting blade storage mechanism 76 to a retracted position, and adjusts the Y-axis and Z-axis positions of the loading / unloading mechanism 78 relative to the cutting mechanism 6. After the position adjustment, the Y-axis position of the loading / unloading mechanism 78 is between the pair of cutting mechanisms 6, and the Z-axis position of the loading / unloading mechanism 78 is above the holding surface of the worktable 18.

[0088] Next, as shown in FIG18, the first moving body 178 is moved in the X-axis direction by the cylinder 196, which serves as the first X-axis moving mechanism, and the loading / unloading mechanism 78 is moved toward the pair of cutting mechanisms 6. Next, as shown in FIG19, the second moving body 180 is moved in the X-axis direction by the second X-axis moving mechanism 202, and the X-axis position of the loading / unloading mechanism 78 relative to the pair of cutting mechanisms 6 is adjusted.

[0089] Specifically, the X-axis position of the center of the new pair of cutting blades 54 held by the pair of blade holders 114 of the loading / unloading mechanism 78 is aligned with the X-axis position of the center of the pair of cutting blades 54 mounted on one of the pairs of cutting mechanisms 6. Furthermore, the Z-axis movement mechanism 82 of the cutting blade mounting mechanism 8 or the Z-axis feed mechanism 42 of the cutting mechanism 6 is actuated to align the Z-axis position of the center of the cutting blades 54 in the blade holder 114 with the Z-axis position of the center of the cutting blades 54 in the cutting mechanism 6.

[0090] Next, the housing 118 of the loading / unloading mechanism 78 is rotated 60° so that a pair of nut retainers 116 face the cutting blades 54 of the pair of cutting mechanisms 6. Alternatively, the housing 118 can be rotated 60° before the first and second moving bodies 178 and 180 are advanced.

[0091] Next, the second cover member 66b of the blade cover 66 of each of the pair of cutting mechanisms 6 is positioned in the open position (see Figure 5). Next, the cutting mechanism 6 is moved in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis feed mechanism 38, so that the nut 64, which has fixed the cutting blade 54 to the boss portion 58, contacts the end face 132a of the rotating body 132 of the nut holding portion 116 (see Figure 12). In this way, the pin 138 of the nut holding portion 116 is pressed into the interior of the rotating body 132 by the nut 64, and the boss portion 58 is accommodated in the central opening 134 of the rotating body 132.

[0092] Next, when the motor 133 of the nut retaining part 116 rotates the rotating body 132, when the pin 138 and the pin hole 64a of the nut 64 are aligned, the pin 138 will engage with the pin hole 64a, and the rotational movement of the rotating body 132 will be transmitted to the nut 64 through the pin 138, causing the nut 64 to loosen. In this way, the nut 64 can be removed from the male screw 58a of the boss portion 58 of the cutting mechanism 6. Furthermore, an attractive force is generated in the suction hole 136 of the nut retaining part 116, and the removed nut 64 is held in place by the attraction of the nut retaining part 116.

[0093] Next, the cutting mechanism 6 is moved away from the loading / unloading mechanism 78 by the Y-axis feed mechanism 38, and the cover 118 of the loading / unloading mechanism 78 is rotated 60° so that the empty blade holding part 114, which does not attract the cutting blade 54, faces the cutting blade 54 of the cutting mechanism 6.

[0094] Next, the cutting mechanism 6 is brought close to the loading / unloading mechanism 78 by the Y-axis feed mechanism 38, so that the boss portion 58 of the cutting mechanism 6 is inserted into the central opening portion 126 of the blade holder portion 114, and the end face 124 of the empty blade holder portion 114 contacts the end face of the cutting blade 54 of the cutting mechanism 6. Then, an attractive force is generated in the suction hole 128 of the blade holder portion 114, and the cutting blade 54 of the cutting mechanism 6 is attracted and held by the blade holder portion 114.

[0095] Next, the cutting mechanism 6 is moved away from the loading / unloading mechanism 78 by the Y-axis feed mechanism 38, and the cover 118 of the loading / unloading mechanism 78 is rotated 60°, so that the blade holding part 114 holding the new cutting blade 54 faces the boss part 58 of the cutting mechanism 6.

[0096] Next, the cutting mechanism 6 is brought close to the loading / unloading mechanism 78 by the Y-axis feed mechanism 38, so that the boss portion 58 is inserted into the opening portion 54a of the new cutting blade 54, and the end face of the cutting blade 54 contacts the receiving portion 56b of the fixed flange 56 of the rotating shaft 52. Then, the attraction of the blade holding portion 114 is released, and the new cutting blade 54 is transferred from the blade holding portion 114 to the cutting mechanism 6.

[0097] Next, the cutting mechanism 6 is moved away from the loading / unloading mechanism 78 by the Y-axis feed mechanism 38, and the cover 118 of the loading / unloading mechanism 78 is rotated 60° so that the nut holding part 116 holding the removed nut 64 faces the boss part 58 of the cutting mechanism 6 (see Figure 20).

[0098] Next, the cutting mechanism 6 is brought close to the loading / unloading mechanism 78 by the Y-axis feed mechanism 38, so that the nut 64, which is held by the nut retainer 116, is positioned at the front end of the boss portion 58. Then, as shown in FIG21, the nut retainer 116 is rotated clockwise at a first rotational speed (e.g., 150 degrees / second), and the nut 64 is screwed into the male screw 58a of the boss portion 58. Furthermore, in the illustrated embodiment, clockwise rotation refers to rotation in the direction indicated by arrow R1 in FIG21.

[0099] Furthermore, when the tightening torque of the nut 64 reaches a predetermined threshold (for example, about 4.3 N·m), as shown in FIG22, the nut retaining part 116 is rotated in the reverse direction to loosen the nut 64. The reverse rotation is the direction indicated by arrow R2 in FIG22. When the nut retaining part 116 is rotated in the reverse direction, the rotation angle is preferably, for example, 50 degrees. Moreover, the tightening torque of the nut 64 can be calculated from the current value of the motor 133 of the nut retaining part 116.

[0100] Then, as shown in FIG23, the nut retaining part 116 is rotated in the R1 direction at a second rotation speed (e.g., 5 degrees / second) that is lower than the first rotation speed. The nut 64 is screwed into the male screw 58a of the boss part 58 and the torque reaches the threshold (preferably about 4.3 N·m as described above). The rotation of the nut retaining part 116 is stopped to complete the fastening.

[0101] In this way, the nut 64 can be tightened with sufficient torque in a short time, and as shown in FIG24, the new cutting blade 54 to be installed on the cutting mechanism 6 is clamped and fixed to the boss portion 58 by the bearing portion 56b of the fixed flange 56 of the rotating shaft 52 and the nut 64.

[0102] In the embodiment shown in the figure, since the initial tightening of the nut 64 can be performed at a relatively high first rotational speed, the tightening time can be shortened. And since the final tightening of the nut 64 is performed at a relatively low second rotational speed, sufficient tightening torque can be used to install the nut 64 onto the male screw 58a of the boss portion 58.

[0103] Next, after releasing the attraction of the nut retaining part 116, the second cover member 66b of the blade cover 66 of the cutting mechanism 6 is positioned in the closed position. Furthermore, the removal and installation of the nut 64 and the cutting blade 54 as described above can be performed on a pair of cutting mechanisms 6 simultaneously or individually.

[0104] Next, the first and second moving bodies 178 and 180 are retracted, and the cover 118 of the loading / unloading mechanism 78 is rotated 60° so that one of the removed cutting blades 54 faces the cutting blade storage mechanism 76. Then, the endless track 94 of the cutting blade storage mechanism 76 is rotated, positioning the empty support shaft 96, which is not supported by the cutting blades 54, to a predetermined position (e.g., the lowermost position of the support shaft 96 in the track).

[0105] Next, the X-axis moving mechanism 84 and the Z-axis moving mechanism 82 are actuated to adjust the X-axis position and Z-axis position of the blade holding part 114 so that the shaft part 106 of the support shaft 96 at the predetermined position can be inserted into the opening 54a of one of the cutting blades 54 held by the blade holding part 114.

[0106] Next, the frame 140 is moved in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis positioning mechanism 80, and the shaft portion 106 of the support shaft 96 at the predetermined position is inserted into the opening portion 54a of one of the cutting blades 54 held by the blade holding portion 114, and the end face of one of the cutting blades 54 contacts the end face of the base portion 104 of the support shaft 96. Then, the attraction of the blade holding portion 114 is released, and one of the removed cutting blades 54 is transferred to the support shaft 96.

[0107] Furthermore, by means of the Y-axis positioning mechanism 80, the loading and unloading mechanism 78 is moved away from the cutting blade storage mechanism 76, and the cover 118 of the loading and unloading mechanism 78 is rotated 180°, so that the blade holding part 114 on the opposite side of the other of the pair of cutting blades 54 that has been removed faces the cutting blade storage mechanism 76.

[0108] Next, the frame 140 is moved in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis positioning mechanism 80, and the shaft portion 106 of the support shaft 96 at the predetermined position is inserted into the opening portion 54a of another cutting blade 54 held by the blade holding portion 114 on the opposite side, and the end face of the other cutting blade 54 contacts the end face of the cutting blade 54 supported by the support shaft 96. Then, the attraction of the blade holding portion 114 is released, and the other of the removed pair of cutting blades 54 is transferred to the support shaft 96.

[0109] As described above, in the processing apparatus 2 of the illustrated embodiment, since the nut 64 is screwed onto the male screw 58a of the boss portion 58 by rotating the nut retaining portion 116 forward at a first rotational speed and the torque has reached a threshold, the nut retaining portion 116 is rotated in reverse. Then, the nut retaining portion 116 is rotated forward at a second rotational speed lower than the first rotational speed. When the nut 64 has been screwed onto the male screw 58a and the torque has reached the threshold, the rotation of the nut retaining portion 116 is stopped to complete the tightening. Therefore, the nut 64 can be tightened with sufficient torque in a short time. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0013] FIG1 is a perspective view of the processing apparatus constructed according to the present invention. FIG2 is a perspective view of the holding mechanism and the cutting mechanism shown in FIG1. ​​FIG3 is a perspective view of the holding mechanism shown in FIG1. ​​FIG4 is a perspective view of the cutting mechanism shown in FIG1. ​​FIG5 is a perspective view of the cutting mechanism shown in FIG4 with the blade cover open. FIG6 is an exploded perspective view of the cutting mechanism shown in FIG4. FIG7 is a perspective view of the cutting blade mounting mechanism shown in FIG1. ​​FIG8 is an exploded perspective view of the cutting blade storage mechanism shown in FIG7. FIG9 is a perspective view of the support shaft shown in FIG8. FIG10 is a cross-sectional view of the support shaft shown in FIG8. FIG11 is a perspective view of the loading and unloading mechanism shown in FIG7. FIG12 is a schematic diagram showing the state of loading and unloading nuts from the cutting mechanism with the nut holding part shown in FIG11. FIG13 is an exploded perspective view of the frame, lifting worktable and base frame shown in FIG7. FIG14 is an exploded perspective view of the frame shown in FIG7. Figure 15 is a perspective view showing the cutting tool storage mechanism and the loading / unloading mechanism shown in Figure 7 facing each other. Figure 16 is a perspective view showing the frame after it has moved forward towards the cutting tool storage mechanism from the state shown in Figure 15. Figure 17 is a perspective view showing the frame after it has moved backward from the state shown in Figure 16 and the lifting worktable has risen. Figure 18 is a perspective view showing the first moving body after it has moved forward towards the cutting mechanism from the state shown in Figure 17. Figure 19 is a perspective view showing the second moving body after it has moved forward towards the cutting mechanism from the state shown in Figure 18. Figure 20 is a perspective view showing the nut holding part facing the boss part. Figure 21 is a perspective view showing the nut holding part rotating clockwise at a first rotational speed. Figure 22 is a perspective view showing the nut holding part rotating counterclockwise. Figure 23 is a perspective view showing the nut holding part rotating clockwise at a second rotational speed. Figure 24 is a perspective view showing the cutting tool secured to the rotating shaft.

Claims

1. A machining apparatus comprising: a holding mechanism for holding a workpiece; a cutting mechanism for mounting a cutting insert that cuts the workpiece held in the holding mechanism; and a cutting insert mounting mechanism for mounting the cutting insert to the cutting mechanism, the cutting mechanism comprising: a rotating shaft; a fixed flange disposed at a front end of the rotating shaft and supporting the back of the cutting insert; a boss portion protruding from the central portion of the fixed flange and fitting into an opening formed in the central portion of the cutting insert; and a male screw formed at the front end of the boss portion, the cutting insert mounting mechanism comprising a nut retaining portion that detachably retains a nut, the nut and the fixed flange clamping the cutting insert embedded in the boss portion. When the nut retainer is rotated forward at a first rotational speed to screw the nut onto the male screw and the torque has reached a threshold, the nut retainer is rotated in reverse. Then, the nut retainer is rotated forward at a second rotational speed lower than the first rotational speed. When the nut has been screwed onto the male screw and the torque has reached the threshold, the rotation of the nut retainer is stopped to complete the tightening.

Images