Work-piece processing machine

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6682407
  • Patent Number
    6,682,407
  • Date Filed
    Wednesday, September 26, 2001
    24 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, January 27, 2004
    21 years ago
Abstract
The work-piece-processing machine of the present invention is compact and has two tools for precisely processing a work-piece. In the work-piece-processing machine, the work-piece is processed by a first tool and a second tool. Diameter of the second tool is shorter than that of the first tool. A first motor rotates the first tool. A second motor rotates the second tool. The first motor and the second motor are attached to a rotatable member. A rotating unit rotates the rotatable member in a vertical plane.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




The present invention relates to a work-piece processing machine, e.g., a deburring machine capable of removing burrs from cast products.




In the case of casting products, gates and burrs must be removed from cast products. To remove gates and burrs, many types of automatic deburring machines have been invented.




One of conventional deburring machines is shown in FIG.


10


.

FIG. 10

is a plan view of the machine.




The deburring machine


10


, which is an example of the work-piece processing machines, includes: a base


11


; a work-piece holder


9


capable of holding a cast product


15


, which is an example of work-pieces; and two arms


12


and


13


for moving the work-piece holder


9


in a horizontal plane.




A disk-shaped grinding tool


6


is attached to a motor shaft


7


of a motor


8


. By driving the motor


8


, the grinding tool


6


is rotated about the shaft


7


. The shaft


7


is rotatably supported by a bearing


5


.




Heading of the shaft


7


of the grinding tool


6


is fixed. To grind (process) various positions of the work-piece


15


, the arms


12


and


13


of the work-piece holder


9


are pivoted in the horizontal plane, and the arm


12


is vertically moved by a vertical driving mechanism (not shown), so that the grinding tool


6


can be moved to any positions in the work-piece


15


. With this action, the work-piece


15


can be properly ground by the grinding tool


6


.




However, if the work-piece


15


has a hole or a complex shape, some parts of the work-piece


15


cannot be ground by the large grinding tool


6


.




To solve the problem, another conventional machine (not shown) has a large grinding tool and a small grinding tool.




To grind a work-piece having a complex shape, the small grinding tool is held and moved by an arm as well as the work-piece holder.




However, mechanisms for moving the two grinding tools are complex, so that size of the deburring machine must be larger.




The large grinding tool is projected forward from a base, and the small grinding tool must be further projected so as to grind or process the work-piece. Since the small grinding tool is located in front of the large grinding tool, it is difficult to attach the work-piece to work-piece holder and detach the work-piece therefrom. Namely, the small grinding tool must be located in back of the large grinding tool.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




An object of the present invention is to provide a compact work-piece processing machine having two tools for precisely processing a work-piece.




Another object is to provide a work-piece processing machine, in which a work-piece can be easily attached and detached.




To achieve the objects, a first basic structure of the work-piece processing machine of the present invention comprises:




a first tool;




a second tool whose diameter is shorter than that of the first tool;




a first motor for rotating the first tool;




a second motor for rotating the second tool;




a rotatable member to which the first motor and the second motor are attached; and




means for rotating the rotatabe member in a vertical plane.




With this structure, directions of axes of the first tool and the second tool can be changed by one rotating means. Namely, the work-piece can be precisely processed without assembling complex mechanisms.




In the work-piece processing machine, the second tool may be attached to a bearing of a rotary shaft of the first tool, and the second tool may be pivoted on the rotary shaft of the first tool by pivoting means. With this structure, the second tool can be optionally moved by the simple structure. The work-piece can be precisely processed. If the rotary shaft of the first tool is vertically arranged, the second tool can be easily moved between a position near the work-piece and a position in back of the first tool by the simple structure. Therefore, the second tool never obstructs the work-piece when the work-piece is exchanged.




In the work-piece processing machine, a rotary shaft of the first tool may be arranged perpendicular to a motor shaft of the first motor, and




a rotary shaft of the second shaft may be arranged parallel to the rotary shaft of the first tool. With this structure, size of the machine in the axial direction of the motor shaft of the first motor can be small if the first motor is a large motor.




A second basic structure of the work-piece-processing machine of the present invention comprises:




a base;




a work-piece holder for holding a work-piece, the work-piece holder being provided to the base;




a first tool;




a second tool whose diameter is shorter than that of the first tool;




a first motor for rotating the first tool;




a second motor for rotating the second tool; and




means for moving the second tool between a processing position, which is located in front of the base and at which the work-piece held by the work-piece holder is processed by the first tool and the second tool, and a waiting position, which is located in back of the first tool.




With this structure, the second tool can be moved between the processing position and the waiting position, so the second tool never obstructs the work-piece when the work-piece is exchanged.




The work-piece processing machine may further comprise means for pivoting the second tool in a 45-degree arc with respect to a horizontal plane so as to change an axial line of a rotary shaft of the second tool. With this structure, the second tool can be properly moved to positions of the work-piece to be processed without widely moving the work-piece holder in the vertical direction. Therefore, size of the machine can be smaller.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of examples and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:





FIG. 1

is a plan view of the work-piece-processing machine of a first embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 2

is a front view of the work-piece-processing machine shown in

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 3

is a side view of the work-piece-processing machine shown in

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 4

is a plan view of the work-piece-processing machine of a second embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 5

is a front view of the work-piece-processing machine shown in

FIG. 4

;





FIG. 6

is a side view of the work-piece-processing machine shown in

FIG. 4

;





FIG. 7

is a front view of the work-piece-processing machine of a third embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 8

is a side view of the work-piece-processing machine shown in

FIG. 7

;





FIG. 9

is a plan view of the work-piece-processing machine shown in

FIG. 7

; and





FIG. 10

is a side view of the conventional work-piece-processing machine.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS




Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following embodiments, deburring machines, which remove gates and burrs from cast products, will be explained as the work-piece processing machines.




First Embodiment




A first embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to

FIGS. 1-3

.





FIG. 1

is a plan view of the work-piece processing machine;

FIG. 2

is a front view thereof; and

FIG. 3

is a side view thereof.




The deburring machine


20


includes: a large disk-shaped grinding tool (rotary grind stone)


22


; a small disk-shaped grinding tool (rotary grind stone)


24


whose diameter is shorter than that of the large grinding tool


22


; a work-piece holder


26


for holding a cast product (work-piece); and a base


21


, on which said members are provided.




The grinding tool


22


is attached to a rotary shaft


23


of the motor


28


and rotated by the motor


28


. Note that, a symbol


39


stands for a bearing section of the motor


28


.




The motor


28


is attached to the base


21


by a stay (rotatable member)


30


. The stay


30


is rotated in a vertical plane by a rotary shaft


32


, which is horizontally extended from the base


21


. The rotary shaft


32


is connected to a motor (rotating means)


34


.




By driving the motor


34


, the stay


30


is rotated about the rotary shaft


32


, and the grinding tool


22


and the motor


28


are rotated about the rotary shaft


32


in the vertical plane as shown by an arrow “A” of FIG.


2


.




With this action, a side face of the grinding tool


22


is capable of moving toward the work-piece in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction.




On the other hand, the small grinding tool


24


is attached to a motor shaft


29


of the motor


36


. Therefore, the grinding tool


24


is rotated by the motor


36


.




The motor


36


is connected to a bearing


39


of the motor


28


by an arm


38


and capable of rotating about the bearing


39


. A rod


40




a


of a cylinder unit


40


is connected to the arm


38


. With this structure, the arm


38


is pivoted on the shaft of the motor


28


by extending and retracting the rod


40




a


of the cylinder unit


40


. The cylinder unit


40


is pivotably attached to the base


21


by a shaft


31


, so that the rod


40




a


can be properly extended from and retracted into the cylinder unit


40


.




Since the grinding tool


24


is attached to the bearing


39


of the grinding tool


22


, the grinding tool


24


is rotated about the rotary shaft


32


, in the direction of the arrow “A” of

FIG. 2

, together with the grinding tool


22


by pivot action of the stay


30


, further the grinding tool


24


is rotated about the shaft


23


of the motor


28


in a direction shown by an arrow “B” of

FIGS. 1 and 3

.




With this action, the small grinding tool


24


is capable of moving to and contacting various positions or parts of the work-piece, so that the grinding tool


24


can precisely grind or process an inner face of a hole of the work-piece and complex parts thereof.




The grinding tools


22


and


24


are moved by the common mechanism, size of the deburring machine can be smaller.




When the shaft


29


of the motor


36


is arranged in the vertical direction, the grinding tool


24


is rotated about the shaft


29


, so the grinding tool


24


is capable of moving between a processing position, at which the work-piece is processed, and a waiting position, which is located on the base


21


side.




With this structure, the grinding tool


24


never obstructs the work-piece when the work-piece is attached and detached.




The work-piece holder


26


includes: a lower clamping member


44


on which the work-piece is rotatably mounted; and an upper clamping member


46


capable of vertically clamping the work-piece with the lower clamping member


44


. Further, the work-piece holder


26


includes: a base arm


48


and a front arm


49


, which are mutually connected by a joint. The base arm


48


is located in front of the base


21


and attached thereto. The base arm


48


is capable of pivoting in a horizontal plane.




A base end of the base arm


48


is connected to a motor shaft (not shown) of a motor


45


, which is provided in the base


21


. The motor shaft is pierced through a bearing


43


and projected upward. The projected part is connected to the base arm


48


. With this structure, the base arm


48


is pivoted, about the shaft, in a horizontal plane by the motor


45


.




The motor


45


is attached to a vertical driving mechanism


54


by a stay


53


.




The vertical driving mechanism


54


includes: vertical guides


51


; sliding members


56


, which are respectively slidably attached to the vertical guides


51


; and a ball screw (not shown) for vertically moving the stay


53


.




By spinning the ball screw (not shown), the vertical driving mechanism


54


vertically moves the stay


53


along the guides


51


. By the vertical movement of the stay


53


, the base arm


48


is moved in the vertical direction, so that the work-piece held by the work-piece holder


26


can be moved in the vertical direction.




A motor


42


is attached on a bottom face of a front end section of the base arm


48


. A motor shaft (not shown) of the motor


42


is pierced through the base arm


48


, and its front end is fixed to the front arm


49


. With this structure, the front arm


49


is pivoted in a horizontal plane by the motor


42


.




A stay


55


is attached to a front end of the front arm


49


. A motor


57


is attached on a bottom face of the stay


55


.




A motor shaft (not shown) of the motor


57


is pierced through the stay


55


and attached to the lower clamping member


44


. Therefore, the motor


57


rotates the lower clamping member


44


so as to rotate the work-piece in a horizontal plane.




The upper clamping member


46


is attached to a front end of a lever


59


. A base end of the lever


59


is pivotably attached to a link section


33


. An upper end of the link section


33


is pivotably connected to a front end of the rod


40




a


of the cylinder unit


40


. The cylinder unit


40


is pivotably attached to a shaft


41


. With this structure, the link section


33


is actuated by extending and retracting the rod


40




a


, so that the link section


33


pivots the lever


59


.




When the upper clamping member


46


is moved away from the lower clamping member


44


by the cylinder unit


40


, the work-piece can be attached and detached.




Second Embodiment




A second embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to

FIGS. 4-6

. Note that, the structural elements explained in the first embodiment are assigned the same symbols and explanation will be omitted.





FIG. 4

is a plan view of the work-piece-processing machine;

FIG. 5

is a front view thereof; and

FIG. 6

is a side view thereof.




The work-piece processing machine (deburring machine)


60


includes: a large disk-shaped grinding tool (rotary grindstone)


62


; and a small disk-shaped grinding tool (rotary grindstone)


64


, whose diameter is shorter than that of the large grinding tool


62


, as well as the first embodiment.




The grinding tool


62


is attached to an output shaft


67


, from which torque of a motor


68


is outputted. Namely, the grinding tool


62


is rotated by the motor


68


. The output shaft


67


is connected to the motor


68


by connecting means, e.g., bevel gears. The shaft


67


of the grinding tool


62


is arranged perpendicular to a motor shaft (not shown) of the motor


68


.




A stay


70


, which is extended from a base


61


, is attached to a bearing


69


of the motor


68


.




A motor shaft


72


of a motor


73


is attached to a base end of the stay


70


, which is connected to the base


61


. By driving the motor


73


, the stay


70


is pivoted on the shaft


72


, so that the grinding tool


62


and the motor


68


are pivoted, on the shaft


72


, in a vertical plane as shown by an arrow “C” of FIG.


5


.




With this structure, a side face of the grinding tool


62


is capable of moving toward the work-piece in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction.




On the other hand, the small grinding tool


64


is attached to a motor shaft


75


of a motor


74


. Therefore, the grinding tool


64


is rotated by the motor


74


.




The motor


74


is attached to one end of a bearing


65


of a rotary shaft


67


of the grinding tool


62


by an arm


76


. The motor


74


can be pivoted on the shaft


67


. The arm


76


is pivoted on the shaft


67


of the grinding tool


62


by a motor (not shown).




With this structure, the grinding tool


64


is rotated about the rotary shaft


72


in the direction of the arrow “C” of

FIG. 5

, together with the grinding tool


22


, by pivot action of the stay


70


, further the grinding tool


64


is rotated about the shaft


67


of the grinding tool


62


in a direction shown by an arrow “D” of

FIGS. 4 and 6

.




With this action, the small grinding tool


64


is capable of moving to and contacting various positions or parts of the work-piece, so that the grinding tool


64


can precisely grind or process an inner face of a hole of the work-piece and complex parts thereof.




When the shaft


67


of the grinding tool


62


is arranged in the vertical direction, the grinding tool


64


is rotated about the shaft


67


, so the grinding tool


24


is capable of moving between a processing position, at which the work-piece is processed, and a waiting position, which is located on the base


61


side.




With this structure, the grinding tool


64


never obstructs the work-piece when the work-piece is attached and detached.




Means for vertically moving the work-piece holder


26


is not shown, but the work-piece


26


can be vertically moved as well as the first embodiment.




Third Embodiment




A third embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to

FIGS. 7-9

. Note that, the structural elements explained in the foregoing embodiments are assigned the same symbols and explanation will be omitted.





FIG. 7

is a front view of the work-piece processing machine;

FIG. 8

is a side view thereof; and

FIG. 9

is a plan view thereof.




The work-piece processing machine (deburring machine)


80


includes: a large disk-shaped grinding tool (rotary grindstone)


82


; and a small disk-shaped grinding tool (rotary grindstone)


84


, whose diameter is shorter than that of the large grinding tool


82


, as well as the first and second embodiments.




The grinding tool


82


is attached to a motor shaft (not shown) of a motor


86


. Namely, the grinding tool


82


is rotated by the motor


86


.




Unlike the first and second embodiments, the grinding tool


62


is not pivoted, so side faces of the grinding tool


62


are arranged in the vertical direction only.




The small grinding tool


84


is attached to a motor shaft


85


of a motor


88


, so the grinding tool


84


is rotated by the motor


88


.




The motor


88


is pivotably attached to a motor shaft


90


of a motor


92


by an arm


89


.




The shaft


90


is inclined 45° with respect to a horizontal plane. The arm


89


is arranged perpendicular to the shaft


90


. The motor


88


is diagonally attached to the arm with angle of 45°.




By pivoting the arm


89


on the shaft


90


, the grinding tool


84


is pivoted between a first position, at which the shaft


85


of the motor


88


is horizontally arranged, and a second position, at which the shaft


85


is vertically arranged (see an arrow “E” of FIG.


8


).




In

FIG. 8

, the arm


89


is pivoted, on an axial line “a”, in a direction of an arrow “F” by the motor


92


. Then the grinding tool


84


is pivoted on the shaft


90


. The grinding tool


84


is capable of contacting the work-piece while the shaft


85


of the grinding tool


84


is moved from the horizontal state to the vertical state.




The motor


92


is pivoted, in the horizontal plane, with respect to the base


81


by arms


94


and


96


. The arm


96


is pivotably attached to a vertical shaft


97


of the base


81


. A front end of a rod


95




a


of a cylinder unit


95


is pivotably connected to a mid part of the arm


96


. The cylinder unit


95


is fixed to the base


81


, and the rod


95




a


is extended in the horizontal direction. With this structure, the arm


96


can be pivoted on the shaft


97


by extending and retracting the rod


95




a.






The arm


94


is attached to a bottom face of a front end section of the arm


96


. The arm


94


is extended downward. The motor


92


is fixed to a lower end of the arm


94


.




Note that, the arm


94


may be pivoted in a horizontal plane with respect to the arm


96


.




In the present embodiment too, the grinding tool


84


can be moved between the processing position, at which the work-piece is ground or processed, and the waiting position, which is located rear side, so the grinding tool


84


never obstructs the work-piece when the work-piece is attached and detached.




The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.



Claims
  • 1. A work-piece processing machine, comprising:a first tool; a second tool whose diameter is shorter than that of said first tool; a first motor for rotating said first tool; a second motor for rotating said second tool; a rotatable member to which said first motor and said second motor are attached; and means for rotating said rotatable member in a vertical plane, wherein said second tool is attached to a bearing of a rotary shaft of said first tool, and said second tool is pivoted on the rotary shaft of said first tool by pivoting means.
  • 2. A work-piece processing machine, comprising:a base; a work-piece holder for holding a work-piece, said work-piece holder being provided to said base; a first tool; a second tool whose diameter is shorter than that of said first tool; a first motor for rotating said first tool; a second motor for rotating said second tool; and means for moving said second tool between a processing position, which is located in front of said base and at which the work-piece held by said work-piece holder is processed by said first tool and said second tool, and a waiting position, which is located on the base side with respect to the processing position.
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
2001-138308 May 2001 JP
US Referenced Citations (6)
Number Name Date Kind
4461121 Motzer et al. Jul 1984 A
4615150 Panetti Oct 1986 A
5618226 Ueyama Apr 1997 A
6179695 Takahashi et al. Jan 2001 B1
6368193 Carlson et al. Apr 2002 B1
6435951 Ishizaka Aug 2002 B1