Machine tool drive system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9539633-B2
Application number	US-201514952085-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 25, 2015
Priority date	Nov 26, 2014
Publication date	Jan 10, 2017
Grant date	Jan 10, 2017

Abstract

A drive system for a machine tool comprises two, at least equally long drive spindles, extending parallel to each other and being structurally identical with regard to their torsional rigidity and their axial rigidity, which are each supported to rotate about a spindle axis, and which can be driven about the spindle axis concerned. Each of the drive spindles has a fixed bearing at one end, acting in its longitudinal direction. Spindle nuts, which are seated on the drive spindles can be moved simultaneously with longitudinal movements in the longitudinal direction of the drive spindles.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A machine tool drive system comprising:
a spindle arrangement that has at least one drive spindle; and
two spindle nuts,
the spindle arrangement comprising two drive spindles extending parallel to each other along a longitudinal direction, each drive spindle supported for rotation about a respective spindle axis and configured to be driven about the respective spindle axis, the two drive spindles being of identical torsional and axial rigidity and each having a fixed bearing at one end, acting in the longitudinal direction of the respective drive spindle;
wherein the two spindle nuts are configured to be moved by the spindle arrangement simultaneously with longitudinal movements in the longitudinal direction of the drive spindles, each of the spindle nuts seated on an associated one of the two drive spindles;
wherein the spindle nuts are moveable by the spindle arrangement, in the longitudinal direction of the drive spindles, by each of the spindle nuts being movable by the associated drive spindle;
wherein at the start of their simultaneous longitudinal movements, the spindle nuts are distanced from each other by a distance value (d), different from zero, in the longitudinal direction of the drive spindles, and
wherein the drive spindles are offset relative to each other, in the longitudinal direction, by the distance value (d).

2. The drive system according to claim 1 , wherein the drive spindles are of the same length.

3. The drive system according to claim 1 , wherein, at the start of the simultaneous longitudinal movements of spindle nuts, a first distance existing in the longitudinal direction of the drive spindles between one spindle nut and the fixed bearing of its associated drive spindle is identical with a second distance existing between the other spindle nut and the fixed bearing of its associated drive spindle.

4. The drive system according to claim 1 , wherein the spindle nuts are configured to be moved by the two drive spindles simultaneously and with opposing longitudinal movements.

5. The drive system according claim 1 , wherein the spindle nuts are configured to be moved by the two drive spindles simultaneously and with longitudinal movements in the same direction.

6. The drive system according to claim 1 , further comprising two drive motors, each drive motor engaging a respective one of the two drive spindles, and two drivetrains, each drivetrain connecting a respective one of the drive spindle to a respective one of the drive motors, and wherein the drivetrains are of equivalent torsional rigidity.

7. The drive system according to claim 6 , wherein at least one of the drivetrains comprises a spindle extension, extending in the longitudinal direction of the respective drive spindle, which spindle extension is non-rotationally connected with the respective drive spindle.

8. The drive system according to claim 7 , wherein each drivetrain comprises a respective spindle extension, the spindle extensions being of equivalent torsional rigidity.

9. The drive system according to claim 8 , wherein the spindle extensions are of equivalent length and cross section.

10. The drive system according to claim 8 , wherein the spindle extensions have different lengths with a longer one of the spindle extension having a larger cross section than a shorter one of the spindle extensions.

11. A sheet metal processing machine comprising:
a machining tool configured to process sheet metal; and
the drive system of claim 1 configured to move the machining tool.

12. The machine according to claim 11 , further comprising a wedge gear positioned between the drive system and the machining tool, the wedge gear comprising two drive side wedge gear elements and two tool side wedge gear elements,
wherein each drive side wedge gear element is associated with a respective tool side gear element, together forming a wedge gear element pair,
wherein the wedge gear elements of each wedge gear element pair lie opposite each other on at least one wedge surface, and the wedge surfaces of both wedge gear element pairs are inclined in opposite directions relative to the spindle axes of the drive spindles of the drive system,
wherein each of the drive side wedge gear elements is connected with one of the spindle nuts of the drive system and each of the tool side wedge gear elements is connected with the machining tool, and
wherein the drive side wedge gear elements are configured to be moved jointly with the spindle nuts by the drive spindles, simultaneously with longitudinal movements in the longitudinal direction of the drive spindles, and that, thereby, a movement of the machining tool can be generated via the tool side wedge gear elements.

13. The machine according to claim 11 , wherein the spindle nuts are configured to be moved by the two drive spindles simultaneously and with opposing longitudinal movements, wherein the drive side wedge gear elements are configured to be moved jointly with the spindle nuts by the drive spindles simultaneously and with opposing longitudinal movements in the longitudinal direction of the drive spindles, and
wherein the drive side wedge gear elements, during simultaneous and opposing longitudinal movements relative to the tool side wedge gear elements, move in the longitudinal direction of the drive spindles, and, thereby, a transverse movement of the tool side wedge gear elements and of the machining tool can be generated in the transverse direction of the drive spindles.

14. The machine according to claim 13 ,
wherein the machine further comprises a common guide for guiding the drive side wedge gear elements during simultaneous and converging longitudinal movements, in the longitudinal direction of the drive spindles, and
wherein, in addition to the spindle nuts, the drive side wedge gear elements are also distanced from each other at the beginning of the simultaneous and converging longitudinal movements in the longitudinal direction of the drive spindles.

15. The machine according to claim 12 , wherein the spindle nuts are configured to be moved by the two drive spindles simultaneously and with longitudinal movements in the same direction,
wherein the drive side wedge gear elements are configured to be moved jointly with the spindle nuts by the drive spindles simultaneously and with equally directed longitudinal movements in the longitudinal direction of the drive spindles,
wherein the drive side wedge gear elements, during their longitudinal movements, take the tool side wedge gear elements in the longitudinal direction of the drive spindles, a longitudinal movement of the machining tool thereby being generated by the tool side wedge gear elements in the longitudinal direction of the drive spindles.

16. The machine according to claim 14 , wherein the drive side wedge gear elements are movable jointly with the spindle nuts by the drive spindles, simultaneously and with equally directed longitudinal movements in the longitudinal direction of the drive spindles, wherein the drive side wedge gear elements, during the longitudinal movements, take the tool side wedge gear elements in the longitudinal direction of the drive spindles, a longitudinal movement of the machining tool thereby being generated by the tool side wedge gear elements in the longitudinal direction of the drive spindles, and
wherein the fixed bearing of the drive spindle set back relative to the other drive spindle, viewed in the direction of the simultaneous and equally directed longitudinal movements of the drive side wedge gear elements and the spindle nuts, is located such th

Assignees

• Trumpf Werkzeugmaschinen Gmbh Co Kg

Inventors

• Traenklein Dennis
• Neupert Joerg
• Etzel Kai

Classifications

• B21D28/002 Primary

  Drive of the tools (B21D28/007 and B21D28/20 take precedence) · CPC title

• B21D39/02

  of sheet metal by folding, e.g. connecting edges of a sheet to form a cylinder · CPC title

• B30B1/40

  by wedge means · CPC title

• B21J5/022

  Open die forging · CPC title

• B21D28/04

  Centering the work; Positioning the tools · CPC title