Patents by Inventor Yasuhiko Kikkawa

Yasuhiko Kikkawa 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: 8240454
    Abstract: Provided is a flexible machining facility using a sub-pallet, which can quickly satisfy the increasing or decreasing of units or other required specifications. It The machining facility includes a machine tool (1) having a pallet changer (47) for changing main pallets (39), a plurality of sub-pallets (3) for a workpiece to be mounted thereon, a setup station (5) for carrying the sub-pallet (3) and mounting and dismounting a workpiece on and from the sub-pallet (3), a sub-pallet stocker (7) for carrying the sub-pallet (3) thereon, and a sub-pallet conveyor system (9) for conveying the sub-pallet (3) and configured to include sub-pallet carrying parts of the machine tool (1), setup station (5), and sub-pallet stocker (7) in a workable area thereof. The sub-pallet (3) can be used to convey and machine a workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Makino Milling Machine Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Kikkawa, Masahiro Shirone, Yasuo Sudo, Aritomo Sasaki
  • Patent number: 7972096
    Abstract: The present invention provides a cartridge-type spindle device having an easily separable structure despite the fact that it comprises a rotary joint for a through spindle coolant device. In the cartridge replacement type spindle device (11), front bearings of the spindle are built in a front housing (23) and rear bearings of the spindle (15) are supported on a rear housing (25) so that, when the front housing (23) is separated from the rear housing (25), the front bearings (17a, 17b), the spindle (15), and the rear bearings (19a, 19b) can be separated from the rear housing (25) integrally with the front housing (23). The rotary joint is disposed in a piston (63) of an unclamp means for unclamping a tool (21, T) mounted to the forward end of the spindle (15), so that a draw bar (51) accompanied by a seal ring can be separated from the rear housing (25) and the rotary joint together with the spindle (15) and the front housing (23).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Makino Milling Machine Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuhiko Kikkawa
  • Publication number: 20100018836
    Abstract: Provided is a flexible machining facility using a sub-pallet, which can quickly satisfy the increasing or decreasing of units or other required specifications. It The machining facility includes a machine tool (1) having a pallet changer (47) for changing main pallets (39), a plurality of sub-pallets (3) for a workpiece to be mounted thereon, a setup station (5) for carrying the sub-pallet (3) and mounting and dismounting a workpiece on and. from the sub-pallet (3), a sub-pallet stocker (7) for carrying the sub-pallet (3) thereon, and a sub-pallet conveyor system (9) for conveying the sub-pallet (3) and configured to include sub-pallet carrying parts of the machine tool (1), setup station (5), and sub-pallet stocker (7) in a workable area thereof. The sub-pallet (3) can be used to convey and machine a workpiece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2006
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Applicant: Makino Milling Machine Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Kikkawa, Masahiro Shirone, Yasuo Sudo, Aritomo Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20090053005
    Abstract: The present invention provides a cartridge-type spindle device having an easily separable structure despite the fact that it comprises a rotary joint for a through spindle coolant device. In the cartridge replacement type spindle device (11), front bearings of the spindle are built in a front housing (23) and rear bearings of the spindle (15) are supported on a rear housing (25) so that, when the front housing (23) is separated from the rear housing (25), the front bearings (17a, 17b), the spindle (15), and the rear bearings (19a, 19b) can be separated from the rear housing (25) integrally with the front housing (23). The rotary joint is disposed in a piston (63) of an unclamp means for unclamping a tool (21, T) mounted to the forward end of the spindle (15), so that a draw bar (51) accompanied by a seal ring can be separated from the rear housing (25) and the rotary joint together with the spindle (15) and the front housing (23).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2005
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Applicant: MAKINO MILLING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yasuhiko Kikkawa
  • Patent number: 7331742
    Abstract: A hollow portion of a spindle through which a draw bar and a disc spring assembly are inserted has a closed chamber structure and constitutes an oil pool chamber in which a lubricating oil is filled. The bearing portions that support the draw bar in the oil pool on both sides have the same inner diameter so that the volume of the oil pool chamber does not change when the draw bar is moved forward and backward. As a result, the lubricating oil is not pushed out of the oil pool chamber. Thus, a spindle unit can be provided in which a clamping device including the draw bar and the disc spring assembly for clamping a tool or a workpiece pallet at the forward end of the spindle can be reliably lubricated, so that the friction on and the breakage of the clamping device is reduced and that the service life of the unit is lengthened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Makino Milling Machine Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Kikkawa, Haruyuki Shiraishi, Masahiro Maeda, Naoya Sumita, Kunio Yamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20070098511
    Abstract: A hollow portion (7) of a spindle 5 through which a draw bar (9) and a disc spring assembly (11) are inserted has a closed chamber structure and constitutes an oil pool chamber in which a lubricating oil is filled. The bearing portions (21, 39) for supporting the draw bar (9) in the oil pool on both sides thereof have the same inner diameter so that the volume of the oil pool chamber does not change when the draw bar (9) is moved forward and backward. As a result, the lubricating oil is not pushed out of the oil pool chamber. Thus, a spindle unit can be provided in which a clamping means, consisting of the draw bar (9) and the disc spring assembly (11), for clamping a tool or a workpiece pallet at the forward end of the spindle can be reliably lubricated, so that the friction on and the breakage of the clamping means is reduced and that the service life of the unit is lengthened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2004
    Publication date: May 3, 2007
    Applicant: MAKINO MILLING MACHINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Kikkawa, Haruyuki Shiraishi, Masahiro Maeda, Naoya Sumita, Kunio Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 7165302
    Abstract: A spindle device of a machine tool such as a milling machine and a machining center and a method of replacing a spindle, the spindle device wherein the housing of a spindle head (5) is divided into a front housing (23) and a rear housing (25), a spindle (7) is installed in the front housing (23) through front bearings (9), and a built-in motor rotor (43), a bearing case (33) through rear bearings (11), and a draw bar (51) for clamping a tool are installed on and in the spindle (7) to form a front housing unit (93); the method comprising the step of replacing the spindle (7) and the bearings by replacing the front housing unit (93), whereby, when the spindle device comes out of order, the spindle and bearings can be easily replaced in a short time and the stop time of the machine tool can be minimized at a site where the machine tool is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Makino Milling Machine Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Kikkawa, Akihiro Mochizuki
  • Publication number: 20040074074
    Abstract: A spindle device of a machine tool such as a milling machine and a machining center and a method of replacing a spindle, the spindle device wherein the housing of a spindle head (5) is divided into a front housing (23) and a rear housing (25), a spindle (7) is installed in the front housing (23) through front bearings (9), and a built-in motor rotor (43), a bearing case (33) through rear bearings (11), and a draw bar (51) for clamping a tool are installed on and in the spindle (7) to form a front housing unit (93); the method comprising the step of replacing the spindle (7) and the bearings by replacing the front housing unit (93), whereby, when the spindle device comes out of order, the spindle and bearings can be easily replaced in a short time and the stop time of the machine tool can be minimized at a site where the machine tool is used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2003
    Publication date: April 22, 2004
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Kikkawa, Akihiro Mochizuki