Tool conveyance system

Abstract

To provide a tool conveyance system that effectively eliminates heavy manual labor for a worker when transporting a processing tool attached to a tool holder.SOLUTION: A tool conveyance system 101 for transporting a processing tool 1 attached to a tool holder 2 comprises: a conveyance device 30 for removing the tool 1 from a tool trolley 10 and transporting the same; a storage device 50 for storing the tool 1 in a tool magazine 20; and a relay device 40 for receiving the tool 1 from the conveyance device 30 and transferring the tool to the storage device 50. The conveyance device 30 transport the tool 1 to the relay device 40 by holding an engagement groove section 4a of the tool holder 2. The relay device 40 transfers the tool 1 to the storage device 50 by holding a pull stud section 5 which is separate from the engagement groove section 4a of the tool holder 2 and then releases the pull stud section 5. The storage device 50 receives the tool 1 by holding the engagement groove section 4a of the tool holder 2 and stores the tool in the tool magazine 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a tool transport facility. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a cutting tool with a tool holder. This tool holder has a collet chuck at one end (front) and a shank at the other end (rear). A cutting tool is held in the collet chuck of the tool holder, and the shank of the tool holder is attached to the spindle of a processing machine. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-183628 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When using a tool for a processing machine attached to a tool holder, such as the cutting tool with a tool holder described above, a transporting operation is assumed in which the tool is removed from a tool cart using a transporting device and transferred to a storage device, and then stored in a tool magazine using the storage device. In this transporting operation, if both the transporting device and the storage device are configured to hold the same held portion of the tool holder, direct transfer from the transporting device to the storage device is not possible. Therefore, a worker must perform heavy physical labor to remove heavy objects such as tools for a processing machine from the tool cart and set them in the storage device.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a tool transport system that is effective in eliminating heavy physical work required by an operator when transporting tools for a processing machine attached to a tool holder. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the present invention is A tool transport facility that transports a tool for a processing machine attached to a tool holder, a transport device for removing the tool from the tool cart and transporting it; a storage device for storing the tools in a tool magazine; a relay device for receiving the tool from the transport device and transferring it to the storage device; Equipped with the transport device holds the first held portion of the tool holder and transports the tool to the relay device; the relay device holds a second held portion different from the first held portion of the tool holder, delivers the tool to the storage device, and then releases the hold of the second held portion; The storage device is configured to hold the first held portion of the tool holder to receive the tool and store it in the tool magazine. Tool transport equipment, is located. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] In the tool transport equipment of the above aspect, a tool for a processing machine attached to a tool holder is first removed from the tool cart by the transport device and transported to the relay device. At this time, the first held portion of the tool holder is held by the transport device. Next, the tool is handed over to the storage device by the relay device. At this time, the second held portion of the tool holder is held by the relay device, and after the first held portion of the tool holder is held in the storage device, the second held portion is released by the relay device. Finally, the tool is stored in the tool magazine with the first held portion of the tool holder held in the storage device.

[0008] According to this tool transportation system, in addition to the transport device and storage device, both of which can hold the first held portion of the tool holder, a relay device that can hold the second held portion instead of the first held portion of the tool holder is provided. Therefore, tools can be transferred from the transport device to the storage device via the relay device. This makes it possible to automate the series of operations from transferring tools from the tool cart to the storage device and storing them in the tool magazine using the transport device and relay device. As a result, heavy physical labor such as directly transferring heavy objects such as tools for processing machines from the tool cart to the storage device by an operator is no longer necessary.

[0009] As described above, according to the above-described aspect, it is possible to provide tool transport equipment that is effective in eliminating heavy physical work performed by an operator when transporting a tool for a processing machine attached to a tool holder. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tool transport system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining a gripping operation and a release operation of an engagement groove portion of a tool holder of a tool. [Figure 3] 10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining a gripping operation and a release operation of a pull stud portion of a tool holder of a tool. [Figure 4] 10A and 10B are side views showing a state in which the gripping member of the transfer device grips the engagement groove portion of the tool holder of the tool, and a state in which the gripping member of the relay device grips the pull stud portion of the tool holder of the tool. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the process of transporting tools from the tool cart to the tool magazine. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a side view of the tool and the tool carriage after the first step of FIG. 5 is performed. [Figure 7] FIG. 6 is a side view of the tool and the relay device after the second step of FIG. 5 is performed. [Figure 8] FIG. 6 is a side view of the tool and the relay device at the first stage of the third step in FIG. 5 . [Figure 9] FIG. 6 is a side view of the tool and the relay device in the second stage of the third step of FIG. 5 . [Figure 10] FIG. 6 is a side view of the tool and the relay device in the third stage of the third step of FIG. 5 . [Figure 11] FIG. 6 is a side view of the tool and the tool magazine at the first stage of the fourth step in FIG. 5 . [Figure 12] FIG. 6 is a side view of the tool and the tool magazine at the second stage of the fourth step in FIG. 5 . [Figure 13] FIG. 6 is a side view of the tool and the tool magazine in the third stage of the fourth step of FIG. 5 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Preferred embodiments of the above aspects are described below.

[0012] In the tool transport equipment of the above aspect, it is preferable that the first held portion is an engagement groove portion provided in a flange portion of the tool holder, the second held portion is a pull stud portion provided at the tip of the shank portion of the tool holder on the side opposite to the tool body, the transport device has a plurality of gripping members capable of radially gripping the engagement groove portion, and the relay device has a plurality of gripping members capable of gripping the pull stud portion.

[0013] According to this tool transport system, both the transport device and the relay device can hold tools by gripping the engagement groove or pull stud of the tool holder with multiple gripping members. This structure of gripping the tool holder with multiple gripping members is effective in increasing the holding reliability when holding the tool holder. Furthermore, gripping an existing portion of the tool holder prevents the tool holder from becoming complicated in structure due to the need for a dedicated held portion on the tool holder.

[0014] In the tool transport equipment of the above aspect, it is preferable that the shank portion of the tool holder is tapered so that the outer diameter gradually decreases from the flange portion toward the pull stud portion, and the relay device has a relay member provided with an insertion hole into which the shank portion is inserted when the tool holder is in a vertical orientation with the pull stud portion at the lowest end, and a swivel mechanism that swivels the relay member between a horizontal position and a vertical position.

[0015] With this tool transport equipment, the relay member that temporarily holds the tool in a vertical position can be rotated from a horizontal position to a vertical position by a rotation mechanism, allowing the tool to change its position from vertical to horizontal.

[0016] In the tool transport equipment of the above aspect, it is preferable that the storage device has a storage support member provided with a fitting recess into which the engagement groove portion fits when the tool is lowered in a horizontal position, and the relay device has a lifting mechanism portion that lifts and lowers the relay member between the vertical position and a lowered position where the engagement groove portion of the tool holder fits into the fitting recess.

[0017] According to this tool transport equipment, the relay member that temporarily holds the tool in a vertical position is rotated from a horizontal position to a vertical position by the rotation mechanism, and then lowered from the vertical position to a lowered position by the lifting mechanism, so that the tool can be lowered in a horizontal position and transferred from the relay device to the storage device in preparation for storage in the tool magazine.

[0018] Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the tool transport system of the above aspect will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0019] In this specification and drawings, unless otherwise specified, the vertical direction is indicated by arrow X, and the horizontal direction is indicated by arrows Y and Z.

[0020] (Embodiment 1) 1, a tool transport facility 101 according to a first embodiment is a facility for transporting a tool 1 for a processing machine attached to a tool holder 2. The tool transport facility 101 includes a tool cart 10, a tool magazine 20, a transport device 30, a relay device 40, a storage device 50, and a control device 60.

[0021] 1. Structure of Tool 1 As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the tool 1 includes a tool holder 2 and a tool body 6. The tool holder 2 is common to multiple types of tool bodies 6. The tool body 6 is provided on one side of the tool holder 2 in the axial direction A. The shank portion 3 is provided on the side of the tool holder 2 opposite the tool body 6. The flange portion 4 is provided between the tool body 6 and the shank portion 3 of the tool holder 2.

[0022] The tool body 6 may be detachably attached to the tool holder 2, or may be inseparably integrated with the tool holder 2. The type of the tool body 6 is not limited. For example, any appropriate tool body 6 used for various types of machining, such as cutting and drilling, may be employed.

[0023] The flange portion 4 is a collar portion provided in an annular shape on the outer periphery of the tool holder 2. The flange portion 4 has a larger outer diameter in the radial direction than the main body portion of the tool holder 2. The flange portion 4 is formed with an engagement groove portion 4a (see FIG. 4) that is recessed radially inward. A pull stud portion 5 is provided at the tip of the shank portion 3 of the tool holder 2. The shank portion 3 is tapered so that the outer diameter gradually decreases from the flange portion 4 toward the pull stud portion 5. Although not specifically shown, when the tool 1 is attached to the spindle of a processing machine, the shank portion 3 of the tool holder 2 is inserted into an insertion hole on the processing machine side, and the pull stud portion 5 is locked to the spindle.

[0024] In this embodiment, the engagement groove 4a of the flange 4 is configured as a first held portion used when holding the tool holder 2. In contrast, the pull stud 5 is configured as a second held portion used separately from the first held portion when holding the tool holder 2. In other words, the tool holder 2 is provided with two held portions: the engagement groove 4a of the flange 4 and the pull stud 5.

[0025] 2. Structure of the tool cart 10 The tool cart 10 shown in Fig. 1 is used for temporarily placing a tool 1. The tool cart 10 has a main body 11 and running wheels 13 that support the main body 11 so that it can run along a floor F. A plurality of insertion holes 12 are provided in the top plate of the main body 11. Each insertion hole 12 is formed so that the shank portion 3 of the tool holder 2 can be inserted into it when the tool 1 is standing in the vertical direction X with the pull stud portion 5 of the tool holder 2 located at the bottom.

[0026] The tool 1 is set vertically on the tool cart 10 by inserting the shank portion 3 of the tool holder 2 into the insertion hole 12 of the main body 11 using the transfer device 30. "Vertical" here refers to a state in which the tool 1 is arranged so that the axial direction A of the tool holder 2 is aligned with the vertical direction X. The main body 11 is configured so that all of the multiple insertion holes 12 have the same inner diameter. This allows multiple tools 1 of the same type or multiple tools 1 of different types to be set vertically on the tool cart 10.

[0027] The tool cart 10 is not limited to one having the running wheels 13. The tool cart 10 may have a structure in which the main body 11 is placed directly on the floor F without the running wheels 13.

[0028] 3. Structure of the tool magazine 20 1 is used to temporarily store tools 1 before they are attached to a processing machine. This tool magazine 20 is configured in a disk shape that can rotate around a central shaft 21. This tool magazine 20 has a plurality of insertion holes 22 arranged in the circumferential direction. Each insertion hole 22 is formed so that the shank portion 3 of the tool holder 2 can be inserted into it when the tool 1 is laid down on its side.

[0029] By using the storage device 50 to insert the shank portion 3 of the tool holder 2 into the insertion hole 22 of the tool magazine 20, the tool 1 is stored horizontally in the tool magazine 20. "Horizontal" here refers to a state in which the tool 1 is arranged so that the axial direction A of the tool holder 2 is along the horizontal direction. By inserting the shank portion 3 of the tool holder 2 of each tool 1 into each insertion hole 22 while rotating the tool magazine 20 around the central axis portion 21, it becomes possible to store multiple tools 1 in the tool magazine 20 sequentially.

[0030] The tool magazine 20 may be attached to the relay device 40, or may be separate from the relay device 40. The tool magazine 20 may also have a structure that does not rotate.

[0031] 4. Structure of the conveying device 30 The transfer device 30 shown in Fig. 1 is a device for removing the tool 1 from the tool carriage 10 and transferring the tool 1. The transfer device 30 has a gripping mechanism 31 and a transfer mechanism 34. The transfer device 30 is a transfer machine also called a "hoist."

[0032] The gripping mechanism 31 has a pair of gripping members 32 that can grip the engagement groove portion 4a provided in the flange portion 4 of the tool holder 2 from the radial outside, and a drive device (not shown) that drives the pair of gripping members 32 in the horizontal direction, and is configured so that this drive device is controlled by a gripping control unit 62 of the control device 60.

[0033] Each gripping member 32 is a plate-like member whose thickness direction is the vertical direction X, and as shown in Fig. 2, each gripping member 32 is provided with a semicircular concave gripping surface 33. When a pair of gripping members 32 are butted together, the shape of the partition circle defined by the two gripping surfaces 33 roughly matches the radial cross-sectional shape of the engagement groove portion 4a of the flange portion 4. Note that the number of gripping members 32 may be three or more, as necessary.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 4, the gripping mechanism 31 and the gripping control unit 62 can perform a gripping operation in which a pair of gripping members 32 move from a first position P1 (position indicated by a dotted line in FIG. 4) where they are spaced apart to a second position P2 (position indicated by a solid line in FIG. 4) where they are close to each other, and a gripping release operation in which the pair of gripping members 32 move from the second position P2 to the first position P1.

[0035] The transfer mechanism 34 is controlled by a transfer control unit 61 of the control device 60. The transfer mechanism 34 and the transfer control unit 61 can perform a transfer operation to transfer the gripping mechanism 31 in the vertical direction X and the horizontal directions Y and Z. This allows the transfer device 30 to hold the engagement groove portion 4a of the tool holder 2 and transfer the tool 1 in a vertical orientation to the relay device 40.

[0036] 5. Structure of relay device 40 1 is a device for receiving the tool 1 from the transport device 30 and transferring it to the storage device 50. The relay device 40 has a base member 40a, a movable member 40b, a relay member 41, a gripping mechanism 43, a swivel support member 46, a swivel cylinder 47, and a lift cylinder 48.

[0037] The base member 40a serves as the foundation of the relay device 40. The movable member 40b is attached to the base member 40a so as to be movable in the vertical direction X. The relay member 41 is a plate-shaped member. The relay member 41 is provided with one insertion hole 42 into which the shank portion 3 of the tool holder 2 is inserted when the tool holder 2 is oriented vertically with the pull stud portion 5 of the tool holder 2 positioned at the lowest end. The gripping mechanism 43 includes a pair of gripping members 44 that can grip the pull stud portion 5 of the tool holder 2 from the radially outer side when the shank portion 3 of the tool holder 2 is inserted into the insertion hole 42 of the relay member 41, and a drive unit (not shown) that drives the pair of gripping members 44 in the horizontal direction. The drive unit is configured to be controlled by a gripping control unit 62 of the control unit 60.

[0038] Each gripping member 44 is a plate-like member with its thickness direction aligned with the vertical direction X, and as shown in Fig. 3, each gripping member 44 is provided with a semicircular concave gripping surface 45. When a pair of gripping members 44 are butted together, the shape of the circle defined by the two gripping surfaces 45 roughly matches the radial cross-sectional shape of the pull stud portion 5. The number of gripping members 44 may be three or more, as necessary.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 4, the gripping mechanism 43 and the gripping control unit 62 can perform a gripping operation in which a pair of gripping members 44 move from a first position Q1 (position indicated by a dotted line in FIG. 4) where they are spaced apart to a second position Q2 (position indicated by a solid line in FIG. 4) where they are close to each other, and a gripping release operation in which a pair of gripping members 32 move from the second position Q2 to the first position Q1.

[0040] The swivel support member 46 has a function of supporting the relay member 41 so that it can swivel around the shaft portion 41a. This swivel support member 46 is fixed to the movable member 40b. The swivel cylinder 47 is connected to the relay member 41 supported by the swivel support member 46 and has a function of applying a driving force in the swivel direction to the relay member 41. The swivel cylinder 47 has a cylinder rod 47a connected to the relay member 41 via a link mechanism 47b, and the cylinder rod 47a is configured to be slidable in the horizontal direction Z by a fluid, an actuator, or the like (see FIG. 7). The swivel cylinder 47 is controlled by a swivel control unit 64 of the control device 60. The swivel support member 46 and the swivel cylinder 47 form a swivel mechanism that swivels the relay member 41 by approximately 90° around the shaft portion 41a between a horizontal position R1 (see FIG. 8) and a vertical position R2 (see FIG. 9). Here, the horizontal position R1 is a position where the relay board 41 is disposed in the horizontal direction, and the vertical position R2 is a position where the relay board 41 is disposed in the vertical direction X.

[0041] The lifting cylinder 48 is connected to the movable member 40b and has the function of applying a driving force to the movable member 40b in the vertical direction X. The lifting cylinder 48 is controlled by a lifting control unit 63 of the control device 60. Here, a swivel support member 46 that supports the relay member 41 is fixed to the movable member 40b. Therefore, the lifting cylinder 48 constitutes a lifting mechanism that lifts and lowers the relay member 41 via the movable member 40b and the swivel support member 46 between a vertical position R2 (see FIG. 9) and a lowered position R3 (see FIG. 10). Here, the lowered position R3 is a position where the relay member 41 is disposed in the vertical direction X and is lower than the vertical position R2.

[0042] 6. Structure of the storage device 50 1 is a device for storing tools 1 in the tool magazine 20. This storage device 50 has a storage support member 51 provided with a fitting recess 52 that opens at the top. When the tool 1 is lowered in a horizontal position, the engagement groove 4a fits into the fitting recess 52. This storage device 50 is supported by the base member 40a of the relay device 40 so as to be slidable in the horizontal direction Z.

[0043] 7. Tool 1 transportation work Next, a transport operation for transporting the tool 1 from the tool carriage 10 to the tool magazine 20 using the tool transport equipment 101 configured as described above will be described with reference to Figs. 5 to 13. This transport operation can be performed by sequentially executing the steps in the flowchart of Fig. 5. Note that other steps may be added as necessary.

[0044] 5 is a step of setting the tool 1 on the tool carriage 10. In this first step S101, the transfer device 30 is used.

[0045] 6, the transport device 30 first holds the tool 1 in the vertical direction X with the pull stud portion 5 of the tool holder 2 at the lowest position, and then grips the engagement groove portion 4a of the tool holder 2 by the gripping operation of the pair of gripping members 32. Then, the transport device 30 lowers the tool 1 from above the tool carriage 10 so that the shank portion 3 of the tool holder 2 is inserted into the insertion hole 12 of the main body 11.

[0046] 5 is a step of transporting the tool 1 from the tool carriage 10 to the relay device 40. In this second step S102, the transport device 30 is used. Note that the transport device 30 used in the second step S102 may be the same as that used in the first step S101, or may be a different device from that used in the first step S101.

[0047] The transport device 30 first grips the engagement groove 4a of the tool holder 2 with the gripping action of the pair of gripping members 32 and moves up. This removes the tool 1 from the tool carriage 10. Next, as shown in FIG. 7 , the transport device 30 moves above the relay device 40 and then lowers the tool 1 so that the shank portion 3 of the tool holder 2 is inserted into the insertion hole 42 of the relay member 41, which is at the horizontal position R1. Thereafter, the gripping mechanism 43 grips the pull stud portion 5 of the tool holder 2 with the gripping action of the pair of gripping members 44. This locks the tool 1 to the gripping mechanism 43. Meanwhile, the transport device 30 releases the grip of the engagement groove 4a of the tool holder 2 with the gripping release action of the pair of gripping members 32 and then moves away from the relay device 40.

[0048] 5 is a step of transferring the tool 1 from the relay device 40 to the storage device 50. In this third step S103, the relay device 40 holds the pull stud portion 5 separate from the engagement groove portion 4a of the tool holder 2, transfers the tool 1 to the storage device 50, and then releases the engagement groove portion 4a. In this third step S103, the turning cylinder 47 and the lifting cylinder 48 are used.

[0049] 8, in the first stage of the third step S103, the turning cylinder 47 turns the relay member 41 about the shaft 41a from a horizontal position R1 (position indicated by a two-dot chain line) to a vertical position R2 (position indicated by a solid line). As a result, the tool 1 is tilted from the vertical orientation to the horizontal orientation, changing its posture.

[0050] 9, in the second stage of the third step S103, the lifting cylinder 48 lowers the relay member 41 from the vertical position R2 (position indicated by the two-dot chain line) to the lowered position R3 (position indicated by the solid line). As a result, the tool 1 is lowered while remaining in a horizontal orientation, and the engagement groove 4a of the tool holder 2 fits into the fitting recess 52 provided in the storage support member 51 of the storage device 50. As a result, the tool 1 is held by both the relay device 40 and the storage device 50.

[0051] 10 , in the third stage of the third step S103, the gripping mechanism 43 releases the grip of the pull stud portion 5 of the tool holder 2 by the gripping release operation of the pair of gripping members 44. This releases the lock of the tool 1 from the gripping mechanism 43.

[0052] 5 is a step of storing the tool 1 in the tool magazine 20. In this fourth step S104, the storage device 50 receives the tool 1 by holding the engagement groove portion 4a of the tool holder 2, and stores the tool 1 in the tool magazine 20 while still holding the engagement groove portion 4a. In this fourth step S104, the storage device 50 is moved manually by an operator or automatically using a drive mechanism.

[0053] 11 , in the first stage of the fourth step S104, the storage device 50 holding the tool 1 sideways is moved in the horizontal direction Z to remove the shank portion 3 of the tool holder 2 from the insertion hole 42 of the relay member 41. As a result, the tool 1 is released from the holding by the relay device 40 and is held only by the storage device 50.

[0054] 12 , in the second stage of the fourth step S104, the storage device 50 is moved to the tool magazine 20, and then moved in the horizontal direction Z so that the shank portion 3 of the tool holder 2 is inserted into the insertion hole 22 from the side of the tool magazine 20. As a result, the tool 1 is held by both the storage device 50 and the tool magazine 20.

[0055] 13 , in the third stage of the fourth step S104, the storage device 50 is moved relative to the tool 1 so that the engagement groove portion 4a of the tool holder 2 comes out of the fitting recess 52 of the storage support member 51 of the storage device 50. The tool 1 is released from the holding by the storage device 50 and is finally stored in the tool magazine 20.

[0056] 8. Action and Effects According to the above-described embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

[0057] In the tool transport facility 101, a tool 1 for a processing machine attached to a tool holder 2 is first removed from the tool carriage 10 by the transport device 30 and transported to the relay device 40. At this time, the engagement groove 4a, which is the first held portion of the tool holder 2, is held by the transport device 30. Next, the tool 1 is handed over to the storage device 50 by the relay device 40. At this time, the pull stud portion 5, which is the second held portion of the tool holder 2, is held by the relay device 40, and after the engagement groove 4a of the tool holder 2 is held by the storage device 50, the pull stud portion 5 is released by the relay device 40. Finally, the tool 1 is stored in the tool magazine 20 with the engagement groove 4a of the tool holder 2 held by the storage device 50.

[0058] According to this tool transport equipment 101, in addition to the transport device 30 and the storage device 50, both of which can hold the engagement groove portion 4a of the tool holder 2, a relay device 40 that can hold the pull stud portion 5 in place of the engagement groove portion 4a of the tool holder 2 is provided, so that the tool 1 can be transferred from the transport device 30 to the storage device 50 via the relay device 40. This makes it possible to automate the series of operations of storing the tool 1 from the tool cart 10 to the storage device 50 and then into the tool magazine 20 using the transport device 30 and the relay device 40. As a result, heavy physical labor such as a worker directly transferring a heavy object such as a tool 1 for a processing machine from the tool cart 10 to the storage device 50 is no longer necessary.

[0059] Therefore, it is possible to provide a tool transport facility 101 that is effective in eliminating heavy physical work by an operator when transporting a tool 1 for a processing machine attached to the tool holder 2.

[0060] According to the tool transport facility 101, both the transport device 30 and the relay device 40 can hold the tool 1 by gripping the engagement groove portion 4a or the pull stud portion 5 of the tool holder 2 with multiple gripping members 32, 44. This structure of gripping the tool holder 2 with multiple gripping members 32, 44 is effective in improving the holding reliability when holding the tool holder 2. Furthermore, gripping an existing portion of the tool holder 2 can prevent the structure of the tool holder 2 from becoming complicated due to providing a dedicated held portion on the tool holder 2.

[0061] According to the tool transport equipment 101, the relay member 41 that temporarily holds the tool 1 in a vertical position can be rotated from a horizontal position R1 to a vertical position R2 using the swivel support member 46 and the swivel cylinder 47, thereby changing the position of the tool 1 so that it falls from a vertical position to a horizontal position.

[0062] According to the tool transport equipment 101, the relay member 41, which temporarily holds the tool 1 in a vertical orientation, is rotated from a horizontal position R1 to a vertical position R2 by the swivel support member 46 and the swivel cylinder 47, and then the lifting cylinder 48 is lowered from the vertical position R2 to a lowered position R3, so that the tool 1 can be lowered while remaining in a horizontal orientation and transferred from the relay device 40 to the storage device 50 in preparation for storage in the tool magazine 20.

[0063] 9. Modifications The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various applications and modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the following embodiments can be implemented by applying the above-described embodiment.

[0064] In the above embodiment, the case where both the rotational movement and the lowering movement of the relay member 41 are performed using a cylinder has been exemplified, but instead of this, an actuator such as an electric motor may be used instead of a cylinder.

[0065] In the above embodiment, an example is given of the relay member 41 rotating from the horizontal position R1 to the vertical position R2 and then descending to the lowered position R3 to transfer the tool 1 from the relay device 40 to the storage device 50, but instead, the relay member 41 may rotate from the horizontal position R1 to the vertical position R2 to transfer the tool 1 from the relay device 40 to the storage device 50.

[0066] In the above embodiment, the engagement groove portion 4a and the pull stud portion 5 of the tool holder 2 are used as the held portion. However, if necessary, a portion of the tool holder 2 other than the engagement groove portion 4a and the pull stud portion 5 may be used as the held portion.

[0067] In the above embodiment, the tool 1 is held by using a structure in which a part of the tool holder 2 is held by a plurality of holding members or a structure in which a part of the tool holder 2 fits into a fitting recess, but other structures may also be used to hold the tool 1. For example, a structure that uses the attraction force of a magnet to a magnetic body or a structure in which a hooking member is hooked onto a part of the tool holder 2 may be employed. [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...tool, 2...tool holder, 3...shank portion, 4...flange portion, 4a...engagement groove portion (first held portion), 5...pull stud portion (second held portion), 10...tool carriage, 20...tool magazine, 30...transportation device, 32...gripping member, 40...relay device, 41...relay member, 41a...shaft portion, 42...insertion hole, 44...gripping member, 46...swivel support member (swivel mechanism portion), 47...swivel cylinder (swivel mechanism portion), 48...lift cylinder (lift mechanism portion), 50...storage device, 51...storage support member, 52...fitting recess, 101...tool transport equipment, R1...horizontal position, R2...vertical position, R3...lowered position

Claims

1. A tool transport facility that transports a tool for a processing machine attached to a tool holder, a transport device for removing the tool from the tool cart and transporting it; a storage device for storing the tools in a tool magazine; a relay device for receiving the tool from the transport device and transferring it to the storage device; Equipped with the transport device transports the tool to the relay device while holding the first held portion of the tool holder, the relay device holds a second held portion different from the first held portion of the tool holder, delivers the tool to the storage device, and then releases the hold of the second held portion, the storage device is configured to hold the first held portion of the tool holder to receive the tool and store it in the tool magazine. Tool transport equipment.

2. the first held portion is an engagement groove portion provided in a flange portion of the tool holder, and the second held portion is a pull stud portion provided at a tip of a shank portion of the tool holder on the side opposite to the tool body, the conveying device has a plurality of gripping members capable of gripping the engagement groove portions, The relay device has a plurality of gripping members capable of gripping the pull stud portion. The tool transport facility according to claim 1 .

3. the shank portion of the tool holder is tapered so that the outer diameter gradually decreases from the flange portion toward the pull stud portion, 3. The tool transport facility according to claim 2, wherein the relay device comprises: a relay member having an insertion hole into which the shank portion is inserted when the tool holder is in a vertical orientation with the pull stud portion at the lowest end; and a turning mechanism that turns the relay member between a horizontal position and a vertical position.

4. The storage device has a storage support member provided with a fitting recess into which the engagement groove fits when the tool is lowered in a horizontal position, 4. The tool transport facility according to claim 3, wherein the relay device includes a lifting mechanism that lifts and lowers the relay member between the vertical position and a lowered position where the engagement groove of the tool holder fits into the fitting recess.

Images