Automatic electrode changing device

Abstract

The present invention discloses an automatic electrode replacement device, comprising a workbench, a material rack is provided on the workbench, a plurality of electrode storage holes are provided on the material rack; a three-axis mobile platform is provided on the workbench, a rotating head is provided on the three-axis mobile platform, the rotating head can move back and forth in the X, Y, and Z axis directions through the three-axis mobile platform to drive a fixed seat connected to the rotating head, and can move to the top of the plurality of electrode storage holes of the material rack; the rotating head comprises a rotating motor and a pneumatic chuck respectively fixed at the upper and lower positions on the same side of the fixed seat, the pneumatic chuck has an inner chuck for clamping the electrode, and a sleeve that can slide and rotate relative to the inner chuck, the rotating motor controls the inner chuck to rotate around its own central axis, and the sleeve drives the inner chuck to loosen or clamp the electrode chuck through a driving component fixed on the fixed seat. The present invention has high efficiency and safety in replacing electrodes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to an automatic electrode changing device. Background Art

[0002] The EDM perforator is also called an EDM puncher or an EDM fine-hole discharger. Its main working principle is to use a hollow thin metal tube that moves vertically up and down continuously as an electrode to perform pulsed spark discharge to erode the metal and form holes on the workpiece. As a supporting equipment for EDM wire cutting machine tools, the EDM perforator is used to process wire holes, chemical fiber spinnerets, spinneret holes of spinnerets, filter plates, group holes of sieve plates, engine blades, cooling holes of cylinders, oil circuits and gas circuit holes of hydraulic and pneumatic valve bodies, etc. Different electrodes need to be replaced for different workpieces, and the current electrode replacement is done manually, which is inefficient and relatively dangerous. Summary of the invention

[0003] In order to overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings, the object of the present invention is to provide an automatic electrode changing device with high electrode replacement efficiency and safety.

[0004] In order to achieve the above purpose, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: an automatic electrode changing device, comprising a workbench, a material rack is arranged on the workbench, a plurality of electrode storage holes are arranged on the material rack, and an electrode with an electrode chuck is stored in each of the electrode storage holes; a three-axis movable platform is arranged on the workbench, a rotating head is arranged on the three-axis movable platform, and the rotating head is driven by the three-axis movable platform to move back and forth in the X, Y and Z axis directions with a fixed seat connected to the rotating head, and can move to the top of the plurality of electrode storage holes of the material rack; the rotating head comprises a rotating motor and a pneumatic chuck respectively fixed at the upper and lower positions on the same side of the fixed seat, the pneumatic chuck has an inner chuck for clamping the electrode, and a sleeve that can slide and rotate relative to the inner chuck, the rotating motor controls the inner chuck to rotate around its own central axis, and the sleeve drives the inner chuck to loosen or clamp the electrode chuck through a driving component fixed on the fixed seat.

[0005] The beneficial effect of the automatic electrode changing device of the present invention is that the three-axis mobile platform is used to realize the position movement of the rotating head, so that it moves back and forth in the direction of approaching / moving away from the material rack, and the driving component can drive the rotating head to loosen or clamp the electrode chuck, thereby realizing automatic replacement of the chuck, and the three-axis mobile platform and the cooperation with the rotating motor can realize the perforation of the electrode, replacing the manual replacement of the electrode head, with a faster replacement speed and improved replacement efficiency.

[0006] Preferably, the sleeve is sleeved on the outside of the inner chuck, the top of the inner chuck is connected to the output shaft of the rotating motor, the sleeve can surround the lower end of the inner chuck by the driving of the driving component, and a circle of steel balls is arranged at the lower end of the inner chuck, the steel balls are squeezed by the sleeve and move inward to the inner side wall of the protruding inner chuck, forming a locking ring for locking the concave ring 71 of the electrode chuck; when the driving component acts on the sleeve to move up to surround the upper half of the steel balls, the steel balls move outward, and the circle of steel balls releases the concave ring 71 of the electrode chuck. The electrode chuck that clamps the electrode is realized by forcing the steel balls to move inward by the sleeve, and when the sleeve is driven up by the driving component, the electrode chuck is released, which can achieve the effect of quickly clamping and releasing the electrode chuck, and has a simple structure, convenient and reliable.

[0007] Preferably, a steel ball hole for the steel ball to pass through is provided on the side wall of the inner chuck, and a limiting convex ring is provided at a position of the steel ball hole close to the interior of the inner chuck to limit the steel ball from falling into the interior of the inner chuck.

[0008] Preferably, the driving component is a cylinder, the telescopic shaft of the cylinder is connected to the shaft sleeve and controls the shaft sleeve to move up and down.

[0009] Preferably, the driving components are provided in two groups and are respectively located on both sides of the sleeve, so that the sleeve can move up and down stably.

[0010] Preferably, the three-axis mobile platform includes a Z-axis platform, the rotating head is slidably arranged on the Z-axis slide rail of the Z-axis platform, the Z-axis slide rail is provided with an intermediate guide assembly located below the rotating head, the intermediate guide assembly has two sets of jaws that can move toward and in opposite directions, the two sets of jaws moving toward each other form an electrode channel, and the electrode channel coincides with the central axis of the inner clamp of the rotating head, so as to prevent the excessively long electrode from bending during the perforation process.

[0011] Preferably, the intermediate guide assembly is slidably arranged on the Z-axis slide rail, the intermediate guide assembly is provided with an intermediate pulley, the top of the Z-axis platform is connected to one end of a traction rope, the traction rope passes around the intermediate pulley, and the other end thereof is connected to the rotating head. The intermediate guide can move downward with the rotating head through the arrangement of the intermediate pulley and the traction rope, and the downward movement distance is less than the downward movement distance of the rotating head.

[0012] Preferably, there are at least two intermediate guide assemblies, and the at least two intermediate guide assemblies are arranged from top to bottom. The electrode channels of at least two intermediate guide assemblies coincide with the central axes of the inner chucks of at least two rotating heads. One end of the traction rope on the intermediate guide assembly below is fixed to the top of the Z-axis platform, and the other end is fixed to the intermediate guide assembly above.

[0013] Preferably, a lower guide assembly is provided at the bottom of the Z-axis platform, a guide storage hole is provided on the material rack, the guide storage hole is located below the electrode storage hole, a guide is stored in the guide storage hole, the lower guide assembly can be moved to the guide storage hole by the drive of the three-axis movable platform, the lower guide assembly has a guide plate, a guide through hole is provided at the free end of the guide plate, and the guide through hole can clamp the guide in the guide through hole through a locking member. The guide of the lower guide assembly is used to guide the lower end of the electrode and is locked by the locking member, and the guide can be replaced according to the change of the electrode size.

[0014] Preferably, the outer ring of the guide is provided with a circle of engaging grooves, and the locking member includes a push rod and a driving source provided on the lower end surface of the guide plate. The push rod is provided transversely, one end of the push rod passes through the side wall of the guide plate, and the other end is connected to the driving source. The push rod can be inserted into the engaging groove by the driving source. The driving source (such as a cylinder) is used to drive the push rod to engage the engaging groove and then engage the guide. When the driving source (such as a cylinder) acts on the push rod to withdraw from the engaging groove and then release the guide, replacement is achieved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 It is a three-dimensional diagram of the first angle of this embodiment;

[0016] Figure 2 is a three-dimensional diagram from a second angle of this embodiment;

[0017] Figure 3 It is a three-dimensional diagram of the first angle at the Z-axis platform in this embodiment;

[0018] Figure 4 It is a stereoscopic view of the second angle of the Z-axis platform in this embodiment;

[0019] Figure 5 is a three-dimensional diagram of the rotating head in this embodiment;

[0020] Figure 6 is an exploded view of the rotating head in this embodiment;

[0021] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the rotating head in this embodiment;

[0022] Figure 8 is a three-dimensional diagram of the intermediate guide assembly in this embodiment;

[0023] Fig. 9 is a front view of the lower guide assembly in this embodiment;

[0024] Fig.10 is a bottom view of the lower guide assembly in this embodiment;

[0025] Fig.11It is a three-dimensional diagram of the guide in this embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings so that the advantages and features of the present invention can be more easily understood by those skilled in the art, thereby making a clearer and more definite definition of the protection scope of the present invention.

[0027] See attached Figure 1 As shown in FIG. 11, an automatic electrode replacement device of this embodiment includes:

[0028] A workbench 10 is provided with a material rack 20, and a plurality of electrode storage holes 21 are provided on the material rack 20. An electrode with an electrode chuck 70 is stored in each electrode storage hole 21. The electrode chuck 70 in each electrode storage hole 21 has different specifications for selection by the rotating head 40, and the unused electrodes with the electrode chuck 70 are stored.

[0029] The workbench 10 is provided with a three-axis mobile platform 30, which can control the rotating head 40, the middle guide assembly 50 and the lower guide assembly 60 mentioned later to move in three-axis directions. The three-axis mobile platform 30 is provided with a rotating head 40, which is fixed on a fixed seat 42. The fixed seat 42 is driven by the three-axis mobile platform 30 to drive the rotating head 40 to move back and forth in the X, Y and Z axis directions. Under the control of the controller, it can move to the top of the multiple electrode storage holes 21 of the material rack 20, and can be lifted and lowered to perforate the workpiece.

[0030] The rotating head 40 includes a rotating motor 41 and a pneumatic chuck. The rotating motor 41 and the pneumatic chuck are respectively fixed at the upper and lower positions on the same side of the fixed seat 42. The pneumatic chuck includes an inner chuck 43. The outer sleeve of the inner chuck 43 is provided with a sleeve 44 that can slide and rotate relative to each other. The top of the inner chuck 43 is connected to the output shaft of the rotating motor 41. The rotating motor 41 controls the rotation of the electrode, thereby realizing the relative rotation between the inner chuck 43 and the sleeve 44. The sleeve 44 can surround the lower end of the inner chuck 43 through the drive of the driving component 45. The driving component 45 then realizes the relative rotation between the sleeve 44 and the inner chuck 43. For sliding, a circle of steel ball holes 47 is provided on the side wall of the lower end of the inner chuck 43, and a steel ball 46 is placed in each steel ball hole 47. The steel ball 46 can move inward and outward a certain distance in the steel ball hole 47. When the steel ball 46 is squeezed by the shaft sleeve 44 and moves inward to the inner side wall of the protruding inner chuck 43, a locking ring for locking the concave ring 71 of the electrode chuck 70 is formed, and a circle of steel balls 46 clamps the electrode chuck 70; when the driving component 45 acts on the shaft sleeve 44 to move up to surround the upper half of the steel ball 46, since only the upper half is surrounded, the steel ball 46 has enough space to move outward, and the locking ring of the concave ring 71 can become larger. Due to the gravity of the electrode, the electrode has a tendency to break away from a circle of steel balls 46, and the steel ball 46 is no longer surrounded by the shaft sleeve 44, so the steel ball 46 moves outward, the locking ring becomes larger, and the concave ring 71 of the electrode chuck 70 is loosened, and then the electrode chuck 70 is loosened.

[0031] The distance that the steel ball 46 moves inward and outward is limited. The limiting structure in this embodiment includes an inner limit and an outer limit. The inner limit is: a limiting convex ring 48 can be set at the position of the steel ball hole 47 close to the inner chuck 43 to prevent the steel ball 46 from falling into the inner chuck 43. The outer limit structure is that when the shaft sleeve 44 slides upward, the shaft sleeve 44 also surrounds the upper half of the steel ball 46, and the upper half is the small half of the steel ball 46. When the parameters of the shaft sleeve 44 covering the small half of the upper part of the steel ball 46 are specifically set, it is based on the ability to achieve the outward movement of the steel ball 46 without falling off.

[0032] In order to ensure the stable movement of the sleeve 44 , a chuck spring 49 may be provided at the lower end of the inner chuck 43 . The chuck spring 49 is clamped between the inner chuck 43 and the sleeve 44 . The chuck spring 49 is provided to realize the resetting of the sleeve 44 .

[0033] In this embodiment, the sliding of the sleeve 44 is driven by a driving component 45 fixed on the fixed seat 42, thereby loosening or clamping the electrode chuck 70. The driving component 45 in this embodiment is a cylinder, the telescopic shaft of the cylinder is connected to the sleeve 44, and controls the sleeve 44 to move up and down. The cylinder is arranged on the rotating head 40. In order to achieve stable up and down movement of the sleeve 44, the driving component 45 is provided with two groups located on both sides of the sleeve 44.

[0034] The three-axis mobile platform 30 includes a Z-axis platform 31. The fixed seat 42 of the rotating head 40 is slidably arranged on the Z-axis slide rail 32 of the Z-axis platform 31. In order to prevent the electrode from bending due to the electrode being too long during perforation, an intermediate guide assembly 50 is arranged on the Z-axis slide rail 32. The intermediate guide assembly 50 is located below the rotating head 40. The intermediate guide assembly 50 has two groups of clamping jaws 52 that can move toward and in opposite directions. The two groups of clamping jaws 52 that move toward each other form an electrode channel 51. The electrode channel 51 coincides with the central axis of the inner clamp 43 of the rotating head 40. The two groups of clamping jaws 52 of the intermediate guide assembly 50 can be driven by a bidirectional cylinder. The corresponding end faces of the two groups of clamping jaws 52 can be arranged in a V-shaped structure, and one group of clamping jaws 52 has only one V-shaped claw piece, and the other group of clamping jaws 52 has two parallel V-shaped claw pieces. The three V-shaped claw pieces of the two groups of clamping jaws 52 are arranged crosswise to form the electrode channel 51.

[0035] The intermediate guide assembly 50 is slidably disposed on the Z-axis slide rail 32, and an intermediate pulley 53 is disposed on the intermediate guide assembly 50. The top of the Z-axis platform 31 is connected to one end of a traction rope 54, and the traction rope 54 passes around the intermediate pulley 53, and the other end thereof is connected to the rotating head, so that the distance that the intermediate guide assembly 50 descends is less than the distance that the rotating head 40 descends.

[0036] The intermediate guide assembly 50 can be provided as one or at least two, and the at least two intermediate guide assemblies 50 are arranged from top to bottom, and the electrode channels 51 of the at least two intermediate guide assemblies 50 coincide with the central axes of the inner clamps 43 of the at least two rotating heads 40. When two are provided, one end of the traction rope 54 on the lower intermediate guide assembly 50 is still fixed on the top of the Z-axis platform 31, and the other end is fixed on the upper intermediate guide assembly 50, and the lower intermediate guide assembly 50 moves downwards by a greater distance than the lower intermediate guide assembly 50 moves downwards.

[0037] In addition to the middle guide assembly 50, a lower guide assembly 60 can also be arranged at the bottom of the Z-axis platform 31. The lower guide assembly 60 can guide the electrode. The lower guide assembly 60 is arranged at the bottom of the Z-axis platform 31, and a guide storage hole 22 is arranged on the material rack 20. The guide storage hole 22 is located below the electrode storage hole 21. A guide 63 is stored in the guide storage hole 22. The lower guide assembly 60 can be moved to the guide storage hole 22 by the drive of the three-axis movable platform 30. The lower guide assembly 60 has a guide plate 61. The free end of the guide plate 61 is provided with a guide through hole 62. The guide through hole 62 can clamp the guide 63 in the guide through hole 62 through a locking member. In this embodiment, the following structure can be used to realize that the guide 63 is clamped in the guide through hole 62, specifically: the outer ring of the guide 63 is provided with a circle of clamping grooves 64, and the locking member includes a push rod and a driving source 65 arranged on the lower end surface of the guide plate 61. The push rod is arranged horizontally, one end of the push rod passes through the side wall of the guide plate 61, and the other end is connected to the driving source 65. The push rod can be clamped into the clamping groove 64 by the driving of the driving source 65 to lock the guide 63. In addition, the driving source 65 can be a cylinder, and a return spring can be arranged between the cylinder and the push rod.

[0038] The working principle of replacing the electrode and the lower guide 63 in this embodiment is described in detail below:

[0039] The rotating head 40 is moved to the electrode storage hole 21 above the material rack 20 through the three-axis mobile platform 30, and the rotating head 40 releases the clamped electrode. When releasing, the driving component 45 drives the sleeve 44 to move upward, and a circle of balls is no longer surrounded and tends to move outward. Due to the gravity of the electrode itself, the balls are forced to move outward, and the corresponding electrode falls into the electrode storage hole 21 of the material rack 20; the rotating head 40 is moved to the electrode storage hole 21 on the material rack 20 where the electrode to be replaced is stored through the three-axis mobile platform 30, and the lower end of the inner chuck 43 is sleeved on the electrode chuck 70 of the electrode. At the same time, the driving component 45 drives the sleeve 44 to move downward, and a circle of balls moves inward and is clamped on the concave ring 71 of the electrode chuck 70. At this time, the rotating head 40 clamps the electrode with the electrode chuck 70.

[0040] At the same time, the lower guide assembly 60 moves to the guide storage hole 22 above the material rack 20, and the driving source 65 controls the push rod to disengage from the engaging groove 64 of the guide 63, releasing the guide 63, and the guide 63 falls into the guide storage hole 22 of the material rack 20; the lower guide assembly 60 moves to the guide storage hole 22 on the material rack 20 where the guide 63 to be replaced is stored through the three-axis moving platform 30, and the driving source 65 controls the push rod to engage in the engaging groove 64 of the guide 63, and at this time the locking piece clamps the guide 63.

[0041] During drilling, the rotating motor 41 controls the inner chuck 43 to drive the electrode to rotate, the three-axis moving platform 30 controls the rotating head 40 to move down a distance m1, the upper intermediate pulley 53 drives the upper intermediate guide assembly 50 to move down a distance m2, and the lower intermediate guide assembly 50 moves down a distance m3. At this time, m1>m2>m3, and finally the rotating head 40 moves down to the upper intermediate guide assembly 50, the upper intermediate guide assembly 50 is close to the lower intermediate guide assembly 50, and the lower intermediate guide assembly 50 is close to the lower guide assembly 60, and the electrode passes through the electrode channels 51 of the two intermediate guide assemblies 50 in turn, and passes through the guide 63 assembly of the lower guide assembly 60, and then the workpiece is rotated and drilled.

[0042] The above implementation modes are only for illustrating the technical concept and features of the present invention, and their purpose is to enable people familiar with this technology to understand the content of the present invention and implement it, and they cannot be used to limit the protection scope of the present invention. Any equivalent changes or modifications made according to the spirit of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automatic electrode changing device, comprising a workbench (10), characterized in that: A material rack (20) is provided on the workbench (10), and a plurality of electrode storage holes (21) are provided on the material rack (20); The workbench (10) is provided with a three-axis movable platform (30), and the three-axis movable platform (30) is provided with a rotating head (40), and the rotating head (40) is driven by the three-axis movable platform (30) to move back and forth in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions, and can move to the top of a plurality of electrode storage holes (21) of the material rack (20); The rotating head (40) comprises a rotating motor (41) and a pneumatic chuck respectively fixed at upper and lower positions on the same side of a fixed seat (42); the pneumatic chuck comprises an inner chuck (43) for clamping an electrode, and a shaft sleeve (44) capable of relative sliding and rotation with the inner chuck (43); the rotating motor (41) controls the inner chuck (43) to rotate around its own central axis; the shaft sleeve (44) drives the inner chuck (43) to loosen or clamp the electrode chuck (70) through a driving component (45) fixed on the fixed seat (42); The shaft sleeve (44) is sleeved on the outside of the inner chuck (43), the top of the inner chuck (43) is connected to the output shaft of the rotating motor (41), the shaft sleeve (44) can surround the lower end of the inner chuck (43) through the driving energy of the driving component (45), and a circle of steel balls (46) is arranged at the lower end of the inner chuck (43), the steel balls (46) are squeezed by the shaft sleeve (44) and move inward to the inner side wall protruding from the inner chuck (43), forming a locking ring for locking the concave ring (71) of the electrode chuck (70); when the driving component (45) acts on the shaft sleeve (44) to move up to surround the upper half of the steel balls (46), the steel balls (46) move outward, and the circle of steel balls (46) loosens the concave ring (71) of the electrode chuck (70); The side wall of the inner chuck (43) is provided with a steel ball hole (47) for the steel ball (46) to pass through, and a limiting convex ring (48) is arranged at a position of the steel ball hole (47) close to the interior of the inner chuck (43); The driving component (45) is a cylinder, the telescopic shaft of the cylinder is connected to the shaft sleeve (44), and controls the shaft sleeve (44) to move up and down; The driving components (45) are provided in two groups and are respectively located on both sides of the shaft sleeve (44); The three-axis mobile platform (30) comprises a Z-axis platform (31), the rotating head (40) is slidably arranged on a Z-axis slide rail (32) of the Z-axis platform (31), an intermediate guide assembly (50) located below the rotating head (40) is arranged on the Z-axis slide rail (32), the intermediate guide assembly (50) has two groups of clamping jaws (52) that can move towards and in opposite directions, the two groups of clamping jaws (52) that move towards each other form an electrode channel (51), and the electrode channel (51) coincides with the central axis of the inner clamp (43) of the rotating head (40).

2. The automatic electrode replacement device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The intermediate guide assembly (50) is slidably arranged on the Z-axis slide rail (32), and an intermediate pulley (53) is arranged on the intermediate guide assembly (50). The top of the Z-axis platform (31) is connected to one end of a traction rope (54), and the traction rope (54) passes around the intermediate pulley (53), and the other end thereof is connected to the rotating head (40).

3. The automatic electrode changing device according to claim 2, characterized in that: At least two intermediate guide assemblies (50) are provided, and at least two intermediate guide assemblies (50) are arranged from top to bottom. The electrode channels (51) of at least two intermediate guide assemblies (50) coincide with the central axes of the inner clamps (43) of at least two rotating heads (40). One end of the traction rope (54) on the intermediate guide assembly (50) at the bottom is fixed to the top of the Z-axis platform (31), and the other end is fixed to the intermediate guide assembly (50) at the top.

4. The automatic electrode changing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A lower guide assembly (60) is provided at the bottom of the Z-axis platform (31), and a guide storage hole is provided on the material rack (20). The guide storage hole is located below the electrode storage hole (21), and a guide is stored in the guide storage hole. The lower guide assembly (60) can be moved to the guide storage hole by the drive of the three-axis movable platform (30). The lower guide assembly (60) has a guide plate (61), and a guide through hole (62) is provided at the free end of the guide plate (61). The guide through hole (62) can clamp the guide in the guide through hole (62) through a locking member.

5. The automatic electrode changing device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The outer ring of the guide is provided with a circle of engaging grooves (64), and the locking member comprises a push rod (66) and a driving source (65) arranged on the lower end surface of the guide plate (61). The push rod (66) is arranged transversely, one end of the push rod (66) passes through the side wall of the guide plate (61), and the other end is connected to the driving source (65). The push rod (66) can be engaged in the engaging groove (64) by the driving energy of the driving source (65).

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