JP7643975B2 - Holder unit and machine tool - Google Patents

Description

This specification discloses a holder unit that can be attached to a turret and a machine tool having the holder unit.

Conventionally, lathes with turrets, so-called turning centers, have been known. The turret holds multiple tools spaced apart in the circumferential direction. The turret rotates around a specified index axis, allowing the tool used for cutting to be switched. However, since there is a limit to the number of tools that can be held by one turret, depending on the type of processing, it may be necessary to change the tools attached to the turret midway through the process.

In machine tools, there is a demand for further automation and labor savings, including automatic replacement of tools attached to turrets. However, in order to automatically replace tools attached to turrets, a dedicated turret is required, which leads to problems such as larger turrets and higher prices.

Some have proposed a technology that uses a robot to automatically attach and detach tools to a general-purpose turret. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for changing tools using a robot equipped with a six-axis joint robot and a robotic tool changing hand. The turret also has a built-in rotating tool motor for rotating the rotating tool. Patent Document 2 discloses a technology for clamping or unclamping a tool to the turret using the power of the rotating tool motor when changing tools using a robot.

JP 2016-144853 A Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-285766

However, in Patent Document 1, in order to enable the tool to be clamped/unclamped, the tool changing hand is provided with a gripper for holding the tool, a hexagonal wrench, an actuator for moving these, and the like. In other words, in Patent Document 1, a hand with a dedicated structure must be prepared for tool changing, which leads to an increase in the size of the robot and reduces the versatility of the robot. In addition, in Patent Document 2, although a general-purpose robot can be used for tool changing, clamping/unclamping is performed using the power of a rotating tool motor. Therefore, the technology in Patent Document 2 cannot use rotating tools. In other words, it has been difficult to automatically change tools using a general-purpose turret and hand mechanism in the past.

Therefore, this specification discloses a holder unit and machine tool that can automatically change tools using a general-purpose turret and hand mechanism.

The holder unit disclosed in this specification comprises an intermediate block that is detachable from a tool mounting portion of a turret, and a tool holder that holds a tool and is detachable from the intermediate block, the intermediate block having an insertion hole into which a part of the tool holder is inserted, the tool holder being insertable into the insertion hole, a connecting part that changes between a clamped state in which the tool holder engages with a part of the insertion hole and an unclamped state in which the tool holder can move forward and backward within the insertion hole, and a gripping part that is provided in a position where the connecting part is exposed to the outside when the connecting part is inserted into the insertion hole, and that changes the connecting part to the unclamped state when gripping pressure is applied.

In this case, the tool holder further includes a pair of oscillating levers, at least a portion of which is inserted into the insertion hole and functions as the connecting portion, and a biasing member that biases the connecting portion of the pair of oscillating levers in a direction away from each other, the connecting portion having an engagement protrusion that protrudes toward the inner circumferential surface of the insertion hole and engages with an engagement recess formed in the inner circumferential surface of the insertion hole, and the gripping portion is a protrusion that is mechanically connected to the oscillating lever and protrudes into external space, and may be a protrusion that, when pressed, causes the insertion portions to swing in a direction toward each other.

The inner circumferential surface of the insertion hole may have a slope such that the hole widens as it advances toward the back, and a portion of the biasing force of the biasing member that presses the rocking lever against the inner circumferential surface of the insertion hole may be converted into a pulling force that pulls the rocking lever toward the back.

The relay block may have a fixed part that is fixed to the turret and a rotating part that rotates relative to the fixed part upon receiving the rotational force of a motor for a rotary tool built into the turret, and the tool holder may have a rotation transmission part that engages with the rotating part in the rotational direction and rotates together with the rotating part.

In this case, the tool holder has a plurality of weight mounting parts provided around the rotation axis of the rotating part, and an adjustment weight for adjusting the weight balance of the tool holder may be selectively attached to the weight mounting parts.

The relay block may also be screwed to the mounting portion of the turret.

The machine tool disclosed in this specification includes a turret having a plurality of tool attachment parts, a relay block that is detachable from one of the plurality of tool attachment parts and has an insertion hole formed therein, a plurality of tool holders stored in a tool waiting section, each of which holds a tool and is detachable from the relay block, a hand mechanism that holds the tool holder, a moving mechanism that moves the hand mechanism, and a controller that controls the operation of the hand mechanism and the moving mechanism, and the tool holder is insertable into the insertion hole and engages with a portion of the insertion hole. a connecting part that changes between a clamped state in which the tool holder can be moved forward and backward within the insertion hole and an unclamped state in which the tool holder can be moved forward and backward within the insertion hole; and a gripping part that is provided in a position where the connecting part is exposed to the outside when inserted into the insertion hole and that changes the connecting part to the unclamped state when gripping pressure is applied; and the controller instructs the hand mechanism to grip the gripping part in order to replace the tool, and instructs the moving mechanism to move the tool holder together with the hand mechanism between the relay block and the tool waiting part.

The technology disclosed in this specification allows tools attached to the turret to be automatically replaced using a general-purpose turret and hand mechanism.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a machine tool. FIG. FIG. FIG. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a tool holder. 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating a state in which the gripping portion is gripped by a hand mechanism. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a tool holder.

The configuration of the machine tool 10 will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the machine tool 10. In the following description, the direction parallel to the rotation axis Rw of the workpiece 42 is referred to as the Z axis, the direction parallel to the movement direction of the tool rest 16 perpendicular to the Z axis is referred to as the X axis, and the direction perpendicular to the X axis and Z axis is referred to as the Y axis.

This machine tool 10 is a metal processing machine that cuts a workpiece 42 held by a headstock 14 with a tool 40 held by a tool rest 16. More specifically, the machine tool 10 is a turning center that is NC controlled and has a turret 18 that holds a plurality of tools 40. As will be described in detail later, a rotating tool motor 44 that rotates a rotating tool is built into the tool rest 16. Therefore, the machine tool 10 can perform both turning, in which the tool 40 is pressed against the rotating workpiece 42 to cut it, and milling, in which the rotating tool 40 is pressed against the workpiece 42 to cut it. As will be described in detail later, some of the tools 40 are held by the turret 18 via a holder unit 60.

The machine tool 10 has a machining chamber 12 covered by a cover (not shown). In this machining chamber 12, a spindle 24, a tailstock (not shown), a tool rest 16, a robot 20, and a tool waiting section 38 are installed. The spindle 24 is part of the headstock 14, and is provided with members for mounting a workpiece 42, such as a chuck 26 and a collet. A spindle motor (not shown) that rotates the spindle 24 together with the workpiece 42 is built into the headstock 14. When the spindle motor is driven, the workpiece 42 rotates around the workpiece rotation axis Rw that extends in the Z-axis direction.

The tailstock is disposed opposite the chuck 26 in the Z-axis direction, and supports the other end of the workpiece 42 held by the chuck 26. The tailstock is movable in the Z-axis direction so that it can approach and move away from the workpiece 42. Note that an opposing spindle may be provided instead of or in addition to the tailstock. The opposing spindle is a spindle device disposed opposite the headstock 14 in the Z-axis direction, and is a spindle device that rotatably holds another workpiece 42.

The tool rest 16 holds the tool 40. The tool 40 held here may be a turning tool such as a cutting tool, or a rotating tool such as an end mill. The tool rest 16 is capable of moving in its entirety in the Z-axis direction, i.e., in a direction parallel to the axis of the workpiece 42. The tool rest 16 is also capable of moving in its entirety in the X-axis direction, i.e., in the radial direction of the workpiece 42. The X-axis is inclined relative to the horizontal direction when viewed from the front of the machine tool 10 so that it moves upward as it moves toward the back. When the tool rest 16 moves in the Z-axis and X-axis directions, the tool 40 held by the turret 18 moves, thereby adjusting the amount of cutting and the cutting position.

At one end of the tool rest 16 in the Z-axis direction, a turret 18 capable of holding multiple tools 40 is provided. The turret 18 has a polygonal shape when viewed in the Z-axis direction, and can rotate around an index axis Rd parallel to the Z-axis. The turret 18 has multiple tool attachment parts 28 arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The tool attachment parts 28 are parts for attaching tools. The tool attachment parts 28 are formed, for example, on the end face or peripheral surface of the turret 18 in the Z-axis direction, and have a hole or groove into which a part of a tool holder is inserted. The turret 18 rotates around the index axis Rd to switch the posture of each tool 40 relative to the workpiece 42, and thus switch the tool 40 used for cutting.

In this example, some of the tools 40 are attached to the turret 18 via a holder unit 60. FIG. 2 is an exploded enlarged view of the holder unit 60 and its surroundings. As shown in FIG. 2, the holder unit 60 is broadly divided into a relay block 62 that is attached to the tool mounting portion 28, and a tool holder 64 that holds the tool 40, which will be described in detail later.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the configuration of the machine tool 10 will be described. The machining chamber 12 is further provided with a robot 20. In this example, the robot 20 is a serial manipulator in which multiple links 30 are connected in a row via joints 32, or a multi-joint robot. In the example of FIG. 1, the robot 20 is installed on the wall of the machining chamber 12, but the installation location and configuration of the robot 20 may be changed as appropriate as long as the robot 20 can access both the relay block 62 and the tool standby section 38. For example, the robot 20 may be attached to the ceiling of the machining chamber 12, the tool rest 16, the headstock 14, the tailstock, etc.

Attached to the end of the robot 20 is an end effector 34 that performs a predetermined task on an object. The end effector 34 may be fixed to the robot 20, or may be detachable from the robot 20 so that it can be replaced depending on the situation. In this example, the robot 20 has a hand mechanism 36 that grasps an object as the end effector 34. The hand mechanism 36 is a general-purpose hand mechanism that has a pair of arms that move toward or away from each other. When replacing a tool 40, the hand mechanism 36 grasps a tool holder 64 and moves the tool 40 together with the tool holder 64. The robot 20 functions as a movement mechanism that changes the position and posture of the hand mechanism 36, and therefore the tool holder 64 grasped by the hand mechanism 36.

The tool standby section 38 is a section where one or more tools 40 are stored. The tools 40 are stored attached to the tool holder 64. The tool standby section 38 is also formed with a hole having a configuration similar to the insertion hole 74 described later, into which the tool holder 64 is inserted. In the example of FIG. 1, the tool standby section 38 is set on the wall surface of the machining chamber 12, but the location of the tool standby section 38 is not limited as long as it is in a position accessible to the robot 20. Therefore, the tool standby section 38 may be provided outside the machining chamber 12 instead of or in addition to being inside the machining chamber 12. The number of tools 40 that can be stored in the tool standby section 38 may also be changed as appropriate.

The controller 22 controls the operation of each part of the machine tool 10. The controller 22 is physically a computer having a processor 22a that executes various calculations and a memory 22b that stores programs and data. This "computer" also includes a microcontroller in which a computer system is incorporated into a single integrated circuit. The controller 22 may also be a computer that functions as a numerical control device. The numerical control device analyzes the machining program and issues commands, using numerical information consisting of numbers and codes, regarding the tool path for the workpiece and the steps of the work required for machining in order to operate the machine tool 10. The controller 22 controls the operation of the headstock 14, tool rest 16, turret 18, etc., in order to machine the workpiece 42. As will be described in detail later, the controller 22 also controls the operation of the robot 20 and hand mechanism 36 in order to automatically change the tool 40, which will be described later.

Next, the configuration of the holder unit 60 will be described in detail with reference to Figures 2 to 4. Figure 2 is an exploded enlarged view of the holder unit 60 and its surroundings, and Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the holder unit 60 and its surroundings. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the relay block 62, and Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the tool holder 64.

The holder unit 60 is a member for attaching the tool 40 to the turret 18, and is a member for enabling automatic tool change using a general-purpose hand mechanism 36. Here, in the machine tool 10, it is necessary to change the tool 40 used for cutting depending on the machining status of the workpiece 42 and the type of the workpiece 42. In order to reduce labor, it is desirable to automatically change the tool 40. As described above, in a turning center, the tool 40 used for cutting can be changed by rotating the turret 18. However, the number of tools 40 that can be attached to one turret 18 is limited. In addition, a rotating tool can only be attached to a specific tool attachment part 28 out of the multiple tool attachment parts 28. As a result, in the conventional machine tool 10, the number of tools that can be automatically switched, especially the number of rotating tools, is often insufficient.

Therefore, some have proposed a technique for automatically changing the tool 40 using a robot and hand mechanism. However, in conventional techniques, in order to achieve this automatic change of the tool 40, the turret 18 and hand mechanism must be specially configured. In this example, a holder unit 60 is provided to enable automatic change of the tool 40 using a general-purpose turret and hand mechanism 36.

As described above and as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the holder unit 60 is broadly divided into a relay block 62 that is attached to the turret 18 and a tool holder 64 that is attached to the relay block 62.

The relay block 62 is attached to the turret 18 using a general-purpose mechanism provided on the turret 18. That is, the tool attachment portion 28 of the turret 18 is usually formed with holes, grooves, screw holes, etc. for attaching the tool 40, and the tool 40 has been attached to the turret 18 using such general-purpose holes, grooves, and screw holes. In this example, the tool attachment portion 28 is formed with a connecting hole 28a into which a part of the tool holder is inserted and a screw hole 28b for screwing and fastening the tool holder. The relay block 62 is screwed and fastened to the tool attachment portion 28 by a bolt 28c with a part of it inserted into the connecting hole 28a. The installation of the relay block 62 is performed manually by an operator before starting cutting of the workpiece 42.

An insertion hole 74 is formed in the end face of the relay block 62. The insertion hole 74 is a hole into which a part of the tool holder 64 is inserted. The inner peripheral surface of this insertion hole 74 is sloped so that the long diameter of the hole increases as it goes to the back. In addition, an engagement recess 76 (see FIG. 4) into which an engagement protrusion 90 described later engages is formed in the inner peripheral surface of the insertion hole 74. Furthermore, a pin hole 78 into which a rotation transmission pin 92 described later is inserted is formed in the end face of the relay block 62. This pin hole 78 extends in a direction parallel to the insertion hole 74.

The relay block 62 in this example further has a transmission mechanism for transmitting the power of the rotary tool motor 44 to the tool holder 64. That is, the tool rest 16 has a built-in rotary tool motor 44 for rotating the rotary tool. Meanwhile, the tool mounting portion 28 for the rotary tool is provided with a transmission shaft 46, and the power of the rotary tool motor 44 is transmitted to this transmission shaft 46 via a bevel gear 48.

The relay block 62 is provided with a transmission shaft 70 that is mechanically connected to the transmission shaft 46 inside the turret 18. A key protrusion 51a is formed on one of the end of the transmission shaft 46 inside the turret 18 and the base end of the transmission shaft 70 inside the relay block 62, and a key groove 51b into which the key protrusion 51a fits is formed on the other. The rotation of the transmission shaft 46 is transmitted to the transmission shaft 70 by the key protrusion 51a fitting into the key groove 51b.

The rotation of the transmission shaft 70 is converted in its direction of rotation by 90 degrees by the bevel gear 71 and transmitted to the rotating shaft 72. That is, in this example, the transmission shaft 70 and the rotating shaft 72 of the relay block 62 function as the rotating part 68 that can rotate with respect to the turret 18, and the other part functions as the fixed part 66 that is fixed with respect to the turret 18. The above-mentioned insertion hole 74 and pin hole 78 are formed in the tip surface of the rotating shaft 72, and when the rotating shaft 72 rotates, the insertion hole 74 and, by extension, the tool holder 64 inserted in the insertion hole 74 also rotate.

The tool holder 64 is a member that holds the tool 40. This tool holder 64 is detachable from the relay block 62. More specifically, the tool holder 64 has a substantially cylindrical holder body 80 and a pair of swing arms 82 that can swing relative to the holder body 80. The tool 40 is fixed to one end of the holder body 80.

The two swing arms 82 are arranged facing each other with a gap in the radial direction of the holder body 80. Each swing arm 82 can swing around a swing shaft 84 fixed to the holder body 80. The pair of swing arms 82 swing toward or away from each other. In addition, a portion of the swing arm 82 protrudes outside the holder body 80. This protruding portion functions as a connecting portion 86 that is inserted into the insertion hole 74 of the relay block 62.

Here, when the pair of swing arms 82 swing in a direction away from each other with the connecting portion 86 inserted into the insertion hole 74, the swing arms 82 engage with the insertion hole 74, preventing the connecting portion 86 from coming off the insertion hole 74. When the pair of swing arms 82 swing in a direction toward each other, the engagement between the swing arms 82 and the insertion hole 74 is released, and the connecting portion 86 can come off the insertion hole 74. In the following, the state in which the pair of swing arms 82 swing in a direction away from each other is called the "clamped state", and the state in which they swing in a direction toward each other is called the "unclamped state". In the following description, the direction in which one swing arm 82 approaches the other swing arm 82 is called the "inner swing direction Si", and the direction in which one swing arm 82 moves away from the other swing arm 82 is called the "outer swing direction So".

In the clamped state, the end face of the swing arm 82 on the outer side in the swing direction So forms a sloped surface that conforms to the inner circumferential surface of the insertion hole 74. In addition, the tip of the swing arm 82 (the end opposite the holder body 80) is provided with an engagement protrusion 90 (see FIG. 6) that protrudes outward in the swing direction So. In the clamped state, this engagement protrusion 90 fits into and engages with the engagement recess 76 of the insertion hole 74. Furthermore, a spring 88 is stretched across the two swing arms 82. This spring 88 biases the two swing arms 82 in directions away from each other (i.e., on the outer side in the swing direction So), maintaining the pair of swing arms 82 in the clamped state.

The tool holder 64 is further provided with a pair of gripping parts 94. The gripping parts 94 are parts that are gripped by the hand mechanism 36 and are mechanically connected to the swing arm 82. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the state in which the gripping parts 94 are gripped by the hand mechanism 36. The gripping parts 94 are provided in a position that is exposed to the outside even when the connecting part 86 is inserted into the insertion hole 74. In this example, the gripping parts 94 are protrusions that protrude from the swing arm 82 to the outside in the swing direction So, and are protrusions that penetrate the wall surface of the holder body 80 and are exposed to the external space of the tool holder 64. When gripping pressure is applied to the gripping parts 94, the swing arm 82 swings inward in the swing direction Si against the biasing force of the spring 88, and is in an unclamped state.

Next, the flow of automatic replacement of tools 40 using such a holder unit 60 will be described. As described above, the relay block 62 of the holder unit 60 is screwed and fastened to the turret 18 in advance by the operator manually. In addition, each of the multiple tools 40 is fixed to a tool holder 64, and the multiple tool holders 64 are attached to the tool waiting section 38 or the relay block 62.

When removing the tool 40 from the relay block 62, the controller 22 drives the robot 20 and the hand mechanism 36 to grip the tool holder 64 attached to the relay block 62 with the hand mechanism 36. At this time, the controller 22 adjusts the posture of the robot 20 so that the hand mechanism 36 can clamp the gripping portion 94 of the tool holder 64. When gripping pressure is applied to the gripping portion 94, the swing arm 82 swings inward in the swing direction Si and changes to an unclamped state. This releases the engagement between the connecting portion 86 of the tool holder 64 and the insertion hole 74 of the relay block 62. In this state, the controller 22 moves the hand mechanism 36 in a direction away from the insertion hole 74 to disengage the connecting portion 86 from the insertion hole 74. This causes the tool holder 64, and in turn the tool 40 fixed to the tool holder 64, to be removed from the relay block 62. The removed tool holder 64 is transported to the tool waiting area 38 and stored there.

Next, the flow of attaching the tool 40 stored in the tool standby section 38 to the relay block 62 will be described. In this case, the controller 22 drives the robot 20 to move the hand mechanism 36 to the vicinity of the tool standby section 38, and the hand mechanism 36 grips the tool holder 64 stored in the tool standby section 38. At this time, the controller 22 adjusts the posture of the robot 20 so that the hand mechanism 36 can clamp the gripping portion 94 of the tool holder 64. As a result, the tool holder 64 is in an unclamped state. The controller 22 drives the robot 20 to insert the connecting portion 86 of the tool holder 64 in the unclamped state into the insertion hole 74. At this time, the inclination of the tool holder 64 is adjusted so that the rotation transmission pin 92 provided on the tool holder 64 is inserted into the pin hole 78 formed in the relay block 62. When almost the entirety of the connecting portion 86 is received in the insertion hole 74, the controller 22 releases the grip of the tool holder 64 by the hand mechanism 36. As a result, the pair of swing arms 82 swing in a direction away from each other due to the biasing force of the spring 88, and the swing arms 82 come into contact with the inner peripheral surface of the insertion hole 74. Here, since the inner peripheral surface of the insertion hole 74 has a diverging gradient, when the swing arms 82 are pressed against the inner peripheral surface of the insertion hole 74 by the biasing force of the spring 88, part of the pressing force is converted into a force toward the inner side in the axial direction. As a result, the swing arms 82 and the tool holder 64 are naturally drawn toward the inner side of the insertion hole 74. Finally, the engagement protrusion 90 provided at the tip of the swing arm 82 fits into the engagement recess 76, thereby preventing the tool holder 64 from coming off the insertion hole 74. In addition, since the rotation transmission pin 92 is inserted into the pin hole 78, the rotation of the transmission shaft 70 (i.e., the rotating part 68) is transmitted to the tool holder 64 and, in turn, to the tool 40. When this state is reached, the attachment of the tool holder 64 to the relay block 62 and thus the replacement of the tool 40 are complete.

As is clear from the above description, in this example, a relay block 62 with a special configuration is attached to a general-purpose turret 18, and a general-purpose tool 40 is attached to a tool holder 64 with a special configuration, so that the tool 40 can be automatically replaced using a general-purpose hand mechanism 36. Note that the configuration described above is one example, and other configurations may be changed as appropriate as long as the relay block 62 has an insertion hole 74 into which a part of the tool holder 64 is inserted, and the tool holder 64 has a connecting portion 86 that can be inserted into the insertion hole 74 and is switched between a clamped state and an unclamped state, and a gripping portion 94 that changes the connecting portion 86 to an unclamped state when gripping pressure is applied.

For example, in the above description, the tool holder 64 is provided with a rotation transmission pin 92 to transmit the rotation of the rotating shaft 72 to the tool 40, but another engagement portion may be provided in place of or in addition to the rotation transmission pin 92 as long as it can engage with the rotating portion 68 of the relay block 62 in the rotational direction. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the cross-sectional shape of the insertion hole 74 may be non-circular, and the rotational dimension of the swing arm 82 may be approximately the same as the rotational dimension of the insertion hole 74. In this case, the swing arm 82 functions as a rotation transmission member that transmits the rotation of the rotating portion 68 to the tool holder 64.

The tool holder 64 may also include a plurality of weight attachment parts 96 to which adjustment weights for adjusting the weight balance of the tool holder 64 can be selectively attached. The configuration of the weight attachment parts is not particularly limited, but for example, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the weight attachment parts 96 may be a plurality of screw holes formed around the tool 40. In this case, the bolts screwed into the screw holes function as the adjustment weights 98. Also, instead of providing a dedicated weight attachment part, the weight balance may be adjusted by attaching weights with adhesive tape or the like.

In this example, the relay block 62 is provided with a rotating section 68 to enable handling of a rotating tool, but the relay block 62 does not need to have a rotating section 68 as long as it has at least an insertion hole 74. Furthermore, in this example, the hand mechanism 36 is moved using a multi-joint arm type robot 20, but the configuration of the robot 20 may be changed as appropriate as long as the hand mechanism 36 can be moved. Also, instead of the robot 20, the hand mechanism 36 may be moved using a linear loader or the like. Also, a configuration in which the turret 18 and the tool standby section 38 are moved without moving the hand mechanism 36 may be used.

10 Machine tool, 12 Machining chamber, 14 Headstock, 16 Tool rest, 18 Turret, 20 Robot, 22 Controller, 24 Spindle, 26 Chuck, 28 Tool attachment portion, 28a Connection hole, 28b Screw hole, 28c Bolt, 30 Link, 32 Joint, 34 End effector, 36 Hand mechanism, 38 Tool standby portion, 40 Tool, 42 Work, 44 Rotary tool motor, 46, 70 Transmission shaft, 48, 71 Bevel gear, 60 Holder unit, 62 Relay block, 64 Tool holder, 66 Fixed portion, 68 Rotating portion, 72 Rotating shaft, 74 Insertion hole, 76 Engagement recess, 78 Pin hole, 80 Holder body, 82 Swing arm, 84 Swing shaft, 86 Connection portion, 88 Spring, 90 Engagement protrusion, 92 Rotation transmission pin, 94 gripping portion, 96 weight mounting portion, 98 adjustment weight, Rd indexing axis, Rw workpiece rotation axis.

Claims (7)

A detachable relay block for the tool mounting part of the turret;
a tool holder that holds a tool and is detachable from the relay block;
the relay block has an insertion hole into which a part of the tool holder is inserted,
The tool holder comprises:
a connecting portion that can be inserted into the insertion hole and that changes between a clamped state in which the connecting portion engages with a part of the insertion hole and an unclamped state in which the connecting portion can advance and retreat within the insertion hole;
a gripping portion provided at a position where the connecting portion is exposed to the outside when the connecting portion is inserted into the insertion hole , and gripped by a hand mechanism having a pair of arms , the gripping portion changing the connecting portion to an unclamped state when receiving a gripping pressure;
A holder unit comprising: 2. The holder unit according to claim 1,
The tool holder further comprises:
A pair of rocking levers, at least a portion of which is inserted into the insertion hole and functions as the connecting portion;
a biasing member that biases the connecting portions of the pair of rocking levers in directions away from each other;
the connecting portion has an engagement protrusion that protrudes toward an inner circumferential surface of the insertion hole and engages with an engagement recess formed on the inner circumferential surface of the insertion hole,
The grip portion is a protrusion that is mechanically connected to the rocking lever and protrudes into an external space, and is a protrusion that rocks the pair of rocking levers in directions toward each other when pressed.
A holder unit characterized by: 3. The holder unit according to claim 2,
The inner peripheral surface of the insertion hole has a sloped surface such that the hole becomes larger as it advances toward the back side,
A part of the biasing force of the biasing member that presses the rocking lever against the inner circumferential surface of the insertion hole is converted into a pulling force that pulls the rocking lever toward the rear side.
A holder unit characterized by: 4. The holder unit according to claim 1,
The relay block includes:
A fixed portion fixed to the turret;
a rotating part that receives a rotational force of a rotary tool motor built in the turret and rotates relative to the fixed part;
The tool holder has a rotation transmission part that engages with the rotating part in a rotational direction and rotates together with the rotating part.
A holder unit characterized by: 5. The holder unit according to claim 4,
the tool holder has a plurality of weight attachment portions provided around a rotation axis of the rotating portion,
An adjustment weight for adjusting the weight balance of the tool holder is selectively attached to the weight attachment portion.
A holder unit characterized by: 6. The holder unit according to claim 1,
The holder unit according to claim 1, wherein the relay block is screwed to a mounting portion of the turret. a turret having a plurality of tool mounting portions;
a relay block that is detachably attached to one of the tool attachment portions and has an insertion hole formed therein;
a plurality of tool holders stored in the tool standby unit, each of which holds a tool and is detachably attached to the relay block;
a hand mechanism that holds the tool holder;
a moving mechanism that moves the hand mechanism;
a controller for controlling the driving of the hand mechanism and the moving mechanism;
The tool holder comprises:
a connecting portion that can be inserted into the insertion hole and that changes between a clamped state in which the connecting portion engages with a part of the insertion hole and an unclamped state in which the connecting portion can advance and retreat within the insertion hole;
a gripping portion provided at a position exposed to the outside when the connecting portion is inserted into the insertion hole, the gripping portion changing the connecting portion to an unclamped state when receiving a gripping pressure;
wherein the controller instructs the hand mechanism to grip the gripping portion in order to replace the tool, and instructs the moving mechanism to move the tool holder together with the hand mechanism between the relay block and the tool standby unit.
A machine tool characterized by:

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