Tool exchange device

Abstract

A tool exchange device according to the present invention comprises an exchange control device that controls a tool magazine and a delivery device. The exchange control device comprises: a storage unit that stores identifiers of a plurality of tools and identifiers of a plurality of storage sections in association with each other; a usage tool identification unit that identifies, on the basis of operations of the tool magazine and the delivery device and information in the storage unit, one identifier of a plurality of tools attached to a main spindle; a work information acquisition unit that acquires work information indicating the likelihood that a user worked on the tool magazine; an interface unit that, when the work information acquisition unit has acquired work information, confirms whether the user attached or detached any of the plurality of tools to or from any of the plurality of storage sections; and a determination control unit that, if the interface unit has confirmed that the user attached or detached any of the plurality of tools, executes a determination process for determining whether another one of the plurality of tools has been attached to one of the plurality of storage sections corresponding to the one identifier of the plurality of tools identified by the usage tool identification unit.

Description

Tool changing device

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a tool changing device.

[0002] A tool changing device is used that includes a tool magazine for holding a plurality of tools and automatically exchanges a tool attached to the spindle of a machine tool. In many tool changing devices, the tool changing device stores by associating an identifier such as the number of a plurality of storage units that each hold a tool with an identifier such as the ID of the tool, and stores the tool removed from the spindle in the storage unit with the associated identifier.

[0003] In such a tool changing device, there is a possibility that the user may store the tool in the wrong storage unit when storing the tool in the storage unit. If the user accidentally stores another tool in the storage unit associated with the tool attached to the spindle, when performing the operation of storing the tool attached to the spindle in the storage unit, interference between the tools may occur, resulting in inconveniences such as the tool falling or being damaged. Therefore, when the user performs the operation of storing the tool in the tool magazine, by positioning the storage unit associated with the tool attached to the spindle at a predetermined position, a technique has also been proposed to prevent the user from accidentally storing another tool in the storage unit where the tool attached to the spindle should be stored (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-118180

[0005] By making the storage unit where the tool attached to the spindle should be stored easy to understand as in Patent Document 1, it is possible to reduce the mistake of the user storing another tool in that storage unit. However, if the user is not aware of such a function of the tool changing device, the mistake of the user misidentifying the storage unit cannot be prevented. For this reason, a technique that can prevent interference between tools even when the user misidentifies the storage unit is desired.

[0006] A tool changing device according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a tool magazine having a plurality of storage compartments, each capable of holding a plurality of tools that can be attached to the spindle of a machine tool, and any one of the plurality of storage compartments being positioned at a predetermined exchange position; a transfer device having a holding member configured to hold any one of the plurality of tools, and capable of transferring one of the plurality of tools between one of the plurality of storage compartments positioned at the exchange position and any one of the spindles; and an exchange control device that controls the tool magazine and the transfer device, wherein the exchange control device includes a storage storage unit that stores identifiers of the plurality of tools and identifiers of the plurality of storage compartments in association; and based on the operation of the tool magazine and the transfer device and the information in the storage storage unit... The device includes: a tool identification unit that identifies one identifier of the plurality of tools attached to the spindle; a work information acquisition unit that acquires work information indicating that the user may have performed work on the tool magazine; an interface unit that, when the work information acquisition unit acquires the work information, confirms whether the user has attached or detached one of the plurality of tools to or from one of the plurality of storage units; and a determination control unit that, when the interface unit confirms that the user has attached or detached one of the plurality of tools, executes a determination process to determine whether another of the plurality of tools has been attached to one of the plurality of storage units corresponding to one identifier of the plurality of tools identified by the tool identification unit.

[0007] This is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a tool changer according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. This is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure for the determination process by the tool changer of Figure 1. This is a flowchart showing a different example of the procedure for the determination process by the tool changer of Figure 1 from Figure 2.

[0008] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a tool changing device 100 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The tool changing device 100 is a device for changing a tool T mounted on the spindle 201 of a machine tool 200.

[0009] The machine tool 200 may be configured to include a tool mounting sensor 202 that detects whether or not a tool is attached to the spindle 201, a door sensor 205 that detects the open / closed state of the opening / closing door 204 of the safety cover 203 surrounding the machine tool 200 and the tool changer, and a machine control device 210 that controls the operation of the machine tool 200. The machine control device 210 may be configured to include a door opening / closing detection unit 211 that acquires the detected value of the door sensor 205, and a tool mounting detection unit 212 that acquires the detected value of the tool mounting sensor 202.

[0010] The tool changing device 100 includes a tool magazine 10 capable of holding a plurality of tools T that can be mounted on the spindle 201 of the machine tool 200, a transfer device 20 that exchanges a tool T mounted on the spindle 201 with a tool T held in the tool magazine 10, and a tool exchange control device 30 that controls the operation of the tool magazine 10 and the transfer device 20.

[0011] The tool magazine 10 comprises a plurality of storage compartments 11, each holding one tool T, and is positioned at an exchange location (e.g., the lower end) for selectively transferring the tool T to and from the transfer device 20. The tool magazine 10 can be configured in a well-known manner, such as a disc with a plurality of storage compartments 11 on its outer circumference, or an endless loop-shaped chain with storage compartments 11 arranged at equal intervals. The storage compartments 11 can also be configured in a well-known manner.

[0012] The transfer device 20 may be configured to include a pair of holding members 21, each capable of holding any one of the tools T, and capable of transferring one of the multiple tools between one of the storage units 11 and any one of the spindle 201, which is located at an exchange position among the multiple storage units 11; a rotational drive mechanism 22 that rotates the holding members 21 horizontally so that they are selectively facing the spindle 201 or the tool magazine 10; and a lifting drive mechanism 23 that moves the rotational drive mechanism 22 up and down together with the holding members 21. The transfer device 20 may be configured so that the timing of the transfer or receipt of the tool T between one of the holding members 21 and one of the spindle 201 and the tool magazine 10 is different from the timing of the transfer or receipt of the tool T between the other of the holding member 21 and the spindle 201 and the tool magazine 10. For example, the system can be configured to transfer a tool T between the holding member 21 and the tool magazine 10 by raising and lowering the holding member 21 relative to the tool magazine 10, and to transfer a tool T between the holding member 21 and the spindle 201 by commanding the machine tool 200 to raise and lower the spindle 201.

[0013] The exchange control device 30 may be implemented by one or more computer devices that have memory, a processor, input / output interfaces, etc., and execute an appropriate control program. The exchange control device 30 may have a display device and an input device, or be connected to an external display device and an input device. The exchange control device 30 may also be integrated with other control devices such as a machine control device 210.

[0014] The exchange control device 30 comprises a storage unit 31, a tool exchange control unit 32, a tool use identification unit 33, a work information acquisition unit 34, a mounting information acquisition unit 35, an interface unit 36, a determination control unit 37, and a notification unit 38. These components of the exchange control device 30 are classifications of the functions of the exchange control device 30 and do not necessarily have to be clearly distinguishable in terms of physical configuration and program configuration.

[0015] The storage unit 31 stores identifiers of multiple tools T in association with identifiers of multiple storage units 11. The storage unit 31 may also store information such as the offset, rotational speed setting, and mass of each tool T.

[0016] The tool change control unit 32 controls the operation of the transfer device 20, causing the transfer device 20 to exchange the tool T mounted on the spindle 201 with the tool T held in the storage unit 11 located at the exchange position. The tool change control unit 32 controls the rotational position of the tool magazine 10 so that the transfer device 20 transfers the tool T received from the spindle 201 to the storage unit 11 associated with that tool T. The tool change control unit 32 may also control the transfer device 20 so that one of the holding members 21 receives the tool T from the storage unit 11, the other of the holding member 21 receives the tool T from the spindle 201, one of the holding members 21 transfers the tool T to the spindle 201, and the other of the holding member 21 transfers the tool T to the storage unit 11. Alternatively, the tool change control unit 32 may control the transfer device 20 such that one of the holding members 21 receives the tool T from the spindle 201, the other of the holding member 21 receives the tool T from the storage unit 11, one of the holding members 21 transfers the tool T to the storage unit 11, and the other of the holding member 21 transfers the tool T to the spindle 201. Furthermore, the tool change control unit 32 may simultaneously receive the tool T from the spindle 201 and the tool magazine 10, or transfer the tool T to the spindle 201 and the tool magazine 10.

[0017] The tool identification unit 33 identifies the identifier of one of the multiple tools T attached to the spindle 201 based on the operation of the tool magazine 10 and the transfer device 20 and the information from the storage memory unit 31. When the tool identification unit 33 receives a tool from the tool magazine 10 that the transfer device 20 has transferred to the spindle 201, it sets the identifier of the tool T associated with the identifier of the storage unit 11 that was located at the exchange position as the identifier of the tool T attached to the spindle 201.

[0018] The work information acquisition unit 34 acquires work information indicating that a user may have performed work on the tool magazine 10. Typically, the work information may be a signal indicating that the opening / closing door 204, which allows access to the tool changer 100, has been opened or closed. Alternatively, the work information may be an operation signal such as a predetermined operation button on the exchange control device 30 or the work control device 210, or a detection signal from a human presence sensor that detects a person entering the operating area of ​​the tool changer 100 and the machine tool 200. The work information acquisition unit 34 may acquire the work information directly from the door sensor 205, or it may be configured to acquire it indirectly from the door opening / closing detection unit 211 of the work control device 210, etc.

[0019] The mounting information acquisition unit 35 acquires mounting information indicating that one of the multiple tools T is mounted on the spindle 201. The mounting information acquisition unit 35 may acquire the mounting information directly from the tool mounting sensor 202, or it may be configured to acquire it indirectly from the tool mounting detection unit 212 of the workpiece control device 210, etc.

[0020] When the work information acquisition unit 34 acquires work information, the interface unit 36 ​​confirms with the user whether or not they have attached or detached one of the multiple tools T to or from one of the multiple storage units 11. In other words, when it is confirmed that the user may have performed work on the tool magazine 10, the interface unit 36 ​​may be configured to prompt the user to input whether or not they have attached or detached a tool T, through a screen display, audio output, etc.

[0021] When the interface unit 36 ​​confirms that the user has attached or detached one of the multiple tools T, the determination control unit 37 executes a determination process to determine whether one of the multiple tools T has been attached to one of the multiple storage units 11 corresponding to one of the identifiers of the multiple tools T identified by the tool identification unit 33. In other words, the determination control unit 37 determines whether the user has mistakenly stored another tool T in the storage unit 11 where the tool T attached to the spindle 201 should be stored. This prevents malfunctions such as dropping or damage occurring when returning the tool T attached to the spindle 201 to its corresponding storage unit 11 due to interference with another tool T mistakenly stored by the user.

[0022] As shown in Figure 2, the determination process may involve instructing the transfer device 20 to remove one of the tools T from one of the storage compartments 11 corresponding to one of the identifiers of the multiple tools T identified by the tool identification unit 33, and replacing it with one of the tools T attached to the spindle 201. If the attachment information acquisition unit 35 acquires attachment information after this operation, the tool identification unit 33 determines that one of the multiple tools T has been attached to one of the storage compartments 11 corresponding to one of the identifiers of the multiple tools T identified by the tool identification unit 33. In other words, assuming that the user has stored another tool T in the storage unit 11 where the reference tool T attached to the spindle 201 should be returned, and when one of the holding members 21 receives the assumed other tool T from the storage unit 11, the other of the holding member 21 receives the reference tool T from the spindle 201, and the other of the holding member 21 passes the assumed other tool T to the spindle 201, if the tool mounting sensor 202 detects that the tool T has been mounted, it can be determined that the user has mistakenly stored another tool T in the storage unit 11 where the reference tool T should be stored.

[0023] Furthermore, the determination process may also be as shown in Figure 3, in which the transfer device 20 is instructed to receive one of the other tools T from one of the storage units 11 corresponding to one identifier of the multiple tools T identified by the tool identification unit 33 using the holding member 21, and then, when the rotation drive mechanism 22 or the lifting drive mechanism 23 is instructed to perform a predetermined operation, the process determines that one of the other tools T has been attached to one of the storage units 11 corresponding to one identifier of the multiple tools T identified by the tool identification unit 33 if the load on the rotation drive mechanism 22 or the lifting drive mechanism 23 exceeds a predetermined threshold. If the holding member 21 is instructed to hold a virtual other tool T, and the holding member 21 is actually holding the other tool T, the load on the rotation drive mechanism 22 or the lifting drive mechanism 23 will be greater than when the other tool T is not being held due to the mass of the other tool T. As a specific example, by checking the load when the lifting drive mechanism 23 maintains the height position of the holding member 21 without using the brake, it is possible to determine whether or not there is a load equivalent to the mass of the other tool T.

[0024] The notification unit 38 notifies the system that another tool T is stored in the wrong storage unit 11 when the determination control unit 37 determines that another tool T has been attached to one of the storage units 11 corresponding to one identifier of the multiple tools T identified by the tool identification unit 33. Possible notification methods include text display on a display device, lamp illumination, buzzer sounding, voice message output, and signal output to other devices.

[0025] As described above, if the user may have performed work on the tool magazine 10, the tool changing device 100 performs a determination process in which the determination control unit 37 determines whether or not another tool T has been mistakenly stored in the storage unit 11 where the tool T attached to the spindle 201 should be stored. This prevents the tool T attached to the spindle 201 from interfering with another tool T that has been mistakenly stored.

[0026] Regarding the above embodiments and modifications, the following additional notes are disclosed. (Note 1) The tool changer (100) comprises a tool magazine (10) having a plurality of storage compartments (11) each capable of holding a plurality of tools (T) that can be attached to the spindle (201) of a machine tool (200), and any one of the plurality of storage compartments (11) is positioned at a predetermined exchange position; a transfer device (20) having a holding member (21) configured to hold any one of the plurality of tools (T) and capable of transferring one of the plurality of tools (T) between one of the plurality of storage compartments (11) positioned at an exchange position and any one of the spindle (201); and an exchange control device (30) that controls the tool magazine (10) and the transfer device (20), wherein the exchange control device (30) comprises a storage storage unit (31) that stores identifiers of the plurality of tools (T) and identifiers of the plurality of storage compartments (11) in association; and the operation and storage records of the tool magazine (10) and the transfer device (20). The system includes: a tool identification unit (33) that identifies one identifier of a plurality of tools (T) attached to the spindle (201) based on information from a memory unit (31); a work information acquisition unit (34) that acquires work information indicating that the user may have performed work on the tool magazine (10); an interface unit (35) that, when the work information acquisition unit (34) acquires work information, confirms whether the user has attached or detached any of the plurality of tools (T) to or from any of the plurality of storage units; and a determination control unit (37) that, when the interface unit (36) confirms that the user has attached or detached any of the plurality of tools (T), executes a determination process to determine whether another of the plurality of tools (T) has been attached to or from one of the plurality of storage units (11) corresponding to one identifier of the plurality of tools (T) identified by the tool identification unit (33).

[0027] (Note 2) In the tool changing device (100) of Note 1, the change control device (30) further has a mounting information acquisition unit (35) that acquires mounting information indicating that one of the multiple tools (T) is mounted on the spindle (201), and the determination process may be a process in which the transfer device (20) is made to perform an operation in which it removes one of the multiple tools (T) from one of the multiple storage units (11) corresponding to one identifier of the multiple tools (T) identified by the tool use identification unit (33) and replaces it with one of the multiple tools (T) mounted on the spindle (201), and then the mounting information acquisition unit (35) acquires mounting information, and the determination process determines that one of the multiple tools (T) has been mounted in one of the multiple storage units (11) corresponding to one identifier of the multiple tools (T) identified by the tool use identification unit (33).

[0028] (Note 3) In the tool changing device (100) of Note 1, the transfer device (20) further has a drive mechanism for positioning the holding member (21), and the determination process may be a process in which the transfer device (20) is made to perform an operation in which it receives another of the multiple tools (T) from one of the multiple storage units (11) corresponding to one of the multiple tools (T) identified by the tool identification unit (33) using the holding member (21), and then the load when the drive mechanism is made to perform a predetermined operation exceeds a predetermined threshold, in which case it is determined that another of the multiple tools (T) has been attached to one of the multiple storage units (11) corresponding to one of the multiple tools (T) identified by the tool identification unit (33).

[0029] (Note 4) In the tool changing device (100) described in Notes 1 to 3, the work information may be a signal indicating that the opening / closing door (204) that allows access to the tool changing device (100) has been opened or closed.

[0030] Although the present disclosure has been described in detail above, it is not limited to the individual embodiments described above. These embodiments can be added, replaced, modified, partially deleted, etc., in any way that does not depart from the gist of the present disclosure or from the spirit of the present disclosure derived from the claims and their equivalents. Furthermore, these embodiments can be implemented in combination. For example, the order of operations and processes in the embodiments described above are shown as examples only and are not limited thereto. The same applies when numerical values ​​or mathematical formulas are used in the description of the embodiments described above.

[0031] 100 Tool changer 10 Tool magazine 11 Storage unit 20 Transfer device 21 Holding member 22 Rotation drive mechanism 23 Lifting drive mechanism 30 Exchange control device 31 Storage memory unit 32 Tool change control unit 33 Tool usage identification unit 34 Work information acquisition unit 35 Mounting information acquisition unit 36 ​​Interface unit 37 Judgment control unit 38 Notification unit 200 Machine tool 201 Spindle 202 Tool mounting sensor 203 Safety cover 204 Opening / closing door 205 Door sensor 210 Machine control device 211 Door opening / closing detection unit 212 Tool mounting detection unit T Tool

Claims

1. A tool magazine having a plurality of storage compartments, each capable of holding a plurality of tools that can be attached to the spindle of a machine tool, and any one of the plurality of storage compartments is positioned at a predetermined exchange position; a transfer device having a holding member configured to hold any one of the plurality of tools, and capable of transferring one of the plurality of tools between one of the plurality of storage compartments positioned at the exchange position and any one of the spindles; and an exchange control device that controls the tool magazine and the transfer device, wherein the exchange control device includes: a storage storage unit that stores identifiers of the plurality of tools linked to identifiers of the plurality of storage compartments; a tool use identification unit that identifies an identifier of one of the plurality of tools attached to the spindle based on the operation of the tool magazine and the transfer device and the information of the storage storage unit; a work information acquisition unit that acquires work information indicating the possibility that a user has performed work on the tool magazine; and an interface unit that, when the work information acquisition unit acquires the work information, confirms with the user whether or not any of the plurality of tools have been attached to or detached from any of the plurality of storage compartments. A tool changing device comprising: a determination control unit that, when the interface unit confirms that the user has attached or detached any of the plurality of tools, performs a determination process to determine whether or not another of the plurality of tools has been attached to one of the plurality of storage units corresponding to one identifier of the plurality of tools identified by the tool identification unit; 2. The tool changing device according to claim 1, wherein the exchange control device further includes an attachment information acquisition unit that acquires attachment information indicating that any of the plurality of tools is attached to the spindle, and the determination process is a process in which the tool magazine and the transfer device perform an operation to remove one of the plurality of tools from one of the plurality of storage units corresponding to one identifier of the plurality of tools identified by the tool use identification unit and replace it with one of the plurality of tools attached to the spindle, and then the attachment information acquisition unit acquires the attachment information, and the determination process determines that one of the plurality of tools has been attached to one of the plurality of storage units corresponding to one identifier of the plurality of tools identified by the tool use identification unit.

3. The tool changing device according to claim 1, wherein the transfer device further comprises a drive mechanism for positioning the holding member, and the determination process is a process in which the tool magazine and the transfer device perform an operation in which the holding member receives another of the plurality of tools from one of the plurality of storage units corresponding to one of the identifiers of the plurality of tools identified by the tool use identification unit, and then, when the load when the drive mechanism performs a predetermined operation exceeds a predetermined threshold, the determination is made that another of the plurality of tools has been attached to one of the plurality of storage units corresponding to one of the identifiers of the plurality of tools identified by the tool use identification unit.

4. The tool changing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the work information is a signal indicating that the opening / closing door that allows access to the tool changing device has been opened or closed.

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