Tool changing device and machining system

Abstract

The utility model relates to a tool changing device and a machining system, the tool changing device comprises a pick-and-place mechanism, and the pick-and-place mechanism is used for picking and placing a cutter head or a cutter box; in the cutter position, the cutter obtained by the taking and placing mechanism is placed in the cutter position, and the new cutter box and the old cutter box are exchanged in the cutter position; and the cutterhead opening and closing mechanism is used for opening or closing the cutterheads at the cutterhead positions, when the cutterheads are opened, the cutter boxes can be taken out or put into the cutterheads, and when the cutterheads are closed, the cutter boxes in the cutterheads are fixed. The cutter box in the cutter head can be replaced on the cutter replacing device, efficient circulation of cutters is achieved, the number of used cutter heads is reduced, and cost is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of circuit board processing technology, and in particular to a tool changing device and processing system. Background Technology

[0002] During circuit board manufacturing, processing equipment uses cutting tools to perform operations such as drilling and cutting on the workpiece. For example, an automatic drilling machine drills holes in the circuit board using cutting tools. These tools can become damaged during use and need to be replaced. Existing cutting tools are stored in tool holders, with each holder containing multiple tools. Several tool holders are then placed in a tool turret for easy storage and use by the tool changing mechanism on the processing equipment. The tool holders and tools in the tool turret are located in a tool preparation room.

[0003] Currently, to improve equipment utilization, processing equipment is evolving towards automation and intelligence. To further enhance equipment efficiency, the importance of automated tool turret turnover is becoming increasingly apparent. To achieve automated tool turret turnover for drilling machines and tool boxes in the tool preparation room, it is essential to solve the problem of how to place the tool boxes into the tool turret. The current mature solution involves using auxiliary equipment to place the tools output from the tool preparation room into the tool boxes, and then transporting the tool boxes, either as a whole or individually, to the tool turret. This method is inefficient and requires additional equipment, reducing factory utilization. Furthermore, currently, new tool boxes are all placed on the tool turret for turnover, and the tool changing device moves and transports the tool turrets between the tool preparation room and the processing equipment. This requires a large number of tool turrets, and the cost of each tool turret is currently several hundred yuan. The large-scale turnover of tool turrets requires significant capital investment in tool turret reserves, increasing the implementation cost of automated tool turnover and hindering its widespread adoption. Utility Model Content

[0004] One objective of this invention is to solve the existing technical problems by providing a tool changing device that can reduce the amount of tool disc used and enable tool box replacement.

[0005] Another objective of this invention is to provide a machining system that can solve the tool changing problem in machining devices.

[0006] To achieve the objectives of this utility model, the embodiments of this utility model adopt the following technical solutions:

[0007] The tool changing device includes:

[0008] The pick-and-place mechanism is used to pick up and place the cutter head or cutter box;

[0009] The tool turret is placed in the tool turret position where the pick-and-place mechanism takes the tool turret and the new tool box is exchanged with the old tool box in the tool turret position.

[0010] The tool turret opening and closing mechanism is used to open or close the tool turret. When the tool turret is open, the tool box can be taken out or put into the tool turret. When the tool turret is closed, the tool box in the tool turret is fixed.

[0011] In some embodiments, the tool changing device further includes a working position and a storage section. The working position is used for storing and retrieving old and new tool boxes, and the storage section is used for storing tool boxes. The working position is located above the storage section.

[0012] In some embodiments, the tool changing device further includes a body, a pick-and-place mechanism is located on the top of the body, and a lifting mechanism is provided below the pick-and-place mechanism. The tool box of the storage section is transported to the working position through the lifting mechanism.

[0013] In some embodiments, the tool changing device further includes a tool box position for storing the tool box. The tool box position is located on the tray of the machine body and / or the working position, and the picking and placing mechanism causes the tool box to move between the working position, the tool disc position, and the tool box position.

[0014] In some embodiments, the storage section is provided with a plurality of trays, which are used to directly support the knife box, and the trays are transported between the working position and the storage section by a lifting mechanism;

[0015] And / or, a moving module is provided at the bottom of the body.

[0016] In some embodiments, the storage section can be separated from the machine body, and a lifting mechanism is provided below the storage section to push the storage section up and down.

[0017] In some embodiments, the picking and placing mechanism includes a plurality of grippers and a switching mechanism connected to the grippers. The plurality of grippers change positions through the switching mechanism, and the plurality of grippers respectively pick up new knife boxes and / or old knife boxes.

[0018] In some embodiments, the cutter head is positioned on the cutter head opening and closing mechanism, and the pick-and-place mechanism places the cutter head on the cutter head opening and closing mechanism after acquiring it.

[0019] In some embodiments, the cutter head opening and closing mechanism includes a support plate, a drive assembly, and a connector connected to the drive assembly. The support plate supports the cutter head, the connector corresponds to the moving part of the cutter head, and the drive assembly drives the connector to move, thereby opening or closing the cutter head.

[0020] In some embodiments, the support plate and the tray are positioned by positioning elements and mating holes, and the support plate and the tray are fixed by magnetic attraction.

[0021] In some embodiments, the tool disc opening and closing mechanism is disposed on the pick-and-place mechanism. When the pick-and-place mechanism moves downward, the tool disc opening and closing mechanism moves closer to the tool disc position, and the tool disc opens. When the pick-and-place mechanism moves upward, the tool disc opening and closing mechanism moves away from the tool disc position, and the tool disc closes.

[0022] In some embodiments, the cutter head opening and closing mechanism includes an actuating part that corresponds to a locking block of the cutter head, and the actuating part pushes the locking block to move downward.

[0023] The processing system includes:

[0024] A processing device that uses cutting tools to process the workpiece;

[0025] The tool preparation room is used to store the cutting tools in the tool box, and the tool changing device moves between the machining device and the tool preparation room to change the tool box;

[0026] The aforementioned tool changing device is used.

[0027] In some embodiments, the processing system further includes a temporary storage rack for placing a material storage unit, a plurality of tool boxes being disposed in the material storage unit, and a tool changing device moving between the processing unit, the tool distribution room, and the temporary storage rack.

[0028] This utility model has the following main advantages:

[0029] (1) The tool disc can be opened or closed on the tool changing device, and the tool box in the tool disc can be replaced directly on the tool changing device through the pick-and-place mechanism, which can improve the tool box turnover efficiency; (2) The tool box can be directly stored in the storage section of the tool changing device, without the need to store the tool disc. The tool boxes in the tool matching room can be directly supplied to the tool changing device, reducing the usage of the tool disc and lowering the operating cost; (3) The tool changing device can move on its own between the tool matching room and the processing device, thereby transporting the tools and replacing the tool box of the tool disc, further improving the overall utilization rate of the processing device; (4) The pick-and-place mechanism is located on the top of the machine body, and the working position of the pick-and-place mechanism is located on the top of the storage section, which can save space layout and reduce the overall size of the tool changing device. Other advantages of the present invention are described in the specific embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0030] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0031] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the tool changing device provided in an embodiment of this utility model.

[0032] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the tray mounting knife box provided in an embodiment of this utility model.

[0033] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the tray provided in an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0034] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the storage section provided in an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0035] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the gripper of the material handling mechanism provided in an embodiment of this utility model.

[0036] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the lifting mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0037] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the cutter head provided in an embodiment of this utility model.

[0038] Figure 8 This is another schematic diagram of the cutter head provided in an embodiment of the present utility model.

[0039] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the cutter head opening and closing mechanism provided in Embodiment 2 of this utility model.

[0040] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the drive assembly of the cutter head opening and closing mechanism provided in Embodiment 2 of this utility model.

[0041] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the bottom of the cutter head provided in Embodiment 2 of this utility model.

[0042] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the cutter head opening and closing mechanism provided in Embodiment 3 of this utility model.

[0043] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the cutter head provided in Embodiment 3 of this utility model.

[0044] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the locking block provided in Embodiment 3 of this utility model.

[0045] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the picking and placing mechanism provided in Embodiment 4 of this utility model.

[0046] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of the two grippers provided in Embodiment 4 of this utility model.

[0047] Figure 17 This is a schematic diagram of the processing device provided in Embodiment 5 of this utility model.

[0048] Figure 18 This is an architecture diagram of the processing system provided in Embodiment 4 of this utility model.

[0049] In the attached image:

[0050] 10. Picking and placing mechanism; 11. Gripper; 12. Camera; 13. Switching mechanism; 20. Tool head position; 30. Tool head opening and closing mechanism; 31. Support plate; 32. Drive assembly; 33. Connector; 34. Protrusion; 35. Spring; 36. Output shaft; 37. Positioning component; 38. Electromagnet; 40. Tool box position; 50. Tray; 51. Identification point; 52. Tool box placement slot; 60. Tool head; 61. Tool box; 62. Moving part; 63. Fixing part; 64. Connecting hole; 65. Magnetic suction part; 70. Body; 71. Frame; 72. Moving module; 80 90. Working position; 100. Material storage section; 111. Tool changing device; 112. Lifting mechanism; 120. Lifting mechanism; 131. Drive motor; 132. Connecting arm; 200. Processing device; 210. Worktable; 220. Tool head buffer section; 300. Tool preparation room; 400. Temporary storage rack; 601. Tool; 31'. Actuating part; 60'. Tool head; 61'. Tool box; 62'. Locking block; 63'. Elastic element; 64'. Guide hole; 65'. Power unit; 311'. Inclined surface; 621'. Insertion hole. Detailed Implementation

[0051] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this utility model clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are some embodiments of this utility model, but not all embodiments.

[0052] In this utility model, "several" and "multiple" refer to two or more. It should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used solely for the convenience of describing this utility model and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0053] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0054] <Example 1>

[0055] This embodiment provides a tool changing device for transporting and replacing tools in a processing device that uses these tools to process workpieces. Taking a circuit board drilling machine as an example, the drilling machine uses tools to process circuit boards, and damaged tools need to be replaced during the processing.

[0056] like Figures 1 to 7 As shown, a tool changing device 100 of this embodiment includes a pick-and-place mechanism 10, a tool disc position 20, a tool disc opening and closing mechanism 30, and a tool box position 40. The pick-and-place mechanism 100 is used to pick up and place the tool disc or tool box. In this embodiment, the tool box includes a new tool box and an old tool box. The pick-and-place mechanism 10 can be a device with gripping or releasing functions, such as a robotic arm. The pick-and-place mechanism 10 of this embodiment has a gripper 11 for clamping or releasing the tool disc 60 or the tool box 61. A camera 12 is provided on the gripper 11 for identifying the identification point 51 on the tray 50, which facilitates the determination of the relative position between the gripper 11 and the tray, enabling the gripper 11 to accurately pick up and place the tool box 61. When gripping the tool box, the gripper 11 can grip multiple tool boxes at once or grip a single tool box, which can be flexibly configured according to processing requirements.

[0057] The cutter head position 20 is used to place the cutter head 60, which is used by the machining device. The machining device stores tool boxes through the cutter head, allowing for convenient tool retrieval. Each cutter head 60 can hold several tool boxes 61, and each tool box holds several tools 601. When the tools on the machining device need to be replaced, the old tools are returned to the tool boxes on the cutter head, and new tools are installed to continue machining. When the tool boxes in the cutter head are full of old tools, the cutter head 60 is placed in the cutter head position 20 through the tool changing device's pick-and-place mechanism 10. The new tool boxes and old tool boxes are exchanged at the cutter head position, thus allowing for the replacement of old and new tool boxes on the tool changing device, improving tool box replacement efficiency. When replacing tool boxes, the cutter head 60 needs to be opened or closed through the cutter head opening and closing mechanism 30. When the cutter head 60 is open, the tool boxes 61 can be taken out or put into the cutter head 60; when the cutter head 60 is closed, the tool boxes in the cutter head 60 are fixed. When replacing the tool holder in the tool changer, the tool changer 60 is first opened via the tool changer opening and closing mechanism 30, making the tool holder 61 removable. Then, the old tool holder is removed via the pick-and-place mechanism 10, and the new tool holder is placed in. The tool changer opening and closing mechanism 30 then closes, completing the replacement of the old and new tool holders. By opening and closing the tool changer via the tool changer opening and closing mechanism 30, the tool holders inside the tool changer can be replaced directly on the tool changer without having to move the tool changer. Furthermore, the new tool holder does not need to be stored in the tool changer waiting for use; the tool changer on the machining device can be reused, reducing the number of tool changers used and lowering costs.

[0058] Furthermore, the knife box 61 removed from the cutter disc 60 by the pick-and-place mechanism 10 is placed in the knife box position 40. During replacement, the old knife box in the cutter disc 60 is first placed in the knife box position 40, and then space is made in the cutter disc to place the new knife box. The knife box position 40 can be located on the machine body 70 and / or the tray 50. That is, the knife box position 40 can be a position on the machine body 70 or an empty space on the tray, as long as it can hold a knife box. The old knife box is temporarily stored on the machine body, and after the new knife box is replaced, the old knife box is placed in the tray 50. By setting the knife box position 40, the action time of the pick-and-place mechanism can be reduced, and the gripping efficiency can be improved. In this embodiment, the machine body 70 has a frame 71. The frame structure can reduce the weight of the machine body 70. The knife box position 40 is located on the top of the frame 71. The knife box position 40 and the cutter disc position 20 are arranged opposite each other on both sides of the pick-and-place mechanism 10, which facilitates the pick-and-place mechanism 30 to pick up and place the knife box back and forth and reduces the movement distance. The pick-and-place mechanism 10 is located on the top of the body 70, specifically in the frame 71, so that the pick-and-place mechanism 10 does not occupy the space outside the body.

[0059] like Figure 3 As shown, in another embodiment of the knife box position 40, the knife box position 40 can be set on the tray 50. That is, the old knife box can be directly picked up by the pick-and-place mechanism 10 and placed directly into the knife box placement slot 52 on the tray 50, without being temporarily stored on the machine body. Each tray 50 can be provided with multiple knife box placement slots 52 for accommodating new knife boxes and replaced old knife boxes. Those skilled in the art will know that two or more knife box positions 40 can also be provided, which can be set on the machine body and the tray respectively, as long as the pick-and-place mechanism can pick up and place them.

[0060] Furthermore, the tool changing device 100 also includes a working station 80, where the pick-and-place mechanism 10 picks up and places tool boxes on the tray 50 for storing and retrieving old and new tool boxes. The working station 80 is located on the machine body, specifically on the frame 71. When changing the tool disc and tool box, the tray 50 containing the new tool box is transported to the working station 80. The pick-and-place mechanism 10 moves the tool box between the working station 80, the tool disc position 30, and the tool box position 40, enabling rapid turnover of the tool box and completing the replacement. In this embodiment, the tool disc position 20 and the tool box position 40 are located at the top of the machine body 70, facilitating the pick-and-place operation of the pick-and-place mechanism 10. The pick-and-place mechanism 10 retrieves the new tool box at the working station 80 and places it into the tool disc 60, while returning the old tool box to the tray 50 at the working station, thus completing the replacement. The working position 80 is located above the storage section 90 of the tool changing device 100. The storage section 90 is used to store the tool box 61. The working position 80 is located above the storage section 90. The tool box 61 in the storage section 90 is transported to the working position 80 by the lifting mechanism 110. Since the installation position of the pick-and-place mechanism 10 is located within the boundary of the machine body 70, that is, within the frame 71, if the storage section 90 is located directly below the pick-and-place mechanism 10, it would be difficult for the pick-and-place mechanism 10 to access the tray 50 in the storage section 90. Therefore, the storage section 90 is located on the side of the pick-and-place mechanism 10, and the lifting mechanism 110 is located below the pick-and-place mechanism 10. The lifting mechanism 110 transports the tray 50 in the storage section 90 to the working position 80, which saves space and facilitates the pick-and-place mechanism 10 in accessing and placing the tool box at the working position 80.

[0061] Specifically, the cutter box 61 is placed on the tray 50, and the lifting mechanism 110 transports the tray 50 to the working position 80. The storage section 90 contains trays 50, and several trays 50 are stacked vertically. The lifting mechanism 110 includes a lifting mechanism 111 and a support part 112 mounted on the lifting mechanism. The support part 112 is horizontally movable and extends below the trays 50 in the storage section. After the trays 50 are transported to the support part 112, they are lifted by the lifting mechanism and then horizontally transported to the working position by the support part. Many publicly available examples of the specific implementation structure of the lifting mechanism exist, such as patent CN115816550B, and will not be elaborated further. In this embodiment, the cutter box 61 in the storage section 90 is directly placed on the tray 50, eliminating the need for a cutter disc, thus reducing the amount of cutter disc used and saving costs.

[0062] As an improvement, a pallet support can be provided on the top of the storage section 90 to support the pallet of the working position, so that there is no need to set a support structure on the frame 71 of the machine body. That is, the working position 80 can be set on the top of the storage section 90, thereby saving space layout.

[0063] Furthermore, the bottom of the machine body 70 is provided with a moving module 72, which enables the tool changing device to move on the ground, thereby allowing it to move back and forth between processing devices to change the tool box. The moving module 72 can be an AGV, and the machine body is integrated into an existing AGV module.

[0064] Furthermore, a lifting mechanism 120 is provided below the storage section 90. The lifting mechanism 120 pushes the storage section 90 to rise and fall, allowing the entire storage section 90 to be raised and lowered, facilitating the tool changing device to load and unload the storage section 90. The storage section 90 is separable from the machine body 70, meaning it can be separated and removed individually. This allows for quick replacement of the entire storage section 90 when the new tool box in the storage section 90 on the tool changing device is used up.

[0065] In this embodiment, the cutter disc 60 storing the old cutter box is opened on the cutter changing device by the cutter disc opening and closing mechanism 30, and the replacement of the old and new cutter boxes is completed by the pick-and-place mechanism 10. The cutter box replacement can be completed quickly without replacing the cutter disc, reducing the amount of cutter disc used and lowering costs.

[0066] The following provides a further explanation of the tool box replacement method of the tool changing device in this embodiment.

[0067] The tool box replacement method of the tool changing device in this embodiment includes the following steps:

[0068] S100: The tool disc 60 containing the old tool box is obtained by the pick-and-place mechanism 10 and placed in the tool disc position 20. In this embodiment, one tool disc position 20 is set. If there are multiple tool disc positions 20, step S100 can be repeated so that multiple tool discs 60 are placed in the tool disc positions 20 respectively for tool box replacement.

[0069] S200: The cutter head 60 is opened by the cutter head opening and closing mechanism 30, so that the cutter head 60 is in the open state and the old cutter box inside the cutter head 60 can be taken out.

[0070] S300: The pick-and-place mechanism 10 takes out the old tool box from the tool disc 60 and places it in the tool box position 40. The tool box position 40 can be a tool box position on the machine body or a tool box position on the tray, as long as there is space to accommodate the old tool box.

[0071] S400: The new knife box is retrieved by the pick-and-place mechanism 10 and placed on the knife disc 60, thus completing the placement of the new knife box.

[0072] S500: Steps S300 and S400 are executed repeatedly until the tool disc is full of new tool boxes. The number of tool boxes picked up and placed by the pick-and-place mechanism 10 each time can be one box or multiple boxes. When the pick-and-place mechanism 10 picks up and places one tool box at a time, since each tool disc can hold multiple tool boxes, the pick-and-place mechanism 10 needs to pick up and place multiple tool boxes to fill the tool disc 60 with new tool boxes. When the pick-and-place mechanism 10 can pick up and place multiple tool boxes at a time, the number of pick-and-place operations can be reduced. For example, if the tool disc can hold three tool boxes, and the pick-and-place mechanism can pick up and place three tool boxes at a time, then the pick-and-place mechanism 10 can remove all the old tool boxes and place three new tool boxes into the tool disc at once. After the tool disc is full of new tool boxes, the tool disc opening and closing mechanism 30 closes the tool disc 60, and the pick-and-place mechanism 10 can return the tool disc to the picking position.

[0073] The tool holder replacement method of this embodiment enables the replacement of old and new tool holders on the tool changer 60, allowing the tool holder to be reused, reducing the amount of tool holder used, lowering costs, and achieving efficient tool circulation.

[0074] Further, in step S300, the pick-and-place mechanism places the old knife box in the knife box position 40, and the working position 80 retrieves the new knife box. The knife box is stored in a tray and transported between the storage section 90 and the working position 80 via the lifting mechanism 110. The new knife box is provided by the storage section 90. The tray containing the new knife box is transported from the storage section 90 to the working position 80 via the lifting mechanism 110. The working position 80 is located above the storage section 90. The tray containing the old knife box is removed and transported back to the storage section 90 via the lifting mechanism 110. Each tray has several knife boxes 61. In this embodiment, each tray can hold 6 knife boxes, thus enabling the transport of multiple knife boxes at once.

[0075] Furthermore, when the tool box position 40 is located on the body 70 of the tool changing device, the pick-and-place mechanism first places the old tool box in the tool box position 40, and then proceeds to the work station 80 to retrieve a new tool box. At this time, all old tool boxes are placed on the body. Multiple tool box positions 40 can be set on the body. When the new tool boxes on the work station tray are used up, the old tool boxes on the body are returned to the tray via the pick-and-place mechanism. When the tool box position 40 is located on the tray, there must be empty space on the tray, i.e., the tool box placement slot 52 of the tray 50. The pick-and-place mechanism can directly place the old tool box in the tool box placement slot 52 at the work station, and then retrieve a new tool box. The tool box position 40 can also be located on the trays of both the body and the work station, i.e., there is space in both places to place the old tool box. In this case, the old tool box retrieved from the tool disc is directly returned to the tray of the work station. Therefore, in this embodiment, the knife box position is a temporary storage location for old knife boxes. The old knife boxes are eventually placed back onto the pallet of the working position by the pick-and-place mechanism and transported back to the storage section for storage by the lifting mechanism.

[0076] Furthermore, during step S300, after the pick-and-place mechanism 10 acquires the old tool box, if there is an empty space on the tray, the pick-and-place mechanism directly places the old tool box back into the empty space on the tray at the working position. If there is no empty space on the tray, the pick-and-place mechanism places the old tool box in the tool box position on the machine body. Through the above technical solution, the old tool box can be placed back into the tray more efficiently. When the tray 50 is transported from the storage section 90 to the working position, the tray 50 is usually full of new tool boxes. At this time, there is no empty space to place the old tool boxes. The pick-and-place mechanism 10 picks up the old tool boxes and places them in the tool box position 40 of the machine body. Then, it picks up the new tool boxes from the tray 50 and places them on the tool disc. At this time, there is an empty space in the tray. The next old tool box picked up by the pick-and-place mechanism is directly placed back into the empty space of the tray until all the new tool boxes in the tray are taken away. Finally, the pick-and-place mechanism 10 puts the old tool boxes on the machine body back into the last empty space of the tray. The tray is then full of old tool boxes. The old tool boxes are sent to the storage section by the lifting mechanism. Then, another tray full of new tool boxes is transported from the storage section to the working position. The action of the lifting mechanism can be performed in parallel with other actions. For example, when the tool changing device moves, the lifting mechanism can transport the tray, thereby improving the overall efficiency and reducing the waiting time for the tray when changing tool boxes.

[0077] <Example 2>

[0078] In this embodiment, the parts that are the same as in Embodiment 1 are given the same reference numerals, and the same text descriptions are omitted.

[0079] like Figure 1 , Figures 7 to 11 As shown, compared to Embodiment 1, this embodiment provides a tool changing device with the following structural design differences:

[0080] The cutter head position 20 is set on the cutter head opening and closing mechanism 30. After the pick-up and place mechanism 10 picks up the cutter head 60, it places it on the cutter head opening and closing mechanism 30, so that the cutter head 60 can be directly opened or closed through the cutter head opening and closing mechanism 30, reducing the action time of the pick-up and place mechanism 10 and improving efficiency.

[0081] Furthermore, the cutter head opening and closing mechanism 30 includes a support plate 31, a drive assembly 32, and a connector 33 connected to the drive assembly 32. The support plate 31 supports the cutter head 60. Specifically, the cutter head 60 is placed on the protrusion 34 of the support plate 31 and clamped by the moving parts 62 and the fixed parts 63 on both sides of the support plate 31. A spring 35 is provided between the moving part 62 and the protrusion 34. The spring 35 pulls the moving part 62 taut, enabling the moving part 62 to clamp the cutter box 61. The spring 35 is sleeved on the guide rod for easy extension and retraction. The connector 33 corresponds to the moving part 62 of the cutter head 60. The drive assembly 32 drives the connector 33 to move, and the moving part 62 moves synchronously. The distance between the moving part 62 and the fixed part 63 increases or decreases, causing the cutter head 60 to open or close. The drive assembly 32 can be a drive unit such as a lead screw motor. Two connectors 33 are connected by a connecting plate 35, which is threaded to the output shaft 36 of the drive assembly 32. The forward and reverse rotation of the output shaft 36 causes the connecting plate 35 to reciprocate, thus moving the connectors 33 and the moving part 62. The support plate 31 and the cutter head 60 are positioned by a positioning element 37 and a mating hole 64, ensuring accurate positioning of the cutter head 60 on the support plate 31. In this embodiment, the positioning element 37 protrudes from the support plate 31 and can be a pin. The mating hole 64 is located at the bottom of the cutter head 60. Of course, the positions of the positioning element 37 and the mating hole 64 can be interchanged. The support plate 31 and the cutter head 60 are fixed together by magnetic attraction, so that the cutter head 60 will not wobble after being placed on the support plate 31. Specifically, the support plate 31 is provided with an electromagnet 38, and the corresponding position of the cutter head 60 is provided with a magnetic attraction part 65. The cutter head 60 is fixed or released by the electromagnet 38 attracting or releasing the magnetic attraction part 65.

[0082] <Example 3>

[0083] In this embodiment, the parts that are the same as in Embodiments 1 and 2 are given the same reference numerals, and the same text descriptions are omitted.

[0084] like Figures 12 to 14 As shown, compared to the above embodiments, this embodiment provides a tool changing device with the following structural design differences:

[0085] The tool disc opening and closing mechanism 30' is mounted on the pick-and-place mechanism 10, allowing it to move with the pick-and-place mechanism 10. When the machine body has multiple tool disc positions, the tool disc opening and closing mechanism 30' can sequentially open each tool disc through the movement of the pick-and-place mechanism 10, eliminating the need for a separate mechanism at each tool disc position and effectively reducing costs. When it is necessary to open the tool disc 60' of a tool disc position, the pick-and-place mechanism 10 moves above the tool disc position, then moves downwards, and the tool disc opening and closing mechanism 30' moves closer to the tool disc 60' until it drives the tool disc to open. At this point, the pick-and-place mechanism 10 can grip the tool box 61' using the gripper 11'. In this embodiment, the tool disc opening and closing mechanism 30' is located on the side of the gripper 11' to prevent it from obstructing the gripper's gripping. Then, the pick-and-place mechanism moves upwards, the tool disc opening and closing mechanism 30' moves away from the tool disc 60', and the tool disc closes.

[0086] Specifically, the cutter head opening and closing mechanism 30' includes an actuating part 31', which corresponds to a locking block 62' on the cutter head 60'. The locking block 62' is slidably disposed on the cutter head and is used to lock the cutter box 61'. One end of the locking block 62' is locked in a groove in the cutter box 61', and the other end is provided with an elastic element 63', preferably a spring, which provides elastic force to press the locking block 62' against the cutter box 61'. When the actuating part 31' moves downward, it pushes the locking block 62' away from the cutter box 61', causing it to release the cutter box 61'. The actuating part 31' is provided with a slope 311'. When the actuating part 31' moves downward, it can be inserted into the guide hole 64' on the cutter head 60', and then into the insertion hole 621' of the locking block 62'. The slope 311' pushes the locking block 62' to move laterally, thereby releasing the cutter box 61'. In this embodiment, there are two trigger parts 31', or more than two, to drive the lock block 62' to move smoothly. The trigger parts 31' can be cylindrical members of a certain length to facilitate insertion and removal of the guide hole 64' and the insertion hole 621'.

[0087] As an improvement, a power unit 65' is provided above the actuating part 31'. The power unit 65' is used to extend and retract the actuating part 31'. The power unit can be a power source such as a cylinder. By driving the actuating part 31' to extend and retract through the power unit, the actuating part 31' can be retracted when the cutter head opening and closing mechanism 30' is not in use. The lower end of the actuating part 31' does not exceed the lower end of the gripper, so as not to affect the movement of the pick-and-place mechanism 10 and the gripping of the cutter box. When it is necessary to open the cutter head through the actuating part 31', the actuating part 31' is extended and inserted into the cutter head to open the cutter box.

[0088] <Example 4>

[0089] In this embodiment, the parts that are the same as in embodiments one to three are given the same reference numerals, and the same text descriptions are omitted.

[0090] like Figures 15 to 16As shown, compared to the above embodiments, this embodiment provides a tool changing device with the following structural design differences:

[0091] The tool changing device of this embodiment includes a plurality of grippers 11, with two or more grippers 11. The grippers 11 are repositioned by a switching mechanism 13, thereby enabling the grippers to pick up new and old tool boxes for tool box replacement, improving tool box replacement efficiency. The tool changing device of this embodiment includes two grippers 11 and a switching mechanism 13 connected to the grippers 11. The switching mechanism 13 includes a drive motor 131 and a connecting arm 132 connected to the drive motor 131. The two grippers 11 are respectively mounted on the connecting arm 132. The drive motor 131 drives the connecting arm 132 to rotate, realizing the position switching between different grippers 11. If three or more grippers are provided, multiple connecting arms 132 can be provided, so that the grippers are arranged radially.

[0092] Specifically, in this embodiment, the picking and placing mechanism can employ one gripper to hold the old knife box and the other gripper to hold the new knife box. The replacement of the old and new knife boxes is completed by switching the positions of the two grippers. For example, the picking and placing mechanism 10 first moves to the knife disc position, using one gripper 11 to hold the old knife box. The picking and placing mechanism 10 then moves to the new knife box position on the tray, using the other gripper to hold the new knife box. Then, the two grippers switch positions, allowing the old knife box to be placed back on the tray. The picking and placing mechanism 10 then moves back to the knife disc position and places the new knife box into the knife disc. In the above example, the picking and placing mechanism 10 can also first move to the new knife box position on the tray, then go to the knife disc position to retrieve the old knife box for replacement, and finally place the old knife box back on the tray. Through the above technical solution, after grabbing the old knife box, it is not necessary to place the old knife box in the knife box position on the machine body; the new knife box can be grabbed directly, and the old knife box can be placed back in its original position after grabbing, saving time and improving efficiency.

[0093] As another application example, the machine body is provided with two tool tray positions 20, and the positions of the two tool tray positions 20 correspond to the positions of two grippers 11, so that the two grippers 11 can simultaneously grip the old tool boxes in the two tool tray positions 20. At this time, the two grippers first simultaneously grip the old tool boxes in the tool trays of the two tool tray positions 20, and then place them in the tool box position of the machine body. Then, two new tool boxes are simultaneously taken from the tray and moved to the two tool tray positions 20 and placed in the tool trays. It can be understood that the position layout of the two tool tray positions 20 may not correspond to the two grippers 11. One gripper 11 of the pick-and-place mechanism 10 first grips the old tool box in one tool tray position, and then moves to the other tool tray position to grip the old tool box through the other gripper. That is, it grips them sequentially, and then places the old tool box in the tool box position of the machine body. Then, it picks up the new tool box from the tray and places the new tool box into the tool trays of the two tool tray positions sequentially.

[0094] The following is a further explanation of the tool box replacement method of the tool changing device in this embodiment.

[0095] The tool box replacement method of the tool changing device in this embodiment includes the following steps:

[0096] S1: The tool disc 60 containing the old tool box is obtained by the pick-and-place mechanism 10 and placed in the tool disc position 20. One tool disc is picked up by one gripper 11. One tool disc can be picked up at a time, or two grippers can pick up one tool disc each.

[0097] S2: The cutter head 60 is opened by the cutter head opening and closing mechanism 30, so that the old cutter box inside the cutter head 60 can be taken out and replaced.

[0098] S3: The pick-and-place mechanism 10 first removes the old knife box through a gripper 11, and then picks up the new knife box from the tray 50 through another empty gripper 11 at the working position 80. Then, the two grippers are switched, and the gripper holding the old knife box puts the old knife box back into the empty position of the tray 50. This method, by picking up the new knife box at the working position 80 and putting it back into the old knife box, eliminates the need to temporarily store the old knife box in the knife box position 40 on the machine body, further improving the knife box replacement efficiency.

[0099] In addition, the pick-and-place mechanism 10 can first move to the working position 80 to pick up the new tool box through a gripper, and then move to the tool disc position 40 to take out the old tool box through another empty gripper and put the new tool box into the tool disc. In this way, the gripper is repositioned and the new tool box is placed in the tool disc position.

[0100] Repeat step S3 so that the pick-and-place mechanism 10 continuously picks up and places the tool box until the tool disc is full of new tool boxes, and then the tool disc opening and closing mechanism closes the tool disc.

[0101] <Example 5>

[0102] In this embodiment, the parts that are the same as in embodiments one to four are given the same reference numerals, and the same text descriptions are omitted.

[0103] like Figure 1 , Figures 17 to 18 As shown, compared with the above embodiment, this embodiment provides a processing system, including a processing device 200 and a tool changing device 100 of the above embodiment. The processing device uses a tool to process the workpiece. The processing device can be a circuit board drilling machine. The processing device is provided with a tool disc 60 for carrying a tool box 61. When the tool box is full of old tools, the tool box is an old tool box. The tool disc 60 carrying the old tool box is replaced by the tool changing device.

[0104] Furthermore, the machining system also includes a tool chamber 300 for arranging tools in tool holders 61. A tool changing device 100 moves between the machining device 200 and the tool chamber 300 to change tool holders. The tool changing device 100 places a new tool holder arranged in the tool chamber 300 onto itself, then moves to the machining device 200 to remove the tool disc filled with the old tool holders, opens the tool disc on the tool changing device, and replaces the tool holders.

[0105] Furthermore, the processing system also includes a temporary storage rack 400, which is used to place the storage section 90. Several tool boxes 6 are arranged in the storage section 90, which is divided into multiple layers. Each layer stores several tool boxes 6 via trays 50. New tool boxes can be stored in the storage section 90. The tool changing device 100 moves between the processing device 200, the tool preparation room 300, and the temporary storage rack 400. When the tool changing device 100 moves to the position of the temporary storage rack 400, the lifting mechanism 120 extends into the temporary storage rack 400 and rises, lifting the storage section 90 on the temporary storage rack 400 and moving it to separate the storage section 90 from the temporary storage rack 400. The tool changing device then moves the storage section to the processing device to change the tool.

[0106] The tool changing method of the tool changing system in this embodiment will be further explained below.

[0107] A tool changing method for a machining system includes the following steps:

[0108] S10: The knife-making room 300 provides knives to the knife boxes, specifically including small knives provided in boxes and medium and large knives provided individually;

[0109] S20: The tool changer 100 moves to the tool change position of the machining device 200, and the pick-and-place mechanism 10 places the tool head from the machining device 200 to the tool head position 20 of the tool changer 100; the pick-and-place mechanism 10 can pick up the tool head from the worktable 210 of the machining device 200 and / or the tool head buffer section 220 of the machining device 200.

[0110] S30: The tool disc 60 is opened by the tool disc opening and closing mechanism 30, and the old tool box is taken out from the tool disc by the pick-and-place mechanism 10 and placed in the tool box position 40;

[0111] S40: The pick-and-place mechanism picks up the new tool box from the tray and places it on the tool disc. The tool disc opening and closing mechanism closes the tool disc. The pick-and-place mechanism 10 picks up the replaced tool disc and places it on the processing device. It can be placed on the worktable of the processing device or in the tool disc buffer section for the processing device to use.

[0112] The tool changing method described above enables the tool box to be output from the tool preparation room. The tool box does not need to be placed on the tool turret. The tool box in the tool turret can be directly replaced on the tool changing device. The machining device receives the tool turret after being replaced by the tool changing device, realizing efficient tool circulation. There is no need for extra equipment to move the tool turret, saving costs.

[0113] Furthermore, in step S10, after the tools in the tool holder 300 are placed in the tool box 61, the tool box 61 is placed on the tray 50, the tray 50 is placed in the storage section 90, and the storage section 90 is placed on the temporary storage rack 400. The tool changing device 100 lifts the storage section onto the tool changing device 100 via the lifting mechanism 120. The tray 50 in the storage section 90 on the tool changing device 100 is transported to the working position via the lifting mechanism 110. This process can be performed after the lifting mechanism of the storage section 90 is in place, or it can be performed in parallel during the movement of the tool changing device 100 or other actions.

[0114] In the above embodiments one to five, during the working process, depending on the different working environments, some of the technical implementation methods of embodiments one to five can be combined or replaced.

[0115] The technical principles of this utility model have been described above in conjunction with specific embodiments. However, it should be noted that these descriptions are merely for explaining the principles of this utility model and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this utility model in any way. Based on this explanation, other specific embodiments or equivalent substitutions of this utility model that can be conceived by those skilled in the art without creative effort will all fall within the scope of protection of this utility model.

Claims

1. A tool changer, characterized in that The device comprises: a taking and placing mechanism for taking and placing a tool disc or a tool box; a tool disc position where the tool disc taken by the taking and placing mechanism is placed, and a new tool box is exchanged with an old tool box at the tool disc position; a tool disc opening and closing mechanism for opening or closing the tool disc at the tool disc position, the tool box can be taken out or put into the tool disc when the tool disc is opened, and the tool box in the tool disc is fixed when the tool disc is closed.

2. The tool changer according to claim 1, characterized in that The device further comprises a working position and a storage part, the working position is used for accessing the old tool box and the new tool box, and the storage part is used for storing the tool box, the working position is located above the storage part.

3. The tool changer according to claim 2, characterized in that The device further comprises a machine body, the taking and placing mechanism is arranged at the top of the machine body, a lifting mechanism is arranged below the taking and placing mechanism, and the tool box in the storage part is conveyed to the working position by the lifting mechanism.

4. The tool changer according to claim 3, characterized in that The device further comprises a tool box position for storing the tool box, the tool box position is arranged on a tray of the machine body and / or the working position, and the taking and placing mechanism moves the tool box between the working position, the tool disc position and the tool box position.

5. The tool changer according to claim 4, characterized in that The storage part is provided with a plurality of trays for directly bearing the tool box, and the trays are conveyed between the working position and the storage part by the lifting mechanism; and / or, the machine body is provided with a moving module at the bottom.

6. The tool changer according to claim 5, characterized in that The storage part is arranged separately from the machine body, and a jacking mechanism is arranged below the storage part to lift the storage part.

7. The tool changer according to claim 1, characterized in that The taking and placing mechanism comprises a plurality of clamping jaws and a switching mechanism connected with the clamping jaws, the plurality of clamping jaws are switched in position by the switching mechanism, and the plurality of clamping jaws respectively grasp the new tool box and / or the old tool box.

8. The tool changer according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that The tool disc position is arranged on the tool disc opening and closing mechanism, and the taking and placing mechanism places the tool disc on the tool disc opening and closing mechanism after taking the tool disc.

9. The tool changer according to claim 8, characterized in that The tool disc opening and closing mechanism comprises a support plate, a driving assembly and a plug-in piece connected with the driving assembly, the support plate is used for supporting the tool disc, the plug-in piece corresponds to a moving part of the tool disc, and the driving assembly drives the plug-in piece to move so as to open or close the tool disc.

10. The tool changer according to claim 9, characterized in that The support plate and the tray are positioned by positioning pieces and matching holes, and the support plate and the tray are fixed by magnetic attraction.

11. The tool changer according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that The tool disc opening and closing mechanism is arranged on the taking and placing mechanism, the taking and placing mechanism moves downward to make the tool disc opening and closing mechanism close to the tool disc position, the tool disc is opened, the taking and placing mechanism moves upward to make the tool disc opening and closing mechanism away from the tool disc position, and the tool disc is closed.

12. The tool changer according to claim 11, characterized in that The tool disc opening and closing mechanism comprises a touch part corresponding to a lock block of the tool disc, and the touch part moves downward to push the lock block.

13. A processing system characterized by, The device comprises: a processing device for processing a workpiece by using a tool; a tool distribution room for distributing the tool in a tool box, and a tool changing device moving between the processing device and the tool distribution room to change the tool box; the tool changing device adopts the tool changing device according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. The processing system of claim 13, wherein, The device further comprises a temporary storage rack for placing the storage part, a plurality of tool boxes are arranged in the storage part, and the tool changing device moves between the processing device, the tool distribution room and the temporary storage rack.

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