Centrifugal barrel polishing machine

Abstract

This centrifugal barrel polishing machine is provided with a distance measuring sensor 15. A control unit 10 determines whether distance when fixed is being measured by the distance measuring sensor 15 when a barrel tank 50 is positioned in a detection area, and does not permit rotation of a turret 22 when a distance when fixed is not being measured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a centrifugal barrel polishing machine.

Background Art

[0002] During the polishing of a centrifugal barrel polishing machine, a large centrifugal force of about 10 to 40 G acts on the barrel tank. Therefore, a fixing member prevents the barrel tank and the barrel lid from being removed due to the centrifugal force and vibration. Patent Document 1 describes a centrifugal barrel polishing machine in which a detection unit detects whether a fixing member for fixing the barrel tank to the barrel case is in a fixed form, and does not permit the rotation of the turret when it is not in the fixed form.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In a configuration where the barrel tank rotates about a rotation axis extending in the horizontal direction, when determining whether the fixing member is in a fixed state, the barrel tank may deviate from the assumed angle about the rotation axis. In such a case, there is a concern that even when the fixing member is not in the fixed form, it may be erroneously determined that the fixing member is in the fixed form based on the detection result by the detection unit.

[0005] In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a centrifugal barrel polishing machine including a fixing member for fixing a barrel tank or a barrel lid, and suppressing the start of centrifugal barrel polishing in a state where the fixing member is not in a fixed form.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To solve the above problems, the centrifugal barrel polishing machine disclosed in this embodiment includes a turret that is driven to rotate around a horizontally extending orbital axis, a barrel case that is driven to rotate around a rotational axis extending horizontally from a position eccentric with respect to the orbital axis in the turret, a barrel tank housed in the barrel case, a fixing member that changes between a fixing mode that fixes the barrel tank to the barrel case and a release mode that releases the fixing of the barrel tank to the barrel case, a distance measuring unit that is positioned with a measurement direction substantially aligned horizontally to a detection area located on the orbital path of the barrel tank around the orbital axis, and a control unit. The fixing member has a part to be measured whose position is displaced between the fixed mode and the release mode, and when the fixed mode changes from the fixed mode to the release mode, the part to be measured is displaced in a direction intersecting the measurement direction of the distance measuring unit, and the control unit determines whether or not the fixed distance, which indicates the horizontal distance to the part to be measured, has been measured by the distance measuring unit when the barrel tank is located in the detection area, and does not permit the rotation of the turret if the fixed distance has not been measured.

[0007] In the above configuration, when the barrel tank is located within the detection area, the control unit uses the distance measured by the distance measuring unit to determine whether the fixing member is in a fixed position. If the distance measuring unit has not measured the fixed position distance, which indicates the horizontal distance to the part being measured, the rotation of the turret is not permitted. This prevents centrifugal barrel polishing from starting when the fixing member is not in a fixed position. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the start of centrifugal barrel polishing in a centrifugal barrel polishing machine when the fixed member is not in a fixed position. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a diagram showing the configuration of a centrifugal barrel polishing machine. [Figure 2] This is a magnified view of the interior as seen from the perspective of arrow A in Figure 1. [Figure 3] This is a diagram illustrating the fixing members. [Figure 4] This is a diagram illustrating the fixing members. [Figure 5] This is a flowchart illustrating the procedures that the control unit performs during operation. [Figure 6] This diagram illustrates the determination of the fixing configuration of the fixing member. [Figure 7] This diagram illustrates the determination of the fixing configuration of the fixing member. [Figure 8] This diagram illustrates the determination of the fixing configuration of the fixing member in the comparative example. [Figure 9] This is a diagram showing the configuration of a centrifugal barrel polishing machine according to the second embodiment. [Figure 10] Figure 9 is a magnified view of the interior as seen through the line B. [Figure 11] This is a diagram illustrating the fixing members. [Figure 12] This is a diagram illustrating the fixing members. [Figure 13] This is a diagram showing the configuration of a centrifugal barrel polishing machine according to the third embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] (First Embodiment) A centrifugal barrel polishing machine according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. A centrifugal barrel polishing machine is a device capable of performing centrifugal barrel polishing on a workpiece, which is the object to be polished. The centrifugal barrel polishing machine 100 shown in Figures 1 and 2 mainly comprises a housing 90, a barrel mechanism 20, a control unit 10 that controls the drive of the barrel mechanism 20, an area detection sensor 14, and a distance measurement sensor 15.

[0011] The control unit 10 may be located outside the housing 90. Although not described in detail, the centrifugal barrel polishing machine 100 is connected to a power supply, and power from this power supply is supplied to the control unit 10 and the barrel mechanism 20 via a power supply circuit (not shown).

[0012] In this embodiment, when the centrifugal barrel polishing machine is installed on the installation surface indoors such as in a factory, the height of the centrifugal barrel polishing machine is defined as the vertical direction D3, and the direction horizontal to the installation surface is defined as the horizontal direction (a direction including the first direction D1 and the second direction D2 described later). Note that the horizontal direction is also a direction intersecting the vertical direction D3. The horizontal direction is not limited to being strictly parallel to the installation surface and may be inclined by a predetermined angle with respect to the installation surface. Therefore, the horizontal direction includes the concept of being "substantially horizontal" with respect to the installation surface.

[0013] First, the configuration of the barrel mechanism unit 20 will be described. The barrel mechanism unit 20 mainly includes a revolving shaft 21, a turret 22, a motor 24, a rotating shaft 23, a barrel case 40, a barrel tank 50, and a fixing member 60.

[0014] The revolving shaft 21 is installed inside the centrifugal barrel polishing machine 100 with the direction in which the shaft extends facing the horizontal direction. In this embodiment, the revolving shaft 21 is rotatably installed in the housing 90 in a state supported by bearings.

[0015] Two turrets 22 are rotatably attached to the revolving shaft 21 integrally with the revolving shaft 21 in the direction in which the revolving shaft 21 extends. The turret 22 is a member that spreads radially around the central portion through which the revolving shaft 21 passes. Specifically, the turret 22 is a disk-shaped member centered on the central portion where the revolving shaft 21 is located, and has an inner surface 22A and an outer surface 22B facing the opposite direction to the inner surface 22A. The two turrets 22 are held rotatably in the housing 90 by the revolving shaft 21 with their inner surfaces 22A facing each other.

[0016] Between the two turrets 22, a rotating shaft 23 is attached so as to be relatively rotatable with respect to the turret 22 while being supported by a bearing member fixed to the turret 22. The rotating shaft 23 is attached at a position eccentric by a predetermined distance from the rotation center of the turret 22 (hereinafter also referred to as an eccentric position), with the direction in which the shaft extends being horizontal. Specifically, the rotating shaft 23 is attached at an eccentric position eccentric by a predetermined distance (i.e., on the radius of the revolution orbit R) from the revolution center where the revolution shaft 21 is located in the turret 22.

[0017] Between the two turrets 22, a barrel case 40 is attached so as to be rotatable integrally with the rotating shaft 23. The barrel case 40 has a space capable of accommodating a barrel groove 50 therein. In the present embodiment, four barrel cases 40 are attached to the turret 22 so as to be rotatable about the four rotating shafts 23. The number of barrel cases 40 attached to the turret 22 is not limited to four, and may be less than four or more than four. Details of the shape of the barrel case 40 will be described later.

[0018] The barrel groove 50 is a member having a mass accommodation space which is a space for accommodating a workpiece and a polishing stone. The mass is a term indicating the workpiece and the polishing stone integrally. The size of the barrel groove 50 is smaller than the size of the groove accommodation space of the barrel case 40. The fixing member 60 is a member for fixing the barrel groove 50 accommodated in the barrel case 40 to the barrel case 40. Details of the shapes of the barrel groove 50 and the fixing member 60 will be described later. Hereinafter, in the horizontal direction, the direction in which the revolution shaft 21 and the rotating shaft 23 extend is defined as the first direction D1, and the direction orthogonal to the first direction in the horizontal direction is defined as the second direction D2.

[0019] Motor 24 is the drive source for rotating the turret 22 and barrel case 40. A drive pulley 25 is attached to the output shaft of motor 24. A driven pulley 27 is attached to the orbital shaft 21. The driven pulley 27 is connected to the drive pulley 25 via an orbital belt 26. The rotation of the output shaft of motor 24 is transmitted to the driven pulley 27 via the orbital belt 26, causing the orbital shaft 21 to rotate.

[0020] On the side opposite to the side to which the driven pulley 27 is connected in the first direction D1, the main timing pulley 28 is fixed to the housing 90 via an anti-rotation member 31. The main timing pulley 28 is rotatably supported by the orbital shaft 21 via a bearing inserted in an inner circumference hole. A rotating timing pulley 29 is also attached to the rotational shaft 23. The rotating timing pulley 29 is connected to the main timing pulley 28 via a timing belt 30. As the orbital shaft 21 rotates, the turret 22 and the barrel case 40 attached to the turret 22 rotate (revolve) in the same direction. At this time, because the rotating timing pulley 29 attached to the rotational shaft 23 is connected to the non-rotating main timing pulley 28 via the timing belt 30, the rotational shaft 23 rotates in the opposite direction to the rotation of the turret 22 as the turret 22 rotates (revolves). This allows the rotation axis 23 and the barrel case 40 to rotate relative to the turret 22.

[0021] Since the main timing pulley 28 is connected to the rotation shaft 23 via the rotation timing pulley 29 and the timing belt 30, slippage caused by the rotation mechanism of the rotation shaft 23 can be suppressed, and the angle of the barrel tank 50 located in the detection area 80, which will be described later, can be suppressed. In this embodiment, the main timing pulley 28, the rotation timing pulley 29, and the timing belt 30 are an example of the rotation mechanism. Note that a gear or chain may be used instead of the timing belt 30.

[0022] Next, the configuration of the control unit 10 will be described. As shown in Figure 1, the control unit 10 includes an operation panel 11, a sequencer 12, and a drive circuit 13.

[0023] The sequencer 12 is a programmable controller that stores a predetermined program in its memory. The sequencer 12 receives signals from the control panel 11 that correspond to the operating conditions of the centrifugal barrel polishing machine 100. Operating conditions that can be set by operating the control panel 11 include, for example, the rotation speed of the turret 22 and barrel case 40, and the polishing time, which indicates the time it takes to centrifugal barrel polish the workpiece.

[0024] The output from the sequencer 12 is input to the drive circuit 13. The drive circuit 13 outputs drive signals to control the rotational speed of the motor 24 and the polishing time, according to the signals corresponding to the operating conditions input from the sequencer 12.

[0025] The area detection sensor 14 is a sensor that detects whether or not the barrel tank 50 is located in a predetermined area within the housing 90, which is the detection area 80. The detection area 80 is an area located on the orbital path R of the barrel case 40, and in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, it is the area that includes the highest position in the vertical direction D3 on the orbital path R. Detection dogs 16 are attached to the periphery of the turret 22 at 90-degree intervals according to the position of the barrel case 40. The area detection sensor 14 is mounted so as to be able to detect the detection dog 16 located in the center in the vertical direction D3. As shown in Figure 2, when the area detection sensor 14 detects the detection dog 16, it means that the barrel tank 50 (barrel case 40) corresponding to the position 90 degrees counterclockwise from this detection dog 16 is located in the detection area 80. The area detection sensor 14 is connected to the control unit 10, and when it detects that the barrel case 40 is located in the detection area 80, it outputs a detection signal to the control unit 10.

[0026] The distance measurement sensor 15 is a sensor that monitors whether the fixing member 60 is in a fixed state or not. The distance measurement sensor 15 measures the distance to an object by irradiating it with measurement light along the measurement direction and receiving the measurement light reflected from the object located in the measurement direction. The distance measurement sensor 15 is connected to the control unit 10 and outputs distance information corresponding to the measurement light reflected from the object to the control unit 10. In this embodiment, the distance measurement sensor 15 is an example of a distance measurement unit.

[0027] In this embodiment, the distance measuring sensor 15 is mounted on the outside of the turret 22, on the outer surface 22B side, in the first direction D1, which is the direction in which the orbital axis 21 extends. More specifically, the distance measuring sensor 15 is mounted inside the housing 90 with its detection direction facing the detection area 80 and the direction in which the measurement light is emitted oriented approximately parallel to the first direction D1.

[0028] Next, the detailed configuration of the barrel case 40, the barrel tank 50, and the fixing member 60 will be described. The barrel case 40 is a container with an open top and a tank housing space inside capable of accommodating the barrel tank 50. The barrel case 40 has a bottom wall, a pair of opposing walls extending from both edges in a first direction D1 of the bottom wall, and a pair of side walls extending from both ends in a second direction D2 of the bottom wall. The space enclosed by the pair of opposing walls and the pair of side walls constitutes the tank housing space. A rotation axis 23 is fixed to each opposing wall in the barrel case 40, and the barrel case 40 is capable of rotating integrally with this rotation axis 23.

[0029] A pair of side plates 45 are attached to the upper part of the barrel case 40, at both ends in the first direction D1. The side plates 45 are plate-shaped members having polygonal flat surfaces. Specifically, the side plates 45 have a notch 46 in which one corner of the flat surface is cut out, and a positioning hole 47 that penetrates the flat surface and into which a fixing member (clamp lever 61), described later, is attached. The side plates 45 are attached to the opposing walls of the barrel case 40 with their flat surfaces facing the first direction D1.

[0030] The barrel tank 50 comprises a barrel body 51 and a barrel lid 52. The barrel body 51 is a container having an opening on its top surface and a space inside that can accommodate masses (workpieces, abrasive stones, etc.). The barrel lid 52 is a member that closes the opening of the barrel body 51.

[0031] The fixing member 60 is a component that changes between a fixing configuration that secures the barrel tank 50 to the barrel case 40 and a release configuration that releases the barrel tank 50 from its fixation to the barrel case 40. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the fixing member 60 includes a clamp lever 61 and a lever fixing portion 70.

[0032] The clamp lever 61 is a component that is rotatably attached to the side plate 45 of the barrel case 40. The clamp lever 61 mainly comprises a main shaft portion 62, a lever 63 that protrudes outward from the main shaft portion 62, and a measuring dog 64. Both ends of the main shaft portion 62 have insertion portions 65 and 66 that have a smaller diameter than the main shaft portion 62. The measuring dog 64 is a bracket-shaped portion that protrudes outward from the main shaft portion 62 and has a surface to be measured 64A that faces the direction in which the shaft extends.

[0033] The lever fixing part 70 is a component that fixes the clamp lever 61 in a state where its rotation relative to the barrel case 40 is restricted. The lever fixing part 70 has a fixing pin 71, three guide parts 72, 73, and 74 that guide the fixing pin 71, and a spring 75 that biases the fixing pin 71 to the biased position. The three guide parts 72, 73, and 74 are fixed in the barrel cover 52 in a state where they are aligned in the same direction. Of the three guide parts 72, 73, and 74, two guide parts 72 and 73 have through holes that guide the sliding of the fixing pin 71. Between the guide part 72 and the guide part 73, the spring 75 is positioned so that it is passed through by the fixing pin 71 and restricted by the stopper member 77. The spring 75 applies an elastic pressing force that causes the tip of the fixing pin 71 opposite to the knob 76 to come into contact with the guide part 74.

[0034] When fixing the barrel tank 50 to the barrel case 40 with the fixing member 60, first, with the barrel cover 52 covering the opening of the barrel body 51, the barrel tank 50 is placed in the tank housing space of the barrel case 40. Next, as shown in Figure 4, one insertion portion 65 of the clamp lever 61 is inserted into the positioning hole 47 of the side plate 45, and then the other insertion portion 66 is inserted into the positioning hole 47 of the other side plate 45. The knob 76 is pulled relative to the fixing pin 71 so that its tip slides toward the guide portion 73 rather than the guide portion 74. In this state, the lever 63 of the clamp lever 61 is positioned between the guide portions 73 and 74.

[0035] By releasing the tension on the fixing pin 71, the elastic pressure from the spring 75 causes the tip of the fixing pin 71 to contact the guide portion 74. The portion of the fixing pin 71 between the guide portions 73 and 74 is positioned above the lever 63, thereby restricting the rotation of the clamp lever 61 relative to the side plate 45. The clamp lever 61 then secures the barrel tank 50 to the barrel case 40.

[0036] Next, the procedure of the processes performed by the control unit 10 during the operation of the centrifugal barrel polishing machine 100 will be explained using Figure 5. Upon operation of the start button by the operator, the control unit 10 rotates the turret 22 at a low speed in step 11. The rotational speed of the motor 24 set in S11 is the speed determined when determining the fixing form of the fixing member 60, and is slower than the rotational speed set as the operating condition during polishing. Hereafter, steps will also be referred to as "S".

[0037] The control unit 10 receives a detection signal from the area detection sensor 14 when the turret 22 rotates at a low speed. In S12, the control unit 10 determines whether or not a barrel tank 50 (barrel case 40) is located within the detection area 80. Specifically, the control unit 10 determines that one of the barrel tanks 50 is located within the detection area 80 when the area detection sensor 14 detects the detection dog 16 fixed to the turret 22.

[0038] If the control unit 10 determines that the barrel case 40 is not located within the detection area 80 (S12: NO), it waits. On the other hand, if the control unit 10 determines that the barrel case 40 is located within the detection area 80 (S12: YES), it proceeds to S13. In S13, the control unit 10 determines the distance information output from the distance measurement sensor 15.

[0039] Figure 6 shows the relationship between the fixing member 60 and the distance measuring sensor 15 when the fixing member 60 is in a fixed position in the barrel tank 50 located in the detection area 80. In this example, there is no angular displacement of the barrel tank 50 within the detection area 80.

[0040] If the fixing member 60 is in a fixed position, the lever 63 of the clamp lever 61 is pushed down toward the barrel tank 50, as shown in Figure 6(a). Therefore, the surface 64A of the measuring dog 64 of the clamp lever 61 is located on the notch 46 side in the second direction D2 relative to the side plate 45.

[0041] As shown in Figure 6(b), if the fixing member 60 is in a fixed position, the measurement surface 64A of the measuring dog 64 is positioned in the measurement direction of the distance measuring sensor 15 (i.e., on the trajectory of the measurement light), and the distance measuring sensor 15 measures the fixed distance, which is the horizontal distance to the measurement surface 64A. The "fixed distance" is the distance expected when the barrel tank 50 is located in the detection area 80 and the fixing member 60 is in a fixed position. Specifically, the fixed distance is a value that has an error range of several [mm] on both the positive and negative sides relative to the reference value.

[0042] In the following, when the fixed member 60 in its fixed configuration is located in the detection area 80, the position where the trajectory of the measurement light from the distance measurement sensor 15 intersects with the surface to be measured 64A is defined as the first position P. Furthermore, a predetermined range AR is defined that extends orthogonally from the first position P along the trajectory of the measurement light from the distance measurement sensor 15. In this embodiment, within the predetermined range AR that extends orthogonally from the first position P, there are no objects other than the surface to be measured 64A that can reflect the measurement light.

[0043] In S13, the control unit 10 determines that the fixing member 60 is in a fixed configuration if the distance information obtained from the distance measuring sensor 15 falls within the error range relative to the reference value of the fixed distance. On the other hand, if the distance information obtained from the distance measuring sensor 15 does not fall within the error range relative to the reference value of the fixed distance, the control unit 10 determines that the fixing member 60 is not in a fixed configuration.

[0044] In this embodiment, the control unit 10 stops the rotation of the turret 22 in S13 when acquiring distance information using the distance measurement sensor 15. In addition, if the low-speed rotation speed of the turret 22 in S11 is sufficiently low, the control unit 10 may continue the rotation of the turret 22.

[0045] When the control unit 10 starts the first process in S13, it starts counting using a timer (not shown). The timer counting is set to the time required for the turret 22 to complete one rotation, taking into account the rotation speed of the turret 22.

[0046] In S14, the control unit 10 determines whether the fixing member 60 has measured the fixing distance four times (the same number as the number of barrel cases 40). If the number of times the fixing distance has been measured in S14 is less than four (S14: NO), the control unit 10 proceeds to S15 and determines whether the timer count has finished. If the control unit 10 determines that the timer count has not finished (i.e., the turret 22 has not completed one rotation) (S15: NO), it returns to S12 and uses the area detection sensor 14 to determine whether the next barrel tank 50 is located in the detection area 80. If a new barrel tank 50 is located in the detection area 80 (S12: YES), the control unit 10 executes the processes in S13 and S14.

[0047] As the detection by the area detection sensor 14 and the determination of distance information are repeated, the control unit 10 determines that it has measured the fixed distance four times (S14: YES), and proceeds to S16. In S16, the control unit 10 starts the rotation of the turret 22 under operating conditions (i.e., high-speed rotation) without stopping the turret 22.

[0048] When the turret 22 switches to high-speed rotation mode, the control unit 10 proceeds to the barrel polishing process. In S17, the control unit 10 counts the polishing time. When the polishing time has elapsed (S17: YES), in S18, the control unit 10 stops the high-speed rotation of the turret 22 and terminates the barrel polishing process.

[0049] On the other hand, if the distance measuring sensor 15 has not measured the fixed distance from any of the four fixing members 60 by the time one rotation of the turret 22 is completed, the control unit 10 will not be able to determine in S14 that the fixed distance has been measured four times (S14: NO). Figure 7 shows the relationship between the fixing member 60 and the distance measuring sensor 15 when the fixing member 60 is not in a fixed state in the barrel tank 50 located in the detection area 80. In Figure 7(a), the lever 63 of the clamp lever 61 is pushed up from the barrel tank 50. In this example, the surface to be measured 64A of the measuring dog 64 of the clamp lever 61 is located above the side plate 45 in the vertical direction D3. That is, the surface to be measured 64A is displaced in the vertical direction D3 intersecting the measurement direction of the distance measuring sensor 15 because the fixing member 60 has changed from a fixed state to a released state.

[0050] As shown in Figure 7(b), the surface to be measured 64A of the measuring dog 64 is not located on the trajectory of the measurement light from the distance measuring sensor 15, and the distance measuring sensor 15 does not measure the distance when it is fixed. As described above, if the fixing member 60 is not in a fixed form, the object is not located in the predetermined range AR that extends orthogonally from the first position P on the trajectory of the measurement light. In this example, the distance to a part located at a position different from the first position P on the trajectory of the measurement light from the distance measuring sensor 15 (for example, the housing 90 located further from the distance measuring sensor 15 than the first position P) will be measured.

[0051] In the centrifugal barrel polishing machine 100, slippage may occur due to the mechanism that transmits rotational driving force from the motor 24, causing the barrel tank 50 located in the detection area 80 to tilt at an angle greater than the expected angle around the rotation axis 23. Figure 8 shows, as a comparative example, a case in which the presence or absence of a measuring dog 64 is used to detect whether the fixing member 60 is in a fixed position in the barrel tank 50 located in the detection area 80. That is, in the example shown in Figure 8, unlike this embodiment, the distance to the fixing member 60 is not measured. Note that in Figure 8, the barrel tank 50 is tilted at an angle greater than the expected angle around the rotation axis 23 in the detection area 80.

[0052] In Figure 8(a), the barrel tank 50 is tilted at an angle greater than that expected around the rotation axis 23, causing the lever 63 to be located on the trajectory of the sensor's detection light. In other words, the lever 63 is located on the trajectory of the detection light, but at a different position from the first position P on the trajectory. Therefore, in this comparative example, the sensor detects the lever 63, leading to a misjudgment that the fixing member 60 is in a fixed state.

[0053] Furthermore, in Figure 8(b), the clamp lever 61 of the fixing member 60 is not fixed to the side plate 45. In Figure 8(b), the side plate 45 is also located on the trajectory of the sensor's detection light. In other words, the side plate 45 is located on the trajectory of the detection light, but at a different position from the first position P on the trajectory. Therefore, in this comparative example, the sensor detects the side plate 45, leading to a misjudgment that the fixing member 60 is in a fixed state.

[0054] In contrast, in this embodiment, the distance to the fixed member 60 is measured by the distance measuring sensor 15. Therefore, in both Figure 8(a) and Figure 8(b), the lever 63 and side plate 45 are on the trajectory of the measurement light, but are not located at the first position P. As a result, the distance measuring sensor 15 measures a distance different from the fixed distance. In particular, in the detection area 80, no objects other than the measuring dog 64 are located within the predetermined range AR that extends orthogonally from the first position P. Therefore, the control unit 10 can determine that the fixed member 60 is not in a fixed state. Even if the fixed member 60 is in a fixed state, if the barrel tank 50 is tilted at an angle greater than the angle assumed around the rotation axis 23, the distance measuring sensor 15 will not measure the fixed distance (S14: NO), and the control unit 10 will not allow the rotation of the turret 22. In such a case, the control unit 10 operates the centrifugal barrel polishing machine on the safe side by not rotating the turret 22.

[0055] Returning to Figure 5, if the control unit 10 determines that S14 is negative, it proceeds to S15. If the control unit 10 determines that it has measured the count corresponding to the rotation time of one rotation of the turret 22 (S15: YES), it proceeds to S18. In S18, the control unit 10 stops the rotation of the turret 22 without proceeding to the barrel polishing process, and ends the process in Figure 5.

[0056] The embodiment described above can achieve the following effects. When the barrel tank 50 is located in the detection area 80, the control unit 10 uses the distance measured by the distance measuring sensor 15 to determine whether the fixing member 60 is in a fixed position. If the fixing distance is not measured by the distance measuring sensor 15, the rotation of the turret 22 is not permitted. As a result, if the fixing member 60 is not in a fixed position, and the barrel tank 50 is tilted more than the angle assumed to be around the rotation axis 23 within the detection area 80, making it impossible to measure the horizontal distance to the measuring dog 64, the rotation of the turret 22 is not permitted. Consequently, it is possible to prevent centrifugal barrel polishing from starting when the fixing member 60 is not in a fixed position.

[0057] When the barrel tank 50 is located in the detection area 80, the only object in the detection area 80 capable of reflecting light at the first position P (fixed distance) is the measuring dog 64. In the above configuration, since there are no objects other than the measuring dog 64 capable of reflecting measurement light at the first position P in the detection area 80, the effect of suppressing misjudgment of the fixed configuration can be enhanced.

[0058] The distance measurement sensor 15 is mounted on the outside of the outer surface 22B of the turret 22, opposite to the inner surface 22A to which the barrel case is attached, in the first direction D1. As a result, even when the centrifugal barrel polishing machine 100 is in operation, water droplets and other debris that may unintentionally scatter from the barrel tank 50 are prevented by the turret 22 and are less likely to adhere to the distance measurement sensor 15. Consequently, it is possible to suppress measurement errors caused by water droplets and other debris obstructing the emission or reception of measurement light.

[0059] The main timing pulley 28 is connected to the rotation shaft 23 via the rotation timing pulley 29 and the timing belt 30, thereby suppressing slippage caused by the rotation mechanism of the rotation shaft 23 and preventing the angle of the barrel tank 50 located in the detection area 80 from tilting. As a result, the inability of the distance measurement sensor 15 to measure distance when fixed is suppressed, and the centrifugal barrel polishing machine 100 can be operated stably.

[0060] (Second Embodiment) In the second embodiment, the configurations that differ from those of the first embodiment will be mainly described. In the second embodiment, the same reference numerals are used for parts that are the same as in the first embodiment, and their descriptions will not be repeated.

[0061] Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the centrifugal barrel polishing machine 100 according to this embodiment. Figure 10 is a magnified view of the interior of Figure 9 as seen through arrow B. In this embodiment as well, the barrel tank 50 is housed in the barrel case 40 and fixed by the fixing member 60. The fixing member 60 is attached to the barrel case 40 via the side plate 45. On the other hand, in this embodiment, the shape of the barrel tank 50 is different from that of the first embodiment, and the shape of the fixing member 60 is also different to match the shape of the barrel tank 50.

[0062] The barrel tank 50 has an opening formed on one side of the barrel body 51 in the longitudinal direction (first direction D1 in Figure 9) into which a mass can be inserted. The barrel cover 52 is attached to the barrel body 51 so as to cover the opening of the barrel body 51. Therefore, the barrel tank 50 is housed in the tank housing space of the barrel case 40 with the barrel cover 52 positioned on one side in the first direction D1 (right side in Figure 9).

[0063] Figure 11 is a diagram illustrating the fixing member 60 according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, the fixing member 60 comprises a main plate 160, a threaded portion 161, and a pressure-receiving portion 164. The main plate 160 is a plate-shaped member, and its longitudinal dimension is larger than the dimension between the side plates 45 of the barrel case 40. A female thread is formed on the upper flat surface of the main plate 160 along the thickness direction. The threaded portion 161 is a member that screws into the female thread of the main plate 160 and has an engaging portion at its tip that can engage with a wrench. The pressure-receiving portion 164 is fixed to the barrel body 51 of the barrel tank 50.

[0064] In this embodiment, when fixing the barrel tank 50 to the barrel case 40 with the fixing member 60, first, the barrel lid 52 is fixed in a state that covers the opening of the barrel body 51. Then, the barrel tank 50 is placed in the tank housing space of the barrel case 40. Next, as shown in Figure 11, one insertion portion 162 of the main body plate 160 is inserted into the positioning hole 47 of the side plate 45, and then the other insertion portion 163 is inserted into the positioning hole 47 of the other side plate 45. By rotating the threaded portion 161 in the fastening direction with a wrench (not shown), the end of the threaded portion 161 facing the pressure receiving portion 164 is brought into contact with the pressure receiving portion 164.

[0065] In this embodiment, one of the insertion portions 163 of the main plate 160 is used as the measurement portion. In the state shown in Figure 11, the insertion portion 163 is not located on the optical axis of the measurement light from the distance measurement sensor 15.

[0066] As the tip of the threaded portion 161 contacts the pressure-receiving portion 164, and rotation of the threaded portion 161 in the fastening direction continues, the main plate 160 is displaced upward, as shown in Figure 12, and the insertion portion 163 is also displaced upward. As a result, the portion of the main plate 160 inserted into the positioning hole 47 and the inner circumference of the positioning hole 47 come into contact on the upward side, and the threaded portion 161 applies a downward pressing force to the pressure-receiving portion 164.

[0067] In the state shown in Figure 12, the insertion portion 163 is located on the trajectory of the measurement light from the distance measuring sensor 15. When the fixing member 60 in the fixed configuration is located in the detection area 80, the position where the trajectory of the measurement light from the distance measuring sensor 15 intersects with the insertion portion 163 of the main plate 160 is defined as the first position P. In this embodiment as well, in the detection area 80, within a predetermined range AR that extends orthogonally from this first position P, there are no objects other than the insertion portion 163 of the main plate 160 that can reflect the measurement light.

[0068] The embodiment described above can achieve the same effects as the first embodiment.

[0069] (Third embodiment) In the third embodiment, the configurations that differ from those of the first embodiment will be mainly described. In the third embodiment, the same reference numerals are used for parts that are the same as in the first embodiment, and their descriptions will not be repeated.

[0070] Figure 13 is a diagram illustrating the barrel mechanism 20 according to this embodiment. In this embodiment as well, the fixing member 60 has a clamp lever 61 and a lever fixing part 70. The configuration of the clamp lever 61 and the lever fixing part 70 has already been explained using Figures 3 and 4. On the other hand, in this embodiment, compared to the first embodiment, the barrel mechanism 20 does not have a barrel case, and the barrel tank 50 is fixed so as to be rotatable integrally with the rotation axis 23. In addition, a pair of side plates 45 are directly attached to the barrel body 51 of the barrel tank 50.

[0071] In this embodiment, the barrel cover 52 is fixed to the barrel body 51 by attaching the fixing member 60 to the side plate 45 which is attached to the barrel body 51. The method of fixing the barrel cover 52 to the barrel body 51 using the fixing member 60 has already been explained with reference to Figure 4.

[0072] In the embodiment described above, even when the centrifugal barrel polishing machine 100 does not have a barrel case, the same effects as the present invention can be achieved.

[0073] (Other embodiments) The technologies disclosed herein are not limited to the embodiments described above and can be modified in various forms without departing from their essence, for example, the following modifications are possible. In the above-described embodiment, the centrifugal barrel polishing machine 100 rotated the orbital axis 21 and the rotational axis 23, respectively, using a single motor 24. Alternatively, the centrifugal barrel polishing machine 100 may be equipped with separate motors for rotating the orbital axis 21 and for rotating the rotational axis 23. In the embodiment described above, the bottom surface of the barrel case 40 was at a horizontal angle (i.e., parallel to the first direction D1 and the second direction D2), but the bottom surface of the barrel case 40 may be tilted by a predetermined angle.

[0074] 10...Control unit, 15...Distance measurement sensor, 21...Orbital axis, 22...Turret, 23...Rotation axis, 40...Barrel case, 50...Barrel tank, 60...Fixing member

Claims

1. A turret that is driven to rotate around an orbital axis extending horizontally, The turret includes a barrel case that is driven to rotate around a rotation axis that extends horizontally from a position eccentric to the orbital axis, A barrel tank housed in the aforementioned barrel case, A fixing member that changes between a fixing mode for fixing the barrel tank to the barrel case and a release mode for releasing the barrel tank from the barrel case, A distance measuring unit is positioned with a measurement direction aligned substantially horizontally to a detection area located on the orbital path of the barrel tank centered on the orbital axis, It comprises a control unit and, The fixing member has a part to be measured whose position is displaced between the fixed state and the released state, When the unit being measured changes from the fixed state to the released state, it is displaced from the measurement direction of the distance measuring unit in a direction intersecting the measurement direction. The control unit determines whether a fixed distance, which indicates the horizontal distance to the part to be measured, has been measured by the distance measuring unit when the barrel tank is located in the detection area, and if the fixed distance has not been measured, it does not permit the rotation of the turret, characterized in that the control unit

2. A turret that is driven to rotate around an orbital axis extending horizontally, A barrel tank having a barrel body and a barrel cover, which is rotated around a rotation axis extending horizontally from a position eccentric to the orbital axis of the turret, A fixing member that changes between a fixing mode for fixing the barrel cover to the barrel body and a release mode for releasing the barrel cover from the barrel body, A distance measuring unit is positioned with a measurement direction aligned substantially horizontally to a detection area located on the orbital path of the barrel tank centered on the orbital axis, It comprises a control unit and, The fixing member has a part to be measured whose position is displaced between the fixed state and the released state, When the unit being measured changes from the fixed state to the released state, it is displaced from the measurement direction of the distance measuring unit in a direction intersecting the measurement direction. The control unit determines whether a fixed distance, which indicates the horizontal distance to the part to be measured, has been measured by the distance measuring unit when the barrel tank is located in the detection area, and if the fixed distance has not been measured, it does not permit the rotation of the turret, characterized in that the control unit

3. The distance measuring unit measures the distance to an object by irradiating it with measuring light along the measurement direction and receiving the measuring light reflected from an object located in the measurement direction. The centrifugal barrel polishing machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that when the barrel tank is located in the detection area, the only object in the detection area capable of reflecting measurement light at the fixed distance is the part to be measured.

4. The turret extends radially around the orbital axis and has an inner surface facing the direction in which the orbital axis extends, and an outer surface facing the opposite direction from the inner surface in the direction in which the orbital axis extends. The barrel tank is located on the inner side of the turret, The centrifugal barrel polishing machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the distance measuring unit is mounted on the outer side of the turret in the direction in which the orbital axis extends.

5. It is equipped with a rotation mechanism that transmits the rotational driving force of a rotational drive source to enable the rotation of the rotation axis, The centrifugal barrel polishing machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the rotation mechanism includes gear members, timing belt members, and chain members.

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