Collecting mechanism and collecting method for collecting machined portion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11712769-B2
Application number	US-201916561665-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2019
Priority date	Sep 6, 2018
Publication date	Aug 1, 2023
Grant date	Aug 1, 2023

Abstract

The collecting mechanism includes a holding unit and a controller. The holding unit has a pair of arms, and can sandwich a machined portion with the pair of arms. The holding unit can be switched between a holding state and a standby state. In the holding state, the pair of arms is closed to be in contact with the circumferential surface of the machined portion to sandwich the machined portion. In the standby state, the pair of arms is opened so as to stay near the circumferential surface of the machined portion with a space between the arms and the circumferential surface of the machined portion. The controller monitors whether cutting-off of the machined portion has been completed to keep the holding unit in the standby state before completion of the cutting-off and to switch the holding unit from the standby state to the holding state at the time of completion of the cutting-off.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A collecting mechanism for collecting a machined portion to be cut off from an adjoining material through turning machining using a spindle, comprising:
a holding unit having a pair of arms, the holding unit being for sandwiching the machined portion with the pair of arms, the holding unit being switchable between a holding state in which the pair of arms is closed so as to be, when in use, in contact with a circumferential surface of the machined portion to sandwich the machined portion and a standby state in which the pair of arms is open so as to surround, when in use, the circumferential surface of the machined portion, with a space between the pair of arms and the circumferential surface of the machined portion; and
a controller for controlling driving of the holding unit,
wherein, during a process of a tool cutting off the machined portion from the adjoining material held by a spindle,
the controller is configured to monitor whether the cutting-off of the machined portion has been completed and to keep the holding unit in the standby state during a time period from a start of the cutting-off of the machined portion until determination of completion of the cutting-off, and to switch the holding unit from the standby state to the holding state at a time of completion of the cutting-off; and
wherein each arm of the pair of arms includes a main arm body, and one or more rollers mounted on the main arm body, the roller being rollable on the circumferential surface of the machined portion.

2. The collecting mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein
the holding unit has an opening and closing actuator for linearly advancing and retreating the pair of arms in a width direction of the holding unit, and
the one or more rollers comprises at least two rollers, wherein the at least two rollers of each arm of the pair of arms are linearly disposed on the main arm body in a height direction of the holding unit.

3. The collecting mechanism according to claim 2 , wherein a first surface of the main arm body of a first arm, of the pair of arms, is opposed to a second surface of the main arm body of a second arm, of the pair of arms, and
wherein the first surface is curved or bent so as to be convex in a direction departing from the main arm body of the second arm.

4. The collecting mechanism according to claim 1 , further comprising a cutting determination sensor for measuring a physical quantity that depends on at least one of a rotation resistance of the spindle that rotatably holds the adjoining material and a cutting resistance in cutting the adjoining material, wherein
the controller determines the time of completion of the cutting-off of the machined portion, based on the physical quantity measured by the cutting determination sensor.

5. The collecting mechanism according to claim 4 , wherein
the cutting determination sensor measures the physical quantity of at least one of a torque of a rotation motor of the spindle, a current of the rotation motor, a torque of a moving motor of a tool post that holds the tool, a current of the moving motor, and a distortion of the tool, and
the controller determines a time at which a differential value of the at least one of the torque of the rotation motor of the spindle, the current of the rotation motor, the torque of the moving motor of the tool post that holds the tool, the current of the moving motor, and the distortion of the tool measured by the cutting determination sensor becomes equal to or less than a threshold that is a predetermined negative value as athe time of completion of the cutting-off of the machined portion.

6. The collecting mechanism according to claim 1 , further comprising a multiple-degree-of-freedom robot installed inside a machine chamber, wherein the holding unit is attached as an end effector to the robot.

7. A collecting mechanism for collecting a machined portion to be cut off from an adjoining material through turning machining using a spindle, comprising;
a holding unit having a pair of arms, the holding unit being for sandwiching the machined portion with the pair of arms, the holding unit being switchable between a holding state in which the pair of arms is closed so as to be, when in use, in contact with a circumferential surface of the machined portion to sandwich the machined portion and a standby state in which the pair of arms is open so as to surround, when in use, the circumferential surface of the machined portion, with a space between the pair of arms and the circumferential surface of the machined portion; and
a controller for controlling driving of the holding unit,
wherein, during a process of a tool cutting off the machined portion from the adjoining material held by a spindle, the controller is configured to monitor whether the cutting-off of the machined portion has been completed and to keep the holding unit in the standby state during a time period from a start of the cutting-off of the machined portion until determination of completion of the cutting-off, and to switch the holding unit from the standby state to the holding state at a time of completion of the cutting-off, wherein the controller controls the holding unit such that the holding unit collects a residual material that is the adjoining material left behind after the machined portion is cut off from the adjoining material.

8. A method for collecting a machined portion to be cut off from an adjoining material through turning machining using a spindle, comprising:
monitoring, during cutting machining relative to the machined portion, whether cutting-off of the machined portion is completed, and
driving a holding unit, based on a result of monitoring, such that the holding unit having a pair of arms is switchable between a holding state in which the pair of arms is closed so as to be in contact with a circumferential surface of the machined portion to sandwich the machined portion, and a standby state in which the pair of arms is opened such that the pair of arms surround the circumferential surface of the machined portion, while the machined portion is connected to the adjoining material that is held by the spindle, with a space between the arms and the circumferential surface of the machined portion, and controlling, by a controller, the driving of the holding unit, wherein
the controller performs the monitoring and keeps the holding unit in the standby state during a time period from a start of the cutting-off of the machined portion until the controller determines completion of the cutting-off, and the controller switches the holding unit from the standby state to the holding state such that the holding unit is closed at a time of completion of the cutting-off such that the pair of arms is in contact with the circumferential surface of the machined portion to thereby sandwich the machined portion.

Assignees

• Okuma Machinery Works Ltd

Inventors

• Yoshino Kiyoshi
• Ichigi Yosuke

Classifications

• B23Q1/44 Primary

  using particular mechanisms (B23Q1/26 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B23B5/14

  Cutting-off lathes ({B23D21/00 takes precedence} shearing B23D) · CPC title

• B23Q1/76 Primary

  Steadies; Rests {(B23B13/126 takes precedence; steadies combined with cutting tool holders B23B29/16)} · CPC title

• B23Q17/0961

  by measuring power, current or torque of a motor · CPC title

• B25J15/0019 Primary

  End effectors other than grippers · CPC title