Patents Assigned to Buffalo Machinery Company Limited
  • Patent number: 11543799
    Abstract: A control system for evaluating residual operating life of a machine component of a machine tool includes a sensor and a control system. The sensor is disposed on the machine tool and is configured to sense movement of the machine component. The control device is configured to calculate a length of time based on a sense signal received from the sensor and sampled at a time point right after the machine component is freshly oiled, and to enable output of an alarm when determining that the length of time thus calculated is smaller than a predetermined length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Buffalo Machinery Company Limited
    Inventors: Yi-Lin He, Hsun-Fu Chiang, Chia-Hui Tang, Paul Chang
  • Patent number: 10731705
    Abstract: A detecting apparatus for detecting displacement of a bearing unit sandwiched between a spindle extending in an axial direction and a spindle seat is provided. The detecting apparatus includes a detector unit and a control unit. The detector unit includes a pair of sensing devices with each sensing device including a sensor that abuts against an end surface of an outer ring of the bearing unit and outputting, based on a sensing of the sensor thereof, a detected signal associated with a displacement of the end surface in the axial direction. The control unit is configured to determine whether the bearing unit is abnormal based on the detected signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: BUFFALO MACHINERY COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventor: Paul Chang
  • Patent number: 10695881
    Abstract: A control system for controlling oil-injection of a machine tool includes a sensor, a signal-processing device and a control device. The sensor senses movement of a machine component of the machine tool and outputs a sense signal to the signal-processing device. The signal-processing device derives analysis signals from the sense signal and sends the analysis signals to the control device. The control device determines whether to output an oiling signal to the machine tool to trigger an oiling device to oil the machine component according to an accumulated moving distance and a variation value that are calculated based on the analysis signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Buffalo Machinery Company Limited
    Inventors: Yi-Lin He, Hsun-Fu Chiang, Chia-Hui Tang, Paul Chang
  • Patent number: 10478932
    Abstract: A machining center includes a machine bed, a work table unit, a sliding unit, a first driving unit, a conveying member, a second driving unit and a loading seat. The machine bed has a machining zone and a transferring zone. The first driving unit is operable for driving the conveying member to move along a conveying axis which extends in a first direction, thereby driving the loading seat to move along first adjusting axes which extend in the first direction between the transferring and machining zones. The second driving unit is operable for driving the loading seat to move along second adjusting axes which extend in a second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction and which is substantially vertical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Buffalo Machinery Company Limited
    Inventors: Paul Chang, Chia-Hui Tang, Hsun-Fu Chiang
  • Patent number: 8845247
    Abstract: A milling machine has a base, a work platform mounted movably on the base, and a ruler mounted on the work platform. The work platform is movable relative to a base axis. The thermal compensation system includes a sensor and a control unit. The sensor is configured to be mounted on the base for sensing a position of each of the work platform and the ruler relative to the base axis. The control unit is coupled to the sensor, and determines a work platform displacement and a ruler displacement according to the positions sensed by the sensor. The control unit further calculates a compensation value based on the work platform displacement and the ruler displacement. The control unit is configured to correct the position of the work platform relative to the base axis according to the compensation value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignees: Buffalo Machinery Company Limited, The Department of Electrical Engineering, National Chang-Hua University of Education
    Inventors: Ching-Wei Wu, Ying-Shing Shiao, Chia-Hui Tang, Yu-Che Wang, Paul Chang
  • Patent number: 8770901
    Abstract: A spindle control system for a milling machine is provided. The milling machine includes a column, an overarm, a spindle for mounting a cutter, a first motor mounted on the column for driving movement of the overarm, and a second motor mounted on the overarm for driving rotation of the spindle. The spindle control system includes a distance sensor and a temperature sensor, each to be mounted on the overarm and to be disposed proximate to the end portion of the spindle. The spindle control system further includes a central control unit for determining a compensation parameter based on the displacement sensed by the distance sensor and the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor, and for controlling movement of the overarm by the first motor through a compensation distance based on the compensation parameter to compensate for at least one of the cutter deformation and the spindle deformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignees: Buffalo Machinery Company Limited, The Department of Electrical Engineering, National Chang-Hua University of Education
    Inventors: Chia-Hui Tang, Yu-Lin Juan, Jin-Jia Chen, Tsair-Rong Chen, Paul Chang
  • Patent number: 8764357
    Abstract: A milling machine has a carriage, a main spindle seat extending along an axis, and a motor operable to drive displacement of the main spindle seat relative to the carriage along the axis. A deflection correction system includes a control unit, a displacement sensor, at least one pressure cylinder, and a pressure sensor. The pressure cylinder includes a cylinder body, and a control rod extended retractably into the cylinder body. The control unit is configured to determine a pressure range as a function of displacement detected by the displacement sensor, and to maintain fluid pressure in the pressure cylinder within a pressure range, thereby controlling the control rod via the cylinder body to position the second end portion of the main spindle seat relative to the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignees: Buffalo Machinery Company Limited, The Department of Engineering, National Chang-Hua University of Education
    Inventors: Kun-Fang Huang, Tsair-Rong Chen, Chia-Hui Tang, Wen-Ren Yang, Paul Chang
  • Patent number: 8598827
    Abstract: A control system of a milling machine is disclosed. The milling machine has an overarm, a spindle connected to a cutter, a spindle motor, and an X-axis motor, a Y-axis motor and a Z-axis motor. The control system includes a vibration sensor for detecting a vibration level of the spindle. The control system also includes a central control unit configured to adjust a rotation speed of at least one of the X-axis motor, the Y-axis motor, and the Z-axis motor to bring a load current of at least one of the motors to be within a corresponding current range, and configured to adjust a rotation speed of the spindle motor to bring the vibration level to be within a vibration range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignees: Buffalo Machinery Company Limited, The Department of Electrical Engineering, National Chang-Hua University of Education
    Inventors: Chia-Hui Tang, Chau-Shing Wang, Yu-Lin Juan, Tsair-Rong Chen, Paul Chang
  • Publication number: 20130265411
    Abstract: A system for inspecting a scraped surface of a workpiece performs steps of: a) capturing an image of the scraped surface to obtain a original image section; b) removing high point regions whose areas are outside of a predetermined area range to obtain a base image; c) processing pixels of the base image using a first imaging mask to generate a judgment image; d) determining whether uniformity of the high point regions in the base image conforms a standard; e) determining whether a number of the high point regions in the base image falls within a predetermined number range; and f) evaluating whether or not a portion of the scraped surface conforms with the standard based on results of determinations made in steps d) and e).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Applicants: The Department of Electrical Engineering, National Chang-Hua University of Education, Buffalo Machinery Company Limited
    Inventors: Ching-Wei Wu, Ying-Shing Shiao, Chia-Hui Tang, Paul Chang
  • Publication number: 20130004256
    Abstract: A milling machine has a base, a work platform mounted movably on the base, and a ruler mounted on the work platform. The work platform is movable relative to a base axis. The thermal compensation system includes a sensor and a control unit. The sensor is configured to be mounted on the base for sensing a position of each of the work platform and the ruler relative to the base axis. The control unit is coupled to the sensor, and determines a work platform displacement and a ruler displacement according to the positions sensed by the sensor. The control unit further calculates a compensation value based on the work platform displacement and the ruler displacement. The control unit is configured to correct the position of the work platform relative to the base axis according to the compensation value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicants: The Department of Electrical Engineering, National Chang-Hua University of Education, BUFFALO MACHINERY COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Ching-Wei WU, Ying-Shing SHIAO, Chia-Hui TANG, Yu-Che WANG, Paul CHANG
  • Publication number: 20120321406
    Abstract: A milling machine has a carriage, a main spindle seat extending along an axis, and a motor operable to drive displacement of the main spindle seat relative to the carriage along the axis. A deflection correction system includes a control unit, a displacement sensor, at least one pressure cylinder, and a pressure sensor. The pressure cylinder includes a cylinder body, and a control rod extended retractably into the cylinder body. The control unit is configured to determine a pressure range as a function of displacement detected by the displacement sensor, and to maintain fluid pressure in the pressure cylinder within a pressure range, thereby controlling the control rod via the cylinder body to position the second end portion of the main spindle seat relative to the axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicants: The Department of Electrical Engineering National Chang-Hua University of Education, BUFFALO MACHINERY COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Kun-Fang HUANG, Tsair-Rong CHEN, Chia-Hui TANG, Wen-Ren YANG, Paul CHANG
  • Publication number: 20120306420
    Abstract: A control system of a milling machine is disclosed. The milling machine has an overarm, a spindle connected to a cutter, a spindle motor, and an X-axis motor, a Y-axis motor and a Z-axis motor. The control system includes a vibration sensor for detecting a vibration level of the spindle. The control system also includes a central control unit configured to adjust a rotation speed of at least one of the X-axis motor, the Y-axis motor, and the Z-axis motor to bring a load current of at least one of the motors to be within a corresponding current range, and configured to adjust a rotation speed of the spindle motor to bring the vibration level to be within a vibration range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicants: THE DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, NATIONAL CHANG-HUA UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, BUFFALO MACHINERY COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Chia-Hui TANG, Chau-Shing WANG, Yu-Lin JUAN, Tsair-Rong CHEN, Paul CHANG
  • Publication number: 20120294688
    Abstract: A spindle control system for a milling machine is provided. The milling machine includes a column, an overarm, a spindle for mounting a cutter, a first motor mounted on the column for driving movement of the overarm, and a second motor mounted on the overarm for driving rotation of the spindle. The spindle control system includes a distance sensor and a temperature sensor, each to be mounted on the overarm and to be disposed proximate to the end portion of the spindle. The spindle control system further includes a central control unit for determining a compensation parameter based on the displacement sensed by the distance sensor and the temperature sensed by the temperature sensor, and for controlling movement of the overarm by the first motor through a compensation distance based on the compensation parameter to compensate for at least one of the cutter deformation and the spindle deformation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicants: THE DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, NATIONAL CHANG-HUA UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, BUFFALO MACHINERY COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Chia-Hui TANG, Yu-Lin JUAN, Jin-Jia CHEN, Tsair-Rong CHEN, Paul CHANG
  • Patent number: 8210781
    Abstract: A processing machine includes a machine bed, a spindle seat, a sliding rail unit, and a driving unit. The sliding rail unit is disposed between the machine bed and the spindle seat. The driving unit is used for driving the spindle seat to move within a slot in the machine bed, and includes a threaded rod journalled on a junction between a bottom wall surface and a lateral wall surface of the machine bed, and a nut member disposed fixedly on a junction between a bottom surface and a lateral side surface of the spindle seat and engaging the threaded rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignees: Buffalo Machinery Company Limited, The Department of Electrical Engineering, National Chang-Hua University of Education
    Inventors: Paul Chang, Tsair-Rong Chen, Jeen-Sheen Row, Yuan-Fu Tsai
  • Publication number: 20110279075
    Abstract: In a method and module for controlling rotation of a motorized spindle driven by a driving unit, a sensing unit senses vibration of the spindle and generates a voltage signal corresponding to the vibration of the spindle. A processing unit receives the voltage signal from the sensing unit, generates an adjusting ratio equal to a reference voltage corresponding to a predetermined vibration level of the spindle by the voltage signal upon detecting that the voltage signal is greater than the reference voltage and is less than a predetermined threshold voltage that is greater than the reference voltage, and outputs a control signal corresponding to the adjusting ratio to the driving unit such that the driving unit reduces a rotation speed of the spindle by the adjusting ratio in response to the control signal from the processing unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicants: The Department of Electrical Engineering National Chang-Hua University of Education, Buffalo Machinery Company Limited
    Inventors: Paul Chang, Tsair-Rong Chen, Jeen-Sheen Row, Chin-Sheng Lu
  • Publication number: 20100249982
    Abstract: In a displacement compensation control method and module for an object mounted movably on a driving rod unit and movable between first and second positions relative to the driving rod unit during processing, a detecting unit determines a displacement amount of a free end of the driving rod unit from a reference position in an axial direction of the driving rod unit as a result of thermal deformation of the driving rod unit during high-speed rotation. A control unit controls the driving rod unit to rotate based on the displacement amount so that the object moves between first and second compensation positions relative to the driving rod unit. A distance between the first position and the first compensation position, and a distance between the second position and the second compensation position are equal to the displacement amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicants: BUFFALO MACHINERY COMPANY LIMITED, THE DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING, NATIONAL CHANG-HUA UNIVERSITY OF EDU
    Inventors: Paul CHANG, Tsair-Rong CHEN, Jeen-Sheen ROW, Yuan-Fu TSAI
  • Publication number: 20100119319
    Abstract: A processing machine includes a machine bed, a spindle seat, a sliding rail unit, and a driving unit. The sliding rail unit is disposed between the machine bed and the spindle seat. The driving unit is used for driving the spindle seat to move within a slot in the machine bed, and includes a threaded rod journalled on a junction between a bottom wall surface and a lateral wall surface of the machine bed, and a nut member disposed fixedly on a junction between a bottom surface and a lateral side surface of the spindle seat and engaging the threaded rod.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicants: Buffalo Machinery Company Limited, The Department of Electrical Engineering, National Chang-hua University of Education
    Inventors: Paul Chang, Tsair-Rong Chen, Jeen-Sheen Row, Yuan-Fu Tsai