Machine tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11602811-B2
Application number	US-202117154504-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 21, 2021
Priority date	Jan 23, 2020
Publication date	Mar 14, 2023
Grant date	Mar 14, 2023

Abstract

A machine tool includes a headstock that holds a workpiece, a tool post that is movable in a first axis direction parallel to a workpiece rotation axis and in a second axis direction orthogonal to the first axis and holds a tool, an in-machine robot, an opening for communicating the inside and the outside of a working chamber, and a door that opens and closes the opening. The robot includes a root joint fixed in the working chamber and a link unit positioned on a distal end side of the root joint. The root joint is a linear-motion joint extendable in a direction orthogonal to the workpiece rotation axis, and is a linear-motion joint extendable between the length for causing the entire link unit to be positioned inside the working chamber and the length for causing the entire link unit to be positioned outside the working chamber.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A machine tool comprising:
a headstock that is arranged in a working chamber and holds a workpiece so as to be rotatable around a workpiece rotation axis parallel to a horizontal direction;
a tool post that is arranged in the working chamber in such a way as to be movable in a first axial direction parallel to the workpiece rotation axis and in a second axial direction orthogonal to the first axial direction, and holds a tool;
a robot that is arranged in the working chamber;
a cover that surrounds the working chamber;
an opening of the cover for communicating an inside and an outside of the working chamber; and
a door that opens and closes the opening,
wherein the robot includes a root joint fixed in the working chamber, said root joint having a longitudinal axis extending in a direction orthogonal to the workpiece rotation axis and a link unit positioned on a distal end side of the root joint, said link unit having multiple links that are articulated with each other, and
the root joint is a linear-motion joint that is extendable along said longitudinal axis in the direction orthogonal to the workpiece rotation axis between a first length where the entire link unit is positioned inside of the working chamber defining a contraction direction and a second length where the entire link unit is positioned outside of the working chamber through the opening of the cover, defining an extension direction.

2. The machine tool according to claim 1 , wherein
each of the multiple links is rotatable around an axis parallel to the extension direction and contraction direction of the root joint.

3. The machine tool according to claim 2 , wherein
the link unit includes
a first link connected to the root joint,
a second link connected to the first link via a second joint,
a third link connected to the second link via a third joint, and
an end effector connected to the third link via a fourth joint,
wherein each of the second joint, the third joint, and the fourth joint is a rotary joint that rotates around an axis parallel to the extension direction and contraction direction of the root joint.

4. The machine tool according to any one of claim 1 , wherein
the second axial direction is inclined at an angle θ with respect to a horizontal plane, so as to extend downward as it approaches the rotation axis, and
an angle formed between the extension direction and contraction direction of the root joint and the second axial direction is less than θ/2.

5. The machine tool according to claim 4 , wherein
the extension direction and contraction direction of the root joint is a direction parallel to the second axial direction.

6. The machine tool according to claim 1 , wherein the machine tool is a horizontal lathe.

7. The machine tool according to claim 1 , wherein the machine tool is a cylindrical grinding machine.

Assignees

• Okuma Machinery Works Ltd

Inventors

• Morimura Shoichi

Classifications

• B25J15/00

  Gripping heads {and other end effectors (grippers used in machine tools B23Q7/04; gripping members fitted on cranes B66C1/42, B66C1/44; gripping means used for mounting electrical components H05K13/04; gripping means used in the manufacture of semiconductors H10P72/7602)} · CPC title

• B23Q7/046

  Handling workpieces or tools · CPC title

• B23Q17/2409

  Arrangements for indirect observation of the working space using image recording means, e.g. a camera · CPC title

• B23Q7/043

  Construction of the grippers (B23Q7/048 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B23Q2707/003

  in a lathe · CPC title