A rapid loading and unloading device for horizontal machine tools

Abstract

This utility model proposes a rapid loading and unloading device for a horizontal machine tool, including a rotary table mounted on the machine bed for carrying and driving workpieces to rotate and exchange between the processing area and the loading / unloading area; a lifting mechanism connected to the rotary table for driving the rotary table to move up and down in the vertical direction; and an isolation mechanism located between the processing area and the loading / unloading area. The isolation mechanism includes an upper partition and a lower partition, which are configured to move relative to each other in the vertical direction to form an open state and a closed state on both sides of the rotary table. Through the upper and lower split isolation mechanism, a more comprehensive and tighter enveloping seal is achieved for the rotary table, and the protective effect is far superior to that of a single partition structure. In particular, its elastically floating lower partition design can not only improve the reliability of the seal through adaptive clamping force, but also directly control the opening and closing of the air jet pipeline through its mechanical movement, which greatly simplifies the system, reduces costs, and improves the stability of the device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of machine tool automation technology, and in particular to a rapid loading and unloading device for a horizontal machine tool. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of machining, especially for the mass production of small parts, the processing cycle is extremely fast. To improve production efficiency and reduce labor costs, the adoption of automated loading and unloading systems has become a mainstream trend. A common solution is a horizontal machining center combined with a rotary exchange table. By setting up machining and loading / unloading areas, the rotary table exchanges workpieces between the two areas. This allows the machine tool to process one workpiece while the robot safely removes the processed workpiece and loads a new workpiece on the other side, significantly reducing non-machining auxiliary time.

[0003] However, existing technologies have the following problems: 1. Severe chip and coolant contamination: Milling and other machining processes generate a large amount of metal chips and splashed coolant. These contaminants are easily carried to the loading and unloading areas by the rotation of the rotary table, contaminating the positioning reference surface of the workpiece, contaminating the robot gripper, and even affecting the safety of operators and the workshop environment.

[0004] 2. Ineffective Isolation Measures: To address contamination, some solutions involve installing a fixed partition between the processing area and the loading / unloading area. However, to allow rotation space for the rotary table, a large gap inevitably exists between the fixed partition and the rotary table, resulting in limited isolation effectiveness. If the gap is reduced, the partition will interfere with the movement of the rotary table or its tooling and workpieces. Utility Model Content

[0005] The present invention aims to provide an automated loading and unloading device that can achieve efficient and rapid exchange, reduce pollution problems, and avoid motion interference.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows: A horizontal machine tool rapid loading and unloading device includes a rotary table mounted on the machine bed for carrying and driving workpieces to rotate and exchange between the processing area and the loading and unloading area; a lifting mechanism connected to the rotary table for driving the rotary table to move up and down in the vertical direction; and an isolation mechanism located between the processing area and the loading and unloading area, the isolation mechanism including an upper partition and a lower partition, the upper partition and the lower partition being configured to move relative to each other in the vertical direction to form an open state and a closed state on both sides of the rotary table.

[0007] Furthermore, both the upper and lower partitions are provided with slots, which, when closed, fit with the outer contour of the rotary table to form a seal.

[0008] Furthermore, sealing strips that contact the outer contour of the rotary table are fixed on the edges of the slots of the upper and lower partitions.

[0009] Furthermore, the lower partition is elastically connected to the base via an elastic element, and the base and bed are fixed; when the upper partition moves toward the closed state, it is configured to apply pressure to the lower partition, causing the lower partition to move against the elastic force of the elastic element.

[0010] Furthermore, the isolation mechanism also includes a first drive cylinder for driving the upper partition to rise and fall; the lifting mechanism includes a second drive cylinder for driving the rotary table to rise and fall.

[0011] Furthermore, it also includes a jet cleaning mechanism for blowing air to clean the workpiece.

[0012] Furthermore, the air passage of the jet mechanism includes a flexible tube section, which is positioned on the movement path of the lower baffle, so that the lower baffle squeezes the flexible tube to block the air passage during its movement toward the closed state.

[0013] Furthermore, it also includes at least one sensor, mounted on the isolation mechanism, for detecting whether the upper and lower partitions are in an open or closed state, and sending a corresponding status signal to a controller.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model include: The upper and lower split isolation mechanism achieves a more comprehensive and tighter enveloping seal on the rotary table, with a protective effect far exceeding that of a single-partition structure. In particular, its elastic floating lower partition design not only improves the reliability of the seal through adaptive clamping force, but also allows for direct linkage control of the jet pipeline's on / off state through its mechanical movement, greatly simplifying the system, reducing costs, and improving the stability of the device. Attached Figure Description

[0015] The disclosure of this utility model is illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this utility model. In the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to refer to the same parts. Wherein: Figure 1 This is the front view of the partition mechanism.

[0016] Figure 2 This is a side view of the partition mechanism.

[0017] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the position of the flexible tube inside the base.

[0018] Numbering on the map: 1. Milling machine; 2. Rotary table; 3. Baffle mechanism; 31. Upper baffle; 32. Lower baffle; 33. Connecting plate; 34. Cylinder I; 35. Base; 4. Air jet mechanism; 41. Flexible tube; 5. Lifting mechanism; 51. Cylinder II; 52. Flange. Detailed Implementation

[0019] It is readily understood that, based on the technical solution of this utility model, those skilled in the art can propose various interchangeable structural methods and implementations without altering the essential spirit of this utility model. Therefore, the following detailed embodiments and accompanying drawings are merely illustrative descriptions of the technical solution of this utility model and should not be considered as the entirety of this utility model or as limitations or restrictions on the technical solution of this utility model.

[0020] Example 1 This device is applied to a milling machine 1. The machine tool is equipped with a bed, and the left and right sides of the bed are the machining area and the loading / unloading area, respectively. The machining area is equipped with milling cutters, and the loading / unloading area is equipped with a robot arm.

[0021] The device includes a rotatable turntable 2, an isolation mechanism 3, a lifting mechanism 5, and a controller (not shown).

[0022] The rotary table 2 is symmetrically equipped with clamps for clamping workpieces. The rotary table 2 is driven to rotate by a drive motor to exchange workpieces between the processing area and the loading / unloading area.

[0023] Preferably, an electromagnetic power-off brake is integrated at the rear end of the drive motor to lock the motor shaft after the drive motor stops, thereby limiting the position of the rotary table 2. Integrating an electromagnetic power-off brake into the motor is existing technology and will not be elaborated upon.

[0024] Preferably, a locating pin driven by a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder is installed on the bed 1. Two matching locating holes are precisely machined on the oblique side of the rotary table 2, corresponding to the 0-degree and 180-degree positions. The front end of the locating pin is usually tapered to facilitate smooth insertion. When it is necessary to limit the position of the rotary table 2, the driving pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder drives the locating pin to insert into the locating hole. In this embodiment, the location of the locating hole is as follows: Figure 1 The double-dotted line runs through the rotary table 2. The cylinder seat of the pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder is connected to the bed by fasteners, and the free end of its telescopic section is fixed with the positioning pin. The telescopic section is inclined to the vertical plane and matches the depth direction of the positioning hole.

[0025] Since the method of limiting the position of the drive motor shaft is common, this embodiment will not be described in detail.

[0026] The lifting mechanism 5 is used to drive the entire rotary table 2 and its drive motor to perform synchronous vertical lifting. In this embodiment, the mechanism includes cylinder II 51 and flange 52. The cylinder seat II of cylinder II 51 is fixed to the bed, and its telescopic rod II is fixedly connected to the drive motor housing through flange 52. When cylinder II 51 is activated, it can drive the rotary table 2 and its drive motor to achieve a small range of vertical lifting, with a lifting distance of L2.

[0027] The isolation mechanism 3 is located between the processing area and the loading / unloading area, and is used to dynamically open and close the passage. It consists of an upper partition 31 and a lower partition 32. The upper partition 31 and the lower partition 32 are arranged vertically and can move towards or away from each other.

[0028] The isolation mechanism 3 also includes drive components, such as cylinder I34, connecting plate 33, and base 35. The cylinder seat I of cylinder I34 is mounted on the bed, and its telescopic rod I is connected to connecting plate 33. Connecting plate 33 is then connected to upper partition 31, used to drive upper partition 31 to perform a wide range of vertical lifting and lowering, with a lifting distance of L1. Lower partition 32 is fixed to base 35, and base 35 is fixed to a straight groove-type insertion opening opened in the bed.

[0029] The operation of this device is controlled collaboratively by a controller: Upper and lower partitions 31 and 32 close (during processing): Upper partition 31 descends while lower partition 32 remains in place until both are closed. The slots on upper partition 31 and lower partition 32 fit tightly against the upper and lower outer contours of rotary table 2, forming an effective seal that isolates the processing area from the loading and unloading area. The controller drives the corresponding pneumatic / hydraulic cylinder to insert the positioning pin into the positioning hole to limit the rotary table 2. Workpieces on one side of rotary table 2 can be milled, while the robot can load and unload workpieces on the other side.

[0030] When the upper and lower partitions 31 and 32 are opened (during the exchange): the controller first drives the corresponding pneumatic / hydraulic cylinder to move the positioning pin away from the positioning hole, then drives cylinder I34 to move the upper partition 31 up by a distance L1, and then drives cylinder II51 to move the rotary table 2 up by a distance L2 (L1>L2). At this time, a sufficiently large channel is formed between the upper and lower partitions 31 and 32, and the rotary table 2 has also been raised into the channel, allowing it to rotate 180° without interference. After the exchange is completed, the partitions are restored to the closed state in the reverse order.

[0031] Example 2 This embodiment is an improvement on embodiment 1, with the following modifications: The fixed connection between the lower partition 32 and the base 35 is changed to a flexible floating connection. The lower partition 32 is not rigidly fixed to the base 35, but is elastically connected to the base 35 through an elastic element (such as a spring), while the base 35 remains fixed to the bed frame.

[0032] The advantage of this design is that when the upper partition 31 descends and closes, it continues to press down, pushing the lower partition 32 to move downwards against the spring force. This design provides a continuous and adaptive clamping force, making the seal between the upper and lower partitions 31 and 32 and the rotary table 2 tighter and more reliable, and compensating for certain installation errors.

[0033] Preferably, the thickness of the lower partition 32 is greater than that of the upper partition 31, so that the lower partition 32 can be more stably stressed.

[0034] Furthermore, an air jet mechanism 4 is added, which is used to blow air onto the surface of the workpiece after it has been machined and before it is exchanged to remove residual chips.

[0035] The jet mechanism 4 includes a compressor, a nozzle, and connecting pipes.

[0036] like Figure 3 The pipeline includes a flexible tube 41, which is positioned below the lower partition 32 and between the base 35. The base 35 on both sides of the flexible tube 41, the bed below, and the lower partition 32 above form an enclosed space.

[0037] Preferably, the flexible tube 41 is located only in the base 35, and the rest of the pipeline uses a rigid tube, with the flexible tube 41 and the rigid tube connected in a sealed manner.

[0038] When the isolation mechanism 3 is closed, the downward pressure of the upper partition 31 is transmitted to the lower partition 32. The lower partition 32 moves down and flattens the flexible tube 41 below, physically cutting off the compressor's air path and preventing the jetting mechanism 4 from operating. When the isolation mechanism 3 opens, the upper partition 31 moves up, relieving the pressure on the lower partition 32. The spring then lifts the lower partition 32, restoring the flexible tube 41 to its original position and opening the air path. At this point, the controller can start the compressor to clean the freshly processed workpiece with air.

[0039] In practical applications, the core function of the flexible tube 41 is to allow / prohibit airflow through the compressor, but it is not the sole control signal for starting and stopping the compressor. The actual start-stop control is performed by the electrical system, which is safety-interlocked with this mechanical state. That is, the control system (PLC / CNC) only issues a start command to the compressor after confirming that the airflow path is clear.

[0040] To support the above-mentioned combination of mechanical and electrical systems, the following design is also proposed: One or more sensors, such as limit switches or proximity switches, are installed on the lower partition 32 or the upper partition 31. The function of the sensors is to provide the controller (PLC) with a clear electrical signal about the current position of the partition.

[0041] At least one sensor is used to detect whether the partition is fully closed; There is at least one other sensor used to detect that the partition has been opened to a safe position.

[0042] The controller is configured to execute the following safety interlock logic: the controller only allows the compressor to start when it receives a signal that the upper and lower partitions 31, 32 are in the open state and does not receive a signal that the upper and lower partitions 31, 32 are in the closed state, at which time the flexible tube 41 is in the open state; during the operation of the compressor, once the controller detects that the upper and lower partitions 31, 32 have changed to the closed state, it immediately controls the compressor to stop running, at which time the flexible tube 41 is closed to prevent compressor overload caused by air passage blockage.

[0043] Under the same conditions, the physical isolation method of the lower partition 32 is less expensive and simpler in structure than the isolation method of electrical components such as solenoid valves.

[0044] Preferably, the nozzle array located at the compressor outlet is arranged with the spray path facing the milling surface, so as to spray the compressed air toward the cutting surface of the workpiece and remove residual chips on the workpiece surface.

[0045] In summary, this utility model achieves a more comprehensive and tighter enveloping seal for the processing area through its upper and lower split isolation mechanism, providing protection far exceeding that of a single-partition structure. In particular, its elastically floating lower partition design not only enhances the reliability of the seal through adaptive clamping force, but also allows for direct linkage control of the jet pipeline's on / off state via its mechanical movement. This eliminates the need for additional easily damaged components such as solenoid valves, greatly simplifying the system, reducing costs, and improving the stability of the device.

[0046] The technical scope of this utility model is not limited to the content described above. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to the above embodiments without departing from the technical concept of this utility model, and all such modifications and variations should fall within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A rapid loading and unloading device for a horizontal machine tool, characterized in that, include A rotary table (2) is set on the bed and is used to carry and drive the workpiece to rotate and exchange between the processing area and the loading and unloading area. The lifting mechanism (5) is connected to the rotary table (2) and is used to drive the rotary table (2) to rise and fall in the vertical direction; An isolation mechanism (3) is provided between the processing area and the loading / unloading area. The isolation mechanism (3) includes an upper partition (31) and a lower partition (32). The upper partition (31) and the lower partition (32) are configured to move relative to each other in the vertical direction to form an open state and a closed state on both sides of the rotary table (2).

2. The horizontal machine tool rapid loading and unloading device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both the upper partition (31) and the lower partition (32) are provided with slots. In the closed state, the slots are adapted to the outer contour of the rotary table (2) to form a seal.

3. The horizontal machine tool rapid loading and unloading device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The upper partition (31) and lower partition (32) have sealing strips fixed on their groove edges that contact the outer contour of the rotary table (2).

4. The horizontal machine tool rapid loading and unloading device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lower partition (32) is elastically connected to the base (35) via an elastic member, and the base (35) and the bed are fixed. When the upper partition (31) moves toward the closed state, it is configured to apply pressure to the lower partition (32), so that the lower partition (32) moves against the elastic force of the elastic member.

5. A rapid loading and unloading device for a horizontal machine tool according to claim 1, characterized in that, The isolation mechanism (3) also includes cylinder I (34) for driving the upper partition (31) to rise and fall; the lifting mechanism (5) includes cylinder II (51) for driving the rotary table (2) to rise and fall.

6. A rapid loading and unloading device for a horizontal machine tool according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, It also includes a jetting mechanism (4) for cleaning the workpiece by blowing air.

7. A rapid loading and unloading device for a horizontal machine tool according to claim 6, characterized in that, The jetting mechanism (4) includes a compressor and an air passage connected together. The compressor is used to spray compressed gas toward the workpiece. The air passage includes a flexible tube (41) section. The flexible tube (41) is arranged on the movement path of the lower partition (32), so that the lower partition (32) squeezes the flexible tube (41) to block the air passage during the movement toward the closed state.

8. A rapid loading and unloading device for a horizontal machine tool according to claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes at least one sensor, disposed on the isolation mechanism (3), for detecting whether the upper partition (31) and the lower partition (32) are in the open state or the closed state, and sending a corresponding status signal to a controller, which is electrically connected to the compressor.

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