Processing equipment

Abstract

To make dirt less likely to accumulate near a spindle and achieve simplification of device assembly work.SOLUTION: A processing device includes: a spindle 212; a mount fixed to a tip of the spindle 212; and a processing tool fixed to the mount. The processing device includes a block 50 which is disposed adjacent to a spindle housing 211 of the spindle 212 and formed with a plurality of through holes 53. The through holes 53 serve as supply passages 501, 502, 503 for supplying at least one of fluid, light, and electric current.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a processing apparatus that processes a workpiece using a processing tool.

Background Art

[0002] In a processing apparatus, fluid supply nozzles that supply fluid to the processing point, cables that supply electric current to sensors that detect breakage of the processing tool, optical fibers, and the like are installed along the side surface of the spindle. Patent Document 1 discloses a cutting apparatus in which a part of an air blow pipe is formed inside the spindle, and a cutting water supply tube connected to the air blow pipe inside the spindle and the air blow pipe protrude from a blade cover.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the conventional art, tubes and fibers installed near the processing tool accumulate contaminants such as grinding debris and grinding water, which poses a problem of troublesome cleaning. In addition, the conventional art has another problem that when assembling tubes and fibers near the processing tool, the piping work in a narrow space takes a long time.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object thereof is to provide a processing apparatus in which dirt hardly accumulates in the vicinity of the spindle and the apparatus assembly work can be simplified.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, a processing apparatus of the present invention comprises a spindle, A spindle housing that rotatably supports the spindle and exposes the tip of the spindle from the tip side,A machining apparatus comprising a mount fixed to the tip of the spindle and a machining tool fixed to the mount, Spindle housing It comprises a block positioned adjacent to it, with a plurality of through holes formed therein, the through holes allowing at least one of fluid, light, or electric current to pass through. Near the machining tool supply for supply route Furthermore, the end of each of the multiple through holes that is exposed is located on the tip side of the spindle housing. It is characterized by the following.

[0007] In the processing apparatus, the multiple through holes may have at least one of a pipe, cable, or optical fiber inserted into them.

[0008] In the processing apparatus, the plurality of through holes may be at least one of either a fluid channel through which the fluid is supplied or an optical path through which the light is supplied.

[0009] In the aforementioned processing apparatus, the processing tool is a cutting blade, and the processing apparatus further comprises a supply nozzle that supplies at least one of the fluid, which is a cutting fluid or air, to the processing point, and at least one of the cutting fluid or air may be supplied through the through hole.

[0010] In the aforementioned processing apparatus, the processing apparatus further comprises a cover that surrounds a portion of the cutting blade and to which the supply nozzle is fixed, and the cover may include a second through-hole, one end of which is connected to the through-hole of the block and the other end of which is connected to the supply nozzle. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] The processing apparatus of the present invention has the effect of facilitating cleaning of the area around the processing tool and simplifying the assembly of the apparatus. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a processing apparatus according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the machining unit shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a partial perspective view illustrating the block of the processing apparatus shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a partial perspective view illustrating a block with a cover attached. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a schematic side view illustrating an example of the supply route for the block and cover shown in Figure 4. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the relationship between the block and piping shown in Figure 4. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a block in a processing apparatus according to Embodiment 2. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the contents described below in the embodiments. Furthermore, the components described below include those that can be easily imagined by those skilled in the art, and those that are substantially the same. Furthermore, the configurations described below can be combined as appropriate. In addition, various omissions, substitutions, or modifications of the configurations can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0014] In the embodiments described below, an XYZ Cartesian coordinate system is established, and the positional relationships of each part are explained with reference to this XYZ Cartesian coordinate system. One direction in the horizontal plane is defined as the X-axis direction, the direction perpendicular to the X-axis direction in the horizontal plane is defined as the Y-axis direction, and the directions perpendicular to both the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction are defined as the Z-axis direction. The XY plane, which includes the X and Y axes, is parallel to the horizontal plane. The Z-axis direction, which is perpendicular to the XY plane, is the vertical direction.

[0015] [Embodiment 1] A processing apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the processing apparatus according to Embodiment 1. Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the processing unit shown in Figure 1.

[0016] As shown in Figure 1, the processing apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1 is an apparatus that performs arbitrary processing on a workpiece 100 that is a processing target. In other words, the processing apparatus 1 is, for example, a processing apparatus that performs processing on the workpiece 100. The workpiece 100 includes, for example, a semiconductor wafer or optical device wafer formed by shaping silicon, sapphire, gallium arsenide or the like into a disk shape.

[0017] In the example shown in Figure 1, the processing apparatus 1 is a processing apparatus that performs cutting on the workpiece 100. The processing apparatus 1 includes a holding table 10, a processing unit 20, and a control unit 30. The control unit 30 is electrically connected to the holding table 10 and the processing unit 20.

[0018] The holding table 10 has a holding surface 11 that holds the workpiece 100. The holding surface 11 holds the back surface side of the workpiece 100. The holding table 10 is in communication with a suction source (not shown), and suction-holds the workpiece 100 by negative pressure supplied from the suction source. The holding table 10 holds the workpiece 100 in a state of being in contact with the back surface of the workpiece 100. The holding table 10 is movable along the X-axis direction by an X-axis moving unit 41 to be described later, and is rotatable around the Z-axis by a rotation drive source (not shown). The holding table 10 is, for example, a chuck table. The holding table 10 is provided with a plurality of (two in Embodiment 1) clamps that clamp the workpiece 100. The X-axis moving unit 41 is composed of, for example, a ball screw, a pulse motor, and the like.

[0019] The processing unit 20 processes the workpiece 100 held on the holding table 10. That is, the processing unit 20 is an example of a processing unit that performs processing on the workpiece 100 held on the holding table 10. The processing unit 20 is movable along the Y-axis direction by a Y-axis moving unit 42, and is movable along the Z-axis direction by a Z-axis moving unit 43. The Y-axis moving unit 42 moves the processing unit 20 in the Y-axis direction relative to the holding surface 11 of the holding table 10. The Z-axis moving unit 43 moves the processing unit 20 in the Z-axis direction. The Y-axis moving unit 42 and the Z-axis moving unit 43 are composed of, for example, a ball screw, a nut, a pulse motor, and the like.

[0020] In this embodiment, the machining unit 20 is a cutting unit that cuts a workpiece 100 held on the holding surface 11 of the holding table 10, for example. As shown in Figure 2, the machining unit 20 comprises a spindle unit 21, a mount 22, and a machining tool 23.

[0021] The spindle unit 21 includes a spindle housing 211 and a spindle 212. Spindle 212 The spindle unit 21 is rotatable around an axis parallel to the Y direction and rotates around the axis by a motor (not shown) connected to the base end of the spindle unit 21. The spindle housing 211 allows the tip of the spindle 212 to be exposed and accommodates the portion excluding the tip, through which the spindle 212 is inserted. The spindle housing 211 supports the spindle 212 so that it can rotate around its axis.

[0022] Mount 22 is fixed to the tip of the spindle 212 and the machining tool 23 is mounted on it. Mount 22 has a fixing flange 220, a nut 230, and a screw 240. The fixing flange 220 includes a fixing flange 221, a nut 222, and a screw 223. The fixing flange 221 has a cylindrical boss portion 224 extending in the front-rear direction (Y direction shown in Figure 2), a disc-shaped flange portion 225 integrally formed protruding radially outward from the rear side of the boss portion 224, and a cylindrical portion 226 integrally formed protruding further rearward from the flange portion 225. The fixing flange 221 has the boss portion 224, the flange portion 225, and the cylindrical portion 226, whose respective central axes overlap each other and are arranged along the Y direction.

[0023] The fixed flange 221 has mounting holes 227 formed on its inside, extending across the boss portion 224, flange portion 225, and cylindrical portion 226, which fit snugly onto the outer circumference of the tip of the spindle unit 21. The fixed flange 221 is secured to the tip of the spindle unit 21 by inserting screws 223 into the mounting holes 227 and screwing them into screw holes 213 formed at the tip of the spindle unit 21 and tightening them.

[0024] The machining tool 23 is secured to the tip of the spindle unit 21 by being clamped between the flange portion 225 of the fixed flange 221 and the nut 222 along the axial direction. This is achieved when the boss portion 224 of the fixed flange 221 is inserted from the rear into the mounting hole 234 of the circular base 231, and the screw groove formed on the inner circumference of the mounting hole formed in the center of the nut 222 is screwed into the screw groove formed on the tip of the outer circumference 228 of the boss portion 224 on which the machining tool 23 is mounted, and tightened.

[0025] In this embodiment, the machining tool 23 is a cutting blade. The machining tool 23 is, for example, a so-called hub blade and includes a disc-shaped circular base 231 with a mounting hole 233 formed in the center, and an annular cutting edge portion 232 formed on the outer edge of the circular base 231 and protruding from the outer edge of the circular base 231. The machining tool 23 is mounted on the tip of the spindle unit 21 through the mounting hole 233 and is rotated by the spindle 212, which is the axis of rotation, to cut the workpiece 100. The circular base 231 is made of a metal such as an aluminum alloy. The cutting edge portion 232 is made of abrasive grains such as diamond or CBN (Cubic Boron Nitride) and a bonding material (binder) such as metal or resin, and is formed to a predetermined thickness.

[0026] Figure 3 is a partial perspective view illustrating the block of the processing apparatus 1 shown in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 3, the processing apparatus 1 further comprises a block 50 positioned adjacent to the spindle unit 21 and having a plurality of through holes 53 formed therein. The block 50 is a manifold block housing the plurality of through holes 53 and is configured as a substantially box-shaped unit that can be mounted outside the spindle unit 21 so as to be integrated with the spindle unit 21. In this embodiment, the processing apparatus 1 is described in a case where six through holes 53 are formed in the block 50, but the number of through holes 53 is not limited to this.

[0027] The block 50 includes a substantially cubic first housing 51 that extends in the front-to-back direction (Y-axis direction) of the spindle housing 211 of the spindle unit 21, and a second housing 52 that protrudes from the first housing 51 in the height direction (Z-axis direction). The block 50 is formed integrally from a material such as metal or synthetic resin, with the first housing 51 and the second housing 52 being the same.

[0028] The first housing 51 is mounted on the outside of the spindle housing 211. The first housing 51 has one end 531 of each of the multiple through holes 53 formed inside exposed at the end 511, and the end 511 and the end face of the spindle housing 211 are on the same continuous surface. The contact surface 512 of the first housing 51 with the spindle housing 211 is shaped to be able to abut against the outer circumferential surface of the spindle housing 211. The upper surface 54 of the first housing 51 is on the same continuous surface as the upper surface of the fixed spindle housing 211.

[0029] The second housing 52 is formed in a cube shape that extends in the height direction. The second housing 52 has multiple through holes 53 formed inside so as to communicate with the through holes 53 of the first housing 51. The second housing 52 exposes the other end 532 of each of the multiple through holes 53 formed inside to the upper end 521.

[0030] Block 50 has multiple through holes 53, each of which is formed across the first housing 51 and the second housing 52, forming a supply path capable of supplying at least one of fluid, light, or electric current. Block 50 has a cross-sectional shape that allows a supply member such as a cable, pipe, or optical fiber to be inserted from the other end 532 of the through hole 53 to the one end 531. In this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the through hole 53 is circular, but it may also be an ellipse, square, polygon, triangle, or other shape. Block 50 forms a supply path that allows at least one of fluid, light, or electric current to be supplied to a destination via a supply member such as a cable, pipe, or optical fiber inserted from the other end 532 of the through hole 53 to the one end 531. Block 50 protects the supply member by housing it so that it is not exposed. As a result, the processing apparatus 1 can easily clean the supply member because dirt from processing by the processing unit 20 is less likely to accumulate on it.

[0031] In the example shown in Figure 3, the block 50 is described as having three through-holes 53 which are supply passages 501, 502, and 503. That is, the block 50 has supply passages assigned to three of the eight through-holes 53. Supply passage 501 supplies cutting fluid to the cutting fluid supply nozzle 62, which will be described later. Supply passage 502 supplies cleaning fluid to the cleaning fluid supply nozzle 63, which will be described later. Supply passage 503 supplies air to the third supply nozzle 64, which will be described later. By having multiple through-holes 53, the block 50 can accommodate multiple different types of supply passages.

[0032] Figure 4 is a partial perspective view illustrating block 50 with cover 60 attached. Figure 5 is a schematic side view illustrating an example of the supply route for block 50 and cover 60 shown in Figure 4. Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the relationship between block 50 and piping 400 shown in Figure 4.

[0033] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the machining apparatus 1 further comprises a cover 60 that is mounted on the machining unit 20 and the block 50. The cover 60 is mounted on the tip surfaces of the spindle unit 21 and the block 50. The cover 60 has a blade cover 61, a cutting fluid supply nozzle 62, and two cleaning fluid supply nozzles 63. The cutting fluid supply nozzle 62 and the two cleaning fluid supply nozzles 63 are examples of supply nozzles.

[0034] The blade cover 61 is a cover member capable of covering at least the upper part of the machining tool 23 of the spindle unit 21. The blade cover 61 is fixed to the tip surface of the spindle unit 21. The cutting fluid supply nozzle 62 is mounted on the blade cover 61 and supplies cutting fluid 410 from its nozzle 621 to the machining point 200 where the workpiece 100 is being machined by the machining tool 23 (cutting blade). Two cleaning fluid supply nozzles 63 are mounted on the blade cover 61 and connected by a connecting part 631. The cleaning fluid supply nozzles 63 supply cleaning fluid from multiple nozzles 632 to the cutting edge portion 232 while the workpiece 100 is being machined by the machining tool 23. The two cleaning fluid supply nozzles 63 supply cleaning fluid to different sides of the cutting edge portion 232.

[0035] As shown in Figure 5, the cover 60 has a plurality of second through holes 65, one end of which communicates with the through hole 53 of the block 50, and the other end of which communicates with the cutting fluid supply nozzle 62 and two cleaning fluid supply nozzles 63. In the example shown in Figure 5, the plurality of second through holes 65 include a second through hole 65-1 and two second through holes 65-2. In the following description, if the second through holes 65-1 and 65-2 are not distinguished, they will be referred to as "second through hole 65".

[0036] The second through-hole 65-1 is formed inside the blade cover 61 and the cutting fluid supply nozzle 62 so as to communicate with the through-hole 53 that supplies the cutting fluid 410 among the multiple through-holes 53 of the block 50, and also communicates with the cutting fluid supply nozzle 62. The second through-hole 65-1 houses a pipe 400, one end of which is connected to a supply source that supplies the cutting fluid 410, and the other end of which communicates with the nozzle 621 of the cutting fluid supply nozzle 62. The pipe 400 housed in the second through-hole 65-1 supplies the cutting fluid 410 from the supply source to the nozzle 621 of the cutting fluid supply nozzle 62, thereby causing the cutting fluid 410 to be ejected from the nozzle 621. The processing apparatus 1 forms the supply passage 501 shown in Figures 3 and 4 by connecting the second through-hole 65-1 and the through-hole 53.

[0037] Each of the two second through-holes 65-2 is formed inside the blade cover 61 and the cleaning fluid supply nozzle 63 so as to communicate with two different through-holes 53 in the block 50 that supply cleaning fluid, and also communicate with the cleaning fluid supply nozzle 63. Each of the two second through-holes 65-2 houses a pipe 400, one end of which is connected to a supply source that supplies cleaning fluid, and the other end of which communicates with multiple nozzles 632 of the cleaning fluid supply nozzle 63. The pipe 400 housed in the second through-holes 65-2 supplies cleaning fluid from the supply source to the multiple nozzles 632 of the cleaning fluid supply nozzle 63, thereby causing the cleaning fluid to be sprayed from the multiple nozzles 632. The processing apparatus 1 forms the supply passage 502 shown in Figures 3 and 4 by connecting the second through-holes 65-2 and the through-holes 53.

[0038] As shown in Figure 4, the cover 60 of the processing apparatus 1 is further equipped with a third supply nozzle 64. The third supply nozzle 64 is an air nozzle that blows air onto the workpiece 100. The third supply nozzle 64 is mounted on the blade cover 61 and supplies air to the workpiece 100 while the workpiece 100 is being processed by the processing tool 23. The third supply nozzle 64 communicates with the through holes 53 that supply air among the multiple through holes 53 of the block 50 and protrudes from the blade cover 61 so that it can supply air to the workpiece 100. The third supply nozzle 64 is configured to spray air supplied from the supply source via the block 50 from its tip. The processing apparatus 1 forms the supply passage 503 shown in Figures 3 and 4 by the communication between the through holes 53 and the third supply nozzle 64.

[0039] As shown in Figure 6, block 50 of the processing apparatus 1 has a pipe 400 inserted into one through-hole 53 for the cutting fluid supply nozzle 62, with one end communicating with the cutting fluid supply nozzle 62 and the other end communicating with the first supply source 2100. Block 50 also has a pipe 400 inserted into one through-hole 53 for the cleaning fluid supply nozzle 63, with one end communicating with the cleaning fluid supply nozzle 63 and the other end communicating with the second supply source 2200. Block 50 also has a pipe 400 inserted into one through-hole 53 for the third supply nozzle 64, with one end communicating with the third supply nozzle 64 and the other end communicating with the third supply source 2300. Of the multiple through-holes 53 in block 50, no pipe 400 is inserted into the through-holes 53 that are not assigned a supply destination. The block 50 is attached to the outer surface of the processing unit 20, and a cover 60 is attached to its tip, allowing the piping 400 to be housed inside and connected to the supply destination. Since the block 50 houses and conceals multiple pipes 400, the processing device 1 does not expose multiple pipes 400, thus improving the cleanliness and appearance of the processing device 1. Furthermore, the appearance of the processing device 1 can be further improved by forming the block 50 into a box shape and surface-treating it.

[0040] In Embodiment 1, the processing apparatus 1 is configured such that the block 50 is mounted on the processing unit 20, and the cover 60 is attached to the front of both the processing unit 20 and the block 50 such that the through hole 53 of the block 50 communicates with the second through hole 65 of the cover 60. The processing apparatus 1 can be simplified by having a structure that allows the through hole 53 of the block 50 to engage with the second through hole 65 of the cover 60.

[0041] Furthermore, the multiple through-holes 53 in the block 50 can accommodate multiple types of processing units 20 by appropriately assigning the supply destinations according to the direction of the piping 400 to the supply destination, the structure of the connecting members, etc. In this way, the processing device 1 can diversify the processing units 20 by including the block 50. In addition, the block 50 may be configured so that the number of supply destinations matches the number of multiple through-holes 53.

[0042] The control unit 30 shown in Figure 1 comprises a processing unit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a storage device such as ROM (Read Only Memory) or RAM (Random Access Memory), and an input / output interface device. The control unit 30 is a computer that uses this device to execute programs for controlling each of the above-mentioned components in accordance with a series of machining processes performed by the machining apparatus 1.

[0043] The control unit 30 controls the various mechanisms that drive the machining apparatus 1 (X-axis moving means 41, Y-axis moving means 42, Z-axis moving means 43), the machining unit 20, etc. The control unit 30 controls each part of the machining apparatus 1 and realizes the machining process performed by the machining apparatus 1. For example, by executing a program, the control unit 30 controls each part of the machining apparatus 1, including the holding table 10 and the machining unit 20, and realizes the machining process of the workpiece 100. By controlling the machining unit 20, the control unit 30 performs a process of cutting the workpiece 100 using a liquid while the workpiece 100 is held on the holding surface 11 of the holding table 10. The control unit 30 positions the machining tool 23 on the outer circumference of the workpiece 100 that is exposed from the holding surface 11, and while supplying the cutting fluid 410 to the workpiece 100, moves the holding table 10 and the machining tool 23 relative to each other to perform a process of removing the outer circumference of the workpiece 100.

[0044] The processing device 1 controls the processing position of the workpiece 100 held on the holding table 10 by moving the holding table 10 and the processing unit 20 relative to each other using the X-axis moving means 41, the Y-axis moving means 42, and the Z-axis moving means 43. With the workpiece 100 held on the holding surface 11 of the holding table 10, the processing device 1 cuts the workpiece 100 with the processing tool 23 while supplying liquid to the cutting area.

[0045] The processing unit 20 provided by the processing device 1 is not limited to a cutting unit that cuts the workpiece 100 with a cutting blade. For example, the processing unit 20 may be a grinding unit that grinds the same workpiece 100 with a grinding wheel or the like, a polishing unit that polishes the same workpiece 100 with a polishing pad or the like, or a laser processing unit that laser processes the same workpiece 100 by irradiating it with a laser beam.

[0046] Next, an example of the operation of the processing apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1 will be described. For example, when the processing apparatus 1 processes a workpiece 100 with the processing unit 20, it controls the supply of cutting fluid 410 from the first supply source 2100 to the cutting fluid supply nozzle 62, and supplies the cutting fluid 410 from the cutting fluid supply nozzle 62 to the processing point 200 where the workpiece 100 is processed through the through hole 53 of the block 50. The processing apparatus 1 then controls the supply of cleaning fluid from the second supply source 2200 to the cleaning fluid supply nozzle 63, and supplies the cleaning fluid from the cleaning fluid supply nozzle 63 to the cutting edge portion 232 of the processing unit 20 through the through hole 53 of the block 50. The processing apparatus 1 then controls the supply of air from the third supply source 2300 to the third supply nozzle 64, and supplies air from the third supply nozzle 64 to the workpiece 100 through the through hole 53 of the block 50.

[0047] As described above, since the processing device 1 has multiple pipes 400 housed inside the block 50 and cover 60, even if it is installed near the processing tool 23, dirt from contamination such as grinding chips and grinding water is less likely to accumulate. Even if contamination adheres to the block 50 of the processing device 1, maintenance work can be simplified as only the surface of the block 50 needs to be cleaned. Furthermore, since the processing device 1 can be assembled to the processing unit 20 with the pipes 400 inserted into the through holes 53 of the block 50, the effort required for assembly can be reduced. In addition, since the block 50 of the processing device 1 has multiple through holes 53, if the device can use multiple types of processing units 20 interchangeably, it can be handled by changing the block 50, thereby improving the work efficiency in processing. Furthermore, by forming the block 50 of the processing device 1 into simple shapes such as a box shape, triangular prism shape, or cylindrical shape, the appearance of the device can be improved and the efficiency of cleaning can be improved. Furthermore, by making the surface of the block 50 of the processing device 1 flat, the removal of dirt and cleaning can be made even easier.

[0048] In Embodiment 1, the block 50 is described as comprising a first housing 51 and a second housing 52, but it is not limited to this. For example, the block 50 may be configured to comprise either the first housing 51 or the second housing 52, but by providing the second housing 52, it becomes possible to perform operations such as wiring from above in the Z-axis direction of the processing device 1.

[0049] [Embodiment 2] In Embodiment 1 described above, the processing apparatus 1 was described in a case where a pipe 400 is inserted into the through hole 53 of the block 50, but it is also possible to configure it without using the pipe 400. In Embodiment 2, the processing apparatus 1 will be described in a configuration in which the block 50 has a through hole 53 into which the pipe 400 is not inserted. The processing apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 2 has the same configuration as in Embodiment 1, but the way the through hole 53 of the block 50 is used is different. In Embodiment 2, the same reference numerals are used for parts with the same structure, and their description is omitted.

[0050] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of block 50 of the processing apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 2. In the example shown in Figure 7, the processing apparatus 1 comprises the control unit 30 described above, block 50, cover 60, and detection unit 70. Figure 7 shows only the configurations necessary for explaining other embodiments, and omits other configurations.

[0051] The cover 60 is fixed to the spindle housing 211, which rotatably supports the spindle 212, and is positioned to surround a portion of the cutting edge 232 of the machining tool 23, which is a cutting blade.

[0052] The detection unit 70 detects the position of the cutting edge 232 during cutting of the workpiece 100 and measures the amount of wear on the cutting edge 232. The detection unit 70 comprises a light-emitting unit 71 and a light-receiving unit 72 provided on the cover 60, and a light source 73 and a detector 74 provided outside the cover 60. The light-emitting unit 71 and the light source 73 are configured such that light from the light source 73 is transmitted to the light-emitting unit 71 through the through hole 53 of the block 50. The light-receiving unit 72 and the detector 74 are configured such that light received by the light-emitting unit 71 is transmitted to the detector 74 through the through hole 53 of the block 50.

[0053] The light-emitting unit 71 and the light-receiving unit 72 are positioned inside the cover 60, with a gap between them that allows the cutting edge 232 to enter without contact. The light-emitting unit 71 is provided in the cover 60 so as to be able to emit light from the light source 73 onto the cutting edge 232. The light-receiving unit 72 is provided in the cover 60 so as to face the light-emitting unit 71, and so as to allow the cutting edge 232 being cut to be positioned between it and the light-receiving unit 71. When the cutting edge 232 is not present between the light-emitting unit 71 and the light-receiving unit 72, the light-receiving unit 72 receives the light emitted by the light-emitting unit 71. When the cutting edge 232 is present between the light-emitting unit 71 and the light-receiving unit 72, the light-receiving unit 72 receives light corresponding to the amount of wear on the cutting edge 232.

[0054] The light source 73 has a light-emitting element and is positioned inside the processing apparatus 1 so that the light emitted under the control of the control unit 30 is directed directly towards the through-hole 53 of the block 50. The detector 74 has a light-receiving element and is positioned inside the processing apparatus 1 so as to receive the light transmitted through the through-hole 53 of the block 50 and emitted from the through-hole 53. In this embodiment, the light source 73 and the detector 74 are positioned facing the end of the through-hole 53 of the block 50. During processing of the workpiece 100, the relative distance between the rotation axis of the processing tool 23 and the light-emitting unit 71 and light-receiving unit 72 does not change, so the detector 74 can detect the amount of wear on the cutting edge 232 in real time. The detector 74 supplies sensor information indicating the detected amount of wear to the control unit 30.

[0055] Block 50 is a manifold block housing multiple through holes 53, and is configured as a unit that can be mounted outside the spindle unit 21 so as to be integrated with the spindle unit 21. Block 50 has two through holes 53 which are optical paths through which light is supplied. In the example shown in Figure 7, the processing apparatus 1 is described in which two through holes 53 used by the detection unit 70 are shown in block 50, but the number of through holes 53 is not limited to this.

[0056] Block 50 has a substantially cubic third housing 510 that extends in the front-rear direction of the spindle housing 211 of the spindle unit 21. Block 50 is formed of a material such as metal or synthetic resin, which is used to form the third housing 510. The third housing 510 has multiple through holes 53 that serve as supply paths for supplying light, and is formed of a non-transparent material to prevent light transmitted through the multiple through holes 53 from leaking to the outside and interfering with each other. One end of each of the multiple through holes 53 formed inside the third housing 510 is exposed to the end that contacts the cover 60.

[0057] The cover 60 has a blade cover 61. The blade cover 61 is a cover member capable of covering at least the upper part of the processing tool 23 of the spindle unit 21. The blade cover 61 is fixed to the tip surface of the spindle unit 21. The blade cover 61 houses the light-emitting section 71 and the light-receiving section 72 of the detection section 70 so that they face each other. The cover 60 has a second through-hole 65-3 that communicates with the light-emitting section 71 and a second through-hole 65-4 that communicates with the light-receiving section 72. The second through-holes 65-3 and 65-4 are formed in the blade cover 61 so that they can communicate with the corresponding through-holes 53 of the block 50 when the cover 60 and the block 50 are assembled. The second through-hole 65-3 transmits light from the through-hole 53 of the block 50 to the light-emitting section 71. The second through-hole 65-4 transmits light from the light-receiving section 72 to the through-hole 53 of the block 50. In other words, the second through-holes 65-3 and 65-4 communicate with the through-hole 53 of block 50, thereby forming a light supply path.

[0058] Next, an example of the operation of the processing apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 2 will be described. For example, when the processing apparatus 1 processes a workpiece with the processing unit 20, the processing apparatus 1 emits light from the light source 73, and the light from the light source 73 is emitted from the light emitter 71 through the through hole 53 and the second through hole 65-3 of the block 50. If the cutting edge portion 232 of the processing unit 20 is not present between the light emitter 71 and the light receiving unit 72, the processing apparatus 1 has the light receiving unit 72 directly receive the light from the light emitter 71 and transmit the light to the detector 74 through the second through hole 65-4 and the through hole 53 of the block 50. As a result, the processing apparatus 1 detects in the detection unit 70 that the processing tool 23 is not mounted on the spindle unit 21. Furthermore, if the cutting edge portion 232 of the processing unit 20 is located between the light-emitting unit 71 and the light-receiving unit 72, the processing device 1 receives light from the light-emitting unit 71 corresponding to the amount of wear on the cutting edge portion 232, and transmits this light to the detector 74 through the second through-hole 65-4 and the through-hole 53 of the block 50. As a result, the processing device 1 can detect the amount of wear on the cutting edge portion 232 of the processing tool 23 mounted on the spindle unit 21 in real time using the detection unit 70.

[0059] As a result, the processing apparatus 1 does not require inserting optical fibers into the multiple through-holes 53 of the block 50. Therefore, compared to conventional devices that use optical fibers, the labor required for arranging the optical fibers is eliminated, and the assembly of the device can be simplified. Furthermore, even if the processing apparatus 1 is configured to insert optical fibers into the through-holes 53 of the block 50, the optical fibers can be housed inside the block 50, making it less likely for dirt to accumulate and easier to clean.

[0060] In the processing apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 2, when fluid is supplied through the through hole 53, a waterproof structure or waterproof member can be used at the connection point between the through hole 53 and other members to accommodate the supply of fluid through the through hole 53.

[0061] [Other embodiments] The processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment may be configured such that the block 50 has both through-holes 53 for inserting the piping 400 of Embodiment 1 and through-holes 53 for supplying light, fluid, etc., without inserting the supply member of Embodiment 2.

[0062] The processing apparatus 1 according to the above embodiment may further include a movement detection sensor for detecting the movement of the cover 60, and the wiring of the movement detection sensor may be inserted into a through hole 53 of the block 50 and connected to a control unit 30. The processing apparatus 1 may also be configured to insert a cable for supplying current to a sensor or the like into a through hole 53 of the block 50. The processing apparatus 1 may also be configured to insert an optical fiber for supplying light to a photoelectric sensor or the like into a through hole 53 of the block 50.

[0063] In the above embodiment, the processing apparatus 1 was described as being a cutting apparatus for cutting the workpiece 100, but it is not limited to this. For example, the processing apparatus 1 may be a grinding apparatus, polishing apparatus, plasma etching apparatus, laser beam irradiation apparatus, cutting tool apparatus, or the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0064] 1 Processing equipment 10 Retention Table 11 Holding surface 20 processing units 21 Spindle Unit 22 Mount 23 Processing tools 30 Control Units 41 X-axis movement means 42 Y-axis movement means 43 Z-axis movement means 50 blocks 51 Housing 1 52 Second Housing 53 Through hole 54 Top 60 Cover 61 Blade Cover 62 Cutting fluid supply nozzle 63 Cleaning fluid supply nozzle 64 Third supply nozzle 65 Second through hole 70 Detection unit 71 Light-emitting section 72 Light receiving part 73 Light source 74 detectors 100 Work 211 Spindle Housing 212 spindles 232 Cutting edge 400 piping 410 Cutting fluid 501,502,503 Supply route

Claims

1. Spindle and A spindle housing that rotatably supports the spindle and exposes the tip of the spindle from the tip side, A mount fixed to the tip of the spindle, A machining tool fixed to the mount, A processing apparatus equipped with, It comprises a block positioned adjacent to the spindle housing and having a plurality of through holes formed therein, A machining apparatus characterized in that the through-holes serve as supply channels for supplying at least one of fluid, light, or electric current to the vicinity of the machining tool, and the end of each of the multiple through-holes, with exposed ends, is located on the tip side of the spindle housing.

2. The processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of pipes, cables, or optical fibers is inserted into the plurality of through holes.

3. The processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the plurality of through holes are at least one of either a fluid channel to which the fluid is supplied or an optical path to which the light is supplied.

4. The machining tool is a cutting blade, The machining apparatus further comprises a supply nozzle that supplies at least one of the fluids, namely cutting fluid or air, to the machining point. The processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least one of the cutting fluid or the air is supplied through the through hole.

5. The processing apparatus further comprises a cover that surrounds a portion of the cutting blade and to which the supply nozzle is fixed, The processing apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the cover includes a second through-hole, one end of which is connected to the through-hole of the block and the other end of which is connected to the supply nozzle.

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