Chain type tool magazine with chain tension adjustment mechanism

Abstract

A chain type tool magazine with chain tension adjusting mechanism, comprising a base, a turning seat, a chain, a motor and a chain tension adjusting mechanism. The chain is driven by the motor to move along the track provided by the base around the turning seat. The chain tension adjusting mechanism comprises an adjusting member and a deformation member. The adjusting member is connected to the base in a way that its position can be adjusted relative to the base. The deformation member has two ends which are in contact with the adjusting member and the turning seat respectively. When the deformation member is subjected to an external force, it will deform and store mechanical potential energy. When the external force is removed, the deformation member will recover its original shape due to the release of the stored energy. As a result, the tension of the chain is balanced and the service life of the chain is effectively prolonged.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to a chain type tool magazine; in particular, it relates to a chain type tool magazine with a chain tension adjusting mechanism. BACKGROUND

[0002] A chain type tool magazine is known to include a chain and a plurality of sprockets, the chain uses the sprockets as fulcrums to change the running track, and one of the sprockets is driven by a motor to drive the chain to run, so that the tools (cutters) combined with the chain are brought to the designated positions by driving the chain to rotate, and then the tools are replaced to the spindles by a tool changing arm to achieve the purpose of tool changing.

[0003] The chain is divided into non-turning chain segments and turning chain segments by the sprockets during running, and the chain segments on one side and the other side are subjected to tension and thrust respectively, so that the tension of the chain segments on one side and the other side is not balanced, which easily leads to the phenomenon of jamming and causes the chain segments to be improperly impacted at the jamming position, and the service life of the chain is reduced under the long-term effect. SUMMARY

[0004] Therefore, the purpose of the present application is to provide a chain type tool magazine with a chain tension adjusting mechanism, which can effectively keep the chain tension balanced.

[0005] To achieve the above purpose, the present application provides a chain type tool magazine with a chain tension adjusting mechanism, which includes a base, a turning seat, a chain, a motor and a chain tension adjusting mechanism. The base has a base portion; the turning seat is combined with the base and can move relative to the base portion, and the turning seat has a turning portion; the chain passes through the turning portion of the turning seat and is driven by the motor to run along the track provided by the base; the chain tension adjusting mechanism includes an adjusting member and a deformation member, the adjusting member is connected to the base portion in a manner that the position of the adjusting member can be adjusted relative to the base portion, and the deformation member has two different ends and contacts the adjusting member and the turning seat respectively, and the deformation member deforms to store mechanical potential energy when subjected to external force, and restores the shape due to the release of stored energy when the external force is removed.

[0006] The effect of the present application is that the chain tension is kept balanced by the chain tension adjusting mechanism, which can effectively prolong the service life of the chain. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0007] Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a chain type tool magazine with a chain tension adjusting mechanism according to the first preferred embodiment of the present application;

[0008] Figure 2 FIG. 2 is a top view of the chain type tool magazine shown in FIG. 1; Figure 1 FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of the chain type tool magazine shown in FIG. 1;

[0009] Figure 3 Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a chain-type tool magazine according to the present application; Figure 2 Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a part of the chain-type tool magazine shown in Fig. 1;

[0010] Figure 4 Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a part of the member shown in Fig. 2; Figure 3

[0011] Figure 5 Fig. 4 is a perspective exploded view of the member shown in Fig. 2 but excluding the base; Figure 4

[0012] Figure 6 Fig. 5 is a front view of the member shown in Fig. 2 but excluding the base; Figure 4

[0013] Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a chain-type tool magazine according to a second preferred embodiment of the present application; Figure 7 Figure 6 Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a part of the chain-type tool magazine shown in Fig. 6;

[0014] Figure 8 Fig. 8 is a perspective exploded view of a part of the chain-type tool magazine shown in Fig. 6;

[0015] Figure 9 Figure 8 Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a part of the structure shown in Fig. 8;

[0016] Figure 10 Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a part of the structure shown in Fig. 8; Figure 9

[0017] Fig. 11 is a partial plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 8; Figure 11 Figure 10 Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken in the direction of arrows 12-12 of the structure shown in Fig. 8; and

[0018] Figure 12 Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a chain-type tool magazine according to a third preferred embodiment of the present application; Figure 11

[0019] Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a part of the chain-type tool magazine shown in Fig. 13; Figure 13 Figure 11 Fig. 15 is a perspective view of a part of the structure shown in Fig. 14;

[0020]

Symbol Explanation

[0021] 100, 200: Chain-type tool magazine

[0022] 10: Base

[0023] 11: Fixed block

[0024] 11a: Screw hole

[0025] 11b: Perforation

[0026] 12: Driving sprocket​​​​​​

[0027] 13: guide post

[0028] 14: steering sprocket

[0029] 14a: steering portion

[0030] 14b: abutting portion

[0031] 14c: long slotted hole

[0032] 14d: threaded hole

[0033] 15: post sleeve

[0034] 16: motor

[0035] 18: chain

[0036] 19: tool sleeve

[0037] 20: chain tension adjusting mechanism

[0038] 21: screw rod

[0039] 21a: head portion

[0040] 21b: threaded body portion

[0041] 22: adjusting block

[0042] 22a: through hole

[0043] 23: flat wire spring

[0044] 24: lock nut

[0045] 25: guide rod

[0046] 30: base

[0047] 31: fixed block

[0048] 31a: threaded hole

[0049] 32: driving sprocket

[0050] 321: sliding block

[0051] 321a: wing block

[0052] 323: bushing

[0053] 324: set screw

[0054] 322: transmission disc

[0055] 33: fixed plate

[0056] 34: steering sprocket

[0057] 36: motor

[0058] 38: chain

[0059] 40: chain tension adjusting mechanism

[0060] 41: flat wire spring

[0061] 42: shaft tube

[0062] 42a: shaft hole

[0063] 42b: threaded body

[0064] 42c: polygonal head

[0065] 43: guide rod

[0066] 44: lock nut

[0067] S: sliding groove DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0068] In order to make the present application more clearly understood, preferred embodiments will be described in detail as follows with reference to the accompanying drawings. Please refer to the drawings, in which: Figures 1 to 5 The chain type tool magazine 100 of the first preferred embodiment of the present application shown in the drawings comprises a base 10, two turning seats, a motor 16, a chain 18 and a chain tension adjusting mechanism 20.

[0069] The base 10 is the main body of the tool magazine and is fixed. A base part composed of a fixing block 11 is locked on the base 10. The fixing block 11 has a threaded hole 11a and a plurality of through holes 11b.

[0070] The two turning seats are arranged on opposite sides of the base 10, one of which is called the driving sprocket 12 because it is combined with and driven by the motor 16, and the other of which is called the turning sprocket 14 because it changes the running track of the chain 18. The turning sprocket 14 of the present embodiment is combined with the base 10 in a manner that it can move relative to the fixed block 11, and it is generally a semicircular disc body with a turning part 14a formed on the arc edge and an abutting part 14b formed on the flat edge. The disc surface of the turning sprocket 14 has a plurality of parallel long slot holes 14c, the aforementioned long slot holes 14c are respectively penetrated by the guide posts 13 of the base 10, so that the turning sprocket 14 can only translate and cannot be deflected, and the two ends of the long slot holes 14c in the long direction limit the movement range of the turning sprocket 14. The number of the aforementioned guide posts 13 and long slot holes 14c is multiple, which is to prevent the turning sprocket 14 from being deflected improperly, but in other application examples, when the guide post is a flat surface with two parallel slot walls matching the long slot holes, the number of guide posts and long slot holes can be one, which can also achieve the purpose of preventing the turning sprocket from being deflected improperly. In addition, the guide post 13 can be optionally sleeved with a column sleeve 15 with wear resistance to enhance the wear resistance between the slot wall of the long slot hole 14c and the guide post 13.

[0071] The chain 18 passes around and contacts the driving sprocket 12 and the turning part 14a of the turning sprocket 14, and the chain 18 is caused to run along the base 10 in a predetermined track by the rotation of the driving sprocket 12 driven by the motor 16, and a plurality of tool pots 19 are carried on the chain 18.

[0072] The chain tension adjusting mechanism 20 includes a deformation member and an adjusting member, wherein the deformation member is arranged between the fixed block 11 and the deflection sprocket 14, and the adjusting member is used to change the restoring force of the deformation member, so that the tension of the chain 18 around the deflection sprocket 14 can be adaptively adjusted and balanced. In the embodiment, the adjusting member includes a screw rod 21 and an adjusting block 22, the deformation member is a spring, preferably a flat wire compression spring 23, and in addition, the chain tension adjusting mechanism 20 further includes a lock nut 24 and a guide rod 25. The screw rod 21 includes a head 21a and a threaded body 21b connected to each other, the head 21a is operated to drive the threaded body 21b to be screwed into or unscrewed from the threaded hole 11a of the fixed block 11; the adjusting block 22 is arranged between the fixed block 11 and the deflection sprocket 14 at one end of the threaded body 21b other than the head 21a and constitutes the support part defined in the application, the adjusting block 22 has a plurality of through holes 22a; the flat wire compression spring 23 is arranged between the adjusting block 22 and the deflection sprocket 14, and the two ends thereof respectively abut against the abutting part 14b of the adjusting block 22 and the deflection sprocket 14, the restoring force of the flat wire compression spring 23 urges the adjusting block 22 to abut against one end of the threaded body 21b of the screw rod 21; the lock nut 24 is locked on the threaded body 21b, and when the lock nut 24 abuts against the surface of the fixed block 11, it can prevent the improper loosening of the screw rod 21 and ensure the combined position of the screw rod 21 relative to the fixed block 11; the guide rod 25 passes through the through hole 11b of the fixed block 11 and the through hole 22a of the adjusting block 22, and then passes through the flat wire compression spring 23 to be fixed at one end of the deflection sprocket 14, the guide rod 25 in the embodiment has external threads and is locked in the threaded hole 14d of the deflection sprocket 14 to achieve the purpose of fixation, so that the guide rod 25 can move together with the deflection sprocket 14, the aforementioned guide rod 25 is used to stabilize the adjusting block 22 and prevent the improper jump-off of the flat wire compression spring 23, the number of the flat wire compression spring 23 and the guide rod 25 in the embodiment is plural, but in other practices, it is not excluded that they can be arranged one by one.

[0073] The chain tension adjusting mechanism 20 is arranged between the base 10 and the deflection sprocket 14. When the chain 18 in operation is subjected to tension and thrust and structural vibration at the boundary of the deflection sprocket 14, the deflection sprocket 14 is designed to be movable relative to the fixed block 11 on the base 10, and a plurality of flat springs 23 are arranged between the deflection sprocket 14 and the fixed block 11. Therefore, when each vibration (i.e. external force) generated by the chain 18 in operation acts on the deflection sprocket 14, the flat springs 23 will be deformed and absorb and store mechanical potential energy (potential energy) by nature, and will restore the shape when the external force is removed due to the release of stored energy. This repeated process is beneficial to the smooth operation of the chain 18, and can effectively maintain the balance of the chain tension 18, improve the jamming phenomenon caused by uneven tension of the chain of the existing chain type tool magazine, and effectively prolong the service life of the chain. In addition, as shown in Figure 6 and Figure 7 The deflection sprocket 21 can be rotated forward or backward relative to the fixed block 11 to change the distance between the abutting portion 14b of the adjusting block 22 and the deflection sprocket 14, further change the compression amount of the flat spring 23, so that the chain tension adjusting mechanism 20 can better adapt to the tension of the chain 18, that is, better coordination.

[0074] The chain type tool magazine 200 of the second preferred embodiment of the present application is shown in Figure 8 Unlike the chain tension adjusting mechanism of the above-mentioned embodiment, the chain tension adjusting mechanism of the present embodiment is arranged with the driving sprocket.

[0075] Please refer to Figures 9 to 12 The base 30 of the chain type tool magazine 200 is provided with a deflection seat on both sides, one of which is combined with a motor 36 and is called a driving sprocket 32, and the other is called a deflection sprocket 34 without a motor 36. In addition, a fixed block 31 is arranged on the base 30 to form a base, and two fixed plates 33 are further arranged on the side of the base 30 close to the driving sprocket 32. The fixed block 31 has two screw holes 31a, and a sliding groove S is formed between the fixed plate 33 and the base 30. In addition, the driving sprocket 32 comprises a sliding seat 321 and a transmission disc 322, the transmission disc 322 is rotatably connected to one end of the sliding seat 321 and constitutes a deflection portion of the present application, and the sliding seat 321 has two wing blocks 321a located in the sliding groove S so that the driving sprocket 32 can move along the sliding groove S relative to the fixed block 31. The chain 38 passes around and contacts the transmission disc 322 and the deflection sprocket 34, and the motor 36 is connected to the sliding seat 321 to drive the transmission disc 322 to rotate and drive the chain 38 to rotate.

[0076] The chain tension adjusting mechanism 40 of the present embodiment also comprises a deformation member and an adjusting member. The deformation member is exemplified by the flat spring 41 but is not limited thereto. The adjusting member comprises a shaft tube 42 having a shaft hole 42a and a threaded body 42b provided on the outer circumferential surface thereof. The threaded body 42b is locked in the threaded hole 31a of the fixed block 31. The two ends of the flat spring 41 are respectively applied to the shaft tube 42 and the driving sprocket 32. The restoring force of the flat spring 41 can effectively absorb the structural vibration of the driving sprocket 32 caused by the operation of the chain 38.

[0077] In addition, in order to stabilize the flat spring 41 and prevent it from being improperly detached, the chain tension adjusting mechanism 40 of the present embodiment further comprises a guide rod 43. The guide rod 43 passes through the shaft hole 42a of the shaft tube 42 and is locked in a bushing 323 after passing through the flat spring 41. The bushing 323 is fixed to the sliding seat 321 through a stop bolt 324. The sliding seat 321, the bushing 323 and the stop bolt 324 are considered as part of the steering seat. The guide rod 43 is locked in the bushing 323 and can move together with the sliding seat 321. One end of the flat spring 41 abuts against the bottom end of the shaft tube 42, and the other end abuts against the bushing 323. The bottom end of the shaft tube 42 constitutes the support portion defined in the present application, and the abutting portion of the flat spring 41 and the bushing 323 constitutes the abutting portion defined in the present application. Furthermore, the chain tension adjusting mechanism 40 also comprises a lock nut 44. The lock nut 44 is locked in the threaded body 42b of the shaft tube 42 and can stabilize the shaft tube 42 when it abuts against the fixed block 31. The present embodiment is to first loosen the lock nut 44, then drive the shaft tube 42 to rotate in or out of the threaded hole 31a to change the combined position of the shaft tube 42 relative to the fixed block 31, as shown in Figure 13 The position of the shaft tube 42 is adjusted to compress the flat spring 41. Then the lock nut 44 is rotated to abut against the fixed block 31. In this way, the compression amount of the flat spring 41 can be changed to make the chain tension adjusting mechanism 40 well coordinated with the tension of the chain 38. In an embodiment, the top of the shaft tube 42 is a polygonal head 42c to facilitate the use of tools to drive the shaft tube 42.

[0078] From the above first and second embodiments, it can be known that the chain tension adjusting mechanism of the present application can be applied to a driving sprocket or a steering sprocket. Although the steering seat disclosed in the embodiments only comprises one driving sprocket and one steering sprocket, the number of steering seats in different chain type tool magazines can be increased according to the needs. The chain tension adjusting mechanism in the present application will not be limited to being configured with only one steering seat and will be added according to actual needs. In addition, the number of adjusting members, deformation members and guide rods used above is not limited to one or two. The actual number of use can be increased or decreased according to the needs without affecting the existing functions.

[0079] The above merely provides the preferred but feasible embodiments of the present application, and equivalent changes made according to the specification and claims of the present application should be included in the patent scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A chain-type tool magazine with a chain tension adjusting mechanism, the chain-type tool magazine comprising a base, a deflection seat, a chain and a motor, the deflection seat being arranged at one side of the base, the chain being arranged along a track provided by the base and passing through the deflection seat, and the motor driving the chain to move along the track, characterized in that: the base has a base portion; the deflection seat is combined with the base and is capable of moving relative to the base portion, the deflection seat has a deflection portion, and the chain contacts and passes through the deflection portion; the chain tension adjusting mechanism comprises an adjusting member and a deformation member, wherein the adjusting member is arranged on the base portion in a manner capable of adjusting the position relative to the base portion, the deformation member has two different ends and contacts the adjusting member and the deflection seat respectively, and the deformation member is deformed to store mechanical potential energy when subjected to an external force and restores the shape due to the energy storage release when the external force is removed; wherein the base portion of the base has a threaded hole, the deflection seat has an abutting portion, the adjusting member comprises a threaded body capable of being screwed into or unscrewed from the threaded hole and a supporting portion at one end of the threaded body, and the two ends of the deformation member contact the supporting portion and the abutting portion respectively; wherein the chain tension adjusting mechanism comprises a guide rod, one end of the guide rod is arranged on the deflection seat, and the other end of the guide rod passes through the base portion of the base; the deformation member comprises a spring, the spring is sleeved on the guide rod, and the two ends of the spring abut against the supporting portion of the adjusting member and the abutting portion of the deflection seat respectively; wherein the adjusting member comprises a shaft tube, the outer circumferential surface of the shaft tube constitutes the threaded body, the bottom end of the shaft tube constitutes the supporting portion, the shaft tube has a shaft hole, and the guide rod passes through the shaft hole.

2. The chain type tool magazine having a chain tension adjusting mechanism according to claim 1, characterized by, The chain tension adjusting mechanism comprises a locking nut, the locking nut is locked on the threaded body and abuts against the base portion.

3. The chain type tool magazine having a chain tension adjusting mechanism according to claim 1, wherein The spring is a flat spring.

4. The chain type tool magazine having a chain tension adjusting mechanism according to claim 1, wherein The base has a sliding groove, and the deflection seat has a wing block, the wing block is located in the sliding groove and is capable of moving along the sliding groove.

5. The chain type tool magazine having a chain tension adjusting mechanism according to claim 1, wherein The motor is arranged on the deflection seat.

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