Rotary table with liquid leakage detection function

Abstract

The present application provides a rotary table with liquid leakage detection function, which comprises a housing, a motor, a spindle and a liquid leakage detection belt. The housing has a first groove, a second groove and a drainage channel connecting the first groove and the second groove. The spindle is arranged in the housing and has a flow guide part. The liquid leakage detection belt is arranged in the container groove of the housing and is clamped in the second groove. In this way, if liquid enters the housing, the flow guide part of the spindle will guide the liquid into the first groove, so that the liquid reaches the second groove along the drainage channel. At this time, the liquid leakage detection belt can be used for liquid leakage detection to protect the key components.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to rotary worktables, and in particular to a rotary worktable with a leakage detection function. Background Technology

[0002] The leak detection system disclosed in US7,692,553B2 places a sensor between the bearing assembly and a backup sealing system to detect coolant leaks. In this patent document, when the sensor detects a coolant leak, the leaked coolant has often already passed through the bearing assembly, making it prone to damage. Once the bearing assembly malfunctions, it will consequently affect the operation of other critical components (such as the rotor). Therefore, the aforementioned patent document still has room for structural improvement. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The main objective of this invention is to provide a rotary worktable with a leakage detection function to prevent critical components from being damaged by seeping liquid.

[0004] To achieve the aforementioned main objectives, the rotary table of the present invention includes a housing, a motor, a spindle, and a leakage detection belt. The housing has a receiving groove, the wall of which has a first groove, a second groove, and a drainage channel. The front and rear ends of the drainage channel are respectively connected to the first groove and the second groove. The motor is disposed within the receiving groove of the housing to provide a power source. The spindle is rotatably disposed within the receiving groove of the housing and connected to the motor, allowing the spindle to be driven to rotate by the motor. The spindle has a first end and a second end, and the outer periphery of the first end of the spindle has a guide portion. The leakage detection belt is disposed within the receiving groove of the housing, and a portion of it is engaged with the second groove of the housing.

[0005] As can be seen from the above, if liquid enters the tank, the guide part of the spindle will guide the liquid into the first groove. Then the liquid will travel along the guide channel to the second groove and come into contact with the leak detection belt. At this time, the leak detection belt can be triggered to send a detection signal to a controller to remind the operator to shut down the machine in order to avoid damage to critical components (such as the motor) by the liquid.

[0006] Preferably, the front end of the housing has a shaft hole, the receiving groove is axially connected to the housing, the first groove is closer to the shaft hole than the second groove, the first end of the mandrel partially protrudes outside the housing through the shaft hole of the housing, and the guide portion is located in the receiving groove of the housing.

[0007] Preferably, the rotary table of the present invention further includes a rotary seal disposed within the shaft hole of the housing and abutting against the outer peripheral surface of the first end of the spindle, forming a flow channel between the rotary seal and the flow guide portion of the spindle, the flow channel communicating with the first groove of the housing. Thus, if the rotary seal fails and liquid enters the container, the flow guide portion of the spindle guides the liquid through the flow channel into the first groove, and along the flow path to the second groove where it contacts the leakage detection band.

[0008] Preferably, the rotary table of the present invention further includes a protected component disposed on the spindle and located on the side of the guide portion of the spindle opposite to the rotary seal, thereby preventing liquid from being sprayed directly onto the protected component.

[0009] Preferably, the outer diameter of the protected component is smaller than the outer diameter of the guide portion of the mandrel. The size difference between the protected component and the guide portion further prevents liquid from flowing into the protected component.

[0010] Preferably, the distance between the first groove and the container is smaller than the distance between the second groove and the container, so that there is a height difference between the two, which is conducive to the drainage of liquid.

[0011] Preferably, the extension direction of the first groove and the extension direction of the second groove are both perpendicular to the axial direction of the mandrel, and the extension direction of the drainage channel is parallel to the axial direction of the mandrel. The aforementioned processing can be achieved by drilling holes in the housing.

[0012] Preferably, the extension direction of the first groove and the extension direction of the second groove are both perpendicular to the axial direction of the mandrel. The aforementioned processing can be achieved by drilling the housing. The distance between the drainage channel and the container gradually increases from the first groove to the second groove, so that the drainage channel has an inclined design to facilitate the drainage of liquid.

[0013] Preferably, the flow guide can have different structural designs depending on the properties of the liquid. For liquids with high viscosity, the flow guide can extend a beveled portion from one side away from the rotary seal, or extend a hook portion from one end toward the rotary seal. The beveled portion or hook portion provides a flow guiding effect for liquids with high viscosity. For liquids with low viscosity, the flow guide can extend an annular flange from one side away from the rotary seal or recess an annular groove. The labyrinth design formed by the annular flange and the annular groove in combination with their corresponding concave and convex structures can effectively protect the protected component and provide a flow guiding effect for liquids with low viscosity.

[0014] Detailed construction, features, assembly, and usage of the rotary table with leakage detection function provided by this invention will be described in the subsequent detailed description of embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will understand that such detailed descriptions and the specific embodiments listed for implementing this invention are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this patent application. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the rotary table of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 2 This is a partial sectional view of the rotary table of the present invention, mainly showing the locations of the first groove, the second groove, and the drainage channel.

[0017] Figure 3 This is a side view of the rotary table of the present invention, mainly showing the location of the first groove, the second groove, and the drainage channel.

[0018] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the rotary table of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 5 A partial cross-sectional view of the spindle and protected components provided for the rotary table of the present invention, mainly showing different embodiments of the guide portion of the spindle.

[0020] Figure 6 A partial cross-sectional view of the spindle and protected components provided for the rotary table of the present invention, mainly showing different embodiments of the guide portion of the spindle.

[0021] Figure 7 A partial cross-sectional view of the spindle and protected components provided for the rotary table of the present invention, mainly showing different embodiments of the guide portion of the spindle.

[0022] Figure 8 A partial cross-sectional view of the spindle and protected components provided for the rotary table of the present invention, mainly showing different embodiments of the guide portion of the spindle.

[0023] [Explanation of Labels in the Attached Image]

[0024] 10: Rotary worktable

[0025] 20: Shell

[0026] 21: Shaft hole

[0027] 22: Container

[0028] 23: Annular positioning groove

[0029] 24: First trench

[0030] 25: Second trench

[0031] 26: Drainage channel

[0032] 30: Motor

[0033] 40: Mandrel

[0034] 41: First end

[0035] 42: Second end

[0036] 43: Airflow guide

[0037] 432: Angled portion

[0038] 434: hook part

[0039] 436: Annular flange

[0040] 438: Annular groove

[0041] 44: First Bearing

[0042] 45: Second bearing

[0043] 46: Spinning wheel

[0044] 47: Brake

[0045] 50: Rotary seal

[0046] 52: Flow diversion channel

[0047] 60: Protected Components

[0048] 70: Leakage detection strip Detailed Implementation

[0049] The applicant hereby clarifies that throughout this specification, including the embodiments described below and the claims of the patent application, all directional terms are based on the directions shown in the drawings. Secondly, in the embodiments and drawings described below, the same component reference numerals represent the same or similar components or their structural features.

[0050] Please refer to the following first. Figure 1 and Figure 4 In this embodiment, the rotary table 10 of the present invention is a single-axis horizontal table, which includes a housing 20, a motor 30, a spindle 40, a rotary seal 50, a protected component 60, and a leakage detection belt 70.

[0051] The front end of the housing 20 has a shaft hole 21, and the interior of the housing 20 has a receiving groove 22 that axially communicates with the shaft hole 21. The rear end of the housing 20 has an annular positioning groove 23 on the groove wall of the receiving groove 22. By drilling the housing 20, such as... Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the housing 20 forms a first groove 24, a second groove 25, and a drainage channel 26 within the wall of the receiving groove 22. The first groove 24 extends perpendicularly to the axial direction of the shaft hole 21, the second groove 25 extends perpendicularly to the axial direction of the shaft hole 21, and the drainage channel 26 extends parallel to the axial direction of the shaft hole 21. The first groove 24 is closer to the shaft hole 21 than the second groove 25; that is, the first groove 24 is closer to the front end of the housing 20, and the second groove 25 is closer to the rear end of the housing 20. The second groove 25 is tangential to and connected to the positioning groove 23. The front and rear ends of the drainage channel 26 are connected to the first groove 24 and the second groove 25, respectively. Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the distance between the first groove 24 and the container 22 is less than the distance between the second groove 25 and the container 22, creating a height difference between them. This facilitates the flow of liquid from the first groove 24 along the drainage channel 26 to the second groove 25. It is worth mentioning that the first groove 24 and the second groove 25 can also be designed to be at the same height, depending on actual needs. Furthermore, the drainage channel 26 can be designed with an incline, so that the distance between the drainage channel 26 and the container 22 gradually increases from the first groove 24 towards the second groove 25. This also guides the liquid from the first groove 24 along the drainage channel 26 to the second groove 25.

[0052] The motor 30 is installed in the groove 22 of the housing 20 to provide a power source.

[0053] The spindle 40 passes through the groove 22 of the housing 20 and is connected to the motor 30, so that the spindle 40 can be rotated by the motor 30. Figure 4 As shown, the spindle 40 has a first end 41 and a second end 42. The first end 41 and the second end 42 of the spindle 40 are supported by a first bearing 44 and a second bearing 45, respectively. In addition, the first end 41 of the spindle 40 protrudes partially from the housing 20 through the shaft hole 21 and is connected to a turntable 46, so that the spindle 40 can drive the turntable 46 to move synchronously. The second end 42 of the spindle 40 is connected to a brake 47 located behind the motor 30, so that the spindle 40 can be decelerated or stopped urgently by the control of the brake 47. The outer periphery of the first end 41 of the spindle 40 has an annular guide portion 43, which is located in the receiving groove 22 of the housing 20.

[0054] like Figure 4As shown, the rotary seal 50 is disposed in the shaft hole 21 of the housing 20 and abuts against the outer peripheral surface of the first end 41 of the spindle 40 to prevent liquid from entering the container 22 through the shaft hole 21, and forms a flow channel 52 between it and the flow guide portion 43 of the spindle 40. The flow channel 52 is connected to the first groove 24 of the housing 20.

[0055] In this embodiment, the protected component 60 is an encoder, but it is not limited to encoders in practice. Figure 4 As shown, the protected component 60 is mounted on the spindle 40 and located behind the guide portion 43 of the spindle 40 (that is, on the side of the guide portion 43 opposite to the rotary seal 50). The outer diameter of the protected component 60 is smaller than the outer diameter of the guide portion 43 of the spindle 40.

[0056] The leak detection strip 70 used in this embodiment is an OMRON product, model F03-16SF / 16SFC. For example... Figures 2 to 4 As shown, the leakage detection band 70 is wrapped around the second end 42 of the spindle 40 and embedded in the positioning groove 23 of the housing 20, so that the wrapping length of the leakage detection band 70 is greater than the circumference of the motor 30. In addition, a portion of the leakage detection band 70 is stuck in the second groove 25 of the housing 20 to detect whether liquid has entered the second groove 25.

[0057] As can be seen from the above, if Figure 4 As shown, when the rotary seal 50 fails and liquid enters the reservoir 22 from the shaft hole 21, the guide portion 43 of the spindle 40 prevents the liquid from spraying directly onto the protected component 60, and guides the liquid into the first groove 24 through the guide channel 52. Then, the liquid will reach the second groove 25 along the guide channel 26 and come into contact with the leak detection strip 70. At this time, the leak detection strip 70 will be triggered to change color and send a detection signal to a controller (not shown in the figure) to remind the operator that there is a leak and that the machine needs to be shut down immediately to avoid damage to critical components (such as the motor 30, brake 47 or protected component 60).

[0058] Furthermore, since the leak detection strip 70 is located near the rear end of the housing 20, if replacement is needed, only a portion of the parts needs to be removed from the rear end of the housing 20. Other components such as the turntable 46, the protected component 60, or the motor 30 will not be affected. This eliminates the need for reassembly and improves operational efficiency. A second leak detection strip 70 can also be installed at the position of the first groove 24 as needed. The presence of two leak detection strips 70 further enhances detection accuracy, allowing operators to more precisely assess the leak situation. It is worth noting that the leak detection strip 70 can also be designed as a single segment that directly engages with the second groove 25 of the housing 20, instead of wrapping around the spindle 40.

[0059] It should be noted that the flow guide 43 can have different structural designs depending on the properties of the liquid. For liquids with high viscosity, the flow guide 43 has a beveled portion 432 protruding from the side opposite to the rotary seal 50 (e.g., Figure 5 As shown), or a hook 434 protrudes from one end toward the protected component 60 (as shown). Figure 6 As shown), the angled portion 432 or hook portion 434 provides a guiding effect for liquids with higher viscosity; for liquids with lower viscosity, the guiding portion 43 extends an annular flange 436 from the side opposite to the rotary seal 50 (as shown). Figure 7 (as shown) or a recessed annular groove 438 (as shown) Figure 8 As shown, the labyrinthine design formed by the annular flange 436 and the annular groove 438 in conjunction with their corresponding concave and convex structures effectively protects the protected component 60 on the one hand, and provides a guiding effect for liquids with low viscosity on the other.

[0060] In summary, the rotary table 10 of the present invention utilizes a flow channel design with height difference to guide the liquid entering the tank 22 directly to the leakage detection belt 70, bypassing the location of critical components. The leakage detection belt 70 then detects leakage in real time, thereby protecting critical components. This makes it highly suitable for applications requiring liquid flushing or immersion (e.g., but not limited to electrical discharge machining). Furthermore, the technical features provided by the present invention (i.e., the flow channel design with height difference combined with real-time detection by the leakage detection belt 70) are not limited to single-axis horizontal tables; they can also be applied to single-axis vertical tables or dual-axis vertical / horizontal tables, achieving the same leakage detection function.

Claims

1. A rotary worktable with leakage detection function, characterized in that, Include: A housing having a receiving groove, the groove wall having a first groove, a second groove and a drainage channel, the front and rear ends of the drainage channel being connected to the first groove and the second groove respectively; A motor is disposed within the receiving groove of the housing; A spindle, rotatably disposed within the receiving groove of the housing and connected to the motor, the spindle having a first end and a second end, and a guide portion on the outer periphery of the first end of the spindle; and A leakage detection strip is provided in the trough of the housing and a portion of it is engaged in the second groove of the housing; The front end of the housing has a shaft hole, the receiving groove is axially connected to the housing, the first groove is closer to the shaft hole than the second groove, the first end of the mandrel partially protrudes outside the housing through the shaft hole of the housing, and the guide portion is located in the receiving groove of the housing. The rear end of the housing has an annular positioning groove in the wall of the container, and the leakage detection band is wrapped around the second end of the spindle and embedded in the positioning groove of the housing. Wherein, the distance between the first groove and the receiving groove is less than the distance between the second groove and the receiving groove; The extension direction of the first groove and the extension direction of the second groove are both perpendicular to the axial direction of the shaft hole, and the extension direction of the drainage channel is parallel to the axial direction of the shaft hole. The rotary worktable also includes a rotary seal, which is disposed in the shaft hole of the housing and abuts against the outer peripheral surface of the first end of the spindle, and forms a flow channel with the flow guide portion of the spindle, the flow channel being connected to the first groove of the housing.

2. The rotary table of claim 1, wherein It also includes a protected component whose outer diameter is smaller than the outer diameter of the guide portion of the mandrel.

3. The rotary table according to claim 1, characterized in that, The distance between the drainage channel and the trough gradually increases from the first groove towards the second groove.

4. The rotary table according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a protected component disposed on the spindle and located on the side of the spindle's guide portion opposite to the rotary seal.

5. The rotary table according to claim 1, characterized in that, The guide portion has one of the following on the side opposite to the rotary seal: an angled portion, an annular flange, or an annular groove.

6. The rotary table according to claim 1, characterized in that, One end of the guide portion protrudes a hook towards the rotary seal.

Images