Patents by Inventor Kaoru Hiraga

Kaoru Hiraga has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9370837
    Abstract: A wire electric discharge machine corrects a machining route according to an angle between two moving blocks that form a corner portion. A correction distance and a return distance are computed based on a detected corner angle. The correction is implemented so that an end point of a block to be machined first is extended according to the correction distance, and a portion extending from a start point of a block to be machined subsequently to an intermediate point of this block is removed according to the return distance. A machining route is created so that the end point of the new block created by the extension is connected to the start point of the other block created by the removal, and the wire electrode is moved along the machining route relative to a workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yan Niu, Kaoru Hiraga
  • Publication number: 20160158863
    Abstract: A controller for controlling a wire electric discharge machine is configured to monitor the remaining lifetime of a wire electrode and calculates an electric discharge machining time, thereby determining the timing of replacement of the wire electrode, so that it can recognize the timing of interruption of electric discharge machining. Consequently, a program operation can be suspended and the wire electrode can be cut and automatically replaced at that timing. After the replacement of the wire electrode, moreover, the wire electrode can be connected and the program operation can be restarted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Inventor: Kaoru HIRAGA
  • Patent number: 9342061
    Abstract: A block in an electric discharge machining program is read out and analyzed, and when determined that a machining route correction command is issued to correct the machining route at a corner formed by consecutive first and second machining blocks, the machining route is corrected such that the end point of the first machining block, an extension point obtained by extending the first machining block from the end point thereof by a predetermined distance in the machining advancing direction, and a new start point obtained by partially removing the second machining block by a predetermined distance from the start point thereof are connected. Then, the wire electrode is moved with respect to the workpiece, following the corrected machining route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kaoru Hiraga, Koji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9335757
    Abstract: When a program command read from a machining program is an auxiliary command, a command associated with the auxiliary command is transmitted. Monitoring of reception of a completion signal corresponding to the command is started. When the completion signal is not received, and when the auxiliary command is a command indicating the unnecessity of waiting to receive the completion signal, determination is made as to whether or not a condition for ending the monitoring of the completion signal corresponding to the auxiliary command is satisfied without receiving the completion signal. When the condition is satisfied, an error process is executed to end the execution of the machining program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: FANUC Corporation
    Inventors: Takehiro Kudou, Kaoru Hiraga
  • Publication number: 20160107251
    Abstract: A machining path creating device for wire electric discharge machines creates a machining path for machining a keyway in a side surface of a round hole. The machining path creating unit compares a “keyway depth” and a diameter of the round hole input by an operator. The machining path creating device determines that the input “keyway depth” is a cut depth when the input “keyway depth” is smaller than the diameter of the round hole and that a value obtained by subtracting the diameter of the round hole from the input “keyway depth” is the cut depth when the input “keyway depth” is larger than the diameter of the round hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Publication date: April 21, 2016
    Inventors: Masanobu TAKEMOTO, Kaoru HIRAGA
  • Publication number: 20150367437
    Abstract: A wire electric discharge machine provided with a disconnection repairing unit includes a core-fixing-end-position storing unit for storing a core fixing end position of a depositing and accumulating operation machined most lately among positions at which the depositing and accumulating operation for machining wastes by a core fixing function ends in a machining shape currently being machined and a disconnection repairing unit for executing automatic connection between a disconnection position and the core fixing end position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventors: Shouta IRIE, Kaoru HIRAGA
  • Publication number: 20150367436
    Abstract: A machining program creating device for a wire electric discharge machine creates a machining program for machining a keyway on the side surface of a round hole in a workpiece, based on a previously specified diameter of the round hole, a center position of the round hole measured by bringing a wire electrode into contact with the workpiece, and a previously defined shape of the keyway.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2015
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventors: Kaoru HIRAGA, Masanobu TAKEMOTO
  • Publication number: 20150352647
    Abstract: A machining path drawing apparatus for a wire electric discharge machine that draws a machining path for the wire electric discharge machine having a core fixation function includes a machining shape information calculation unit for analyzing a machining program to determine machining shape information, a core fixation function operating region detection unit for determining a region where the core fixation function operates in the machining shape information, and a machining path drawing unit for drawing the region where the core fixation function operates with a display attribute changed when a machining path is drawn based on the machining shape information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventors: Hiroyuki ABE, Kaoru HIRAGA
  • Publication number: 20150183039
    Abstract: In the case where the shape of a machining path generated by analyzing a machining program includes a concave arc corner portion, the machining path is compensated by inserting a path leading from the end point to the start point of the concave arc along a path inside the concave arc and leading from the start point to the end point of the concave arc on the concave arc again.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 25, 2014
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Inventors: Shouta IRIE, Kaoru HIRAGA
  • Publication number: 20150183038
    Abstract: A key groove is cut in the center along a machining route with a wire electrode and machined to a key bottom surface of the key groove. When the machining reaches the key bottom surface of the key groove, the key groove bottom surface is machined to the left in the figure. When the machining reaches a key groove side surface, the key groove side surface is machined toward a key groove inlet. Subsequently, the key groove is cut in the center along a machining route to be machined to the key groove bottom surface of the key groove. When the machining reaches the key groove bottom surface of the key groove, the key groove bottom surface is machined to the right in the figure. When the machining reaches a key groove side surface, the key groove side surface is machined toward the key groove inlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 25, 2014
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Inventors: Masanobu TAKEMOTO, Kaoru HIRAGA
  • Patent number: 8921729
    Abstract: A wire electrical discharge machine is capable of step machining by setting only a position located anterior to a step portion of the workpiece during a setup operation before machining, without setting an inclination finishing position of a wire electrode after passing the step portion. A machining program is read, and when a wire electrode reaches a preset inclination starting position in front of a step position, inclination control of the wire electrode is started. Then, when the wire electrode has passed the position of the step portion, the inclination control of the wire electrode is finished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: FANUC Corporation
    Inventors: Masahide Yamaoka, Kaoru Hiraga
  • Publication number: 20140190940
    Abstract: In a corner portion formed at an intersection of a first block to be machined first and a second block to be machined second, an end point of the first block is extended. Then, after moving from the first block to the extended end point of the first block, a wire electrode of an electrical discharge machine returns to an end point of the original block (an end point of the original first block and a start point of the original second block) therefrom along the same path as before, and machines the second block therefrom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kaoru HIRAGA
  • Publication number: 20140175063
    Abstract: A wire electric discharge machine corrects a machining route according to an angle between two moving blocks that form a corner portion. A correction distance and a return distance are computed based on a detected corner angle. The correction is implemented so that an end point of a block to be machined first is extended according to the correction distance, and a portion extending from a start point of a block to be machined subsequently to an intermediate point of this block is removed according to the return distance. A machining route is created so that the end point of the new block created by the extension is connected to the start point of the other block created by the removal, and the wire electrode is moved along the machining route relative to a workpiece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yan NIU, Kaoru HIRAGA
  • Patent number: 8729420
    Abstract: Machining state information is acquired for each predetermined period by performing test machining by an electric discharge machine, and the acquired machining state information is compared with reference machining state information, whereby whether a machining state is satisfactory or not is determined. If the machining state is determined to be unsatisfactory, set items of a machining condition are adjusted. Thereafter, test machining is actually performed again, and the machining condition is adjusted by changing the set items if the machining state is determined again to be unsatisfactory. Thus, the acquisition of the machining state information, determination of the machining state, and adjustment of the machining condition are repeated so that satisfactory machining is finally determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
    Inventors: Takehiro Kudou, Kaoru Hiraga
  • Publication number: 20130238114
    Abstract: A block in an electric discharge machining program is read out and analyzed, and when determined that a machining route correction command is issued to correct the machining route at a corner formed by consecutive first and second machining blocks, the machining route is corrected such that the end point of the first machining block, an extension point obtained by extending the first machining block from the end point thereof by a predetermined distance in the machining advancing direction, and a new start point obtained by partially removing the second machining block by a predetermined distance from the start point thereof are connected. Then, the wire electrode is moved with respect to the workpiece, following the corrected machining route.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2012
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kaoru HIRAGA, Koji SUZUKI
  • Publication number: 20130112658
    Abstract: Machining state information is acquired for each predetermined period by performing test machining by means of an electric discharge machine, and the acquired machining state information is compared with reference machining state information, whereby whether a machining state is satisfactory or not is determined. If the machining state is determined to be unsatisfactory, set items of a machining condition are adjusted. Thereafter, test machining is actually performed again, and the machining condition is adjusted by changing the set items if the machining state is determined again to be unsatisfactory. Thus, the acquisition of the machining state information, determination of the machining state, and adjustment of the machining condition are repeated so that satisfactory machining is finally determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2012
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takehiro KUDOU, Kaoru HIRAGA
  • Publication number: 20120312786
    Abstract: In a wire electric discharge machine, a workpiece mounting unit mounts a workpiece tilted at a preset angle to a plane based on two orthogonal axes, X- and Y-axes. An XY-coordinate system is tilted at the preset angle so that it is transformed into an X?Y?-coordinate system. A machining command value commanded by a machining program is corrected based on the X?Y?-coordinate system. Thus, the tilted workpiece is taper-machined with a wire electrode kept substantially perpendicular to the XY-plane (table surface).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuo ARAKAWA, Kaoru HIRAGA, Yuji TUBOGUCHI
  • Patent number: 7888617
    Abstract: In a reference (n-th) machining pass, the wire travels along a machining route RTn and passes through a reentrant angular corner with wire position WMn, producing a workpiece edge Hn. In the following (n+1)-th machining pass, the wire travels along a machining route RTn+1, but the straight sections preceding and following the corner are replaced with a circular arc route so that the wire passes smoothly through a straight route, then a circular arc route, and then a straight route. The radius of curvature of the circular arc route is determined in the controller on the basis of the difference between the offset specified for the reference (n-th) machining pass and the offset specified for the (n+1)-th pass in which the circular arc route is inserted. Accordingly, the machining margin does not increase in the reentrant angular corner and the machining accuracy is thereby improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Fanuc Ltd
    Inventors: Kaoru Hiraga, Toshiyuki Ogata
  • Publication number: 20080251500
    Abstract: In a reference (n-th) machining pass, the wire travels along a machining route RTn and passes through a reentrant angular corner with wire position WMn, producing a workpiece edge Hn. In the following (n+1)-th machining pass, the wire travels along a machining route RTn+1, but the straight sections preceding and following the corner are replaced with a circular arc route so that the wire passes smoothly through a straight route, then a circular arc route, and then a straight route. The radius of curvature of the circular arc route is determined in the controller on the basis of the difference between the offset specified for the reference (n-th) machining pass and the offset specified for the (n+1)-th pass in which the circular arc route is inserted. Accordingly, the machining margin does not increase in the reentrant angular corner and the machining accuracy is thereby improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2008
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Applicant: FANUC LTD
    Inventors: Kaoru HIRAGA, Toshiyuki OGATA
  • Publication number: 20080086724
    Abstract: A processing program is constituted by a main program and sub-programs, and a plurality of processing programs are stored in a storage means. Only main programs are extracted from the storage means and displayed on a display device by a list. Extraction of only the main program is performed by determining whether a program to be detected has a specific code included in only the main program or whether the program to be detected has a specific code included in only a sub-program.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2007
    Publication date: April 10, 2008
    Applicant: FANUC LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Ogata, Kaoru Hiraga