Rotary tool magazine mechanism

Abstract

The invention provides a rotary tool magazine mechanism which is arranged on a processing machine. The rotary tool magazine mechanism comprises a rotary tool storage device and a tool exchange device. The rotary tool storage device is located on the front side of the main shaft and provided with a rotary unit capable of rotating around the X axis. And a plurality of tool holder seats are arranged on the rotary unit, are used for clamping tools, and can be switched between a tool storage position and a tool holder seat replacement position through rotary lifting of the rotary unit. The tool exchange device can take down or replace the tool holder from the rotary tool storage device at the tool holder replacement position, and the taken-down tool holder is moved to the tool replacement position along at least one of the X axis and the Z axis for tool replacement of the main shaft. The design aims at achieving efficient tool changing and reducing the space, occupied by the tool magazine, of the machining machine. In addition, according to requirements, a tool holder rotation driving unit can be installed on the tool exchange device, so that the multi-direction tool exchange function is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a tool magazine system, in particular to a rotary tool magazine mechanism. Background Art

[0002] In order to improve processing efficiency, existing processing machines are usually equipped with tool change arms and tool magazines, which are convenient for using tool change arms to exchange tools on the spindle and tools in the tool magazine. However, this tool magazine takes up a lot of space and has a complex structure. It is not suitable for multi-spindle processing machines, and it does not have the function of multi-directional tool change and the ability to mix and match different tool holder specifications.

[0003] In addition, the tool magazine of a multi-axis machining center is usually located at the back or side of the machine tool, which results in disadvantages such as a long tool change stroke, a long tool change time, and a small number of tools that can be placed in the tool magazine.

[0004] For example, a tool magazine disclosed in patent number CN105873720A is independently arranged on the side of the workbench and is divided into a frame area and an automatic tool change (ATC) area. However, this tool magazine also occupies a large space and has a complex structure.

[0005] To this end, the present invention provides a rotary tool magazine mechanism to solve the above technical problems, which can replace tools according to the number of spindles of the processing machine, the specifications of the tool holder and the tool changing direction of the spindle. Summary of the invention

[0006] In view of the above situation, it is necessary to provide a rotary tool magazine mechanism that solves at least one of the above problems, which is arranged in a processing machine, the processing machine has a working platform and at least one spindle, and the rotary tool magazine mechanism includes:

[0007] A rotary tool storage device is mounted on the front side of the spindle, and the rotary tool storage device has a rotary unit rotating around the X-axis, and the rotary unit is provided with a plurality of tool holders, each of which has at least one tool, and each of which is lifted and lowered by the rotary unit and switched between a plurality of tool storage positions and tool holder changing positions;

[0008] And a tool exchange device, which can disengage the tool holder at the tool change holder position and drive the corresponding tool holder to shift along at least one of the X-axis and the Z-axis to the tool change position, so that the spindle can remove or put back the tool from the tool holder, or return the tool holder to the corresponding rotary unit at the tool change holder position to make it run again at the tool storage position.

[0009] Preferably, the tool holder seat is assembled on the rotary unit via a limiting frame, and the limiting frame is fixed on the outer surface of the rotary unit.

[0010] Preferably, the rotary knife storage device includes a positioning plate and a driving unit, the driving unit is fixed to the positioning plate to drive the rotary unit; the rotary unit is a chain wound around two driving gears, each of the driving gears is pivotally connected to the two ends of the positioning plate, and the driving gears drive the driving unit.

[0011] Preferably, the inner wall surfaces on both sides of the limiting frame are respectively provided with symmetrically arranged first sliding grooves, and the tool holder seat is provided with two first positioning slide blocks at positions corresponding to the first sliding grooves, and the first positioning slide blocks are slidably arranged in the corresponding first sliding grooves.

[0012] Preferably, the chain is fixed on the limit frame and is provided with extended reinforcement plates on different sides, each of the reinforcement plates is fixed on the corresponding limit frame, so that the limit frame is fixed on the rotary unit; the positioning plate is penetrated by a transverse fixing column, the length of the transverse fixing column is greater than the length of the tool holder, support columns are respectively fixed at both ends of the transverse fixing column, and each of the support columns is respectively fixed on both sides of the processing machine.

[0013] Preferably, a second positioning slide block is provided on both sides of the tool holder seat, and two second slide grooves are provided at corresponding positions of the tool exchange device, and each of the second positioning slide blocks is slidably disposed in each corresponding second slide groove.

[0014] Preferably, the second positioning slider is provided with a locking hole, and the second sliding groove is provided with a locking unit, and when the second positioning slider is slidably arranged in the second sliding groove, the locking unit is locked in the corresponding locking holes.

[0015] Preferably, the processing machine has a machine base, the working platform is arranged on the machine base, the machine base is provided with a column, the spindle can be moved along the Y-axis and is arranged on the column, and the processing machine is provided with a frame on the opposite side of the column; the tool exchange device further includes a Z-axis drive unit and an X-axis drive unit, the Z-axis drive unit and the X-axis drive unit are arranged between the column and the frame, and are used to drive the tool holder to move along the Z-axis and X-axis.

[0016] Preferably, the tool exchange device is arranged on both sides of the working platform, and the working platform can be displaced along the X-axis and the Z-axis.

[0017] Preferably, the tool exchange device further includes at least one tool holder rotation drive unit, which is mounted on one end of the X-axis drive unit slide and connected to the base portion of the second slide slot to drive the tool holder locked in the second slide slot to rotate around the X-axis. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] 100: Rotary tool magazine mechanism

[0019] 10: processing machine; 11: working platform; 12: spindle; 13: machine base; 14: column; 15: frame;

[0020] 20: rotary knife storage device; 21: rotary unit; 211: chain; 212: driving gear; 213: reinforcing plate; 22: knife holder; 221: first positioning slider; 222: second positioning slider; 223: locking hole; 23: knife; 24: limiting frame; 241: first slide groove; 25: positioning plate; 26: driving unit; 27: horizontal fixing column; 28: supporting column;

[0021] 30: tool exchange device; 31: second slide; 32: locking unit; 33: Z-axis drive unit; 34: X-axis drive unit; 35: tool holder rotation drive unit

[0022] P1: knife storage position

[0023] P2: Tool holder position

[0024] P3: Tool change position

[0025] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of a rotary tool magazine mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention applied to a processing machine.

[0026] Figure 2 It is a side view of the rotary tool magazine mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention applied to a processing machine.

[0027] Figure 3 It is a side view of the rotary knife storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of a rotary tool storage device and a tool exchange device combined in an embodiment of the present invention, and shows an enlarged schematic diagram of a part of the structure after the limit frame and the tool holder are combined.

[0029] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram from another perspective and a partial structural enlarged schematic diagram of the rotary tool storage device and the tool exchange device of an embodiment of the present invention after being combined.

[0030] Figure 6 It is a structural schematic diagram of tilting the tool when the tool holder rotation driving unit rotates the tool holder in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the action of the tool exchange device according to the embodiment of the present invention driving the tool holder to move toward the spindle direction.

[0032] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram of the action of the tool exchange device according to an embodiment of the present invention rising to move the tool holder seat to the tool changing position.

[0033] Fig. 9 It is a schematic diagram of the action of the tool holder seat of the embodiment of the present invention moving to the tool changing position for the spindle to remove the tool.

[0034] Fig.10 It is a schematic diagram of the action of the tool holder according to the embodiment of the present invention being reset along the Z-axis away from the spindle direction.

[0035] Fig.11 It is a structural schematic diagram of another embodiment of the rotary tool magazine mechanism of the embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Fig.12 It is a side view of another embodiment of the rotary tool magazine mechanism of the embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, the rotary tool magazine mechanism of the present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not used to limit the present invention.

[0038] In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise specified, "multiple" means two or more; the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "up", "down", "left", "right", "inside", "outside", "front end", "rear end", "head", "tail", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside" and the like indicate the orientation or position relationship based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the drawings, which is only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operate in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. In addition, the terms "first", "second", "third" and the like are used for descriptive purposes only and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0039] In the description of this utility, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installation", "connection" and "connection" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this utility can be understood by specific circumstances.

[0040] See also Figure 1A rotary tool magazine mechanism 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is arranged on a processing machine 10. The processing machine 10 has a working platform 11 and at least one spindle 12. The processing machine 10 also has a machine base 13. The working platform 11 is arranged on the machine base 13. The machine base 13 is provided with a column 14. In this embodiment, the spindle 12 is arranged with its axis parallel to the Y-axis, and the spindle 12 can be moved along the Y-axis and is arranged on the column 14. The processing machine 10 is provided with a frame 15 on the opposite side of the column 14. The rotary tool magazine mechanism 100 includes a rotary tool storage device 20 and a tool exchange device 30.

[0041] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The rotary tool storage device 20 is mounted on the front side of the spindle 12. The rotary tool storage device 20 has a rotary unit 21 that rotates around the X axis. The rotary unit 21 is provided with a plurality of tool holders 22. The tool holder 22 has at least one tool 23. The tool holder 22 is moved up and down by the rotary unit 21 and switched between a plurality of tool storage positions P1 and a tool holder position P2. The tool holder 22 can also be installed with tools 23 of the same or different specifications of tool handles according to the needs to meet the needs of processing applications.

[0042] Please continue to refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The tool exchange device 30 can disengage the tool holder 22 at the tool holder position P2 to drive the corresponding tool holder 22 to shift along at least one of the X-axis and the Z-axis to a tool change position P3. In this embodiment, the tool holder 22 can shift along the X-axis and the Z-axis to allow the spindle 12 to remove or replay the tool 23 from the tool holder 22, or return the tool holder 22 to the corresponding rotary unit 21 at the tool holder position P2 to allow it to run again at the multiple tool storage positions P1.

[0043] Please continue to refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 A horizontal fixing column 27 is provided at the center of the positioning plate 25. The length of the horizontal fixing column 27 is greater than the length of the tool holder seat 22. A support column 28 is fixed to both ends of the horizontal fixing column 27. The support columns 28 are respectively fixed to both sides of the processing machine 10. With the above structure, the horizontal fixing column 27 and the support column 28 provide support for the rotary unit 21.

[0044] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The tool exchange device 30 further includes a Z-axis drive unit 33 and an X-axis drive unit 34. The Z-axis drive unit 33 and the X-axis drive unit 34 are arranged between the column 14 and the frame 15 and are used to drive one of the tool holders 22 to move along the Z-axis and the X-axis. Through the above structure, the design of the Z-axis drive unit 33 and the X-axis drive unit 34 enables the tool holder 22 to be accurately positioned along the Z-axis and the X-axis.

[0045] Please continue to refer to Figure 3 The rotary knife storage device 20 further includes a positioning plate 25 and a driving unit 26. The driving unit 26 is fixed to the positioning plate 25 to drive the rotary unit 21 to operate. The rotary unit 21 is a chain 211 wound around two driving gears 212. Each driving gear 212 is pivotally connected to both ends of the positioning plate 25, and one of the driving gears 212 is connected to the driving unit 26. With the above structure, the driving unit 26 is directly fixed to the positioning plate 25, which simplifies the overall design of the mechanism and reduces the manufacturing cost. In addition, since the driving unit 26 directly drives the chain 211 wound around the driving gear 212, the rotary unit 21 can operate quickly and accurately, which improves the efficiency of storing and replacing the knife holder 22.

[0046] Please continue to refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 , a plurality of tool holders 22 are assembled on the rotary unit 21 through a plurality of limiting frames 24, and the plurality of limiting frames 24 are fixed on the outer surface of the rotary unit 21. The inner wall surfaces on both sides of the limiting frames 24 are respectively provided with a symmetrically arranged first slide groove 241, and the tool holder 22 has two first positioning sliders 221 at the positions corresponding to the first slide grooves 241, and the first positioning sliders 221 can be slidably arranged in the corresponding first slide grooves 241. By means of the above structure, the first positioning sliders 221 of the tool holder 22 and the first slide grooves 241 of the limiting frames 24 slide with each other to ensure the accurate positioning of the tool holder 22 on the rotary unit 21 and reduce the positioning error; and the limiting frames 24 are distributed on the rotary unit 21 to provide uniform supporting force, prevent the tool holder 22 from shaking or displacement during operation, and improve the stability of the rotary tool storage device 20; furthermore, since the tool holder 22 is connected to the limiting frames 24 by sliding cooperation, the tool holder 22 can be quickly disassembled and replaced when necessary.

[0047] Please continue to refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 The chain 211 is provided with a reinforcing sheet 213 extending toward different sides at the position where each limiting frame 24 is fixed, and the reinforcing sheet 213 is fixed on the corresponding limiting frame 24, so that each limiting frame 24 is fixed on the rotary unit 21. With the above structure, the reinforcing sheet 213 is added to improve the bonding strength between the limiting frame 24 and the chain 211, ensuring that the limiting frame 24 is not easily deformed or loosened during the movement.

[0048] Please continue to refer to Figure 5, each tool holder seat 22 is provided with a second positioning slider 222 on both sides, and the corresponding position of the tool exchange device 30 is provided with two second slide grooves 31, each second positioning slider 222 is slidably arranged in the corresponding second slide groove 31, each second positioning slider 222 has a locking hole 223, and each second slide groove 31 has a locking unit 32. When each second positioning slider 222 is slidably arranged in each second slide groove 31, each locking unit 32 is locked in the corresponding locking hole 223. With the above structure, the sliding cooperation design of the second positioning slider 222 and the second slide groove 31 ensures that the tool holder seat 22 can be stably positioned in the tool exchange device 30, avoiding deviation during the tool 23 exchange process; and the locking unit 32 is locked in the locking hole 223, providing additional fixing force to prevent the tool holder seat 22 from moving or detaching from the tool exchange device 30 due to external force during operation.

[0049] Please refer to Figure 6 And with Figure 5 The tool exchange device 30 further includes two tool holder rotation drive units 35 which are respectively mounted on both ends of the slide of the X-axis drive unit 34 and are combined with the base of the second slide slot 31 to drive the tool holder 22 locked in the second slide slot 31 together with the tool 23 to rotate around the X-axis, so that the tool 23 conforms to the tool change direction of the spindle 12, thereby achieving the function of multi-directional tool change. In the above, only one set of tool holder rotation drive units 35 can be set to be mounted on one end of the slide of the X-axis drive unit 34.

[0050] Please refer to Figures 7 to 10 Combined with Figures 1 to 6 The specific operation mode of the present invention can be summarized as follows:

[0051] 1. Rotation of the rotary unit 21: When the processing machine 10 needs to exchange the tool 23, the control system will drive the rotary unit 21 of the rotary tool storage device 20 to rotate around the X-axis, and this action will drive the multiple tool holders 22 to move to different tool storage positions or tool change holder positions in sequence. When the predetermined tool holder 22 reaches the tool change holder position, it will stay at this position.

[0052] 2. Remove and replace the tool holder 22: Please refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8 Combined with Figures 1 to 6 The tool exchange device 30 detaches the tool holder seat 22 at the tool change holder seat position P2 from the rotary unit 21 and drives it to move along the X-axis and the Z-axis to the tool change position P3.

[0053] 3. Spindle 12 picks up tool 23: please refer to Fig. 9 Combined with Figures 1 to 6 The spindle 12 can return the tool 23 to the tool holder seat 22 along the Y axis and remove the required tool 23 from the tool holder seat 22.

[0054] 4. Return the knife holder 22: Please refer to Fig.10 Combined with Figures 1 to 7 After the specific tool 23 is exchanged, the tool exchange device 30 moves the tool holder 22 back to the tool holder exchange position P2, so that the tool holder 22 is again engaged with the rotary unit 21. At this time, the rotary unit 21 operates to move the tool holder 22 to the tool storage position P1, or continues the next tool holder 22 exchange operation.

[0055] Please refer to Fig.11 and Fig.12 , discloses another embodiment of the present invention, the rotary tool storage device 20 is generally polygonal in shape, and is mounted on the main body of the tool exchange device 30, and the tool holder seat 22 is distributed along the periphery of the rotary tool storage device 20, wherein the axis of the rotary tool storage device 20 is driven by a power source such as a motor to rotate around the X axis, and drives the tool holder seat 22 set thereon to rotate and switch to the tool holder seat position P2. The structure style and action of the tool exchange device 30 are roughly similar to the previous embodiment. Although the scalability of this embodiment is poorer than that of the previous embodiment, and the number of tools 23 is relatively small, the structure of this embodiment is simpler and the cost is relatively low.

[0056] Although not all implementation methods are listed above, Figures 1 to 6 The disclosed rotary knife storage device 20 is combined with Fig.11 and Fig.12 The tool exchange device 30 disclosed can also be Figures 1 to 6 The disclosed tool changing device 30 is combined with Fig.11 and Fig.12 The disclosed rotary knife storage device 20 is provided in various embodiments.

[0057] Through the above structure, the advantages of the present invention are as follows:

[0058] 1. Efficient replacement of tools 23: The rotary tool magazine mechanism 100 of the present invention enables the rotary unit 21 to quickly locate and select the required tool holder 22 position through the coordinated operation of the rotary unit 21 and the tool exchange device 30, greatly shortening the tool holder 22 exchange time, thereby achieving the purpose of efficient replacement of tools 23.

[0059] 2. Reduce the space occupied by the processing machine 10: The rotary tool storage device 20 of the present invention includes a plurality of tool holders 22, which can store a plurality of sets of tools 23 at the same time, and the rotary tool storage device 20 is located on the front side of the spindle 12 and above the work platform 11, which can reduce the space occupied by the processing machine 10.

[0060] 3. High flexibility: The multiple tool holders 22 in the rotary tool storage device 20 can store tools 23 with various types of tool handles, allowing users to replace them according to different processing requirements.

[0061] 4. Multi-directional tool change: The tool holder rotation drive unit 35 makes the tool holder 22 and the tool 23 rotate around the X-axis to match the tool change direction of the spindle 12, further enhancing the versatility of the tool magazine on the processing machine 10. The above is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and does not limit the present invention in any form. Although the present invention has been disclosed as a preferred embodiment, it is not used to limit the present invention. Any technician familiar with this profession can make some changes or modify the technical content disclosed above to an equivalent embodiment of equivalent changes without departing from the scope of the technical solution of the present invention. However, any simple modification, equivalent change and modification made to the above embodiment according to the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the content of the technical solution of the present invention still belongs to the scope of the technical solution of the present invention.

Claims

1. A rotary tool magazine mechanism, which is arranged on a processing machine, wherein the processing machine has a working platform and at least one spindle, and the rotary tool magazine mechanism comprises: A rotary tool storage device is mounted on the front side of the spindle, and the rotary tool storage device has a rotary unit rotating around the X-axis, and the rotary unit is provided with a plurality of tool holders, each of which has at least one tool, and each of which is lifted and lowered by the rotary unit and switched between a plurality of tool storage positions and tool holder changing positions; And a tool exchange device, which can disengage the tool holder at the tool change holder position and drive the corresponding tool holder to shift along at least one of the X-axis and the Z-axis to the tool change position, so that the spindle can remove or put back the tool from the tool holder, or return the tool holder to the corresponding rotary unit at the tool change holder position to make it run again at the tool storage position.

2. The rotary tool magazine mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The tool holder seat is assembled on the rotary unit through a limiting frame, and the limiting frame is fixed on the outer surface of the rotary unit.

3. The rotary tool magazine mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that: The rotary knife storage device includes a positioning plate and a driving unit, wherein the driving unit is fixedly mounted on the positioning plate to drive the rotary unit; the rotary unit is a chain wound around two driving gears, each of the driving gears is pivotally connected to the two ends of the positioning plate, and the driving gears drive the driving unit.

4. The rotary tool magazine mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that: The inner wall surfaces on both sides of the limiting frame are respectively provided with symmetrically arranged first sliding grooves, and the tool holder seat is provided with two first positioning slide blocks at positions corresponding to the first sliding grooves, and the first positioning slide blocks are slidably arranged in the corresponding first sliding grooves.

5. The rotary tool magazine mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that: The chain is fixed on the limit frame and is provided with extended reinforcement plates on different sides. Each reinforcement plate is fixed on the corresponding limit frame so that the limit frame is fixed on the rotary unit. The positioning plate is penetrated by a transverse fixing column, the length of the transverse fixing column is greater than the length of the tool holder, and support columns are fixed on both ends of the transverse fixing column, and each support column is fixed on both sides of the processing machine.

6. The rotary tool magazine mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that: A second positioning slide block is disposed on both sides of the tool holder seat, and two second slide grooves are disposed at corresponding positions of the tool exchange device, and each of the second positioning slide blocks is slidably disposed in each corresponding second slide groove.

7. The rotary tool magazine mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that: The second positioning slider is provided with a locking hole, and the second slide groove is provided with a locking unit. When the second positioning slider is slidably arranged in the second slide groove, the locking unit is locked in the corresponding locking holes.

8. The rotary tool magazine mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that: The processing machine has a machine base, the working platform is arranged on the machine base, the machine base is provided with a column, the spindle can be moved along the Y-axis and is arranged on the column, and the processing machine is provided with a frame on the opposite side of the column; the tool exchange device further includes a Z-axis drive unit and an X-axis drive unit, the Z-axis drive unit and the X-axis drive unit are arranged between the column and the frame, and are used to drive the tool holder to move along the Z-axis and the X-axis.

9. The rotary tool magazine mechanism according to claim 7, characterized in that: The tool exchange device is arranged on both sides of the working platform, and the working platform can be displaced along the X-axis and the Z-axis.

10. The rotary tool magazine mechanism according to claim 8, characterized in that: The tool exchange device further includes at least one tool holder seat rotation driving unit, which is mounted on one end of the X-axis drive unit slide and connected to the base portion of the second slide slot to drive the tool holder seat locked in the second slide slot to rotate around the X-axis.

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