DEVICE AND METHOD FOR DETECTING THE POSITION OF A COLLECTION CONTAINER

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a device and method for detecting the position of a collection container and is used on a chip conveyor of a machine tool.

[0002] Machining tools are typically equipped with chip conveyors of various designs, which separate chips and coolant and discharge the chips into a collection container, particularly a chip cart, located below the conveyor's discharge point. Depending on the amount of chips generated, the collection container can be a container, a chip box, or something similar.

[0003] To ensure smooth operation, a chip cart, container, or chip box must always be positioned under the discharge chute. The chute can be manually closed during emptying. While it's common practice to accept a brief spill of chips and coolant residue onto the floor, this necessitates an additional manual cleanup step. Delays in emptying, however, can lead to overflow, resulting in unwanted contamination and significantly increased cleaning effort.

[0004] If it is possible to detect the presence of the chip cart, container or chip box and send an electrical signal to the control of the machine tool, the operator of the machine can intervene in a timely and targeted manner by triggering an operator call.

[0005] An operator alert is often triggered by a clearly visible indicator light on the machine or by a message sent by the machine's control system to production management. The problem with current technology is that there are many different types of chip carts, containers, and boxes that customers can use.

[0006] Most machine tool users therefore forgo checking for the presence of a chip cart and accept the disadvantages. An alternative approach is for the user to provide the machine tool manufacturer with a drawing of the chip cart / container or box they are using. However, this always results in a custom solution from the manufacturer. If the operator wants to change the type of chip cart, the check must also be modified.

[0007] Alternatively, manufacturers recommend that users install guide rails on the floor to which the chip cart is fixed and visible.

[0008] A device for determining the fill level of a container is known from US patent 2006 / 0201246 A1. The measurement is radar-based, whereby a signal is emitted in the direction of the material in the container, and the fill level can be calculated from the signal reflection over time. The described solution is complex because, depending on the container and its fill level, there is no fixed reference point for the measurement, and therefore the presence of the container cannot be deduced.

[0009] An arrangement and method for non-contact level measurement is known from German publication DE 42 23 346 C2. The measurement is carried out using pulsed signals, the reflections of which are recorded over time. The reflections originate at the surface on which the signals strike, with this surface defining the level.

[0010] The publication EP 3 456 600 B1 describes a conveying system for a machining unit. The conveying system includes collection containers that can be positioned below the ejection port of a machining unit by means of a positioning unit. A sensor can determine the current load status. The sensor is preferably a pressure sensor. The design is very complex and only suitable for a specific type of collection container.

[0011] A method for measuring the fill level of a container is known from publication JP 2021 173722 A. The method relates to measurement on a track, whereby the presence of the container is checked by detecting it using a laterally arranged distance sensor. Subsequently, the fill level of the container is calculated using another sensor located above it.

[0012] Publication JP 2012 115931 A discloses a device for chip discharge. The device comprises a collection container that receives, transports, and discharges cutting chips made of non-magnetic material at a prescribed receiving position. Furthermore, a permanent magnet is arranged on the collection container, which is detected by a proximity switch when the collection container is approached. Such a design is only usable with specially designed collection containers.

[0013] The object of the invention is to develop a device and method for detecting the position of a collection container, which has a simple structural design and provides a means of detecting the presence of a collection container in the form of a chip cart / container or a chip box on a chip conveyor, regardless of the nature of the collection container.

[0014] This problem is solved using the characterizing features of the first and seventh patent claims.

[0015] Advantageous embodiments result from the dependent claims.

[0016] The device for detecting the position of a collection container on a chip conveyor of a machine tool is preferably used in the area of ​​the chip conveyor, wherein the chip conveyor is arranged on a floor and has a discharge point that points towards a collection container that can be positioned below it. The collection container can be a chip cart, a container, or a chip box. The floor is, in particular, the floor of a building in which the machine tool is located. In the area of ​​the discharge point, below which the collection container can be positioned, at least one distance sensor pointing towards the floor is arranged, wherein the distance of the sensor to the floor / building floor can be detected by means of the distance sensor. A signal can be generated by means of the distance sensor for detecting the building floor within a parameterized distance window.If the sensor detects the hall floor, there is no collection container in the correct position under the discharge point of the conveyor belt.

[0017] The distance sensor can detect the presence of a collection container if the sensor does not detect the hall floor.

[0018] The collection container has a container bottom, wherein the distance window advantageously begins below the container bottom of the collection container and ends below the top edge of the floor / hall floor.

[0019] In an advantageous embodiment, the distance sensor is arranged on a first vertically oriented end face of the discharge chute. Preferably, the distance sensor is oriented vertically towards the ground.

[0020] In a further advantageous embodiment, a second distance sensor is arranged on a second end face opposite the first. This is advantageous when the chip cart, container, or chip box is only slightly larger than the discharge geometry of the chip conveyor. The two distance sensors are arranged on both sides, and their signals are linked. If one of the two distance sensors reports that it has detected the floor, the collection container is present but not correctly positioned under the discharge point.

[0021] The measured values ​​or signals from the distance sensors are preferably compared using a control device.

[0022] Preferably, the distance sensor is designed in the form of an optical displacement sensor, wherein the distance can be measured via laser.

[0023] The method according to the invention relates to the detection of a collection container on a chip conveyor of a machine tool, wherein the chip conveyor is arranged on a floor and has a discharge point that points towards a collection container that can be positioned on the floor below it. A distance sensor arranged in the area of ​​the discharge point detects the distance between the sensor and the floor, and the distance sensor emits a signal indicating the presence of the floor within a parameterized distance window, such that the presence of the floor is defined as the absence of the collection container. In this way, a reliable determination of the presence of the chip conveyor can be made, regardless of the type of chip conveyor.

[0024] In an advantageous embodiment, a second distance sensor is provided, wherein measured values ​​of the first and second distance sensors are compared by means of a control device.

[0025] The invention is explained in more detail below using an exemplary embodiment and accompanying drawings.

[0026] They show: Figure 1 shows a chip carriage on a chip conveyor, Figure 2 shows a front view of the chip carriage on the chip conveyor according to Figure 1 .

[0027] Figure 1 Figure 1 shows a chip conveyor 1 of a machine tool on a floor 2, in particular a hall floor. Figure 2 shows a representation of the structure according to Figure 1 In a front view, the chip conveyor 1 has a discharge chute 3 pointing towards the floor 2. A collection container 4 with a container base 4.1 is arranged on the floor 2 below the discharge chute 3. The collection container 4 is designed in the form of a chip cart, but can also be configured as a container or chip box.

[0028] A first distance sensor 5 is arranged on a first vertical end face of the dropper 3, which emits a first laser beam 6 towards the ground. A second distance sensor 7 with a second laser beam 8 is arranged on a second end face of the dropper, opposite the first end face.

[0029] Distance sensors 5 and 7 point perpendicularly towards the floor 2, and their signals are linked. Distance sensors 5 and 7 are parameterized once to the distance to the hall floor 2, with a defined distance window 9.

[0030] If the distance to the hall floor 2 does not correspond to the parameterized distance window 9, a collection container 4 is present and a corresponding message is triggered. The distance window 9 begins below the bottom 4.1 of the collection container 4 and ends below the top edge of the floor / hall floor 2.

[0031] If one of the distance sensors 5 or 7 reports that it has detected the ground 2, but the other does not, the collection container 4 is present, but not in the correct position relative to the discharge 3.

[0032] The distance window 9 defined by the distance sensors 5 and 7 begins below the bottom 4.1 of the collection container 4 and ends below the hall floor. This ensures that the hall floor is reliably detected, which conversely means that there is no collection container 4 below the discharge point 3.

[0033] Contrary to the prior art, the device is universally applicable and only needs to be parameterized once for the distance of the distance sensor to the floor. Generally, floor 2 is also the floor of the factory hall. Reference symbol list

[0034] 1 Chip conveyor 2 Floor 3 Discharge 4 Collection container 4.1 Container floor 5 First distance sensor 6 First laser beam 7 Second distance sensor 8 Second laser beam 9 Distance window

Claims

1. Device for detecting the position of a collecting container on a chip conveyor (1) of a machine tool, having a chip conveyor (1) which can be arranged on a base (2) and has a discharge (3) which points in the direction of a collecting container (4) which can be positioned below it on the base, wherein at least one distance sensor (5) which points in the direction of the base (2) is arranged in the region of the discharge above a collecting container (4) which can be positioned below it, wherein the distance of the sensor (5) to the base (2) can be detected by means of the distance sensor (5), and wherein the distance sensor (5) has a parameterizable distance window (9), within which a signal for the presence of the base (2) can be emitted, wherein the distance window (9) is located below a positionable container base (4.1) of the collecting container (4) and ends below the base (2) in such a way that the detection of the base (2) can be defined as the absence of the collecting container (4).

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the distance sensor (5) is arranged on a first vertically disposed end face of the discharge (3).

3. Device according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the distance sensor (5) points vertically in the direction of the base (2).

4. Device according to claims 2 and 3, wherein a second distance sensor (7) is arranged on a second end face opposite the first end face.

5. Device according to claim 4, wherein measured values of the first and second distance sensors (7) are comparable by means of a control device.

6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first and / or second distance sensor (5, 7) is an optical displacement sensor.

7. Method for detecting the position of a collecting container on a chip conveyor (1) of a machine tool, wherein the chip conveyor (1) is arranged on a base (2) and has a discharge (3) which points in the direction of a collecting container (4) which can be positioned underneath on the base (2), wherein the distance of the sensor (5) to the base (2) is detected by means of a distance sensor (5) arranged in the region of the discharge (3), wherein a signal for the presence of the base (2) within a parameterized distance window (9) is emitted by means of the distance sensor (5) in such a way that the presence of the base (2) is defined as the absence of the collecting container (4).

8. Method according to claim 7, wherein a second distance sensor (7) is provided, wherein measured values of the first and second distance sensors (5, 7) are reconciled by means of a control device.