JPH0657385B2 - Work setup station - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial field of application] The present invention relates to a machining system for machining a workpiece by sequentially exchanging a workpiece mounting base for mounting a workpiece between a machine tool and a stocker. Relates to a work setup station for attaching and detaching a work to and from a work mount. In particular, the present invention relates to a work setup station that automatically clamps or unclamps a work on a mount using a work clamper that is operated by fluid pressure.

[Conventional technology]

To attach / detach a work to / from the work mount, first position the work mount that has a work clamper that operates with fluid pressure at the setup station, and connect the fluid pressure supply unit to the work mount from the outside to loosen or tighten the clamper. Then, the work is attached to and detached from the work mount. Then, the fluid pressure supply section is disconnected from the work mount, and the work mount is moved from the setup station to the machine tool. When the fluid pressure supply unit is connected to the work mount from the outside, a pipe joint of the fluid pressure supply unit is generally laterally engaged with a pipe joint provided on the side surface of the work mount. However, according to this method, it is necessary to provide a device for connecting both pipe joints to the work setup station so as to be exposed, and a large space is required for moving the pipe joints of the fluid pressure supply unit from the lateral direction. There is a drawback that the installation area becomes large. Further, during machining of the work, chips and coolant are apt to adhere to the pipe joint of the work mounting base, and these may enter between both joints when the pipe joint is subsequently attached or detached, resulting in poor connection. Further, at the work setup station, when performing work setup, it is possible to perform setup efficiently by turning and indexing the work mount, but in the case of the work setup station of the conventional method described above, it engages with the fluid pressure supply section. The number of pipe fittings to be installed must be set around the work mount as many as the number of indexes, and as a result, many pipe joints will be arranged on the outer periphery of the work mount.
It has the drawback of reducing the required work mounting space.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention seeks to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks of conventional work setup stations.

The purpose of this is to set up a work mount with a work clamper that is operated by fluid pressure alternately between the machine tool and the setup station for attaching and detaching the work, and to automatically perform the work setup of the machining system. A station, which is a base for supporting the machine body, a positioning base provided on the base for positioning the work mounting base, and a plurality of bases that are vertically movable on the base and project from the bottom surface of the work mounting base. A plurality of sockets that can be engaged with and disengaged from a fluid pressure receiving portion formed of a plug, and a number of pressure oil passages corresponding to the number of the work clampers, and at least one compressed air passage for detecting a workpiece mounting posture. And a vertical movement device that vertically moves the fluid pressure supply part to communicate and close the fluid pressure receiving part and the fluid pressure supply part. Said clamping the workpiece mount to the positioning table, the achieved work mount by the work setup station provided with the work mount clamping device for unclamping from the positioning base. With such a configuration, the fluid pressure supply unit can be engaged and disengaged from below with respect to the work mounting base, the problem of chip attachment that occurs during machining of the work on the pipe joint is solved, and the pipe joints are engaged with each other. It is possible to omit the space for the installation of the matching means and its operating range.

Other objects and effects will become more apparent by the preferred embodiments of the present invention described below.

〔Example〕

First, the positional relationship between the setup station and the machine tool according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The work setup station WSS includes a pallet changer 19 between the front bed 3 on the front of the machine tool 2 and the stocker 1.
A workpiece mounting base made up of a pallet 6a and an squid 7 fixed to the upper surface of the pallet 6a is mounted on a swivel base on the stocker 1. Then, it is configured to be detachably held at a predetermined position. A work clamper (not shown) for detachably fixing the work 8 is installed on the side surface of the scale 7. In this work setup station WSS, an unworked work is attached to the side surface of the sword 7 and is on standby. When the pallet is replaced, as shown in FIG. 3, the two pairs of changer arms 9 that are on standby in the X direction are set to Y when the pallet is replaced.
The pallet 6a on the work setup station WSS and the pallet 6b on the table 10 of the front bed 3 are inserted into the lower sides of the pallets 6a on the work setup station WSS to lift them. And 18 as it is in the horizontal plane with respect to the central axis
The pallets 6a and 6b are exchanged and placed by turning 0 degrees. Pallet 6b at work setup station WSS
Remove the work above and install a new work again.
On the other hand, the table 10 can be moved in the horizontal direction on the front bed 3 in the X direction (the direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 2) by the driving means (not shown), and the column 12 of the machine tool 2 can be moved.
Is movable on the rear bed 13 in the Z direction (horizontal direction in FIG. 2) in the horizontal plane by the Z-axis feed motor 14, and the main shaft 15 attached to the column 12 is Y-shaped.
Axial feed motor 16 for Y direction (vertical direction in Fig. 2)
Can be moved to. Therefore, the tool 11 gripped and fixed to the tip of the main shaft 15 can perform a desired cutting process on the work 8 placed on the pallet 6a on the table 10 by the movements in the X, Y, and Z directions. . The upper portion of the table 10 can be swung and indexed in a horizontal plane (not shown), and the work 8 on each surface of the scale 7 on the pallet 6a can be sequentially indexed to the spindle 15 side for machining. When the processing of the work 8 is completed, the arm 9 of the pallet changer 19 is activated again and the above-described work is repeated.

Next, the configuration of the work setup station WSS according to the present invention will be described.

In FIG. 1, the setup station WSS comprises a swivel base 21 which is rotatably mounted on the upper part of a base 4 which is fixed on the floor via legs 26 so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis.
Four taper cones 5 are projected on the upper surface of the swivel base 21 at equiangular positions, and the pallet 6 is mounted with the taper holes 5a formed at corresponding positions on the lower surface thereof fitted therein. It is placed. A four-sided scale 7 having a rectangular parallelepiped outer shape is integrally fixed to the upper surface of the pallet 6 with bolts or the like.

Work mounting means for holding the work 8 in a predetermined posture is provided on each of the four side surfaces of the ikele 7. The work attaching means is fixed to a predetermined position of a fixture plate 23 fixed to each side surface of the ikele 7 by bolts 22 so as to extend horizontally and vertically.
A plurality of edge locators 24a and 24b, and a work clamper 25a having rods that operate in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the edge locators for pressing the work 8 against the edge locators 24a and 24b,
25b, and the workpiece 8 to the fixture plate 23
Work clamper 25 for pressing against the surface of
It consists of c and 25d. The work 8 is transferred from a work storage rack (not shown) adjacent to the work setup station WSS to the vicinity of one side surface of the scale 7 by a robot or the like (not shown), and is first moved to the horizontal edge locator 24a by the action of the work clamper 25a. Positioned relative to the edge locator 24b in the vertical direction by the action of the work clamper 25b, and finally positioned by the work clampers 25c and 25d so as not to be lifted from the fixture plate 23. Fixed to. When the mounting of the work on one side is completed, the work mounting base turns 90 degrees about the vertical axis to direct the new side into the working area of the robot, and the above-described work is repeated here to mount a new work. . This operation is sequentially performed on all sides of the scale 7.

Next, mount the above-mentioned workpiece mount at a predetermined angle (9 in this example).
The mechanism of turning by 0 degree will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, a swivel base 21 is provided above the base 4.
Is mounted on the annular rim 21a by four rollers 31 and 32 installed at equal angles on the annular rim 21a to engage and contact the upper surface and the side surface of the annular rim 4a of the base 4.
It is freely rotatable along a. Roller 31 here
Supports the vertical load acting on the swivel base 21, and the roller 32 supports the radial load acting on the swivel base 21. On the inner peripheral surface of the annular rim 21a of the swivel base 21, four notches 33 are provided at exactly equal angles. On the other hand, in the internal space of the base 4, a motor 34 is fixed with its output shaft vertically upward, and a pinion 35 is attached to its tip. The pinion 35 is configured to mesh with an internal gear 36 fixed along the inner circumference of the swivel base 21, and when the motor 34 rotates the pinion 35, the swivel base 21 rotates via the internal gear 36. A cylinder 37 is fixed to the base 4 in such a manner that an index roller 38 provided at the tip of an operating rod of the cylinder 37 is directed to the inner peripheral surface of the swivel base 21. The index roller 38 is provided with the notch 33 when the swivel base 21 is stopped.
Has a function of holding the swivel base 21 in a fixed position. With this configuration, when the swivel base 21 needs to be swung 90 degrees in order to attach / detach the work to / from the new side surface of the ikele 7, a control device (not shown) issues an actuation signal for retracting the actuation rod to the cylinder 37. The index roller 38 escapes backward from the notch 33, an operation signal is sent to the motor 34, and the swivel base 21 is roughly ¼.
Rotate and stop. The actuating signal is then emitted again to the cylinder 37 and the actuating rod advances to push the index roller 38 into the next notch 33 facing it. At this time, when the angle rotation of the swivel base 21 by the motor 34 is not accurate, the swivel base 21 is naturally displaced to the correct position by the action of the component force given to the index roller 38 by the forward movement of the operating rod. Indexed and positioned.

The work clamper 25a for attaching and detaching the work 8
The pressurized fluid for operating 25d is supplied from a conduit connected to a fluid pressure supply source extending through the hollow interior of the base 4 via a conduit provided on the work clamper side.
As described above, the work mount consisting of the ikele 7 and the pallet 6 must be reciprocated between the work setup station WSS and the table 10 on the front bed 3 of the machine tool by the pallet changer 19.
Further, even in the work setup station WSS, 1/4 rotation is repeated in order to mount the work on each side of the scale 7, so that this fluid pressure supply line is provided between the base 4 and the work mount. It must be configured to be disengageable. Next, this engagement / disengagement mechanism will be described.

Inside the scale 7, a large number of pipes for pressurized fluid leading to a set of four work clampers 25a to 25d installed on each side are arranged, and as shown in FIG. As a pipe joint plug 40 projects downward from the bottom of the ikele 7 toward a through hole provided in the center of the pallet 6. A total of 40 plugs 40 are provided, 10 plugs for each set of work clampers, and the breakdown of the 10 plugs is the four work clampers 25a to 25d.
Pipes for supplying and returning pressurized fluid to each of the above (2 pipes for each x 4 sets = 8 pipes), accumulator pressure accumulation pipe (1 pipe), for checking the mounting posture of the work 8 on the side face of the squid, which will be described later. Each corresponds to a pipe (1) for the pressurized air used. on the other hand,
A vertical movement cylinder 41 is provided on the bottom surface of the base 4 with an operating rod 41.
The rod 41a is fixed vertically with a facing upward.
A holder 42 is attached to the tip of the. The holder 4
A socket block 43, to which a pipe joint socket 45 is fixed upward, is loosely fitted and held on the upper part of 2. A flexible rubber hose 44, which communicates with the socket 45, is connected to the lower portion of the socket block 43 and extends to a pressurized fluid source (not shown). These sockets 45 correspond to the set of plugs 40 attached to the set of work clampers that occupy the work attachment / detachment position by the rotation of the swivel base 21 at an angle, so that the workpieces can be sequentially attached / detached. One set, that is, only 10 pieces are arranged on the same axis. Further, ten rubber hoses 44 are provided corresponding to each socket 45. When the cylinder 41 is actuated and its actuating rod 41a is raised, each socket 45 is fitted with each corresponding plug 40 as shown by the phantom line. During this ascending movement, the holder 42 slides a through hole provided in a part thereof through a bush 47 on a pair of vertically extending guide rods 46 whose lower ends are supported by the bottom wall of the base 4. While being guided. The upper end of the guide rod 46 is also provided in a hole provided in a part of the base 4 so that the O-ring 4
It is held so that a shake of about ± 1 mm can be made via 8. Further, the operation rod 41a and the holder 42 are attached to each other via the spherical washer 49, and the holder 42 is rotatably movable. Further, the mounting between the socket block 43 and the holder 42 is also possible to freely move about ± 1 mm in the two horizontal axis directions. Therefore, these attachment methods allow some flexibility in the movement of the holder 42. By this flexible connecting means, it is provided so as to correspond to the work clampers on each side of all the scales 7 used in the present processing system during the centering operation by the centering pin 61 and the centering hole 62 described later. Each set of plug 4
Positional and angular errors between 0 and the set of sockets 45 of the setup station can be absorbed reasonably.
Note that reference numerals 28 and 29 respectively denote an ascending detection limit switch and a descending detection limit switch for confirming that the raising / lowering operation of the holder 42 has been completed.

Next, the fitting mechanism of the plug 40 and the socket 45 will be described in detail. These pipe joints are self-sealing so that the pressurized fluid does not leak when disconnected, and have a mechanism that automatically communicates when connected. Sixth
As shown in the figure, in the socket 45, an inner cylinder 51 is slidably fitted inside an outer cylinder 50, and a fixing rod 52 is provided so as to penetrate the inner cylinder 51 in the axial direction. Fixed rod 5
The lower threaded portion of 2 has a hole snap ring 50 on the outer cylinder 50.
penetrates the collar 52b axially restricted by a,
It is fastened to the collar 52b with a nut 52c. Therefore, the fixed rod 52 does not move with respect to the outer cylinder 50. The inner cylinder 51 is urged toward the opening 54 side of the outer cylinder 50 (upward in FIG. 6) by a spring 53, so that the packing 55 fixed to the peripheral edge of the distal end of the inner cylinder 51 is attached to the large end of the piston rod 52. It is tightly engaged with the diameter portion 52a. Reference numeral 56 is an O-ring installed between the inner and outer cylinders. With this configuration, the pressurized fluid supplied from the rubber hose (not shown) communicating with the base of the outer cylinder 50 reaches the tip of the piston rod 52 through the inside of the outer cylinder 50 and the inner cylinder 51. The large-diameter portion 52a is self-sealed to prevent leakage to the outside. on the other hand,
The plug 40 has a flange 5 with a tip opening 57 protruding inward.
A piston rod 59 is incorporated inside a cylindrical body 58 having 7a so as to be slidable in the axial direction. The piston rod 59
Is guided through the cylindrical body 58 to a collar 58b which is restricted upward by a hole snap ring 58a, and the spring 6
It is biased toward the tip opening 57 by 0. Due to this urging force, the large diameter portion 59a at the tip of the piston rod 59
Tightly engages the inner surface of the flange 57a via a packing 59b. With this configuration, the pressurized fluid in the pressure fluid conduit on the ikele side connected to the base of the tubular body 58 reaches the tip opening 57 through the inside of the tubular body 58, but the piston rod 59 has a large diameter. The diameter portion 59a is self-sealed to prevent leakage to the outside. The above is the description of the self-sealing mechanism when the two pipe joints are separated.

The inner diameter of the opening region of the outer cylinder 50 of the socket 45 is large enough to receive the distal end region of the cylindrical body 58 of the plug 40, and the flange 57a of the cylindrical body 58 has substantially the same diameter as the distal end of the socket 45. have. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, the cylindrical body 5 of the plug 40 is inserted into the outer cylinder 50 of the socket 45.
When 8 is inserted, the cylindrical body 58 retracts the inner cylinder 51 against the biasing force of the spring 53. . Since the large diameter portion 52a of the fixing rod 52 is manufactured to have a smaller diameter than the opening 57 of the cylindrical body 58, the cylindrical body 58 retracts the inner cylinder 51 and enters the inside of the socket. 58, the piston rod 59 on the plug side is retracted against the biasing force of the spring 60. By the series of these operations, the sealing action of the large diameter portions 52a, 59a of the rods 52, 59 is released, and the pressurized fluid can flow between the pipe joints.

In order to smoothly carry out the fitting operation between the pipe fittings described above,
In the present invention, the socket block 43 is also provided with a pair of centering pins 61 together with the socket 45, while the work mounting base side is also provided with the plugs 40 and corresponding centering holes 62. With this configuration, when the socket block 43 rises, the centering pin 61 first enters into the hole 62, and the tapered tip allows the two pipe joints to be accurately fitted while self-correcting a slight positional error.
During the fitting operation between the two pipe joints, a considerably large lifting force acts on the work mounting base, and the work mounting base tries to float above the base 4. In order to counter this force, a clamping device described below is provided. In FIG. 5, the left side from the center line shows the locked state, and the right side shows the unlocked state. As shown in the figure, this device comprises a pair of L-shaped clamp levers 71. One end of the levers is rotatably supported by the upper part of the base 4, and when the levers are rotated upward (see FIG. 5). On the left side, the other end in the form of a hook is engaged with the engaging stepped portion 72 annularly provided on the inner peripheral surface of the pallet 6 and locked so as not to move upward, and is rotated downward ( The lock is released on the right side in FIG. 5. This locking / unlocking operation is performed in conjunction with the vertical movement of the holder 42 of the socket block 43. That is, the pressing block 73 is fixed to a part of the holder 42, and the pressing pin 75 whose end is slightly protruded to the outside of the pressing block 73 by being biased outward by the compression spring 74 is housed inside the hollow block. There is.
The pressing block 73 and the pressing pin 75 correspond to the lever 7
It is arranged at a position where it can be engaged and contacted with the back surface of No. 1. When disconnecting the pipe joint with the holder 42 in the lower position,
In the unlocked state shown on the right side of the figure, the lever 71 connects both pipe joints supported by being mounted on the upper surface of the pressing block 73, so that the holder 4 holding the socket 45 is connected.
When 2 starts ascending 6, first, the upper surface of the pressing block 73 and the subsequent sloped portion 73a ascend while coming into contact with the rear surface of the lever 71, and gradually push up the lever 71 to rotate it (the left side in FIG. The front end thereof is engaged with the engagement stepped portion 72. Then, when the fitting of both pipe joints is completed, a pressing force is further applied to the back of the lever 71 by the action of the pressing pin 75 to completely lock it. Conversely, when the holder 42 descends from this state, the lever 71 rotates in the opposite direction in the reverse order to the above, the locked state with the engagement stepped portion 72 is released, and the work mounting base and the base 4 are released. It becomes a free state during. With this mechanism, the workpiece mounting base is at the same time as the fitting operation of pipe fittings.
It is locked so as not to come off, and unlocked at the same time as the disconnecting operation.

The work setup station of the present invention further comprises a mechanism for checking the mounting posture of the work 8 on each side surface of the scale 7. This checking mechanism is performed using the pressurized air supplied from one of the fluid pressure supply pipes described above. That is, as shown in FIG.
0 branches into openings on the surfaces of the edge locators 24a and 24b facing the work 8 and on the work mounting surface of the fixture plate 23. Therefore, if the work 8 is not held in the correct posture by the fixture plate 23, the work 8 and the edge locators 24a, 2
A gap is formed between the compressed air and the 4b or the fixture plate 23, and the pressurized air leaks through the gap, which reduces the back pressure in the pipe. By detecting this pressure drop with an appropriate sensor, an alarm is issued to prevent an accident due to a mistake.

In the present embodiment, the work setup station provided just before one machine tool is described, but the work setup station in a machining system such as a loose FMS which is equipped with a plurality of machine tools and a plurality of work stockers can also be used as a work setup station. It goes without saying that the invention applies.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, the joint (socket and plug) of the fluid pressure supply pipe is housed inside the work setup station, and the socket provided on the base side is moved up and down to be provided on the work mount base side. Since it can be attached to and detached from the plug, it is possible to save the installation space of the work setup station and to secure a sufficient space for mounting the work on each side of the work mount.

Further, with the above-described configuration of the pipe joint, the risk of contamination of the pipe joint by chips and coolant is eliminated, and reliable fitting of the pipe joint can be expected without a cover or cleaning means.

Due to the flexible structure and centering mechanism for mounting the socket on the base side, even when the fitting operation of the pipe joint is performed, the position of the plug on the work mount side that is difficult to expect with high position accuracy can be expected. It is possible to absorb the error and ensure the fitting. Therefore, the supply of the pressurized fluid is stabilized, the clamper of the work mount does not operate, and the trouble caused by the leakage of the pressurized fluid is eliminated.

Further, since the work mounting table itself is configured to be automatically rotatable, the work can be automatically attached / detached to / from each side of the ikele by the robot or the loader.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of an embodiment of a work setup station according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view showing a positional relationship between the work setup station and a machine tool, and FIG. 3 is a view showing an operation of a pallet changer. II of Figure 2
-III is a plan view, Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along line IV-IV in Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a line V-V in Fig. 4 showing a lock / unlock mechanism of the work mount. 6 is a side sectional view showing a state of the pipe joint in a self-sealing state, FIG. 7 is a side sectional view showing a state of the pipe joint in a communicating state, and FIG. It is a side view which shows the air piping for checking. 1 ... Stocker 4 ... Base 6 ... Pallet 7 ... Scale 21 ... Revolving base 24a, 24b ... Edge locator 25a-25d ... Work clamper 40 ... Plug 45 ... Socket 42 ... Holder 43 ... Socket block 61 ... Centering pin 62 ... Centering hole WWS ... Work setup station

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A workpiece for a machining system in which a workpiece mounter having a workpiece clamper which is operated by fluid pressure is alternately converted between a machine tool and a setup station for attaching and detaching the workpiece to automatically progress the machining. A setup station, which is a base for supporting the machine body, a positioning base provided on the base for positioning the work mount, and a plurality of bases that are vertically movable on the base and project from the bottom surface of the work mount. A plurality of sockets that can be engaged with and disengaged from the fluid pressure receiving portion composed of the plugs, and have a number of pressure oil passages corresponding to the number of the work clampers, and at least one compressed air for detecting the work mounting posture. A fluid pressure supply unit having a path, and a vertical movement device that vertically moves the fluid pressure supply unit to communicate and close the fluid pressure receiving unit and the fluid pressure supply unit. A workpiece mounting table clamping device that clamps the workpiece mounting table to the positioning table and unclamps the workpiece mounting table from the positioning table. 2. The positioning table includes a swivel table that swivels in a horizontal plane with respect to the base, a swivel driving means that rotates the swivel table, and a split index table that locks the swivel table at a predetermined angular position. The work setup station according to claim 1, further comprising: an ejecting unit. 3. The work setup station according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising means for issuing an alarm when the back pressure in the compressed air path of the fluid pressure supply unit is equal to or lower than a predetermined pressure. 4. The up-and-down moving device includes guide means for aligning the fluid pressure supply portion and a fluid pressure receiving portion provided on the work mount, the fluid pressure supplying portion and the fluid pressure receiving portion. The work setup station according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a flexible connecting means for absorbing the position error of the above, and a vertical drive cylinder. 5. The work mount clamp device comprises a clamp lever that engages with the work mount and presses the work mount against the positioning base, and is further interlocked when the vertical movement device is raised. A clamp lever actuating member that engages the clamp lever with the work mounting base and disengages the clamp lever from the work mounting base when the vertical movement device descends, as a part of the vertical movement device. The work setup station according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which is provided.