Shaft distortion correcting apparatus

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to improve the efficiency of a changeover process of a shaft distortion correcting apparatus.　According to one aspect of the present invention, provided is a shaft distortion correcting apparatus comprising: an anvil that supports a workpiece; a linear guide that supports the anvil so as to be movable in the axial direction of the workpiece; and an anvil moving unit that moves the anvil in the axial direction of the workpiece.

Description

Axial strain correction device

[0001] The present invention relates to an axial distortion correction device.

[0002] Conventional axial distortion correction devices require manual setup processes.

[0003] Conventional axial distortion correction devices have had the problem of requiring a large amount of work in the setup process, resulting in low productivity.

[0004] According to one aspect of the present invention, an axial distortion correction device is provided, which includes an anvil that supports a workpiece, a linear guide that supports the anvil so that the anvil can move in the axial direction of the workpiece, and an anvil moving unit that moves the anvil in the axial direction of the workpiece.

[0005] According to one embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to improve the efficiency of the setup process.

[0006] 1 is a front view of an axial distortion correction device (during long length setting) according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view of an axial distortion correction device (during long length setting) according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a right side view of an axial distortion correction device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a front view of a workpiece driving unit. FIG. 5 is a front view of a roller anvil. FIG. 6 is a right side view of a roller anvil. FIG. 7 is a front view of an encoder unit. FIG. 8 is a view taken along arrow A in FIG. 2. FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a control system of an axial distortion correction device. FIG. 10 is a front view of an axial distortion correction device (during short length setting) according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the procedure of an axial distortion correction process according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the procedure of a setup process according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a plan view of a comparative example (during long length setting). FIG. 14 is a plan view of a comparative example (during short length setting).

[0007] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, identical or corresponding items will be assigned the same or corresponding reference numerals, and duplicate explanations will be omitted. Furthermore, when multiple items with the same reference numerals are displayed in each drawing, not all of the multiple displays will necessarily be assigned the reference numerals, and the assignment of the reference numerals to some of the multiple displays will be omitted as appropriate.

[0008] 1, 2 and 3 are a front view, a plan view and a right side view, respectively, of an axial distortion correcting device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0009] In the following description, the direction from left to right in FIG. 1 (front view) is defined as the X direction (first direction), the direction perpendicular to the paper surface from the front to the back as the Y direction (second direction), and the direction from bottom to top as the Z direction (third direction). The X, Y, and Z directions are three directions that are mutually orthogonal. The X and Y directions are horizontal directions, and the Z direction is vertical. Unless otherwise specified, the X direction will be referred to as the "right," the opposite X direction as the "left," the Y direction as the "back," the opposite Y direction as the "front," the Z direction as the "up," and the opposite Z direction as the "down."

[0010] The axial distortion correction device 1 includes a stand 2, a measuring unit M that measures the runout of the workpiece W, and a correction unit P that supports the workpiece W and bends the workpiece W so that the runout of the workpiece W is eliminated (more precisely, the runout of the workpiece W falls within a predetermined range). The axial distortion correction device 1 of this embodiment measures the runout of the workpiece W at multiple positions in the length direction, and corrects the workpiece W based on the measurement results.

[0011] The gantry 2 includes a top plate 2a and a top plate 2b (lower base plate). In this embodiment, the top plate of the gantry 2 is divided into two, a front top plate 2a and a rear top plate 2b, with the front top plate 2a being positioned one step higher than the rear top plate 2b, forming a step. The main part of the correction unit P is installed on the front top plate 2a, and the main part of the measurement unit M is installed on the rear top plate 2b. The present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the top plates 2a and 2b may be positioned at the same height and integrated (i.e., the top plate of the gantry 2 is made into a single plate material, eliminating the step).

[0012] An upper base plate 3a is attached to the top surface of the top plate 2a, and an upper base plate 3b is attached to the top surface of the top plate 2b.

[0013] The correction unit P includes a workpiece drive unit 30, an encoder unit 40, a pair of left and right movable anvils 20 (20L, 20R) [second anvils], an anvil movement unit 50 (FIGS. 4 and 7), and a press unit 6 (FIG. 1). The anvil movement unit 50 is a means for moving the workpiece drive unit 30, the encoder unit 40, and the movable anvil 20 to predetermined positions in the X direction. The anvil movement unit 50 also includes a pair of linear guides 51 (51f, 51b) extending in the X direction, a pair of left and right first drive units 50D (50DL, 50DR), and a pair of left and right second drive units 60D (60DL, 60DR) (FIG. 2).

[0014] The workpiece W is corrected by supporting both sides of the correction area from below with a pair of movable anvils 20 (20L, 20R) and pressing down the correction area from above with the press head 6a of the press unit 6. The press unit 6 is equipped with a moving device (not shown) that can move and position the press head 6a in the X direction. The moving device of the press unit 6 is, for example, an electric linear actuator that combines a ball screw with a rotary motor, such as a servo motor or stepping motor, that can control the angular position (rotational position).

[0015] The linear guide 51 is a ball circulating linear bearing (linear guideway), but a linear guide with a different mechanism (for example, a sliding guide type or a hydrostatic guide type) may also be used. The linear guide 51 supports the workpiece driving unit 30, the encoder unit 40, and the movable anvil 20 so that they can move with low friction in the X direction.

[0016] The linear guide 51 includes rails 511 and multiple (e.g., six) carriages 512 that can run on the rails 511. The rails 511 of each linear guide 51 are attached to the upper surface of the upper base plate 3a with their length oriented in the X direction ( FIG. 3 ). One or more carriages 512 of each linear guide 51 are attached to the bottom surfaces of the workpiece driving unit 30, the encoder unit 40, and the movable anvils 20L and 20R, respectively. For example, two carriages 512 of each linear guide 51 are attached to each of the workpiece driving unit 30 and the encoder unit 40, and one carriage 512 is attached to each of the movable anvils 20L and 20R. As a result, the workpiece driving unit 30, the encoder unit 40, and the movable anvils 20L and 20R are supported so as to be slidable in the X direction.

[0017] The workpiece drive unit 30 is a unit that supports one end (the left end in FIG. 1 ) of the workpiece W and rotates the workpiece W to hold it at a predetermined angular position (rotational position). The encoder unit 40 is a unit that supports the other end (the right end in FIG. 1 ) of the workpiece W and detects the angular position (directly, the rotation angle) of the workpiece W. The movable anvils 20L and 20R are members that support both sides of the position where the workpiece W is to be corrected.

[0018] The left first drive unit 50DL is a unit that drives the work drive unit 30 in the X direction, and the right first drive unit 50DR is a unit that drives the encoder unit 40 in the X direction. In addition, the left second drive unit 60DL is a unit that drives the left movable anvil 20L in the X direction, and the right second drive unit 60DR is a unit that drives the right movable anvil 20R in the X direction.

[0019] 4 is a front view of the workpiece driving unit 30. The workpiece driving unit 30 includes a base plate 30b, a roller anvil 10 (first anvil), and a driving module 30A. The roller anvil 10 and the driving module 30A are attached to the upper surface of the base plate 30b. A nut 532L that engages with a screw shaft 531L of a ball screw 53L (described later) is attached to the upper surface of the base plate 30b. One or more (e.g., two) carriages 512 of each linear guide 51 are attached to the lower surface of the base plate 30b.

[0020] The roller anvil 10 is a unit that supports the end of the workpiece W from below, and the drive module 30A is a unit that drives the workpiece W supported by the roller anvil 10 to rotate.

[0021] Figures 5 and 6 are a front view and a right side view, respectively, of the roller anvil 10. The roller anvil 10 includes a fixed portion 10f fixed to the base plate 30b, a movable portion 10m movable up and down relative to the fixed portion 10f, and an air cylinder 12 (lifting means) for moving the movable portion 10m up and down. The air cylinder 12 operates in the vertical direction, with a cylinder tube 121 attached to the fixed portion 10f and a piston rod 122 attached to the movable portion 10m. By operating the air cylinder 12 and moving the piston rod 122 back and forth, the movable portion 10m moves up and down relative to the fixed portion 10f. The movable portion 10m can be raised and lowered between a locked position L (lower position) and an unlocked position U (upper position), which will be described later. Note that Figure 6 shows the movable portion 10m in the unlocked position U.

[0022] As shown in Figure 6, a replaceable anvil part 13 is provided on the upper part of the fixed part 10f. On the upper surface of the anvil part 13, a support surface 131 is formed, which is a concave curved surface extending in the X direction and cut by a cylindrical surface having substantially the same curvature as the outer peripheral surface of the workpiece W. An anvil part 13 having a support surface 131 with an appropriate curvature is selected and used depending on the outer diameter of the workpiece W.

[0023] The movable part 10m includes a positioning pin 18 shown in Fig. 5, an arm 17 that supports the positioning pin 18, and a pair of roller parts 16 shown in Fig. 6. The positioning pin 18 is disposed facing the X direction at approximately the same height as the workpiece W, and its tip abuts against one end surface of the workpiece W (the left end surface in Fig. 5).

[0024] As shown in FIG. 6, the pair of roller units 16 are arranged side by side in the Y direction with the anvil unit 13 sandwiched therebetween.

[0025] The roller unit 16 includes a frame 161, a shaft 162 supported by the frame 161, and rollers 163 supported by the shaft 162. In this embodiment, the shaft 162 is fixed to the frame 161, and the rollers 163 are rotatably supported on the shaft 162 via a rolling bearing (not shown), but this configuration is not limiting, and it is sufficient that at least one of the shaft 162 and the rollers 163 is rotatably supported on the frame 161 or the shaft 162. The frame 161 is fixed to the piston rod 122 of the air cylinder 12 shown in FIG. 5, and the roller unit 16 moves up and down as the piston rod 122 advances and retreats.

[0026] When the movable part 10m is in the locked position L, the rollers 163 are positioned lower than the cylindrical surface C (i.e., the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece W placed on the support surface 131). Therefore, the workpiece W does not come into contact with the rollers 163 (movable part 10m) and is placed on the support surface 131 of the anvil part 13 (fixed part 10f). At this time, the friction between the workpiece W and the support surface 131 prevents the workpiece W from rotating, and the angular position of the workpiece W is fixed.

[0027] When the piston rod 122 of the air cylinder 12 protrudes and the movable part 10m rises to the unlocked position U, a part of the roller 163 is positioned higher than the cylindrical surface C. As a result, the workpiece W moves away from the support surface 131 of the anvil part 13 (fixed part 10f) and is rotatably supported by the rollers 163 of the pair of roller parts 16.

[0028] As shown in Fig. 4, the drive module 30A includes a frame 31, an air cylinder 32, a motor 33, a shaft 35, and a roller 36. The motor 33 is a rotary motor capable of controlling the angular position (rotational position), such as a servo motor or a stepping motor. As will be described later, the roller 36 comes into contact with the workpiece W and forms a friction wheel together with the workpiece W. The roller 36 is made of a material with a high friction coefficient, such as silicone rubber, so that the rotation of the roller 36 is transmitted to the workpiece W accurately (i.e., with a low slip ratio).

[0029] The frame 31 includes a fixed frame 31 f, a movable frame 31 m, and a hinge pin 31 p. The lower end of the columnar fixed frame 31 f is fixed to the upper surface of the base plate 30 b, and the upper end of the fixed frame 31 f and the lower end of the movable frame 31 m are connected to each other via the hinge pin 31 p extending in the Y direction so as to be rotatable about the hinge pin 31 p (rotation axis).

[0030] The movable frame 31m has a cylindrical portion 311. Bearings 312 are provided at both axial ends of the inner periphery of the cylindrical portion 311. The shaft 35 is inserted into the hollow portion of the cylindrical portion 311 and is rotatably supported by the pair of bearings 312.

[0031] The motor 33 is attached to the movable frame 31 m. A shaft 331 of the motor 33 is connected to a shaft 35 by a coupling 34.

[0032] A roller 36 is attached to the tip (the right end in FIG. 4 ) of the shaft 35 protruding from the cylindrical portion 311. The rotational motion output from the motor 33 is transmitted to the roller 36 via the coupling 34 and the shaft 35, causing the roller 36 to rotate to a predetermined angular position.

[0033] The air cylinder 32 is disposed substantially vertically (i.e., substantially parallel to the fixed frame 31f) on the left side of the fixed frame 31f. The cylinder tube 321 is rotatably connected at its lower end to the base plate 30b via a hinge pin 323 extending in the Y direction. The piston rod 322 is rotatably connected at its upper end to the movable frame 31m via a hinge pin 323 extending in the Y direction. As a result, the drive module 30A rotates around the hinge pin 31p (rotation axis) as the air cylinder 32 operates (the piston rod 322 moves forward and backward).

[0034] The piston rod 322 of the air cylinder 32 can be raised and lowered between an operating position A (upper position) where it protrudes upward and a retracted position S (lower position) where it retracts downward. When the piston rod 322 rises from the retracted position S to the operating position A, the drive module 30A rotates clockwise in FIG. 4 , and the roller 36 descends to contact one end of the workpiece W (the left end in FIG. 4 ). At this time, one end of the workpiece W is gripped by the pair of rollers 163 of the roller anvil 10 and the roller 36 of the drive module 30A. As a result, the roller 36 and the workpiece W form a friction wheel. When the motor 33 is driven to rotate in this state, the rotation of the roller 36 is transmitted to the workpiece W by rolling contact, and the workpiece W rotates by an angle corresponding to the rotation angle of the roller 36. In other words, when the piston rod 322 is in the operating position A, the workpiece drive unit 30 is in an operating mode capable of driving the workpiece W.

[0035] When the piston rod 322 descends from the operating position A to the retracted position S, the drive module 30A rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 4 , and the roller 36 rises and moves away from the workpiece W. When the piston rod 322 descends to the retracted position S, the roller 36 moves further to the left of the left end of the workpiece W. This makes it possible to lift the workpiece W directly upward and remove it from the roller anvil 10 (and also to lower the workpiece W from directly above and attach it to the roller anvil 10) without interference from the roller 36. In other words, when the piston rod 322 is in the retracted position S, the workpiece drive unit 30 is in a standby mode that allows the attachment and detachment of the workpiece W.

[0036] 7 is a front view of the encoder unit 40. The encoder unit 40 includes a base plate 40b, a roller anvil 10, and an encoder module 40A. The roller anvil 10 and the encoder module 40A are attached to the upper surface of the base plate 40b. A nut 532R that engages with a screw shaft 531R of a ball screw 53R (described later) is attached to the upper surface of the base plate 40b. The encoder unit 40 has the same configuration as the encoder unit 40 except that it includes the encoder module 40A instead of the drive module 30A and that the nut 532R is attached instead of the nut 532L, and therefore a duplicated description will be omitted.

[0037] In addition, the encoder unit 40 has the same configuration as the drive module 30A, except that it has a rotary encoder 43 instead of the motor 33, and a coupling 44 that connects the shaft 431 of the rotary encoder 43 to the shaft 35 instead of the coupling 34, so duplicated explanations will be omitted.

[0038] Furthermore, when the piston rod 322 is in the operating position A, the encoder unit 40 transmits the rotation of the workpiece W to the roller 36 by rolling contact, and then to the shaft 432 of the rotary encoder 43 via the shaft 35 connected to the roller 36 and the coupling 44, thereby entering an operating mode in which the angular position of the workpiece W can be detected by the rotary encoder 43.

[0039] 1 and 2, the first drive unit 50D (50DL, 50DR) includes drive modules 52 (52L, 52R), couplings 522 (522L, 522R), bearings 54 (54L, 54R), bearings 55, and ball screws 53 (53L, 53R). Also, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, the ball screws 53 (53L, 53R) include screw shafts 531 (531L, 531R) that are rotationally driven by the drive modules 52 (52L, 52R) and nuts 532 (532L, 532R) that engage with the screw shafts 531 (531L, 531R).

[0040] The drive module 52L and bearing unit 54L that move the work drive unit 30 are installed on the left end of the top plate 2a of the gantry 2. The drive module 52R and bearing unit 54R that move the encoder unit 40 are installed on the right end of the top plate 2a. The bearing unit 55 is installed in the center of the top plate 2a in the X direction. The bearing unit 55 has a bearing 551L on its left side and a bearing 551R on its right side.

[0041] The screw shaft 531L of the ball screw 53L and the screw shaft 531R of the ball screw 53R are arranged on the same straight line extending in the X direction. Specifically, the screw shaft 531L is arranged on the left side of the bearing portion 55, and the screw shaft 531R is arranged on the right side of the bearing portion 55. The screw shaft 531L of the ball screw 53L is rotatably supported at its tip end (right end) by a bearing 551L of the bearing portion 55, and at its base end (left end) by the bearing portion 54L. The screw shaft 531R of the ball screw 53R is rotatably supported at its tip end (left end) by a bearing 551R of the bearing portion 55, and at its base end (right end) by the bearing portion 54R.

[0042] The drive modules 52 (52L, 52R) include motors 521 (521L, 521R) and couplings 522 (522L, 522R). The motors 521 are rotary motors, such as servo motors or stepping motors, whose angular position (rotational position) can be controlled.

[0043] The couplings 522 (522L, 522R) connect the shaft 521a of the motor 521 (521L, 521R) and the screw shaft 531 (531L, 531R) of the ball screw 53 (53L, 53R). In this specification, one end of the screw shaft 531 connected to the shaft 521a of the motor 521 is referred to as the "base end" or "terminal end," and the other end is referred to as the "tip end."

[0044] 4, the nut 532L of the ball screw 53L is attached to the work driving unit 30. The rotational motion output from the motor 521L is converted into linear motion in the X direction by the ball screw 53L and transmitted to the work driving unit 30. The work driving unit 30 moves to a position in the X direction that corresponds to the angular position of the motor 521L.

[0045] 7, a nut 532R of the ball screw 53R is attached to the encoder unit 40. The rotational motion output from the motor 521R is converted into linear motion in the X direction by the ball screw 53R and transmitted to the encoder unit 40. The encoder unit 40 moves to a position in the X direction that corresponds to the angular position of the motor 521R.

[0046] Fig. 8 is a view seen from the direction of arrow A in Fig. 2. The movable anvil 20 has a height adjustment function that allows the height to be changed in two stages, an upper stage and a lower stage, and the height of the support portion 212c (the upper portion 212U of the movable frame 212, which will be described later) that supports the workpiece W can be changed according to the workpiece W.

[0047] The frame 21 of the movable anvil 20 has a base plate 210, a fixed frame 211, and a movable frame 212. The fixed frame 211 is fixed on the base plate 210. At least one carriage 512 of each of the linear guides 51f, 51b is attached to the lower surface of the base plate 210.

[0048] The fixed frame 211 is formed in a generally box shape with a hollow portion 211a inside. An opening 211b is formed in the top surface of the fixed frame 211. Openings 211c are formed in the lower portions of the front and back surfaces of the fixed frame 211. The fixed frame 211 has a pair of plate-like protrusions 211p that protrude horizontally from the upper ends of the left and right side walls toward the inside (the openings).

[0049] The movable frame 212 has a lower part 212L that is housed in the hollow part 211a of the fixed frame 211, and an upper part 212U that protrudes upward from the hollow part 211a of the fixed frame 211. A support surface 212d is formed on the upper surface of the upper part 212U, which is a concave curved surface extending in the X direction and cut by a cylindrical surface with substantially the same curvature as the outer peripheral surface of the workpiece W. The upper part 212U is replaceably attached to the lower part 212L. The upper part 212U having the support surface 212d with an appropriate curvature is selected and used depending on the outer diameter of the workpiece W to be corrected.

[0050] A notch 212n is formed at each end in the Y direction in the upper part of the lower part 212L of the movable frame 212. A compression spring 214 is housed in the space surrounded by the notch 212n of the movable frame 212 and the protrusion 211p of the fixed frame 211.

[0051] A bottom surface 212a, which is a horizontal plane, is formed in the center in the Y direction at the lower end of the lower portion 212L of the movable frame 212. Sloped surfaces 212b connecting to the bottom surface 212a are formed on both sides of the bottom surface 212a in the Y direction. The sloped surfaces 212b are inclined with respect to the bottom surface 212a and are planes perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIG. 8 (i.e., the YZ plane).

[0052] The movable anvil 20 includes an elevation drive unit 22 that drives the movable frame 212 up and down. The elevation drive unit 22 includes an air cylinder 221 and a wedge 222. A cylinder tube 221a of the air cylinder 221 is fixed to the fixed frame 211. The tip of a piston rod 221b is inserted into the hollow portion 211a through an opening 211c of the fixed frame 211. A wedge 222 is replaceably attached to the tip of the piston rod 221b. The air cylinder 221 is attached with its operating direction facing the Y direction, and the wedge 222 moves in the Y direction by advancing and retracting the piston rod 221b.

[0053] A lower flat surface 222a, a sloped surface 222b, and an upper flat surface 222c are formed on the upper surface of the wedge 222. The lower flat surface 222a and the upper flat surface 222c are all horizontal surfaces, and the upper flat surface 222c is formed at a higher position than the lower flat surface 222a. The sloped surface 222b is a plane that connects the lower flat surface 222a and the upper flat surface 222c and is parallel to the sloped surface 212b of the movable frame 212.

[0054] When the piston rod 221b is retracted, the bottom surface 212a of the movable frame 212 rests on the lower flat surface 222a of the wedge 222. At this time, the movable frame 212 is disposed in a low position (lower stage).

[0055] When the piston rod 221b is pushed out, the inclined surface 212b of the movable frame 212 comes into contact with the inclined surface 222b of the wedge 222. When the piston rod 221b is pushed out further, the movable frame 212 is guided by the inclined surface 222b and rises. When the lower end of the inclined surface 212b of the movable frame 212 passes the upper end of the inclined surface 222b of the wedge 222, the bottom surface 212a of the movable frame 212 rests on the upper flat surface 222c of the wedge 222. At this time, the movable frame 212 is positioned in a high position (upper stage).

[0056] The compression spring 214 presses the movable frame 212 against the wedge 222 with an appropriate load, thereby enabling the movable frame 212 to be accurately positioned at a predetermined height.

[0057] 1 and 2, the second drive unit 60D (60DL, 60DR) includes drive modules 62 (62L, 62R), bearings 64 (64L, 64R), bearings 65 (65L, 65R), and ball screws 63 (63L, 63R). The ball screws 63 (63L, 63R) include screw shafts 631 (631L, 631R) that are rotationally driven by the drive modules 62 (62L, 62R), and nuts 632 (632L, 632R) that engage with the screw shafts 631 (631L, 631R).

[0058] The drive module 62L that moves the left movable anvil 20L is installed at a position near the left end on the top plate 2a of the gantry 2. The drive module 62R that moves the right movable anvil 20R is installed at a position near the right end on the top plate 2a.

[0059] The drive module 62 (62L, 62R) includes a motor 621 (621L, 621R) and a coupling 622 (622L, 622R). The motor 621 is, for example, a rotary motor such as a servo motor or a stepping motor, whose angular position (rotational position) can be controlled.

[0060] The couplings 622 (622L, 622R) connect the shaft 621a of the motor 621 (621L, 621R) and the screw shafts 631 (631L, 631R) of the ball screws 63 (63L, 63R). In this specification, one end of the screw shaft 631 connected to the shaft 621a of the motor 621 is referred to as the "base end" or "terminal end," and the other end is referred to as the "tip end."

[0061] The screw shafts 631L and 631R are arranged parallel to the X direction with their tips facing opposite directions. In this embodiment, the screw shaft 631R is arranged directly above the screw shaft 631L. The screw shafts 631 (631L, 631R) are rotatably supported at their base ends by bearings 64 (64L, 64R) and at their tips by bearings 65 (65L, 65R). A through-hole through which the screw shaft 631L passes is formed in the lower part of the bearing 65R that supports the tip of the screw shaft 631R.

[0062] The nut 632L of the ball screw 63L is attached to the left movable anvil 20L. The nut 632R of the ball screw 63R is attached to the right movable anvil 20R. The rotational motion output from the motor 621 (621L, 621R) is converted into linear motion in the X direction by the ball screws 63 (63L, 63R) and transmitted to the movable anvils 20 (20L, 20R). The movable anvils 20 (20L, 20R) move to a position in the X direction that corresponds to the angular position of the shaft 621a of the motor 621 (621L, 621R).

[0063] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the measurement unit M includes multiple pairs (e.g., nine pairs) of measurement modules 70 (70A to 70I), a first measurement module moving unit 80, and a pair of second measurement module moving units 90 (90L, 90R). The measurement modules 70 are units that measure the runout of the workpiece W. The first measurement module moving unit 80 is a unit that guides the movement of the measurement modules 70 in the X direction and moves the measurement modules 70 back and forth (in the Y direction) between a measurement position MP and a retracted position SP, which will be described later. The measurement modules 70 are installed on the corresponding first measurement module moving units 80. The second measurement module moving unit 90 is a unit that moves the measurement modules 70A to 70I to predetermined positions in the X direction.

[0064] 8, the first measurement module moving unit 80 includes a base 80b, a pair of linear guides 81, an electric linear actuator 82, and a stopper 83. The pair of linear guides 81 form a measurement module guide unit that guides the movement of the measurement module 70 in the X direction.

[0065] The linear guide 81 is, for example, a ball circulating linear bearing. The linear guide 81 includes a rail 811 that extends in the X direction and is attached to the upper base plate 3b, and a plurality of carriages 812 that can run on the rail 811. The rail 811 is shared by all (or some) of the first measurement module moving units 80. The pair of linear guides 81 are arranged side by side in the Y direction. The carriages 812 of the pair of linear guides 81 are attached to the underside of the base 80b. The base 80b is supported by the pair of linear guides 81 so as to be movable in the X direction with low friction.

[0066] The electric linear actuator 82 is mounted on the base 80b with its operating direction facing the Y direction. The measurement module 70 is mounted on a movable part 821 of the electric linear actuator 82. The electric linear actuator 82 moves the measurement module 70 in the Y direction between a measurement position MP where the workpiece W can be measured, and a retracted position SP located rearward and away from the workpiece W. Note that FIG. 8 shows the measurement module 70 at the retracted position SP. At the measurement position MP, the tip of a measuring element 74, which will be described later, is positioned below the workpiece W.

[0067] A stopper 83 is provided on the base 80b. The stopper 83 includes an air cylinder 831 and a shoe 832. The air cylinder 831 is disposed with a piston rod 831b facing downward, and a cylinder tube 831a is attached to the base 80b. A shoe 832 is attached to the tip of the piston rod 831b. When the air cylinder 831 is operated, the shoe 832 moves up and down together with the piston rod 831b.

[0068] The movable part 83m of the stopper 83 (i.e., the piston rod 831b and the shoe 832) moves up and down between an operating position AQ (lower position) where the shoe 832 moves down and contacts the upper base plate 3b, and a retracted position SQ (upper position) where the shoe 832 moves up and away from the upper base plate 3b. When the movable part 83m is in the operating position AQ, the frictional force generated between the shoe 832 and the upper base plate 3b prevents movement of the measurement module 70, fixing the position of the measurement module 70. When the movable part 83m is in the retracted position SQ, the fixed position of the measurement module 70 is released.

[0069] When the movable part 83m is in the retracted position SQ, no frictional force acts between the shoe 832 and the upper base plate 3b, and since the measurement module 70 is supported by the linear guide 81 so that it can move in the X direction with low friction, the position of the measurement module 70 becomes unstable.

[0070] When measuring the runout of the workpiece W using the measuring module 70, the movable part 83m of the stopper 83 is moved to the operating position AQ to prevent the measuring module 70 from moving during measurement. This improves the measurement accuracy.

[0071] The measurement module 70 includes a main frame 71 , a lever 72 , an arm 73 , a probe 74 , a contact-type displacement sensor 75 , an air cylinder 76 , and a tension coil spring 77 .

[0072] The main frame 71 is mounted on a movable part 821 of the electric linear actuator 82. The main frame 71 includes a base 71b and a bearing module 71s. The base 71b is provided at the lower end of the main frame 71 and fixed to the movable part 821 of the electric linear actuator 82. The bearing module 71s is replaceably provided on the upper part of the main frame 71. A pivot shaft 722 of the lever 72, which will be described later, is rotatably supported by the bearing module 71s.

[0073] The bearing module 71s includes a support block 711, a pair of presser plates 713, and two pairs of pressure members 714. A rectangular groove-shaped recess 711c that penetrates in the Y direction is provided in the center of the upper part of the support block 711 in the X direction. A part of the lever 72 (specifically, the shaft support portion that supports the pivot shaft 722) is housed in the recess 711c. A pair of bearing members 711b are provided on both sides of the recess in the X direction.

[0074] A V-groove 711a extending in the X direction is formed on the upper surface of the support block 711 at the bearing portion 711b. The V-groove 711a supports the pivot shaft 722 of the lever 72. The pivot shaft 722 is sandwiched between the V-groove 711a and a presser plate 713 to prevent the pivot shaft 722 from coming off the V-groove 711a. The presser plate 713 is pressed against the pivot shaft 722 on the V-groove 711a by a pair of pressure members 714.

[0075] The pressure applying unit 714 includes a stud bolt 714a, a compression coil spring 714b, and a nut 714c. The nut 714c is, for example, a flanged hexagonal nut. Threaded holes (not shown) are provided at both ends in the Y direction on the upper surface of the support block 711 in the bearing unit 711b. Furthermore, through-holes (not shown) are provided at both ends in the Y direction of the retainer plate 713. The stud bolt 714a is inserted into the hollow portion of the compression coil spring 714b, and the lower end of the stud bolt 714a is inserted into the threaded hole. Furthermore, the upper end of the stud bolt 714a is passed through the through-hole of the retainer plate 713, and the nut 714c is fitted into it. By screwing the nut 714c onto the stud bolt 714a, the compression coil spring 714b is compressed, and the restoring force of the compression coil spring 714b is applied to the pivot shaft 722 via the retainer plate 713. As a result, the pivot shaft 722 is pressed against the V-groove 711a and is prevented from coming off the V-groove 711a.

[0076] The lever 72 includes a frame 721 and a pivot 722 fixed to the frame 721. The pivot 722, with its center line pointing in the X direction, passes vertically through the center of the frame 721, which extends substantially in the Y direction. The lever 72 is supported by a bearing 711b of the main frame 71 so as to be pivotable about the pivot 722. The lever 72 can pivot between a substantially horizontal measurement position MR and a retracted position SR (shown by a dashed line in FIG. 8 ) inclined so that the front side (the left side in FIG. 8 ) faces downward.

[0077] A tension coil spring 77 is disposed behind the bearing module 71s with its axis facing vertically. The tension coil spring 77 has a lower end fixed to the main frame 71 and an upper end fixed to the rear of the lever 72. The tension coil spring 77 applies a torque to the lever 72 in the clockwise direction in FIG. 8 .

[0078] An air cylinder 76 is disposed behind the bearing module 71s with its piston rod 762 facing upward. The cylinder tube 761 of the air cylinder 76 is fixed to the main frame 71. The tip of the piston rod 762 contacts the underside of the lever 72, and the piston rod 762 supports the rear of the lever 72 from below. The lever 72 rotates as the air cylinder 76 is actuated. Specifically, when the piston rod 762 is retracted, the tension of the tension coil spring 77 pulls down the rear of the lever 72 (i.e., the lever 72 rotates clockwise in FIG. 8 ), moving the lever 72 to the measurement position MR. When the piston rod 762 is pushed out, the piston rod 762 pushes up the rear of the lever 72 (i.e., the lever 72 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 8 ), moving the lever 72 to the retracted position SR.

[0079] A displacement sensor 75 is disposed behind the bearing module 71s with its contactor 752 facing upward. The displacement sensor 75 is, for example, a differential transformer type contact displacement sensor. A sensor head body 751 of the displacement sensor 75 is fixed to the main frame 71. The tip of the contactor 752 contacts the underside of the rear end of the lever 72. The displacement sensor 75 detects the up and down displacement of the rear end of the lever 72. Based on the detection result of the displacement sensor 75, the control unit 9a calculates the runout of the workpiece W.

[0080] An arm 73 extending substantially in the Z direction is attached to the front end of the lever 72. An elongated hole 732 extending vertically is formed in the arm 73. The arm 73 is fixed to the lever 72 by fitting a knob screw 733 passed through the elongated hole 732 into a screw hole provided in the front end of the lever 72. The elongated hole 732 and the knob screw 733 form a height adjustment mechanism 73a, and the height of the arm 73 can be changed by loosening the knob screw 733.

[0081] 2 and 3, the second measurement module moving unit 90 (90L, 90R) includes an electric linear actuator 91, an air cylinder 92, and a catcher 93. The catcher 93 is composed of a convex portion 931 and a concave portion 932 (FIG. 8) that can fit together.

[0082] The electric linear actuator 91 has its operating direction facing the X direction, and its base 911 (fixed part) is attached to the back of the pedestal 2. The second measurement module movement unit 90L is attached to the left side of the pedestal 2 and can move the four left measurement modules 70A to 70D in the X direction. The second measurement module movement unit 90R is attached to the right side of the pedestal 2 and can move the four right measurement modules 70F to 70I in the X direction. Note that all measurement modules 70 may be moved by a single second measurement module movement unit with a wide range of movement.

[0083] The air cylinder 92 has a piston rod 922 facing forward, and a cylinder tube 921 is attached to a slider 912 (movable part) of the electric linear actuator 91. As shown in Figure 8, one of a convex part 931 and a concave part 932 of a catcher 93 is attached to the tip of the piston rod 922 of the air cylinder 92. The other of the convex part 931 and the concave part 932 of the catcher 93 is attached to the back surface of the base 80b of each first measurement module moving part 80.

[0084] For example, the following procedure is used to move the measurement module 70B using the second measurement module movement unit 90L. First, the stopper 83 of the first measurement module movement unit 80 is set to the retracted position SQ, allowing the measurement module 70B to move in the X direction. Next, the electric linear actuator 91 is driven to move the slider 912 (movable part) behind the measurement module 70B. Next, the air cylinder 92 is driven to push the piston rod 922 forward, causing the convex portion 931 (or concave portion 932) attached to the tip of the piston rod 922 to engage with the concave portion 932 (or convex portion 931) attached to the rear of the first measurement module movement unit 80. The engagement of the convex portion 931 and the concave portion 932 of the catcher 93 positions the first measurement module movement unit 80 in the X direction relative to the second measurement module movement unit 90L. Next, with the convex portion 931 and the concave portion 932 engaged, the electric linear actuator 91 is driven to move the slider 912 to the destination of the measurement module 70B, and the measurement module 70B and the first measurement module movement unit 80 move together with the slider 912 to the destination of the measurement module 70B. Next, the stopper 83 of the first measurement module movement unit 80 is set to the operating position AQ to fix the position of the measurement module 70. Then, the air cylinder 92 is driven to retract the piston rod 922 rearward, and the engagement between the convex portion 931 and the concave portion 932 of the catcher 93 is released. In this way, the measurement module 70 can be moved to a predetermined position in the X direction by the second measurement module movement unit 90.

[0085] 9 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the control system 9 of the axial distortion correction device 1. The control system 9 includes a control unit 9a that comprehensively controls the entire axial distortion correction device 1 and an air pressure control unit 9b that controls the operation of each air cylinder. The control unit 9a is configured by, for example, an industrial PC (Personal Computer), a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller), or a composite control device that combines these.

[0086] The control unit 9a is communicably connected to the press unit 6, the electric linear actuators 82, 91, the rotary encoder 43, the displacement sensor 75, the air pressure control unit 9b, and the amplifiers 33a, 521La, 521Ra, 621La, and 621Ra. The amplifiers 33a, 521La, 521Ra, 621La, and 621Ra are connected to the motors 33, 521L, 521R, 621L, and 621R, respectively, and supply drive power to each motor.

[0087] The control unit 9a includes an interface unit 9c that performs input and output with the outside. The interface unit 9c includes, for example, a user interface for input and output with a user, a network interface for connecting to various networks such as a LAN (Local Area Network), and one or more of various communication interfaces such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) or a GPIB (General Purpose Interface Bus) for connecting to external devices. The user interface also includes, for example, one or more of various input and output devices such as various operation switches, a display, various display devices such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), various pointing devices such as a mouse or a touchpad, a touch screen, a video camera, a printer, a scanner, a buzzer, a speaker, a microphone, and a memory card reader / writer.

[0088] The axial distortion correction device 1 of this embodiment is configured to be able to correct distortion of workpieces W of various lengths. Figures 1 and 2 show the axial distortion correction device 1 in a long length setting that is applied when processing a relatively long workpiece W. Also, Figure 10 is a plan view showing the axial distortion correction device 1 in a short length setting that is applied when processing a relatively short workpiece W.

[0089] 2, in the long length setting, the workpiece driving unit 30 is disposed near the left end of the rail 511 (specifically, to the left of the left-end measuring module 70A), and the encoder unit 40 is disposed near the right end of the rail 511 (specifically, to the right of the right-end measuring module 70I). Also, in the long length setting, the distortion of the workpiece W is measured using all of the measuring modules 70, from the left-end measuring module 70A to the right-end measuring module 70I.

[0090] In the short length setting, the workpiece drive unit 30 is disposed approximately in front of the measurement module 70C, and the encoder unit 40 is disposed approximately in front of the measurement module 70G. Also, in the short length setting, the runout of the workpiece W is measured using only the three central measurement modules 70D to 70F.

[0091] The positions of the workpiece driving unit 30 and the encoder unit 40 can be automatically changed by the anvil moving unit 50. According to the axial distortion correction device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to automatically change the setup between the long length setting and the short length setting.

[0092] The arrangement of the workpiece driving unit 30 and the encoder unit 40 is changed depending on the length of the workpiece W. For example, the workpiece driving unit 30 may be arranged substantially in front of the measuring module 70A, and the encoder unit 40 may be arranged substantially in front of the measuring module 70I. In this case, the runout of the workpiece W is measured using the seven central measuring modules 70B to 70H. The workpiece driving unit 30 may also be arranged substantially in front of the measuring module 70B, and the encoder unit 40 may be arranged substantially in front of the measuring module 70H. In this case, the runout of the workpiece W is measured using the five central measuring modules 70C to 70G.

[0093] 11 is a flowchart showing the procedure of an axial distortion correction process according to one embodiment of the present invention, in which distortion of a workpiece W is corrected using the axial distortion correction device 1. The axial distortion correction process is performed under the control of the control unit 9a.

[0094] When the power is turned on to the axial distortion correction device 1, an initialization process is performed, and after each part of the axial distortion correction device 1 is placed in a predetermined initial position, the axial distortion correction process (FIG. 11) starts. In the axial distortion correction process, a setup process S1 is first performed.

[0095] 12 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the setup process S1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. In the setup process S1, first, the type of the workpiece W to be subjected to axial distortion correction is input (S11). The type is input, for example, by the user touching with their finger a registered type displayed on a touch screen.

[0096] A dimension table is stored in the storage of the control unit 9a. The dimension table pre-registers dimension information including the length of the workpiece W for each model. The control unit 9a acquires the dimension information corresponding to the input model of the workpiece W from the dimension table (S12).

[0097] Next, the control unit 9a determines the setting of the axial distortion correction device 1 based on the dimensional information of the workpiece W (S13). The setting is determined based on, for example, a predetermined determination table that defines the correspondence between the dimensional information and the setting to be applied. The determination table is stored in the storage of the control unit 9a. Below, an example will be described in which the long setting shown in FIG. 1 is determined.

[0098] A setting table is stored in the storage of the control unit 9a. Specific setting information for each setting is recorded in advance in the setting table. The control unit 9a obtains the setting information for the determined setting from the setting table (S14).

[0099] Next, the control unit 9a drives the second measurement module moving unit 90 to sequentially move the measurement modules 70A to 70I to predetermined positions in the X direction (set positions defined by the setting information) (S15). After the measurement modules 70A to 70I have moved, the control unit 9a drives the air cylinder 831 of the stopper 83 to move the shoe 832 to the operating position AQ, thereby fixing the measurement module 70.

[0100] Next, the control unit 9a drives the first driving unit 50DL to move the work driving unit 30 to a predetermined position in the X direction (a set position defined by the setting information) (S16).

[0101] Next, the control unit 9a drives the first drive unit 50DR to move the encoder unit 40 to a predetermined position in the X direction (a set position defined by the setting information) (S17). This completes the setup process S1. Note that steps S15 to S17 can be performed simultaneously or in any order.

[0102] Next, the workpiece W is carried into the axial distortion correction device 1 by a conveying device (not shown), and both ends of the workpiece W are placed on the roller anvils 10 (S2).

[0103] Next, the initial runout of the workpiece W is measured (S3). In S3, first, the control unit 9a drives each of the first measurement module moving units 80 to move all of the measurement modules 70A to 70I forward from the retracted position SP to the measurement position MP.

[0104] Next, the control unit 9a drives the air cylinders 32 of the workpiece driving unit 30 and the encoder unit 40 to switch the workpiece driving unit 30 and the encoder unit 40 from the standby mode to the operating mode. As a result, the end of the workpiece W is gripped by the pair of rollers 163 of the roller anvil 10 and the roller 36 of the driving module 30A (or the encoder module 40A).

[0105] Next, the control unit 9a drives the motor 33 of the workpiece drive unit 30 to rotate the workpiece W at a predetermined speed, while measuring the runout of each part of the workpiece W in the longitudinal direction using the measurement modules 70A to 70I. Once the measurement is complete, the control unit 9a stops driving the motor 33 to stop the workpiece W. The control unit 9a also stores the measurement results in storage.

[0106] Next, it is determined whether the measurement result of the initial runout of the workpiece W satisfies a predetermined standard (acceptance standard) (S4). The acceptance standard specified for each type of workpiece W is recorded in advance in a standard table stored in the storage of the control unit 9a, for example. The control unit 9a obtains the acceptance standard corresponding to the type of workpiece W from the standard table, compares the measurement result with the acceptance standard, and determines whether the workpiece W passes or fails.

[0107] If the workpiece W is determined to be acceptable (S4: YES), the process proceeds to S6.

[0108] If the workpiece W is determined to be unacceptable (S4: NO), then a correction process S5 is performed. In the correction process S5, first, the control unit 9a determines the correction content (specifically, the correction location and amount) required to correct the workpiece W. The correction content is determined, for example, using a calculation formula set for each type of workpiece W. This calculation formula is stored, for example, in the storage of the control unit 9a.

[0109] Next, the control unit 9a drives each of the first measurement module moving units 80 to move all of the measurement modules 70A to 70I backward from the measurement position MP to the retracted position SP.

[0110] Next, the control unit 9a drives the second drive units 60DL, 60DR to move the left and right movable anvils 20L, 20R to predetermined positions on both sides of the correction location in the X direction. For example, when correcting the measurement location of measurement module 70B, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the left movable anvil 20L is moved to a position midway in the X direction between measurement modules 70A and 70B, and the right movable anvil 20R is moved to a position midway in the X direction between measurement modules 70B and 70C.

[0111] Next, the control unit 9a drives the motor 33 of the work driving unit 30 to rotate the workpiece W to a predetermined angular position. Specifically, the workpiece W is rotated to a position rotated 180° from the angular position at which the maximum displacement toward the outer periphery was measured in the runout measurement S3, and the workpiece W is held at that position.

[0112] Next, the control unit 9a activates the moving device of the press unit 6 to move the press head 6a in the X direction to the correction location. Next, the press head 6a is lowered, and the press head 6a presses down on the correction location of the workpiece W to correct the workpiece. Next, the press head 6a is raised until it is separated from the workpiece W. If the amount of displacement of the surface of the workpiece W before and after correction detected by the measurement module 70B is approximately the same as the predetermined correction amount, the correction process S5 is terminated, and runout measurement S3 is performed again. If the amount of displacement of the surface of the workpiece W before and after correction is smaller than the predetermined correction amount, correction by the press unit 6 is repeated until it is approximately the same as the predetermined correction amount.

[0113] Furthermore, steps S3 to S5 are repeated until the workpiece W is determined to be acceptable in step S4. If the workpiece W is determined to be acceptable (S4: YES), the control unit 9a then drives the air cylinders 32 of the workpiece drive unit 30 and the encoder unit 40 to switch the workpiece drive unit 30 and the encoder unit 40 from the operating mode to the standby mode. This releases the grip of the end of the workpiece W by the pair of rollers 163 of the roller anvil 10 and the rollers 36 of the drive module 30A (or the encoder module 40A). Then, the conveying device carries the workpiece W out of the axial distortion correction device 1 (S6).

[0114] Next, it is confirmed whether or not to end the axial distortion correction process (S7). If the axial distortion correction process is to be continued (S7: NO), it is then confirmed whether or not to change the type of workpiece W to be subjected to the axial distortion correction process (S8). If the type of workpiece W is to be changed (S8: YES), the process proceeds to the setup process S1. If the type is not to be changed (S8: NO), the process proceeds to the workpiece carrying-in process S2. Processes S1 to S8 are repeated until the axial distortion correction process is ended.

[0115] 13 and 14 are plan views of an axial distortion correction device 1000 as a comparative example not equipped with an automatic setup system. Fig. 13 shows the state of long length setting, and Fig. 14 shows the state of short length setting.

[0116] The axial distortion correction device 1000 includes a movable anvil measurement unit 1020, a workpiece drive unit 1030, and an encoder unit 1040 (hereinafter, these three units are referred to as functional units). The movable anvil measurement unit 1020 is a functional unit that combines the movable anvil 20 and the measurement module 70 of the above embodiment. Each functional unit is configured to be manually attached and detached to a pair of rails 1511. The functional units 1020, 1030, and 1040 include lock levers 1029, 1039, and 1049, respectively. When the lock levers 1029, 1039, and 1049 are rotated clockwise with the functional units 1020, 1030, and 1040 attached to predetermined positions on the pair of rails 1511, the functional units 1020, 1030, and 1040 are fixed to the rails 1511.

[0117] When changing the setup of the axial distortion correction device 1000 from the long length setting (FIG. 13) to the short length setting (FIG. 14), first, all of the multiple cable connectors (not shown) and air couplers (not shown) connected to each functional unit are removed. In this comparative example, since two cable connectors and two air couplers are connected to each functional unit, a total of 18 cable connectors and 18 air couplers need to be removed.

[0118] Next, all functional units except for the central movable anvil measurement unit 1020 are removed. When removing the functional units, the lock levers 1029, 1039, and 1049 are turned counterclockwise to release the functional units 1020, 1030, and 1040. Next, the work driving unit 1030 and the encoder unit 1040 are manually moved to predetermined positions, and then the lock levers 1039 and 1049 are turned clockwise to fix the work driving unit 1030 and the encoder unit 1040 to the rail 1511. Furthermore, various settings of the control unit (not shown) are manually changed from settings for long workpieces to settings for short workpieces.

[0119] As described above, the axial distortion correction device 1000 of the comparative example has a large number of functional units and a large number of cables and pipes connected to the functional units, which requires many manual operations for setup changeover and places a heavy burden on the operator. In particular, the work of moving and attaching / detaching the heavy movable anvil measuring unit 1020 places a heavy burden on the operator. Furthermore, there are many settings of the control unit that need to be changed during setup changeover, which makes it easy for setting errors to occur. As a result, the time required for setup changeover is long and the operating rate of the axial distortion correction device 1000 is low. Furthermore, since each functional unit must be moved manually, wear and tear on the functional units is significant.

[0120] In the axial distortion correction device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the setup process is fully automated, thereby eliminating all of the problems of the comparative example. In particular, the setup process takes an average of about 15 minutes in the comparative example, while it takes less than one minute in the axial distortion correction device 1 according to the present embodiment, significantly improving productivity and the working environment of workers. Furthermore, since an electric motor is used as the driving means, excluding the air cylinder, the operating noise is lower and energy utilization efficiency is higher than, for example, when using a hydraulic device. Furthermore, the comparative example uses a movable anvil measuring unit 1020 that combines a movable anvil and a measuring unit. In other words, in the comparative example, a movable anvil is provided for each of nine measuring units. In contrast, in the axial distortion correction device 1 according to the present embodiment, the movable anvils are separated from the measuring unit, and each movable anvil can be automatically moved to the correction location. This reduces the number of movable anvils to two, thereby achieving a significant reduction in the number of parts.

[0121] The above is a description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention. The embodiments of the present invention are not limited to those described above, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention. For example, the embodiments of the present invention also include appropriate combinations of embodiments explicitly shown as examples in the specification or obvious embodiments.

[0122] The above embodiment includes a first drive unit 50DL that moves the work drive unit 30 in the X direction, a first drive unit 50DR that moves the encoder unit 40 in the X direction, a second drive unit 60 that moves the movable anvil 20 in the X direction, a first measurement module mover 80 that moves the measurement module 70 in the Y direction, and a second measurement module mover 90 that moves the measurement module 70 in the X direction, thereby achieving full automation of the setup process. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and configurations that include one or more of the first drive units 50DL, 50DR, the second drive unit 60, the first measurement module mover 80, and the second measurement module mover 90 are also included in the present invention.

[0123] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, since the measurement and correction reference for the workpiece W is the outer peripheral surface, a configuration is adopted in which the workpiece W is supported and driven by a plurality of rollers (specifically, the pair of rollers 163 of the roller anvil 10 and the rollers 36 of the drive module 30A / encoder module 40A) that contact the outer peripheral surface of the workpiece W, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, if the measurement and correction reference is the inner peripheral surface of a tubular workpiece W, a pair of rotation centers with conical tips may be fitted into the center hole of the workpiece W from both ends, and the workpiece W may be supported and driven by this pair of rotation centers.

[0124] The above-described embodiments of the present invention will be summarized below.

[0125] According to one aspect of the present invention, an axial distortion correction device is provided, which includes an anvil that supports a workpiece, a linear guide that supports the anvil so that the anvil can move in the axial direction of the workpiece, and an anvil moving unit that moves the anvil in the axial direction of the workpiece.

[0126] In the above-mentioned axial distortion correcting device, the anvil moving part may be configured to include a servo motor and a ball screw that converts the rotational motion output by the servo motor into linear motion.

[0127] In the above-mentioned axial distortion correcting device, the anvil may include a first anvil that supports an end of the workpiece, and the anvil moving section may include a first anvil moving section that moves the first anvil.

[0128] In the above-described axial distortion correcting device, the first anvil may be a roller anvil that is disposed parallel to the workpiece and has a pair of rollers that rotatably support the end of the workpiece from below.

[0129] In the above-mentioned axial distortion correction device, the first anvil may comprise an anvil section having a support surface formed thereon for statically supporting the workpiece, a pair of roller sections each having a roller and arranged horizontally perpendicular to the axis on either side of the anvil section, and a lifting means capable of raising and lowering the pair of roller sections, and the lifting means may be configured to raise and lower the roller sections between a locked position lower than the height at which the workpiece contacts both the support surface of the anvil section and the rollers, and an unlocked position higher than the height at which the workpiece contacts both the support surface of the anvil section and the rollers.

[0130] In the above-mentioned axial distortion correction device, the anvil may include a second anvil that supports the portion of the workpiece to be corrected, and the anvil moving unit may include a second anvil moving unit that moves the second anvil in the axial direction of the workpiece.

[0131] In the above-mentioned axial distortion correction device, the second anvil may comprise a fixed frame, a movable frame that can move up and down relative to the fixed frame, and a lifting drive unit that drives the movable frame up and down, and a second support surface that statically supports the workpiece is formed on the upper surface of the movable frame, and the lifting drive unit may be configured to raise and lower the movable frame between a first height suitable for supporting a workpiece having a first outer diameter and a second height suitable for supporting a workpiece having a second outer diameter.

[0132] The above-mentioned axial distortion correction device may also include a work drive unit that drives the workpiece to rotate, the work drive unit including a second fixed frame, a second movable frame rotatably connected to the second fixed frame around a rotation axis perpendicular to the axial direction of the workpiece, a swivel drive unit that drives the second movable frame to rotate, a shaft rotatably supported by the second movable frame, drive means that drives the shaft to rotate, and a second roller attached to the tip of the shaft, and the swivel drive unit may be configured to rotate the second roller between an operating position where the second roller contacts the end of the workpiece and the second roller and the workpiece form a friction wheel, and a retracted position where the second roller is separated from the workpiece.

[0133] The above-mentioned axial distortion correction device may be configured to include a measurement module that measures the runout of the workpiece, a second linear guide that supports the measurement module so that the measurement module can move in the axial direction of the workpiece, and a first measurement module moving unit that moves the measurement module in the axial direction of the workpiece.

[0134] In the above-mentioned axial distortion correction device, the measurement module may be configured to include a measuring element extending in a first horizontal direction perpendicular to the axis of the workpiece, a measuring module moving unit that moves the measurement module in the extension direction of the measuring element, and the measuring module moving unit that moves the measurement module between a measurement position where the measuring element comes into contact with the workpiece to measure the runout of the workpiece, and a retracted position where the measuring element is separated from the workpiece.

[0135] The above-mentioned axial distortion correcting device may be configured to include a second rotation drive unit that rotates the measuring element about a second rotation axis that is parallel to the workpiece.

[0136] The above-mentioned axial distortion correction device may be configured to include a measurement module that measures the runout of the workpiece, a second linear guide that supports the measurement module so that the measurement module can move in the axial direction of the workpiece, and a first measurement module moving unit that moves the measurement module in the axial direction of the workpiece.

[0137] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 axial distortion correction device 10 roller anvil 20 movable anvil 30 workpiece drive unit 40 encoder unit 50 anvil movement unit 70 measurement module 80 first measurement module movement unit 90 second measurement module movement unit

Claims

1. An axial distortion correction device comprising: an anvil that supports a workpiece; a linear guide that supports the anvil so that the anvil can move in the axial direction of the workpiece; and an anvil moving unit that moves the anvil in the axial direction of the workpiece.

2. An axial distortion correction device according to claim 1, wherein the anvil moving unit comprises: a servo motor; and a ball screw that converts the rotational motion output by the servo motor into linear motion.

3. An axial distortion correction device according to claim 1, wherein the anvil includes a first anvil that supports an end of the workpiece, and the anvil moving section includes a first anvil moving section that moves the first anvil.

4. An axial distortion correction device according to claim 3, wherein the first anvil is a roller anvil provided with a pair of rollers that are arranged parallel to the workpiece and rotatably support the end of the workpiece from below.

5. An axial distortion correction device as described in claim 4, wherein the first anvil comprises: an anvil section having a support surface formed thereon for statically supporting the workpiece; a pair of roller sections having the rollers and arranged horizontally perpendicular to the axis on either side of the anvil section; and lifting means capable of raising and lowering the pair of roller sections, wherein the lifting means raises and lowers the roller sections between a locked position that is lower than the height at which the workpiece contacts both the support surface of the anvil section and the rollers, and an unlocked position that is higher than the height at which the workpiece contacts both the support surface of the anvil section and the rollers.

6. An axial distortion correction device according to claim 1, wherein the anvil includes a second anvil that supports the portion of the workpiece to be corrected, and the anvil moving unit includes a second anvil moving unit that moves the second anvil in the axial direction of the workpiece.

7. The axial distortion correcting device according to claim 6, wherein the second anvil comprises: a fixed frame; a movable frame movable up and down relative to the fixed frame; and an elevation drive unit that drives the movable frame up and down, wherein a second support surface that statically supports the workpiece is formed on an upper surface of the movable frame, and the elevation drive unit raises and lowers the movable frame between a first height suitable for supporting a workpiece having a first outer diameter and a second height suitable for supporting a workpiece having a second outer diameter.

8. An axial distortion correction device as described in claim 1, comprising a work drive unit that drives the work to rotate, the work drive unit comprising: a second fixed frame; a second movable frame connected to the second fixed frame so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis perpendicular to the axial direction of the work; a swivel drive unit that drives the second movable frame to rotate; a shaft rotatably supported on the second movable frame; drive means that drives the shaft to rotate; and a second roller attached to the tip of the shaft, wherein the swivel drive unit rotates the second roller between an operating position where the second roller contacts the end of the work and the second roller and the work form a friction wheel, and a retracted position where the second roller is separated from the work.

9. An axial distortion correction device as described in claim 1, comprising: a measurement module that measures the runout of the workpiece; a second linear guide that supports the measurement module so that the measurement module can move in the axial direction of the workpiece; and a first measurement module moving unit that moves the measurement module in the axial direction of the workpiece.

10. An axial distortion correction device as described in claim 9, wherein the measurement module has a measuring element extending in a first horizontal direction perpendicular to the axis of the workpiece, and a measurement module moving unit that moves the measurement module in the extension direction of the measuring element, and the measurement module moving unit moves the measurement module between a measurement position where the measuring element comes into contact with the workpiece to measure the runout of the workpiece, and a retracted position where the measuring element is separated from the workpiece.

11. An axial distortion correction device according to claim 10, further comprising a second rotation drive unit that rotates the measuring element about a second rotation axis that is parallel to the workpiece.

12. An axial distortion correction device comprising: a measuring module that measures the runout of a workpiece; a second linear guide that supports the measuring module so that the measuring module can move in the axial direction of the workpiece; and a first measuring module moving unit that moves the measuring module in the axial direction of the workpiece.

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