Spring forming machine

Abstract

The present invention provides a spring forming machine that can more easily perform a separate adjustment operation of the position of a movable part based on a plurality of servo motors than in the past. The spring forming machine (10) of the present invention has an interlocking control unit (70B). When the servo motor (95) of the lifting base (15) is operated individually, in order to prevent the slider (53) of the first lifting mechanism (41) from lifting relative to the fixed base (11) due to the lifting of the lifting base (15) relative to the fixed base (11), the interlocking control unit (70B) interlocks the servo motors (91, 95) with each other. When the servo motor (91) of the first lifting mechanism (41) is operated individually, the interlocking control unit (70B) does not interlock the servo motors (91, 95) with each other.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a spring forming machine that forms a wire fed from a wire feeding device into a helical spring surrounding a core member by opposing the wire to a forming tool. Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as such a spring forming machine, there is known a spring forming machine in which a lifting base for supporting a core member is mounted so as to be able to move up and down with respect to a fixed base to which a sliding mechanism for supporting a forming tool and a wire feeding device are attached. Further, in this spring forming machine, a pair of lifting mechanisms that respectively support a cutting tool for cutting a helical spring from a subsequent wire and a spacing tool for expanding the spacing between wires of the helical spring are also mounted on the lifting base (for example, refer to Patent Document 1).

[0003] Prior Art Documents

[0004] Patent Documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 2812432 ([ Figure 5 , paragraphs

[0025] ,

[0053] ) Summary of the Invention

[0006] Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] In addition, generally, in a spring forming machine, the positions of movable parts such as a forming tool, a spacing tool, a cutting tool, and a core member are sometimes individually adjusted by respective servo motors that are their drive sources. However, in the above-described conventional spring forming machine, when the core member is moved by individual adjustment, the spacing tool also moves accordingly, so individual adjustment is troublesome. Therefore, the present invention provides a spring forming machine that can be more easily individually adjusted than in the past.

[0008] Means for Solving the Problems

[0009] One solution of a spring forming machine completed to solve the above problems forms a wire fed from a wire feeding device along a horizontal wire feeding line into a helical spring around a core member by opposing it to a forming tool, and inserts a spacing tool for expanding the space between the wires of the helical spring into the space between the wires of the helical spring from one side in the vertical direction with respect to the helical spring, and a cutting tool for cutting the helical spring from the subsequent wire approaches and separates from the helical spring from the other side in the vertical direction with respect to the helical spring. Among them, the spring forming machine includes: a sliding mechanism for the forming tool, which has a slider supported to be linearly movable along a direction inclined with respect to the wire feeding line, and the forming tool is fixed to the slider; a first lifting mechanism, which has a slider supported to be liftable at a position on the upper and lower sides of the core member, and the spacing tool is fixed to the slider; a second lifting mechanism, which has a slider supported to be liftable at a position on the other side in the vertical direction with respect to the core member, and the cutting tool is fixed to the slider; a fixed base for installing the wire feeding device and the sliding mechanism for the forming tool; a lifting base, which is liftably supported by the fixed base and installs the core member, the first lifting mechanism and the second lifting mechanism; a plurality of servo motors, which are driving sources for the wire feeding device, the sliding mechanism for the forming tool, the first lifting mechanism, the second lifting mechanism and the lifting base; a controller for controlling the plurality of servo motors; a separate drive control unit provided in the controller and separately driving each of the servo motors in response to an operation of an operation unit; and a linkage control unit. When the servo motor of the lifting base is operated separately, the linkage control unit interlocks the lifting base and the servo motor of the first lifting mechanism with each other in order to prevent the slider of the first lifting mechanism from lifting or lowering with respect to the fixed base due to the lifting or lowering of the lifting base with respect to the fixed base. When the servo motor of the first lifting mechanism is operated separately, the linkage control unit does not interlock the lifting base and the servo motor of the first lifting mechanism with each other. Description of the Drawings

[0010] Figure 1 is a front view of the spring forming machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] Figure 2 is a side sectional view of the spring forming machine.

[0012] Figure 3 is a partially enlarged front view of the spring forming machine.

[0013] Figure 4 is a partially enlarged plan sectional view of the spring forming machine.

[0014] Figure 5 It is a partial enlarged plan sectional view of the lifting base.

[0015] Figure 6 It is a perspective view of the core member, spacing tool, etc. of the spring forming machine.

[0016] Figure 7 It is a conceptual diagram of the controller.

[0017] Figure 8 It is a block diagram of the individual drive control unit.

[0018] Figure 9 It is a block diagram of the program editing unit. Detailed implementation mode

[0019] [First implementation mode]

[0020] Hereinafter, with reference to Figures 1 to 9 A spring forming machine 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. As Figure 1 shown, the spring forming machine 10 includes a plate-shaped fixed base 11 standing vertically. Hereinafter, the horizontal direction in the plate thickness direction of the fixed base 11 will be referred to as the "front-rear direction H1", the horizontal direction orthogonal thereto will be referred to as the "lateral direction H2", the "left when observing the fixed base 11 from the front" will be simply referred to as "left", and the opposite side thereof will be simply referred to as "right".

[0021] The spring forming machine 10 has a wire feeding device 12 on the left side of the approximate center in the vertical direction of the fixed base 11. The wire feeding device 12 feeds a wire S along a virtual wire feeding line L1 that is parallel to the front surface of the fixed base 11 and extends in the lateral direction H2 (refer to Figure 6 ). The wire feeding device 12 has two pairs of feeding rollers 13 that are symmetrically arranged above and below across the wire feeding line L1. These feeding rollers 13 are fixed to the front end portions of a rotation shaft portion (not shown) that penetrates the fixed base 11 in the front-rear direction H1. In addition, the rotation shaft portions are gear-connected to each other behind the fixed base 11 in such a manner that the upper and lower feeding rollers 13 rotate symmetrically. Further, the feeding rollers 13 are rotationally driven by receiving power via the rotation shaft portion from a servo motor 90 provided behind the fixed base 11 (refer to Figure 7 ), and the wire S is fed from the Figure 1 left side to the right side along the wire feeding line L1. In addition, the feeding amount, feeding speed, etc. of the wire S can be arbitrarily changed by the position control of the servo motor 90. It should be noted that the wire S can also be pulled back to the side opposite to the feeding direction.

[0022] A guide member 14 is provided adjacent to the right side of the pair of feeding rollers 13 on the downstream side in the feeding direction. As Figure 6As shown, the guiding member 14 has a sleeve shaft 14A protruding toward the downstream side in the feeding direction, and a guiding hole 14G extending along the wire feeding line L1 penetrates the sleeve shaft 14A. Further, a pair of forming tools 31 abut against a wire S fed out from the front end portion of the sleeve shaft 14A to form a spiral spring W1.

[0023] As Figure 6 shown, the pair of forming tools 31 are, for example, prism-shaped and extend in directions that are inclined approximately 45 degrees clockwise and counterclockwise, respectively, with respect to the wire feeding line L1 on the downstream side of a point on the wire feeding line L1, with the point as the center. In addition, longitudinal grooves 31M are formed on the front end faces of the respective forming tools 31, and the wire S abuts against the inner surfaces of the longitudinal grooves 31M of the respective forming tools 31 in a sliding contact manner to form the spiral spring W1 as described above (only a part of the spiral spring W1 is shown in Figure 6 .

[0024] As Figure 1 shown, a pair of forming tool sliding mechanisms 40 for supporting the pair of forming tools 31 are mounted on the front surface of the fixed base 11. The pair of forming tool sliding mechanisms 40 each include, for example, strip-shaped base plates 50. The pair of base plates 50 are separated vertically and are overlapped and fixed to the front surface of the fixed base 11 in a posture where their longitudinal directions are inclined with respect to the wire feeding line L1.

[0025] In addition, one end portion of each base plate 50 on the side farther from the wire feeding device 12 protrudes from the fixed base 11, and a servo motor 93, 94 is mounted at this end portion. Further, sliding members 53 that slide along the longitudinal direction are provided on the front surfaces of the respective base plates 50, and the forming tools 31 are fixed to the respective sliding members 53. The servo motors 93, 94 are connected to the sliding members 53 via a crank mechanism, and by controlling the positions of the servo motors 93, 94, the respective forming tools 31 can be moved to any position in the longitudinal direction of the base plates 50 (the direction inclined with respect to the wire feeding line L1).

[0026] In the present embodiment, since the power transmission mechanisms of the pair of forming tool sliding mechanisms 40 on which the forming tools 31 are mounted are the same as the first lifting mechanism 41 and the second lifting mechanism 42 described later, the same reference numerals are given, except for the reference numerals of the servo motors as their drive sources, and the description of the power transmission mechanism is only given for the first lifting mechanism 41 later. It should be noted that the pair of forming tool sliding mechanisms 40 and the first lifting mechanism 41 and the second lifting mechanism 42 described later may also be different power transmission mechanisms.

[0027] As Figure 3As shown, in order to cut off the coil spring W1 from the subsequent wire S, a core member 32 is disposed inside the coil spring W1. For example, above the core member 32, there is a cutting tool 34 that cooperates with the core member 32 to cut the wire S. In addition, below the core member 32, there is, for example, a spacing tool 33 for arbitrarily changing the spacing between the wires S of the coil spring W1. And the mechanism for supporting these core member 32, spacing tool 33, and cutting tool 34 is mounted on a lifting base 15 that is disposed on the front surface of the fixed base 11 so as to be able to move up and down.

[0028] As Figure 1 shown, the lifting base 15 is, for example, in the shape of a plate extending in the vertical direction and overlaps with the front surface of the fixed base 11. In order to support the lifting base 15, on the front surface of the fixed base 11, a pair of guide rails 56 are fixed above and below the wire feed line L1, respectively. Each guide rail 56 extends from the upper and lower end portions of the fixed base 11 to the vicinity of the center in the vertical direction of the fixed base 11, and is, for example, disposed on both sides of a vertical line (not shown) passing through the front end portion of the sleeve shaft 14A. And on the rear surfaces of the upper and lower end portions in the vertical direction of the lifting base 15, sliders 56S fixed to both ends in the lateral direction H2 are slidably engaged with the guide rails 56.

[0029] It should be noted that, for example, the left side portion of the lifting base 15 is removed as a whole except for the upper and lower end portions in order to avoid interference with the feed roller 13 and the guide member 14. In addition, as Figure 5 shown, on the rear surface of the lifting base 15, stepped portions 15A extending in the vertical direction are recessed and formed at both ends in the lateral direction H2, and the sliders 56S are received in these stepped portions 15A.

[0030] As Figure 1 shown, the fixed base 11 is, for example, supported from below by a plurality of support legs 11K, and a drive portion for lifting the lifting base 15 is provided in the space below the fixed base 11 thus formed. Specifically, as Figure 2 shown, for example, a ball screw 60 extends downward from the lower end portion of the lifting base 15, and a ball nut unit 61 incorporating a ball nut (not shown) that is screwed to the ball screw 60 is fixed to a bracket 11F hanging from the fixed base 11. Inside the ball nut unit 61, the ball nut is supported so as to be rotatable within the ball nut unit 61 and has a gear portion on its outer surface. And the end portion of a worm gear 62 that meshes with this gear portion projects to the outer surface of the ball nut unit 61, and the rotational output portion of a servo motor 95 supported by the bracket 11F is connected to the end portion of the worm gear 62. Thus, the lifting base 15 can be moved to any position in the vertical direction.

[0031] As Figure 2 and Figure 4As shown, a portion of the lift base 15 covered from the front in the fixed base 11 is formed with, for example, a long hole 11A that penetrates the fixed base 11 in the front-rear direction H1 and extends in the vertical direction. Further, a through hole 15B that penetrates in the front-rear direction H1 is formed approximately at the center in the vertical direction of the lift base 15. And, the support sleeve 64 is fixed to the lift base 15 in a state of penetrating the through hole 15B and protruding forward of the lift base 15. A slider 65 is housed in the support sleeve 64 so as to be movable in the front-rear direction H1, and the core member 32 is fixed to the slider 65 and protrudes forward thereof.

[0032] Further, as Figure 4 shown, the rear end portion of the slider 65, for example, extends rearward of the lift base 15, and a pin 65P extending in the lateral direction H2 is provided here. And, a bracket 64F extends from the rear surface of the lift base 15 through the long hole 11A to a position rearward of the fixed base 11, and a crank member 66 is fixed to the rotational output portion of the servo motor 96 with a speed reducer 96G mounted on the bracket 64F. And, a crankshaft 66S provided at a position offset from the rotational center of the crank member 66 and the pin 65P of the slider 65 are connected by a connecting rod 67 to form a crank mechanism. Thus, by the position control of the servo motor 96, the core member 32 can be moved to any position in the front-rear direction H1. Further, as described above, the lift base 15 is driven in the vertical direction by the servo motor 95, so that the core member 32 can also be moved to any position in the vertical direction. That is, the position of the core member 32 is controlled in the vertical direction and the front-rear direction H1 by the servo motors 95 and 96, respectively.

[0033] As Figure 2 shown, a through hole 15C that penetrates in the front-rear direction H1 is formed, for example, at the lower end portion of the lift base 15. And, a servo motor 91 with a speed reducer 51 is fixed to the lift base 15 in a state of penetrating the through hole 15C and the long hole 11A. Further, a crank member 52 is fixed to the rotational output portion at the front end of the servo motor 91. And, a guide rail 55 extending from a position near the lower end to a position near the lower side of the support sleeve 64 is fixed, for example, to the front surface of the lift base 15, and a slider 53 is slidably engaged with the guide rail 55. And, a pin 53P mounted on the slider 53 and a crankshaft 52S provided at a position offset from the rotational center of the crank member 52 are connected by a connecting rod 54 to form a first lift mechanism 41 including a crank mechanism.

[0034] In addition, at a position above the support sleeve 64 in the lifting base 15, a second lifting mechanism 42 having the same structure as the first lifting mechanism 41 is symmetrically provided, for example. Further, a spacing tool 33 is fixed to the upper end portion of the slider 53 of the first lifting mechanism 41 and the spacing tool 33 protrudes upward, and a cutting tool 34 is fixed to the lower end portion of the slider 53 of the second lifting mechanism 42 and the cutting tool 34 protrudes downward. Further, by the servo motor 91 as the drive source of the first lifting mechanism 41, the spacing tool 33 can be moved to any position in the vertical direction, and by the servo motor 92 as the drive source of the second lifting mechanism 42, the cutting tool 34 can be moved to any position in the vertical direction.

[0035] As Figure 6 shown, the core member 32 has a structure in which a semi-cylindrical body having a semi-circular cross-section extends from the front end of a prism, and the flat side surface of the semi-cylindrical body is arranged so as to face the sleeve axis 14A side. In addition, the cutting tool 34 has a shape in which the front end portion of the prism is cut so as to be inclined with respect to the vertical direction, for example. Further, when the cutting tool 34 descends, the surface of the cutting tool 34 on the side opposite to the inclined surface is arranged to overlap with the flat side surface of the semi-cylindrical body of the core member 32. Thereby, the wire S is clamped and cut between the core member 32 and the cutting tool 34, and the coil spring W1 is cut off from the subsequent wire S.

[0036] In addition, the spacing tool 33 has a structure in which the front end portion of a prism having a rectangular cross-section is cut so as to be inclined with respect to the vertical direction, and the edge portion along the cut oblique side is further cut so as to have a wedge-shaped cross-section, for example. In the present embodiment, the spacing tool 33 is arranged such that the cut inclined surface faces the side opposite to the sleeve axis 14A, for example. Further, the spacing between the wires S in the coil spring W1 is widened. In addition, the spacing is changed by the amount of insertion of the spacing tool 33 between the wires S of the coil spring W1.

[0037] In Figure 7 FIG. conceptually shows a controller 70 of the spring forming machine 10. The controller 70 includes servo amplifiers 90A to 96A for the above-described plurality of servo motors 90 to 96, a control unit 71 that gives command values to these servo amplifiers 90A to 96A, and a console 72 connected to the control unit 71. The control unit 71 includes a microcomputer 71A and a storage unit 71B. In addition, a plurality of operation programs for manufacturing a plurality of coil springs W1 having different elements are stored in the storage unit 71B, and an arbitrary operation program is executed by the microcomputer 71A serving as a "program execution unit" to form the coil spring W1.

[0038] Specifically, in each operation program, for example, a plurality of target position data for the servo motors 90 to 96 are included, and the servo motors 90 to 96 are driven in such a manner that the positions of the feed roller 13, the lifting base 15, the forming tool 31, the core member 32, the pitch tool 33, and the cutting tool 34 (hereinafter, these are collectively referred to as "formable moving parts") become the positions determined by those target position data. In addition, the controller 70 can be switched to, for example, a continuous operation mode and a manual operation mode. In the continuous operation mode, the operation program is repeatedly executed by the microcomputer 71A, so that a plurality of spiral springs W1 are continuously formed. In addition, the controller 70 can also be set to the manual operation mode, and the microcomputer 71A can be made to execute the operation program to stop the spiral spring W1 in any state during forming.

[0039] In addition, in the manual operation mode, for example, each of the servo motors 90 to 96 can be individually operated using the control console 72, and target position data can be created by teaching. That is, after moving the feed roller 13, the forming tool 31, the core member 32, the pitch tool 33, and the cutting tool 34 to an arbitrary position and stopping them by individually operating each of the servo motors 90 to 96, the storage button of the control console 72 is turned on, so that the detection positions of the rotation position sensors of the plurality of servo motors 90 to 96 at the stop position can be stored (taught) as a plurality of target position data constituting the target position data set. Then, by setting the speed and acceleration for moving to the taught points determined by the target position data set using the program editing of the control console 72, an operation program can be created.

[0040] Program editing is performed so that after the operation program is created, the operation program is actually executed in the manual operation mode to form the spiral spring W1, and the difference between the spiral spring W1 and the specification converges to an allowable value. Specifically, for example, program editing is performed in the following manner: an arbitrary target position data set is selected in the operation program, and an arbitrary target position data of the target position data set is changed by specific numerical input using the control console 72, so that the difference between the actually formed spiral spring W1 and the specification converges to an allowable value. In addition, other operation programs with different coil diameters can also be created by copying an existing operation program and then changing arbitrary target position data to form a new target position data set, etc.

[0041] Here, when the servo motors 90 to 96 are individually operated as described above, the controller 70 functions as a separate drive control unit 70A shown in the block diagram of Figure 8 and when performing program editing, the controller 70 functions as a program editing unit 70E shown in the block diagram of Figure 9

[0042] As Figure 8As shown, when any forming movable part is selected by an operation of a selection operation part 72A of a control console 72, and a movement operation button 72B of the control console 72 that designates its movement direction is pressed, for example, during the period when the movement operation button 72B is pressed, a drive instruction part 70C drives servo motors 90 to 96 so that the selected forming movable part moves in the designated direction at a preset specified speed. For example, when the pitch tool 33 is selected as the forming movable part and the servo motor 91 serving as its drive source is individually operated, while observing a monitor 72G provided in the control console 72, the pitch tool 33 is selected by the selection operation part 72A and the movement operation button 72B for moving upward or downward is pressed. Then, an instruction is given from the drive instruction part 70C to a servo amplifier 91A to drive the servo motor 91 so that the pitch tool 33 moves upward at a specified speed together with a slider 53 of the first lifting mechanism 41 during the period when the movement operation button 72B is pressed. In addition, during the period when the servo motor 91 for moving the pitch tool 33 is driven, the other servo motors 90, 92 to 96 are maintained in a stopped state. And the control is performed in the same manner when servo motors 90, 92, 93, 94, 96 of other forming movable parts other than the servo motor 95 of the lifting base 15 are individually operated.

[0043] In contrast, for example, when the servo motor 95 of the lifting base 15 is individually operated to change the position of the core member 32 in the vertical direction, the operation of the servo motor 95 of the lifting base 15 itself is controlled in the same manner as the case where the servo motor 91 of the pitch tool 33 is individually operated. On this basis, a linkage control part 70B included in the individual drive control part 70A causes the servo motor 91 serving as the drive source of the pitch tool 33 to be linked with the servo motor 95 serving as the drive source of the lifting base 15 so that the pitch tool 33 does not move relative to the fixed base 11 together with the lifting base 15, but moves relative to the lifting base 15 at a specified speed in a direction opposite to the specified speed of the upward or downward movement of the lifting base 15.

[0044] That is, the linkage control part 70B of the present embodiment is configured such that when the servo motor 95 of the lifting base 15 is individually operated, the servo motors 91 and 95 are linked with each other to prevent the slider 53 of the first lifting mechanism 41 from lifting or lowering relative to the fixed base 11 due to the lifting or lowering of the lifting base 15 relative to the fixed base 11, and the servo motors 91 and 95 are not linked with each other when the servo motor 91 of the first lifting mechanism 41 is individually operated. By providing the linkage control part 70B, in the spring forming machine 10 of the present embodiment, it is possible to easily perform the individual adjustment operation of the forming movable part based on the plurality of servo motors 90 to 96.

[0045] Thus, in the spring forming machine 10 of the present embodiment, the positions of the respective movable parts such as the forming tool 31 and the spacing tool 33 can be individually adjusted by the individual operations of the plurality of servo motors 90 to 95 serving as their drive sources. Here, in the spring forming machine 10 of the present embodiment, a first elevating mechanism 41 for supporting the spacing tool 33 is installed on the elevating base 15 that supports the core member 32. However, when the servo motor 95 of the elevating base 15 is individually operated, the servo motor 95 of the elevating base 15 and the servo motor 91 of the first elevating mechanism 41 are interlocked with each other to prevent the sliding member 53 of the first elevating mechanism 41 from being elevated or lowered relative to the fixed base 11 due to the elevation or lowering of the elevating base 15 relative to the fixed base 11. Therefore, the problems of the prior art do not occur. In addition, when the servo motor 91 of the first elevating mechanism 41 is individually operated, the servo motor 95 of the elevating base 15 and the servo motor 91 of the first elevating mechanism 41 are not interlocked with each other. Therefore, the problem that the position of the core member 32 is also changed when the position of the spacing tool 33 is changed does not occur. Thus, in the spring forming machine 10 of the present embodiment, the individual adjustment operation of the positions of the movable parts based on the plurality of servo motors 90 to 96 can be performed more easily than in the prior art.

[0046] As Figure 9 shown, in the program editing unit 70E, when the operation program and any target position data set included in the operation program are selected by the operation of the file and data selection unit 72E of the console 72, for example, the data input unit 70H inputs the selected target position data set into the data set table 70T and displays a plurality of target position data constituting the target position data set on the monitor 72G. And when the target position data of any of the servo motors 90 to 96, which are the drive sources of the forming movable parts, is selected by the selection operation unit 72A and numerical data is input through the numerical input unit 72D, the data update unit 70P changes the target position data to the input numerical data and stores it in the storage unit 71B.

[0047] Here, when the target position data for the servo motors 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, and 96 of the other molding movable parts other than the servo motor 95 of the elevating base 15 is selected and changed, only the selected target position data is changed. In contrast, when the target position data for the servo motor 95 of the elevating base 15 is selected and changed to change the vertical position of the core member 32, in addition to changing the target position data for the servo motor 95, the interlocking change unit 70F also interlocks the target position data for the servo motor 91 of the first elevating mechanism 41 with the target position data for the servo motor 95 of the elevating base 15 to prevent the position of the spacing tool 33 mounted on the elevating base 15 from changing relative to the fixed base 11 due to the change in the target position data. The provision of this interlocking change unit 70F facilitates editing of the motion program in the spring forming machine 10 of this embodiment.

[0048] It should be noted that in the spring forming machine 10 of this embodiment, the forming tool 31 and the core member 32 can also be arranged below the wire feed line L1, and the cutting tool 34 can be attached to the first lifting mechanism 41 and the spacing tool 33 can be attached to the second lifting mechanism 42, thereby reversing the winding direction of the coil spring W1. This increases the variety of coil springs W1 that can be formed. In addition, when the cutting tool 34 is attached to the first lifting mechanism 41 and the spacing tool 33 is attached to the second lifting mechanism 42, the lifting mechanism with the reference numeral 42 to which the spacing tool 33 is attached is designated as the "first lifting mechanism", and the lifting mechanism with the reference numeral 41 to which the cutting tool 34 is attached is designated as the "second lifting mechanism" for the above-mentioned control.

[0049] [Second embodiment]

[0050] In the spring forming machine 10 of the present embodiment, origin position data is set for each forming movable part in the operation program, and the target position data of each forming movable part is determined by the displacement amount based on the origin position data. Thus, by changing arbitrary origin position data using the program editing unit 70E, the positions determined by all the target position data in the operation program based on the origin position data are changed at once. And when the origin position data for the core member 32, which is the reference for the target position data of the servo motor 95 of the lifting base 15, is changed in order to change the position of the core member 32 in the vertical direction, the interlocking change unit 70F changes the position data of the origin position for the spacing tool 33 in order to prevent the position of the spacing tool 33 relative to the fixed base 11 from changing together with the slider 53 of the first lifting mechanism 41 due to the change in the position of the lifting base 15 relative to the fixed base 11 caused by this change. In this way, in the spring forming machine 10 of the present embodiment, the data processing for eliminating the lifting of the slider 53 of the first lifting mechanism 41 that occurs with the change in the target position data of the servo motor 95 of the lifting base 15 becomes easy.

[0051] [Other Embodiments]

[0052] (1) The spring forming machine 10 of the first embodiment includes a pair of forming tool sliding mechanisms 40 for using a pair of forming tools 31, but it is also possible to use only one forming tool 31 and include only one forming tool sliding mechanism 40.

[0053] (2) The mechanism for converting the rotational output of the servo motor described in the first embodiment is not limited to the above-mentioned crank mechanism and ball screw mechanism. For example, it can also be appropriately changed to a cam mechanism, a rack and pinion mechanism, etc.

[0054] It should be noted that, in this specification and the drawings, specific examples of the technology included in the technical solution are disclosed, but the technology described in the technical solution is not limited to these specific examples, and also includes solutions obtained by various deformations and changes of the specific examples. In addition, it also includes solutions obtained by extracting a part from the specific examples alone.

Claims

1. A spring forming machine forms a wire fed from a wire feeding device along a horizontal wire feeding line into a helical spring around a core member by abutting it against a forming tool, and inserts a spacing tool for expanding the space between the wires of the helical spring into the space between the wires of the helical spring from one side in the vertical direction with respect to the helical spring, and approaches and separates a cutting tool for cutting the helical spring from the subsequent wire from the other side in the vertical direction with respect to the helical spring, wherein the spring forming machine includes: a forming tool sliding mechanism having a slider supported to be linearly movable in a direction inclined with respect to the wire feeding line, and the forming tool is fixed to the slider; a first lifting mechanism having a slider supported to be liftable at a position on the upper side in the vertical direction with respect to the core member, and the spacing tool is fixed to the slider; a second lifting mechanism having a slider supported to be liftable at a position on the lower side in the vertical direction with respect to the core member, and the cutting tool is fixed to the slider; a fixed base on which the wire feeding device and the forming tool sliding mechanism are installed; a lifting base which is liftably supported by the fixed base and on which the core member, the first lifting mechanism, and the second lifting mechanism are installed; a plurality of servo motors which are drive sources for the wire feeding device, the forming tool sliding mechanism, the first lifting mechanism, the second lifting mechanism, and the lifting base; a controller which controls the plurality of servo motors; a separate drive control unit which is provided in the controller and separately drives each of the servo motors in response to an operation of an operation unit; and a linkage control unit which, when the servo motor of the lifting base is separately operated, causes the servo motors of the lifting base and the first lifting mechanism to be linked to each other in order to prevent the slider of the first lifting mechanism from being lifted or lowered with respect to the fixed base due to the lifting or lowering of the lifting base with respect to the fixed base, and when the servo motor of the first lifting mechanism is separately operated, the linkage control unit does not cause the servo motors of the lifting base and the first lifting mechanism to be linked to each other.

2. The spring forming machine according to claim 1, wherein the spring forming machine includes: a storage unit which stores an operation program including a plurality of target position data sets each being a set of target position data of the plurality of servo motors; a program execution unit which is provided in the controller and executes the operation program to control so that the rotation axes of the plurality of servo motors simultaneously reach the positions of the plurality of target position data constituting each of the target position data sets; a program editing unit which is provided in the controller and separately changes the plurality of target position data constituting the target position data set in response to an operation of the operation unit; and The interlocking change part, when the target position data of the servo motor of the lifting base is changed by the program editing part, in order to prevent the position of the slider of the first lifting mechanism relative to the fixed base from changing due to the change in the position of the lifting base relative to the fixed base caused by this change, changes the target position data of the servo motor of the first lifting mechanism in linkage with the target position data of the servo motor of the lifting base. When the target position data of the servo motor of the first lifting mechanism is changed by the program editing part, the interlocking change part does not change the target position data of the servo motor of the lifting base in linkage with this change.

3. The spring forming machine according to claim 2, wherein, the target position data of the servo motor of the first lifting mechanism in the operation program is determined by the displacement amount based on the position data of the origin position for the spacing tool set in advance, when the target position data of the servo motor of the lifting base is changed by the program editing part, the interlocking change part changes the position data of the origin position for the spacing tool in order to prevent the position of the slider of the first lifting mechanism relative to the fixed base from changing due to the change in the position of the lifting base relative to the fixed base caused by this change.

Images