BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention is described below with reference to an illustrative embodiment, wherein:
FIG. 1 shows a spindle-slide arrangement having a lubricating device,
FIG. 2 shows a sectional drawing of a lubricating device,
FIG. 3 shows a sectional drawing of a spindle-slide arrangement with lubricating device,
FIG. 4 shows a further sectional drawing of a spindle-slide arrangement with lubricating device,
FIG. 5 shows a block diagram showing the process of the lubricating operation.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 shows in diagrammatic representation a spindle-slide device having a lubricant dispensing device 1. The slide 2, which is displaceable in guides 3 and is connected to a spindle 5, is longitudinally displaceable by means of the drive 4. Disposed diagrammatically behind the spindle-slide device is a lubricant dispensing device 1, which, by means of the drive 4, triggers lubricating pulses. The lubricant dispensing device i.e., lubricating device can be of hydraulic, pneumatic, directly or indirectly mechanical, electromechanical or similar configuration. An indirectly mechanical, sawtooth-shaped embodiment is described by way of example below.
The exemplary mechanism for triggering the lubricating pulses is shown in FIG. 2. The lubricating device 1 has a housing 9, which is disposed in a further housing 21. The lubricant 20 is stored in a reservoir 6. In the reservoir 6 there is a piston 8, which, when actuated, conveys the lubricant in the direction of an outlet 7. The outlet 7 is connected, for example, to a distributor (not represented), which feeds the lubricant 20 to the individual lubrication points via lines (likewise not represented). The piston 8 is connected to a piston rod 10. The piston rod 10 has a sawtooth-shaped region 18 having a plurality of teeth 23. Engaging in the teeth 23 of the sawtooth-shaped region 18 is an actuating part 13. Attached to the actuating part 13 is a projection 19, which matches the shape of the teeth 23 of the sawtooth-shaped region 18. The actuating part 13 is mounted displaceably on the inner lower face 26 of the housing 9. By means of a thrust part 14, the actuating part 13 is pushed upwards and forwards—guided by the oblique face 24 of the actuating part 13 and the oblique face 25 of the thrust part 14—, whereupon the projection 19 of the actuating part 13 engages in a tooth 23 of the piston rod 10 and the latter pushes the piston 8 forwards to execute a lubricating pulse. Between the housing 9 and the actuating part 13 and between the actuating part 13 and the thrust part 14, a spring 11 and 12 is respectively provided for the rearward movement of the actuating part 13 and thrust part 14 following execution of a stroke. The stroke length H of the piston 8 corresponds to a tooth length of a tooth 23.
In FIGS. 3 and 4, two examples of the triggering mechanism of a lubricating pulse are shown in simplified representation. In both FIGS. 3 and 4, the slide 2 can be seen. The slide 2 is connected to the spindle 5, which, through the drive 4, displaces the slide forwards and rearwards according to the double arrow 15.
In FIG. 3, a lubricating pulse is triggered by contact of the end face 22 of the slide 2 with the thrust part 14 of the lubricating device 1.
In FIG. 4, a slide bar 17 is provided, which can be transported between the lubricating device 1 and the end face 22 of the slide 2 according to the double arrow 16. The slide bar 17 can trigger the lubricating pulse, on the one hand, by movement in the direction of the thrust part 14 or, on the other hand, by contact with the end face 22 of the slide 2.
The block diagram in FIG. 5 describes the process for generating a lubricating pulse. The point at which a lubricating pulse is to be triggered is reached after a specific operating period of the parts to be lubricated. The length of time is obtained, for example, by measuring the individual path lengths covered by the slide 2 by means of a path-measuring system. The path lengths are recorded via a counter. The actual number of path lengths are compared with a total number chosen within the system. As soon as, in a target-actual comparison, the total number is reached, a lubricating pulse is triggered and the counter is reset to zero. The cycle begins afresh. The criteria for a lubricating pulse can be realized individually or in combination according to use, based on the following criteria.
The lubrication is realized, for example
after a specific number, for example, of strokes of the slide 2. Neither the length nor the direction of the strokes plays a role in this. A stroke is defined as a movement out of the rest position of the slide 2;
after a specific total path, to be defined;
after a specific operating time of the tool device, to be defined.
The invention is applicable to all conceivable machine tools in multi-axis operation, such as, for example, milling machines, electroerosion machines, lathes, grinding machines, etc.
Patent Application
20070295558
