Patents by Inventor Tadashi Kasahara

Tadashi Kasahara 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: 11504819
    Abstract: This control device of a machine tool is provided with: a storage unit which stores in advance a nominal diameter and a nominal length of a blade part of a rotary tool; an image-capturing instruction unit which outputs an image-capturing instruction to an image-capturing device; a model creation unit which generates model data of the blade part of the tool on the basis of the nominal diameter and the nominal length stored in the storage unit, generates model data of a tool shank and holder on the basis of an image stored in the image-capturing device, and creates model data of the rotary tool on the basis of the generated model data of the blade part and the generated model data of the tool shank and holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: MAKINO MILLING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tadashi Kasahara, Kazunari Ishii
  • Publication number: 20210291309
    Abstract: A machine tool is provided with a main shaft configured to have a tool fitted to a distal end portion thereof, a tool magazine for holding a plurality of tools, a tool exchanging arm for exchanging tools between the tool magazine and the rotary main shaft, and a table for attaching a workpiece, wherein the machine tool machines the workpiece by causing the main shaft and the table to move relative to one another in accordance with a machining program, and wherein the machine tool: is provided with an image capturing device for capturing an image of the tool fitted to a tool holder, and an interference checking device which uses the machining program, and shape data relating to the workpiece, the tool, and the machine tool to simulate machining before machining is carried out, to check for the presence or absence of interference between at least the tool and the workpiece; and acquires the shape data relating to the tool from the interference checking device, generates a two-dimensional tool model from the acq
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Applicant: MAKINO MILLING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tadashi KASAHARA, Megumi FURUTA
  • Patent number: 10926367
    Abstract: This machine tool has a tool changing device, and sequentially changes tools to machine a workpiece. The machine tool comprises: an input unit which receives a machining program output from a CAM system and tool basic data; a storage unit which stores the tool basic data received from the input unit for each tool number; a tool measuring device which measures the size of a tool loaded into a tool magazine of the tool changing device; and a determination unit which compares the tool basic data stored in the storage unit and the actual data measured by the measuring device, and determines that the measured tool is different from a desired tool if the difference between the two tool sizes is beyond a preset allowable range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: MAKINO MILLING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tadashi Kasahara
  • Publication number: 20200230771
    Abstract: When measuring the position of a workpiece fixed to a table of a machine tool: rotary feed axes of the machine tool are pivoted such that an upper surface of the table faces in the direction of a line of sight of a camera, and an image of the workpiece is captured; the rotary feed axes are pivoted such that a side surface of the table faces in the direction of the line of sight of an image capturing device, and an image of the workpiece is captured; and the position of the workpiece is measured on the machine tool on the basis of the captured images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Applicant: MAKINO MILLING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tadashi KASAHARA, Kazunari ISHII
  • Publication number: 20200230760
    Abstract: This control device of a machine tool is provided with: a storage unit which stores in advance a nominal diameter and a nominal length of a blade part of a rotary tool; an image-capturing instruction unit which outputs an image-capturing instruction to an image-capturing device; a model creation unit which generates model data of the blade part of the tool on the basis of the nominal diameter and the nominal length stored in the storage unit, generates model data of a tool shank and holder on the basis of an image stored in the image-capturing device, and creates model data of the rotary tool on the basis of the generated model data of the blade part and the generated model data of the tool shank and holder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Applicant: MAKINO MILLING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tadashi KASAHARA, Kazunari ISHII
  • Patent number: 10596676
    Abstract: This tool exchange device for a machine tool uses an exchange arm to exchange tools between a processing area and a tool accommodation area. In the tool exchange device, an imaging device is used to capture an image of a tool in the tool accommodation area, operation parameters for the exchange arm when the exchange arm is used to exchange the tools are determined from the captured image of the tool, and the exchange arm is operated on the basis of the operation parameters to exchange the tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: MAKINO MILLING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tadashi Kasahara
  • Patent number: 10391596
    Abstract: This tool exchange device for a machine tool uses an exchange arm to exchange tools between a processing area and a tool accommodation area which are partitioned by a partition wall provided with an opening and a shutter capable of opening and closing the opening. In the tool exchange device, an imaging device is used to capture an image of a tool in the tool accommodation area, the length of the tool is calculated from the captured image of the tool, the opening width of the shutter is determined in accordance with the length of the tool, and the shutter is opened to the determined opening width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: MAKINO MILLING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tadashi Kasahara
  • Patent number: 10293448
    Abstract: A tool shape measurement apparatus for imaging a tool is provided with: a camera for imaging the tool disposed at a previously determined imaging position; a shutter disposed on the opposite side of the tool from the camera; an illuminating device for shining light toward the shutter; and a control device for calculating the shape of the tool from an image of the tool. The illuminating device is disposed so that an image in which the tool is darker than the background of the tool is captured due to light reflected at the reflecting surface of the shutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: MAKINO MILLING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tadashi Kasahara, Kenichi Ohata
  • Patent number: 10108178
    Abstract: The invention is a workpiece machining surface display method by means of which a machining mark generated when a workpiece machining surface is machined by a rotary tool comprising a cutting edge is displayed on a display device. Said workpiece machining surface display method contains: a first step in which the shape and position of an indentation generated by the cutting edge shaving the workpiece machining surface are predicted; and a second step in which an indentation image representing the shape of the indentation that has been predicted in the first step is displayed in association with the predicted position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: MAKINO MILLING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jiro Yasukochi, Tadashi Kasahara
  • Publication number: 20180250784
    Abstract: This machine tool has a tool changing device, and sequentially changes tools to machine a workpiece. The machine tool comprises: an input unit which receives a machining program output from a CAM system and tool basic data; a storage unit which stores the tool basic data received from the input unit for each tool number; a tool measuring device which measures the size of a tool loaded into a tool magazine of the tool changing device; and a determination unit which compares the tool basic data stored in the storage unit and the actual data measured by the measuring device, and determines that the measured tool is different from a desired tool if the difference between the two tool sizes is beyond a preset allowable range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Applicant: MAKINO MILLING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tadashi KASAHARA
  • Publication number: 20180222002
    Abstract: This tool exchange device for a machine tool uses an exchange arm to exchange tools between a processing area and a tool accommodation area which are partitioned by a partition wall provided with an opening and a shutter capable of opening and closing the opening. In the tool exchange device, an imaging device is used to capture an image of a tool in the tool accommodation area, the length of the tool is calculated from the captured image of the tool, the opening width of the shutter is determined in accordance with the length of the tool, and the shutter is opened to the determined opening width.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Applicant: MAKINO MILLING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tadashi KASAHARA
  • Publication number: 20180215001
    Abstract: This tool exchange device for a machine tool uses an exchange arm to exchange tools between a processing area and a tool accommodation area. In the tool exchange device, an imaging device is used to capture an image of a tool in the tool accommodation area, operation parameters for the exchange arm when the exchange arm is used to exchange the tools are determined from the captured image of the tool, and the exchange arm is operated on the basis of the operation parameters to exchange the tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Applicant: MAKINO MILLING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tadashi KASAHARA
  • Patent number: 9873175
    Abstract: An interference determination method for machine tools which determines whether or not there will be interference between elements that move relative to each other, the method including: a setting procedure for setting a machine tool model obtained by combining the shape model of each of the elements including a work model corresponding to the work; a measurement procedure for measuring the position of the work attached to the work attachment part; a correction procedure for acquiring, at a predetermined timing, the position of the work measured in the measurement procedure, and correcting the machine tool model set in the setting procedure; and a determination procedure for determining whether or not there will be interference between the elements on the basis of the machine tool model corrected in the correction procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: MAKINO MILLING MACHINE CO,. LTD.
    Inventor: Tadashi Kasahara
  • Publication number: 20180015585
    Abstract: A tool shape measurement apparatus for imaging a tool is provided with: a camera for imaging the tool disposed at a previously determined imaging position; a shutter disposed on the opposite side of the tool from the camera; an illuminating device for shining light toward the shutter; and a control device for calculating the shape of the tool from an image of the tool. The illuminating device is disposed so that an image in which the tool is darker than the background of the tool is captured due to light reflected at the reflecting surface of the shutter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Applicant: MAKINO MILLING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tadashi KASAHARA, Kenichi OHATA
  • Patent number: 9573202
    Abstract: A workpiece machining method that machines a workpiece surface by moving a rotating tool, which has a cutting blade for interrupted cutting of the workpiece surface, relative to the workpiece comprises: a first process of determining the pattern of arrangement of multiple cavities on the surface of the workpiece formed after cutting by the cutting blade; and a second process of determining the tool path of the rotating tool so that the multiple cavities are disposed on the surface of the workpiece according to the pattern of arrangement determined in the first process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: MAKINO MILLING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jiro Yasukochi, Tadashi Kasahara
  • Patent number: 9506745
    Abstract: A method for measuring errors in the linear feed shafts of a multi-spindle machine tool having two or more rotating feed shafts in addition to three linear feed shafts, wherein: at least first through third reflecting mirrors are attached to a table of the machine tool; a laser length-measuring machine is attached to the tip of a principal shaft of the machine tool; the linear feed shafts are driven, and the laser length-measuring machine is moved to prescribed measuring points; the two or more rotating feed shafts are driven at each of the measuring points; the coordinates at each measuring point are calculated by measuring the distances between the first through third reflecting mirrors and the laser length-measuring machine; and errors in the linear feed shafts of the machine tool are obtained by comparing the machine coordinates of the machine tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: MAKINO MILLING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tadashi Kasahara
  • Publication number: 20150068272
    Abstract: An interference determination method for machine tools which determines whether or not there will be interference between elements that move relative to each other, the method including: a setting procedure for setting a machine tool model obtained by combining the shape model of each of the elements including a work model corresponding to the work; a measurement procedure for measuring the position of the work attached to the work attachment part; a correction procedure for acquiring, at a predetermined timing, the position of the work measured in the measurement procedure, and correcting the machine tool model set in the setting procedure; and a determination procedure for determining whether or not there will be interference between the elements on the basis of the machine tool model corrected in the correction procedure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: MAKINO MILLING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tadashi Kasahara
  • Publication number: 20150066191
    Abstract: The invention is a workpiece machining surface display method by means of which a machining mark generated when a workpiece machining surface is machined by a rotary tool comprising a cutting edge is displayed on a display device. Said workpiece machining surface display method contains: a first step in which the shape and position of an indentation generated by the cutting edge shaving the workpiece machining surface are predicted; and a second step in which an indentation image representing the shape of the indentation that has been predicted in the first step is displayed in association with the predicted position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: MAKINO MILLING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jiro Yasukochi, Tadashi Kasahara
  • Publication number: 20150056036
    Abstract: A workpiece machining method that machines a workpiece surface by moving a rotating tool, which has a cutting blade for interrupted cutting of the workpiece surface, relative to the workpiece comprises: a first process of determining the pattern of arrangement of multiple cavities on the surface of the workpiece formed after cutting by the cutting blade; and a second process of determining the tool path of the rotating tool so that the multiple cavities are disposed on the surface of the workpiece according to the pattern of arrangement determined in the first process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: MAKINO MILLING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jiro Yasukochi, Tadashi Kasahara
  • Publication number: 20140355002
    Abstract: A method for measuring errors in the linear feed shafts of a multi-spindle machine tool having two or more rotating feed shafts in addition to three linear feed shafts, wherein: at least first through third reflecting minors are attached to a table of the machine tool; a laser length-measuring machine is attached to the tip of a principal shaft of the machine tool; the linear feed shafts are driven, and the laser length-measuring machine is moved to prescribed measuring points; the two or more rotating feed shafts are driven at each of the measuring points; the coordinates at each measuring point are calculated by measuring the distances between the first through third reflecting minors and the laser length-measuring machine; and errors in the linear feed shafts of the machine tool are obtained by comparing the machine coordinates of the machine tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: MAKINO MILLING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tadashi Kasahara