Turret unit with B axis and machine tool, in particular lathe

Abstract

The turret unit for a lathe includes a turret body (M) and a turret head (H). The turret body (M) is configured to be mounted to a carrier support of a machine tool. The turret head (H) is mounted to the turret body (M) and includes a turret disk (H2). The turret disk is configured to be rotatable about a disk axis (X) that is the rotation axis of the turret disk (H2) by a first drive device (D1). The turret unit (T) includes a second drive device (D2) for pivoting the turret head (H) about a turret axis (Y), and the second drive device (D2) is a variable frequency motor.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to a compact turret unit for a machine tool, in particular a lathe. Background Art

[0002] A conventional turret unit as in DE 42 35 095 C2 has a tool turret which has a turret body and a turret disk as well as tool holders for fixing and rotating tools, wherein the turret disk is supported by a hollow shaft. For driving the turret and the tools, gears are provided between the respective drive means and the turret or the shaft. This requires a relatively large amount of space and increases the sensitivity to interference of each additional transmission component. Furthermore, the use of a gearbox inevitably causes an asymmetry in the design, which leads to an adverse effect on the operation of the tool turret unit and the associated mechanical stress due to vibrations and imbalance of the system and thus less efficient cooling.

[0003] In order to provide tools for machining, tool carriers are provided, which are generally available on movable tool carrier slides (in particular compound slides), which are arranged at the machine frame and can be moved relative to the working spindle by means of one or more linear axes (for example, can be moved in three directions, such as the X, Y or Z directions, etc.). For example, such a machine tool of this type is known from EP 2 714 307 B1, EP 2 714 308 B1, EP 2714 309 B1 or EP 2 714 310 B1.

[0004] In order to perform a specific workpiece machining operation, it is often necessary to controllably rotate the entire turret, and at the same time, the machining tool must also perform a rotational movement. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide an optimized turret unit which overcomes the problems of the conventional turret structure. A further object is to provide a turret unit which requires reduced space and at the same time has increased rigidity and allows improved machining accuracy of the machine tool. Furthermore, the object of the present invention is to provide an optimized machine tool, in particular a lathe.

[0006] To solve these problems, the features of the independent claims are proposed. There are a number of preferred improvements in the dependent claims.

[0007] The turret unit according to an embodiment of the present application may include a turret body and a turret head. The turret body is configured to be mounted to a carrier support (and / or tool carrier support or assembly) of a machine tool. The turret head is mounted to the turret body and includes a turret disk. The turret disk may be configured to be rotatable about a disk axis by a first drive device. The disk axis is the rotation axis of the turret disk. The axis may preferably be the axis of symmetry of the preferably symmetric turret disk. The turret unit may include a second drive device for pivoting the turret head about a turret axis. The second drive device is a motor (such as a direct drive motor, etc.), which has a rotor arranged radially outside the stator, and the second drive device may be integrated in the turret body. By providing such a specific structure, a compact and cost-saving assembly with increased rigidity can be achieved. In addition, by providing the turret unit according to the present invention, due to the symmetric design, the unit can be placed at different carrier supports of the machine tool.

[0008] The second drive device may be integrated in the turret body such that the cylindrical inner member (preferably the innermost cylindrical member) of the turret body forms the stator of the second drive device and / or the cylindrical outer member of the turret body forms the rotor of the second drive device. In addition, the turret body may also be of a cylindrical shape, wherein the ratio of the length of the cylinder to the outer diameter is preferably in the range of 0.5 to 1.7, more preferably in the range of about 1.2, which can achieve significant vibration damping. In addition, a compact and effective turret unit can be provided.

[0009] The turret body may include an inner cylindrical member and an outer cylindrical member, wherein the outer cylindrical member is arranged to at least partially surround the inner cylindrical member. The inner cylindrical member may include a mounting surface for mounting the turret unit to a tool carrier assembly, wherein magnets for attaching the rotor of the second drive device are attached to the inner surface of the outer cylindrical member.

[0010] The second drive device may be configured to directly (gearless) drive the turret head to pivot about the turret axis. In addition, the second drive device and the base of the turret head may provide a synchronous drive assembly. Therefore, a compact and effective turret unit can be provided.

[0011] The turret head may be directly mounted to the rotor of the second drive device. In addition, the turret body may have a symmetric structure such that the turret unit can be used on the left and right sides of a lathe or a machine tool. In other words, the turret body may be symmetric with respect to the longitudinal axis of the turret body. A compact and effective turret unit may be provided with increased stiffness.

[0012] The turret disk can be arranged such that the disk axis intersects the rotor magnet of the second drive device, preferably perpendicularly. Thus, a compact and efficient turret unit can be provided as the disk is arranged very close to the motor. The turret disk can include a controllably driven movable disk which includes a plurality of turret disk toolholder recesses arranged in the circumferential direction of the disk and designed to receive the corresponding profiled end portions of the automatic machining tools for driving purposes. Additionally, the intersection of the disk axis and the turret axis can be within the axial range of the magnet of the rotor or within the axial length of the rotor.

[0013] The turret unit can be a tool turret, and in such a form of tool turret, a disk turret can be implemented which can be rotated in a controlled manner about a turret axis extending parallel to the workpiece spindle axis to move each tool into an operating position, at least in a lathe without a B axis or a lathe with a B axis in the starting position of the tool turret.

[0014] The turret head can rotate about the turret axis by at least 100 degrees, more preferably 110 degrees. Thus, a compact and flexible turret unit can be provided.

[0015] The turret body has a through-hole located at the center and extending along the turret axis for allowing wires and hydraulic lines to pass through. Thus, increased stiffness can be provided for a compact and efficient turret unit.

[0016] The turret body can have a flange member and an inner shaft, the flange member for attaching the turret unit to the carrier support of the machine tool, the inner shaft extending along the turret axis. Thus, a compact and efficient turret unit can be provided.

[0017] The inner shaft can be attached to the flange member on one side and, on the opposite side, the inner shaft can be attached to the stator core of the stator. In a further refinement, the flange member is integrated into the inner shaft (formed integrally).

[0018] The stator core of the second drive device can extend axially beyond half of the inner shaft to thereby cover the center of the inner shaft. Thus, the length of the stator core can be greater than 0.5 of the length of the inner shaft.

[0019] In an alternative embodiment, the second drive device can be omitted and the structure of the turret body alternatively includes a fixed shaft, where the turret head is mounted on the outer circumferential surface of the shaft of the body.

[0020] The second drive device can be configured to directly pivot the turret head without a transmission therebetween. Thus, a direct drive can be implemented for the first drive device and / or the second drive device and / or the third drive device.

[0021] The turret head can be arranged on the circumference of the cylindrical outer part of the turret body. For a specific compact structure and improved vibration characteristics, the mounting surface of the turret head attached to the rotor can be arranged to coincide with the outer surface of the rotor of the second drive device. The outer rotor surface can thus be at least partially covered by the turret head. Preferably, the disk axis and the turret axis can be arranged in separate non-interfering planes.

[0022] The turret head can be arranged eccentrically with respect to the turret body, and the turret disk can have a plurality of tool stations for carrying tools, and at least one of the tool stations can be equipped with a tool rotatably driven by a third drive device about a tool axis preferably oriented at right angles to the rotational axis of the turret disk. The rotational axis of the third drive device can also be coaxial with the central axis of the tool slot of the turret disk.

[0023] The third drive device can be arranged parallel and spaced apart and / or coaxially with the disk axis, and the coolant guide piston can be arranged parallel to the third drive device. In addition, preferably, a disk brake (extending in the radial direction) can be arranged between the rotor and the stator of the second drive device. Thus, a disk brake can also be provided between the outer cylindrical part of the turret body and the inner cylindrical part of the turret body.

[0024] The first drive device can be attached to the base of the turret head, and the rotational axis of the first drive device can preferably be parallel and / or spaced apart from the disk axis. The hydraulic and / or electrical lines of the third drive device and the first drive device can be connected in parallel to a main support member extending through a through hole in the turret body.

[0025] The turret body can include an inner turret shaft as the stator of the second drive device.

[0026] The first drive device can be arranged to extend away from the turret disk along the rotational axis of the first drive device described above and preferably orthogonal to the turret axis. Thus, an improved movement space can be achieved with a compact structure.

[0027] The rotor of the second drive device can be supported via at least two bearings, and at least one of the bearings includes a built-in encoder. Preferably, the bearing arranged closer to the mounting surface of the turret unit includes a built-in encoder.

[0028] A machine tool (especially a lathe) includes a turret unit according to any one of the above aspects.

[0029] A machine tool (in particular a lathe) may further comprise a machine frame, a spindle carrier, and one or more tool carriers. The machine frame has an upper tool carrier support portion, a lower tool carrier support portion, and a spindle carrier portion disposed between the upper tool carrier support portion and the lower tool carrier support portion; the spindle carrier is disposed at or at the height of the spindle carrier portion of the machine frame to support a spindle, which is configured to receive a workpiece, and the spindle has a horizontally disposed spindle axis; each tool carrier is supported on a tool carrier assembly, which is disposed on the upper tool carrier support portion or the lower tool carrier support portion of the machine frame, wherein the lower side surface of the lower tool carrier support portion is arranged to have an overhang inclination, and one or more tool carriers can be mounted to the lower side surface of the lower tool carrier support portion. Each carrier support portion and carrier portion is configured to preferably receive a turret unit.

[0030] Furthermore, the lower side surface of the lower tool carrier support portion may be inclined at an overhang inclination angle within the range of 300 degrees to 330 degrees, particularly at approximately 315 degrees.

[0031] The machine tool may be configured such that one or more or each tool carrier assembly is configured to independently move the corresponding tool carrier in one or more linear directions, and the one or more linear directions include at least one of a Z-axis movement direction, an X-axis movement direction, and a Y-axis movement direction. The Z-axis movement direction is for horizontally moving the tool carrier in a direction parallel to the spindle axis of the spindle, the X-axis movement direction is for radially moving the tool carrier relative to the spindle axis of the spindle, and the Y-axis movement direction is for moving the tool carrier in a direction perpendicular to the spindle axis of the spindle and perpendicular to the X-axis movement of the spindle.

[0032] A method for machining a workpiece using a machine tool with a turret unit having any of the foregoing aspects includes the step of pivoting a turret head about a turret body axis to effect b-axis movement.

[0033] According to the structural aspects of the turret unit, a compact and cost-saving structure with increased rigidity can be achieved. Furthermore, by providing the turret unit according to the present invention, due to the symmetric design, the unit can be placed at different carrier supports of the machine tool.

[0034] The disclosure of the EP application having the application number EP 18191544.8 (EP 3616832) is incorporated herein by reference.

[0035] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that different adaptations, modifications, and / or combinations of the aspects just described can be configured. Therefore, it should be understood that other aspects can be practiced in addition to those specifically described herein. In view of the present disclosure, those of ordinary skill in the art will also appreciate that the different aspects described herein can be combined to form other aspects of the present disclosure. Description of the Drawings

[0036] Figure 1 Exemplarily shows a schematic perspective view of a multi-spindle lathe having a turret unit and details of the turret unit;

[0037] Figure 2 Exemplarily shows a schematic perspective view of a tool carrier assembly;

[0038] Figure 3 Exemplarily shows a detailed view of the turret unit;

[0039] Figure 4 Exemplarily shows a detailed overview of the turret unit;

[0040] Figure 5 Exemplarily shows a cross-sectional view of the turret body;

[0041] Figure 6 Exemplarily shows a cross-sectional view of the turret head and its different pivot positions; Detailed Description of the Invention

[0042] Hereinafter, preferred aspects and embodiments will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. The same or similar features in different drawings and embodiments are denoted by like reference numerals. It should be understood that the following detailed description of various preferred aspects and preferred embodiments does not limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 1 Schematically shows a schematic perspective view of a lathe L according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The lathe L is exemplarily implemented as a turret lathe, which includes a frame for preferably supporting four tool carrier assemblies 150, a workpiece-carrying main spindle supported by a main spindle carrier, and a workpiece-carrying sub-main spindle supported by a sub-main spindle carrier, so as to provide more efficient workpiece machining. The lathe L according to the present invention includes an auxiliary main spindle carrier 130 disposed between the main spindle carrier and the sub-main spindle carrier.

[0044] In addition, a turret unit T is mounted to the tool carrier assembly 150 and / or the main spindle carrier or the sub-main spindle carrier.

[0045] In order to provide effective and cost-saving workpiece machining, the present invention proposes a better turret unit T, which on the one hand requires reduced installation space on the machine tool and at the same time has significantly improved vibration characteristics and mechanical stiffness. In addition to the conventional system, in one embodiment, a variable-frequency motor concept is combined with a gearless design, while omitting the torque transmission shaft.

[0046] As Figure 1As shown on the left side, due to the variable frequency motor configuration and the gearless torque transmission, the turret unit T has a compact design. The turret unit T includes a turret body M that can be attached to the tool carrier assembly 150 via an attachment section M1 of the turret body. The attachment section M1 is arranged at the rear side of the turret body M, and the opposite side of the turret body M (sometimes referred to as the front side of the body M) is the free end of the turret body M. While conventional turret units include a turret body separated from the drive device for controlling the pivoting of the turret head H about the B axis or the Y axis, the present invention proposes an integrated drive device called the second drive device D2. The second drive device B2 is integrally formed in the turret body M as a structural part thereof. In this way, the outer cylindrical part of the turret body M and the inner cylindrical part of the turret body are designed as the actual rotor and stator of the second drive device D2. As Figure 1 As shown on the left side, the outer cylindrical part of the turret body M can rotate about the Y axis. This movement is generally referred to as B-axis movement.

[0047] In Figure 1 the example shown, the Y axis (or turret rotation axis), which is the rotation axis of the turret body, extends orthogonally to the main spindle axis of the main spindle. To change the turret head position, the B-axis movement is integrated into the lathe so that the turret head H and the turret disk H2 can rotate about the Y axis, enabling different tools or workpieces attached to the turret disk H2 to be arranged flexibly relative to the main spindle or the sub-spindle, thereby allowing flexible and efficient machining of the workpiece. The lathe according to the present invention is also superior to conventional lathes because the tool carrier assembly allows the turret unit T to move in the vertical and horizontal directions, as is clear from, for example, Figure 2 which, in combination with the turret unit T that allows B-axis movement, enables very efficient machining of the workpiece.

[0048] As is clear from Figure 1 the turret head H includes a base H1 of the turret head and a turret disk H2. The turret disk H2 has a rotation axis X. The turret disk H2 is configured to rotate about the rotation axis X of the turret disk. The rotary turret disk H2 has slots for the machine tool and / or the workpiece. In addition, the turret disk H2 has an integrated third drive device D3 that allows driving of the tool attached or inserted into the slots of the turret disk H2. Preferably, the third drive device is a direct drive motor.

[0049] The arrangement of the turret plate H2 extends in the radial direction of the Y-axis of the turret body M. Accordingly, the turret plate H2 is arranged outside the turret body M in the radial direction. In the axial direction with respect to the Y-axis of the turret body M, the turret head H does not extend further than the free end of the turret body M. The turret head H extends in the axial direction of the Y-axis of the turret body M and extends substantially to the end face of the free end of the turret body M. Accordingly, a very efficient and compact design can be achieved, and the distance between the turret plate H2 and the attachment section M1 of the turret body can be minimized. The inventors have recognized that this specific design can significantly increase the mechanical stability and accuracy of the turret unit and the entire lathe L.

[0050] The turret head H has a flat turret design such that the base H1 of the turret head H is flat. The turret plate H2 attached to the base H1 is rotatably provided. The turret plate H2 is capable of rotating about the X-axis. Preferably, the X-axis is substantially perpendicular to the Y-axis of the turret body M. In order to further flatten the turret head H, the additional drive means necessary for rotating the turret plate H2 is arranged as a first drive means D1, which is on top of the base H1 of the turret head and covers a part of the outer cylindrical shaft of the turret body M. The first drive means D1 extends along the X-axis away from the turret plate H2. The base H1 of the turret head with the attached first drive means D1 forms an L-shape, which is arranged to surround the turret body M, thereby achieving a vibration-resistant and compact turret unit T, which can be flexibly attached to each different tool carrier assembly position of the lathe L or the machine tool. Accordingly, the radially outer circumferential surface of the turret body M is the mounting surface of the turret head H such that the turret head H can be attached radially spaced apart from the turret rotation axis Y.

[0051] In Figure 2 a schematic perspective view of the tool carrier assembly 150 is shown. All 1, 2, 3 or 4 exemplary tool carrier assemblies 150 that are lifted on the frame of the machine tool can be similarly implemented. Accordingly, due to the symmetric design of the tool carrier assembly and the turret unit T, flexible and interchangeable turret positioning of the machine tool can be achieved. More specifically, due to the specific design of the turret unit, the turret unit can be placed at each of the four positions of the tool carrier assembly of the lathe, such as for example Figure 1 shown. Depending on the corresponding position on the lathe, the turret head H position can be rotated about the Y-axis of the turret body M. Accordingly, for a lathe L equipped with four turret units T, only a single type of turret unit T is required, and four identical turret units T can be installed at the corresponding mounting positions of the lathe L. Accordingly, with the turret unit T of the present application, a flexible and cost-saving machine tool and lathe can be provided.

[0052] Figure 2The tool carrier assembly 150 therein includes a carrier support slider 151 which is configured to be slidably mounted to guides of an upper support portion and a lower support portion of a frame of a lathe or a machine tool. Thus, when mounted on top of the upper support portion mounted on the guides, the carrier support slider 151 is configured to horizontally move on the guides in a horizontal direction and horizontally move along the guides on the Z-axis, the horizontal direction being parallel to the spindle axis of a horizontally and coaxially arranged spindle. On the other hand, when mounted at a cantilevered lower support position at the guides in a suspended state, the carrier support slider 151 is configured to horizontally move along the guides on the Z-axis in a horizontal direction parallel to the spindle axis of a horizontally and coaxially arranged spindle.

[0053] On the front side of the carrier support slider 151 of the tool carrier assembly 150, which front side faces the machining area between the spindles of the machine tool or the lathe, a tool carrier support slider 152 is slidably mounted to the carrier support slider 151. The tool carrier support slider 152 is configured to vertically move on and along a vertical guide arranged on the front surface of the carrier support slider 151. Further, on the front side of the tool carrier support slider 152 of the tool carrier assembly 150, which front side faces the machining area between the spindles of the machine tool, a horizontally arranged tool carrier sleeve or turret 153 is exemplarily provided which vertically extends from the front side of the tool carrier support slider 152 into the machining area of the machine tool to mount a tool carrier. Thus, Figure 2 the turret 153 shown therein can also be a turret unit T including a turret head H. Note that in an alternative embodiment, the turret body M can also be fixed and thus rotation about the B-axis is not possible for a particular application. However, the remaining features are the same as those in Figure 1 the embodiment shown. Figure 1 shown.

[0054] Figure 3 A detailed view of the turret unit T and specifically the turret head H is shown. Further, in Figure 3 the tubing and wires of the hydraulic system and the electrical system for the turret unit T are shown. To allow and for efficient and optimized wires and tubing, the turret body M includes a hollow shaft as the innermost cylindrical member. Thus, there is a through hole 24 which extends axially along the Y-axis through the turret body M to provide an opening for the tubing and wires in order to connect the turret head H to the hydraulic system and the electrical system in an improved manner.

[0055] As Figure 1As shown, the attachment section M1 of the turret body M is arranged opposite to the free end side of the turret body M. The turret body M includes an integrated second drive device D2. The drive device D2 includes a rotor D2R of the second drive device D2, and the rotor D2R is arranged outside the stator D2S of the second drive device. On the outermost surface on the circumference of the rotor D2R of the second drive device, the base H1 of the turret head is attached to the turret body M.

[0056] The central hydraulic line L1 includes a plurality of hydraulic and / or electrical coupling parts for connection to hydraulic pipelines. More specifically, the bent hydraulic line L2 is connected to the corresponding connection section of the central hydraulic line L1. These bent sections are configured to bend according to the pivoting angle of the turret head H about the Y axis and thus are independent of the axis movement.

[0057] Preferably, these bent sections can bend 90 degrees, and more preferably 120 degrees, so that a safe hydraulic connection between the central hydraulic line L1 and the turret head H can be ensured even when the turret head H pivots about the Y axis. The bending movement of the bent sections of the hydraulic line L2 is configured such that twisting of the pipeline or wire along the longitudinal axis can be avoided. Therefore, through the specific B-axis movement of the turret unit, a very reliable, compact and comprehensive connection to the pipelines and wires of the electrical and hydraulic systems can also be achieved, because bending in the longitudinal direction or twisting about the longitudinal axis can be avoided, and instead only bending about the transverse axis of the pipeline is necessary, as can also be derived from Figure 3 deduced.

[0058] The central hydraulic line L1 is connected to the stator D2S of the second drive device that forms the innermost cylindrical hollow section of the turret body M. Via the bent sections of the hydraulic and electrical wires, a connection between the central hydraulic line L1 and the rotor of the turret body M and specifically the hydraulic mounting side of the rotor D2R of the second drive device can be achieved. Therefore, an outer hydraulic connection section L3 is provided, which is preferably fixed to the rotor D2R of the second drive device. In addition, the hydraulic pipeline is connected to the base H1 of the turret head and to the hydraulic device attached to the rotor D2R. Correspondingly, connecting wires can also be preferably included.

[0059] The turret head H has a flat design through the base H1 of the plate-shaped turret head with a rotor D2R preferably directly attached to the turret body M. The base H1 of the plate-shaped turret head may include guides for precisely positioning the turret head on the rotor D2R. To fix the base H1 of the turret head to the rotor D2R, a plurality of bolts and screws are preferably provided. In addition, the base H1 of the turret head provides support for the turret disk H2. Thus, the turret disk H2 can rotate relative to the base H1 of the turret head. The rotation of the turret disk H2 preferably occurs about the X-axis of the turret disk H2. The turret disk H2 has a plurality of tool receiving slots 35 with disk surfaces 34. The tool receiving slots 35 extend in the radial direction of the turret disk H2 towards the X-axis of the turret disk H2. Preferably, the turret disk H2 has at least 12 or 16 tool receiving slots 35 for receiving corresponding tools. The hydraulic connection and electrical connection of the turret disk H2 are preferably achieved via the base H1 of the turret head. Thus, the base H1 of the turret head includes connection parts for pipelines and electrical wires to the rotor connection member L3.

[0060] To achieve the rotational movement of the turret disk H2 about the X-axis of the turret disk H2, a first drive device D1 is provided. Preferably, the first drive device D1 is directly attached to the base H1 of the turret head via a gear D10. The first drive device D1 extends above the turret body M away from the turret disk H2 such that the base H1 of the turret head and the first drive device D1 have an L-shape that at least partially surrounds the outer circumference of the turret body M to achieve a very compact and vibration-resistant structure. In the axial direction of the turret disk H2, a removable cover 33 is provided for maintenance.

[0061] Figure 4 Another cross-sectional view of the turret unit T with the turret head H mounted is shown. Planes A and B respectively represent cross-sectional views of the turret unit.

[0062] In Figure 5 is shown a cross-sectional view corresponding to the plane extending along the axial direction of the turret body M as shown in Figure 4 On the left side of the turret body M, the attachment section M1 of the turret body is shown. The attachment section M1 is provided for attaching the turret unit T to the tool carrier of the machine tool. Preferably, the left side or the attachment section M1 of the turret body M is thus fixed to the tool carrier of the machine tool or lathe. As Figure 5As shown, by integrating the stator of the second drive device D2 with the fixing member of the turret body M, a compact design can be achieved. Thus, the actual stator D2S of the second drive device can be considered as a shaft assembly including an attachment section M1 having a flange member 32, and an inner shaft 28 is fixedly connected to the flange member 32. The stator core 22 can be fixedly attached to the inner shaft 28. In order to achieve a specific efficient and compact design and increased machining accuracy, a disk break portion B is provided adjacent to the flange member 32 and the attachment section M1 on the circumferential outer side of the stator D2S. The length of the disk break portion B can extend in the radial direction of the stator core 22.

[0063] The support of the rotor D2R of the second drive device D2 is achieved by providing a front bearing 25 and a bearing 26 (preferably a roller bearing). In an improvement, the roller bearing 26 includes a built-in encoder for allowing highly precise control while achieving a compact design by using an integrated encoder. Thus, the turret unit T can be designed more compactly.

[0064] The front bearing 25 of the turret body M for supporting the rotor D2R of the second drive device D2 is preferably arranged at the free end of the turret body M. Opposite to this side, the roller bearing 26 is provided adjacent to the flange member 32. Between the bearings, the rotor D2R provides an attachment section on which the turret head H is mounted. Preferably, the attachment section does not extend axially along the Y axis of the turret body beyond the front bearing 25 or the roller bearing 26. In other words, preferably, the fixing member and the attachment member of the attachment section for fixing the turret head H to the rotor D2R are provided between the front bearing 25 and the roller bearing 26.

[0065] More preferably, the attachment section including the attachment hole and the guide for attaching the turret head H to the rotor D2R is radially provided above the stator core 22 and the magnet 21 of the rotor D2R, so that the distance between the attachment section and the base H1 of the turret head and the magnet 21 of the rotor D2R can be minimized. As Figure 5 shown, the first drive device D1 is provided directly above the magnet 21 of the rotor D2R and directly above the stator core 22, so that preferably the first drive device D1 does not extend axially along the Y axis beyond the axial length of the magnet 21 and / or the axial length of the stator core 22.

[0066] The second drive device D2 is a gearless drive device configured to allow a gearless drive (direct drive) of the turret head H to pivot about the turret axis Y. Specifically, a variable frequency motor is provided and integrated into the structure of the turret body M. The variable frequency motor has a stator, which also serves as the inner shaft of the turret body M at the same time. The outer shaft of the turret body M is configured as the rotor D2R of the second drive device D2. Due to this design, in the radial direction, a rotor mainly provided with a magnet 21 on the outer side and a stator core 22 on the inner side can be provided, and the size of the magnet 21 of the rotor can be significantly reduced. Therefore, the diameter in the radial direction of the turret body M can be significantly reduced, so that the mechanical load can be reduced.

[0067] As described in the specific design of the variable frequency motor concept implemented as the structure of the turret body M, it synergistically results in the effect of a compact turret unit design, which has increased accuracy due to reduced mechanical stress. In other words, the compact design with the variable frequency motor concept and the reduced thickness of the magnet 21 can reduce the distance and mechanical force, and thus reduce the resultant moment applied to the turret unit during movement and during the working process, as well as the force applied during static use.

[0068] In order to further reduce the size of the turret unit T and at the same time ensure the effective connection of the hydraulic and / or electrical devices of the turret unit T, a body through hole 24 is provided, which preferably extends through the entire turret body M. Therefore, wires, pipelines, and hydraulic pipelines 23 can extend along the Y axis of the turret body M. In order to connect the inner shaft 28 to the flange member 32, fixing devices 30, 31 are provided. For example, the fixing devices 30, 31 are bolts or screws for firmly attaching the relevant parts. Therefore, the stator core 22 can also be stably attached to the inner shaft 28.

[0069] The rotor D2R of the second drive device D2 includes a magnet 21 arranged on the inner side of the circumference of the rotor D2R. Preferably, the rotor D2R also includes an outer shaft, which has a mounting surface for attaching the base H1 of the turret head H at the base. Therefore, the turret head H can be directly attached to the rotor D2R of the second drive device D2. In order to achieve improved support of the rotor D2R, the front bearing 25 is attached to the rotor D2R via the rotor fixing cover 29, and the rotor fixing cover 29 is attached to the free end of the turret body M. In order to further reduce mechanical stress, the front bearing 25 is arranged radially inside the magnet 21 of the rotor D2R. At the same time, the roller bearing 26 is arranged radially farther from the X axis than the front bearing 25. Therefore, the roller bearing 26 closer to the attachment section M1 has a larger diameter than the front bearing 25.

[0070] One aspect of the present application is that the turret head H is closely attached to the second drive device D2. For example, the turret disk H2 is in, for example Figure 1The rotational axis, referred to as the X-axis herein, is arranged to intersect the magnet 21 of the rotor. Thus, the turret head H is arranged adjacent to the drive device D2, which can also be a direct drive motor. More preferably, the rotational axis of the turret disk H2 preferably intersects perpendicularly the outer circumferential side of the magnet 21 of the rotor. Thus, in order to transmit the torque of the second drive device D2 for rotating or pivoting the turret head H, since the turret head is directly fixed to the outer surface of the rotor D2R, no additional transmission shaft is required. Thus, the axial distance between the center of the second drive device D2 and the rotational axis X of the turret disk H2 is reduced to a minimum and can preferably be kept close to 0. Thus, in a preferred application, the rotational axis X of the turret disk H2 is placed in line with the axis of the second drive device D2, and in particular in line with the center of the stator core 22 and / or the center of the rotor D2R in the axial direction with respect to the Y-axis of the turret body M.

[0071] In other words, with respect to the attachment section M1 of the turret body M, the turret unit T of the present application allows the second drive device D2 to be arranged on the same side (based on the flange) of the turret body M as the turret head H, such that a transmission shaft for transmitting torque from a remotely located drive device to the actual turret head can be avoided. At the same time, conduits and electrical wires 23 are provided at the Y-axis, which is the rotational axis of the turret body M allowing B-axis movement. Furthermore, it can also be seen that with respect to Figure 5 the cross-section shown in, the design of the turret body M can be considered symmetric, which allows the turret unit to be flexibly used in machine tools and at different positions on the machine tool respectively. Thus, the turret body M is configured to be symmetric about a plane extending along the rotational axis of the turret body, in particular the rotational axis Y. In other words, the turret unit T uses a symmetric turret body M.

[0072] Figure 6A view along the Y-axis showing a cross-sectional view of the turret head H is presented. The turret disk H2 is provided with a plurality of tool receiving slots 35 regularly arranged around the outer circumference of the turret disk H2. The corresponding slots extend in the radial direction of the turret disk H2. A coolant guiding piston 36 is provided parallel to the driving device arranged at the center of the turret disk H2. Specifically, the third driving device D3 is a motor arranged within the turret disk H2. Parallel to the third driving device D3, the coolant guiding piston 36 is arranged adjacent to the tool receiving slots 35. Due to the close arrangement of the coolant guiding piston 36, the distance for supplying coolant to the tool receiving slots 35 and respectively to the tools applied in the tool receiving slots can be significantly reduced. Therefore, the compact design of the turret unit can be further improved and made even more compact while ensuring the supply of coolant to the corresponding tools. In other words, the coolant guiding piston 36 is arranged to be spaced apart in the direction along the X-axis and parallel to the symmetry axis of the turret disk H2. The driving axis of the third driving device D3 can be arranged parallel to the center line of the tool receiving slots 35 and the corresponding tools inserted into the tool receiving slots.

[0073] The first driving device D1 is applied in a manner that extends over the outer circumferential surface of the turret body M. The first driving device D1 is connected to the base H1 of the turret head H via an external gear member D10 and an internal gear member D11. The base H1 of the turret head H in combination with the first driving device D1 forms an L-shape that at least partially surrounds the outer circumferential surface of the turret body M (preferably in the vertical and horizontal directions). In addition, as Figure 6 shown, the entire turret head (H) having the X-axis as the central axis can pivot, as is clear from the two positions of the X-axis shown in the figure.

[0074] As can be seen in Figure 6 the stator core 22 of the stator body D2S and the magnet 21 of the rotor D2R are arranged very close to the attachment surface and attachment means of the turret head H (and especially the base H1 of the turret head) in the radial direction. The center of the turret head is arranged outside the rotation axis of the turret body M. More specifically, the centers of the turret head H and the turret disk H2 are arranged to be radially spaced apart from the rotation axis of the turret body and the stator core 22 of the second driving device D2.

[0075] The turret head H1 has a base through-hole 38 provided for the electric wires. Thus, by providing this additional through-hole 38, electric wires passing through the base of the turret head can be included for attaching the hydraulic and / or electric pipelines of the turret head.

[0076] With the exemplary embodiments described above, beneficial aspects and features are presented that enhance the machining options of a turret unit and a machine tool (in particular, a lathe), provide a compact mechanical concept, allow for more flexible, accurate, efficient, and reliable machining operations, and / or improve the accuracy and / or stability of the machine tool.

[0077] Although certain exemplary embodiments have been described and illustrated in the drawings, it should be understood that such embodiments are merely illustrative and not a limitation on the broad invention, and embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the specific constructions and arrangements shown and described, as various other changes, combinations, omissions, modifications, and substitutions are possible in addition to those set forth in the foregoing sections.

[0078] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that different adaptations, modifications, and / or combinations of the embodiments just described can be configured without departing from the scope of protection of the disclosure of the present invention. Given this disclosure, those of ordinary skill in the art will also appreciate that different embodiments of the present invention described herein can be combined to form other embodiments of the present invention. Therefore, it should be understood that the present invention can be practiced differently from that specifically described herein.

Claims

1. Turret unit (T) for a machine tool, said turret unit (T) comprising: A turret body (M), said turret body (M) being configured to be mounted to a carrier support of said machine tool; And A turret head (H), said turret head (H) being mounted to said turret body (M) and including a turret disk (H2), Wherein, said turret disk (H2) is configured to be rotatable about a disk axis (X) serving as the rotation axis of said turret disk (H2) by a first drive device (D1), Said turret body (M) includes an inner shaft (28); Said turret unit (T) includes a second drive device (D2) for pivoting said turret head (H) about a turret axis (Y), Said second drive device (D2) is a motor having a rotor (D2R) and a stator (D2S), wherein said rotor (D2R) is arranged radially outside said stator (D2S), wherein, said second drive device (D2) is integrated in said turret body (M), and The stator (D2S) of said second drive device (D2) serves as the inner shaft (28) of said turret body (M).

2. The turret unit (T) according to claim 1, wherein, Said second drive device (D2) is integrated in said turret body (M) such that a cylindrical inner member of said turret body (M) forms the stator (D2S) of said second drive device (D2), and a cylindrical outer member of said turret body (M) forms the rotor (D2R) of said second drive device (D2).

3. The turret unit (T) according to claim 1, wherein, Said second drive device (D2) is configured to directly drive said turret head (H) to pivot said turret head (H) about said turret axis (Y).

4. The turret unit (T) according to claim 1, wherein, Said turret head (H) is directly mounted to the rotor (D2R) of said second drive device (D2).

5. The turret unit (T) according to claim 1, wherein, Said turret disk (H2) is arranged such that said disk axis (X) intersects the rotor magnet (21) of said second drive device (D2).

6. The turret unit (T) according to claim 1, wherein, Said turret head (H) is capable of pivoting about said turret axis (Y) by at least 110 degrees.

7. The turret unit (T) according to claim 1, wherein, Said turret body (M) has a through hole (24) which is located at the center and extends along said turret axis (Y) for allowing wires and / or pipelines to pass through.

8. The turret unit (T) according to claim 2, wherein, Said turret body (M) has a flange member (32) which is part of said cylindrical inner member, said flange member (32) being used for attaching said turret unit (T) to said carrier support (152) of said machine tool, and wherein, said inner shaft (28) extends along said turret axis (Y).

9. The turret unit (T) according to claim 8, wherein, Said inner shaft (28) is attached to said flange member (32) on one side, and on the opposite side, said inner shaft (28) is attached to the stator core (22) of said stator (D2S).

10. The turret unit (T) according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein, Said turret head (H) is arranged on the circumference of a cylindrical outer member of said turret body (M).

11. The turret unit (T) according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein, Said turret head (H) is arranged eccentrically with respect to the symmetry axis of said turret body (M), and said turret disk (H2) has a plurality of tool stations for carrying tools, and at least one of said tool stations can be equipped with a tool, and said tool is rotationally driven about a tool axis by a third drive device (D3).

12. The turret unit (T) according to claim 11, wherein, The third drive device (D3) is enclosed in the turret disk (H2) and arranged parallel to and / or spaced apart from the disk axis (X), and the coolant guide piston (36) is arranged parallel to the third drive device (D3).

13. The turret unit (T) according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein, The disk axis (X) and the turret axis (Y) are arranged in separate, non-interfering planes.

14. The turret unit (T) according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein, The first drive device (D1) is attached to the base (H1) of the turret head.

15. The turret unit (T) according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein, The first drive device (D1) is arranged to extend away from the turret disk (H2) along the rotational axis of the first drive device (D1).

16. The turret unit (T) according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein, The rotor (D2R) of the second drive device (D2) is supported via at least two bearings.

17. A machine tool, the machine tool comprising a turret unit (T) according to any one of claims 1-16.

18. The machine tool according to claim 17, wherein, One or more carrier supports or each carrier support is configured to independently move the respective turret unit (T) in one or more linear directions, the one or more linear directions including at least one of an H-axis movement direction and an R-axis movement direction, the H-axis movement direction for horizontally moving the turret unit (T) in a direction parallel to the spindle axis of the spindle, and the R-axis movement direction for radially moving the turret unit (T) relative to the spindle axis of the spindle.

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