Machine tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11207754-B2
Application number	US-202016801675-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2020
Priority date	Apr 2, 2019
Publication date	Dec 28, 2021
Grant date	Dec 28, 2021

Abstract

A machine tool includes a spindle configured to hold a tool, a tool magazine configured to hold a plurality of tools and to exchange the tools with the spindle, and a cleaning mechanism configured to remove adhering objects adhered to the tool magazine by spraying fluid to the tool magazine.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A machine tool comprising:
a spindle configured to hold a tool;
a tool magazine configured to hold a plurality of tools, and to exchange the tools with the spindle; and
a cleaning mechanism configured to remove adhering objects adhered to the tool magazine by spraying fluid by a nozzle to a back side of the tool magazine, wherein
the tool magazine is placed at a front side of the machine tool relative to the spindle,
at least part of the tool magazine is configured to rotate around a center axis line of the tool magazine, the center axis line extending in a front-back direction of the machine tool, and
the cleaning mechanism is configured to spray the fluid by the nozzle toward a portion of the tool magazine, wherein the portion is located above the center axis line and at the back side of the tool magazine.

2. The machine tool according to claim 1 , wherein
the nozzle is placed above the center axis line.

3. The machine tool according to claim 1 , wherein
timing at and a time length during which the cleaning mechanism sprays the fluid are changeable.

4. The machine tool according to claim 1 , wherein
timing at and a time length during which the cleaning mechanism sprays the fluid are set based on a processing program.

5. The machine tool according to claim 1 , wherein
a time length during which the cleaning mechanism sprays the fluid changes in proportion to a time length for machining a workpiece using the tool.

6. The machine tool according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning mechanism sprays the fluid during a process in which the tool is exchanged between the spindle and the tool magazine.

7. The machine tool according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid is cutting fluid.

8. The machine tool according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid is compressed air.

9. A machine tool comprising:
a spindle configured to hold a tool;
a tool magazine configured to hold a plurality of tools, and to exchange the tools with the spindle;
a cleaning mechanism configured to remove adhering objects adhered to the tool magazine by spraying fluid to the tool magazine; and
a camera or a sensor configured to detect an amount of adhering objects adhered to the tool magazine,
wherein the cleaning mechanism sprays the fluid when the amount of adhering objects detected by the camera or the sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

10. A machine tool comprising:
a spindle configured to hold a tool;
a tool magazine configured to hold a plurality of tools, and to exchange the tools with the spindle;
a cleaning mechanism configured to remove adhering objects adhered to the tool magazine by spraying fluid to the tool magazine;
a camera or a sensor configured to detect an amount of adhering objects adhered to the tool magazine; and
a controller configured to carry out processing programs,
wherein the controller is configured to evaluate feedback on an amount of the adhering objects from the camera or the sensor in response to spraying fluid under one or more attempted spraying conditions in order to determine optimized conditions for spraying the fluid, by which optimized conditions adhering objects can be removed from the tool magazine.

Assignees

• Fanuc Corp

Inventors

• Tanaka Shinichi
• Inaguchi Yuuzou

Classifications

• Y10T483/1795

  Matrix indexes selected tool to transfer position · CPC title

• B23Q11/0042

  Devices for removing chips (B23Q11/02, B23Q11/0875 take precedence) · CPC title

• B23Q3/15706

  a single tool being inserted in a spindle directly from a storage device, i.e. without using transfer devices (B23Q3/15786 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B23Q3/15534

  Magazines mounted on the spindle · CPC title

• B23Q17/007

  for managing machine functions not concerning the tool · CPC title