Including Intermediate Tool Changer Patents (Class 483/40)
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Patent number: 11084136Abstract: The disclosure provides a method and system for milling injected cutting fluid under different working conditions. By analyzing influence of airflow fields in a milling area under different working conditions on injection of cutting fluid, an influence rule of a helical angle and a rotation speed of a cutter on the flow field is quantitatively analyzed, an optimal target distance of a nozzle, an angle between the nozzle and a milling cutter feeding direction and an angle between the nozzle and the surface of a workpiece are comprehensively determined, the nozzle is set according to a determined setting manner, and lubricating oil is sprayed to the milling area by utilizing the nozzle.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2019Date of Patent: August 10, 2021Assignees: QINGDAO UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, CHONGQING UNIVERSITY, SHANGHAI JINZHAO ENERGY SAVING TECHNOLOGY CO., LTDInventors: Changhe Li, Qingan Yin, Huajun Cao, Yonghong Liu, Wenfeng Ding, Naiqing Zhang, Lan Dong, Zhenjing Duan, Yanbin Zhang, Xiufang Bai, Menghua Sui, Wentao Wu, Gao Teng, Min Yang, Dongzhou Jia, Runze Li, Yali Hou
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Patent number: 10160077Abstract: A method, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, and tool changing system for changing tools on a machine. The tool changing system includes a tool magazine, a tool transporter, and an automatic tool changer (ATC). The ATC includes a tool holder and a tool changer. The tool magazine is configured to store at least one tool received at the tool loading station. The tool transporter is configured to transport a tool from the tool loading station or the tool magazine to a tool transfer position of the ATC, and to hold the tool at the tool transfer position during an automatic tool change process. The tool holder is configured to hold the tool at the tool transfer position during the automatic tool change process when the tool transporter is not positioned at the tool transfer position. The tool changer is configured to provide the tool at the tool transfer position to a tool change position of a machine during the automatic tool change process.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2013Date of Patent: December 25, 2018Assignee: DMG MORI SEIKI CO., LTD.Inventor: Robert George
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Patent number: 10137545Abstract: A method, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, and tool changing system for changing tools on a machine. The tool changing system includes a tool magazine, a tool transporter, and an automatic tool changer (ATC). The ATC includes a tool holder and a tool changer. The tool magazine is configured to store at least one tool received at the tool loading station. The tool transporter is configured to transport a tool from the tool loading station or the tool magazine to a tool transfer position of the ATC, and to hold the tool at the tool transfer position during an automatic tool change process. The tool holder is configured to hold the tool at the tool transfer position during the automatic tool change process when the tool transporter is not positioned at the tool transfer position. The tool changer is configured to provide the tool at the tool transfer position to a tool change position of a machine during the automatic tool change process.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2016Date of Patent: November 27, 2018Assignee: DMG MORI SEIKI CO., LTD.Inventor: Robert George
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Patent number: 9523269Abstract: A control system for an automatic drilling tool changer apparatus for use with a drilling rig includes a drilling control device programmed with a control scheme for controlling the automatic drilling tool changer apparatus, and a user interface coupled to the drilling control device for initiating actions of the automatic drilling tool changer apparatus and for interactively monitoring a status of the automatic drilling tool changer apparatus. The control scheme includes steps for an automatic drilling tool change-out operation, and the drilling control device and the user interface are configured to communicate with the automatic drilling tool changer apparatus over a network.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2013Date of Patent: December 20, 2016Assignee: Caterpillar Global Mining Equipment LLCInventors: Ross L. Hoult, Samuel C. Taylor, Andrew Wright, Timo Diekmann, Chinpei Tang, Marcus U. Bähtz, Vin J. Varghese
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Patent number: 9375817Abstract: A tool exchanger for storing a tool (10) with a holding groove (12) formed at a periphery of the tool in a plurality of tool storage parts (302) provided in a tool magazine (300) so that a tool axis becomes substantially horizontal in direction, and taking out the tool from the tool storage parts (302), the tool exchanger including: a base part (100); a slider (200) provided in a side of the tool storage parts (302) slidably relative to the base part (100) in a direction substantially parallel to the tool axis; a holder (250) attached to the slider (200) in a movable manner relative to the slider, and having an engagement part (252) which engages with the holding groove (12) of the tool; and a moving portion moving the holder (250) relative to the slider (200), wherein the moving portion includes: a handle part (260) for exerting a rotary force about an axis extending substantially parallel to the tool axis; a first cam mechanism (250, 242) moving the holder in a plane substantially perpendicular to the toolType: GrantFiled: September 10, 2010Date of Patent: June 28, 2016Assignee: Makino Milling Machine Co., Ltd.Inventors: Akira Nakahata, Etsuro Misaki, Tetsuya Kanamaru, Hideo Komatsubara
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Patent number: 8206276Abstract: A machine tool includes a headstock provided with a main spindle and movable in a direction different from a direction of axis of the main spindle, a tool post mounted on the headstock so as to be movable in the direction of axis of the main spindle, and a tool change unit configured to change a tool attached to the main spindle with another tool after an extremity of the main spindle has been moved to a predetermined tool change position. In this machine tool, when an extremity of the tool post is positioned in the tool change position by the movement of the headstock and also by the movement of the tool post, the tool change unit performs change of a tool attached to the tool post with another tool by the same tool change operation as that for the main spindle.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2009Date of Patent: June 26, 2012Assignee: Okuma CorporationInventor: Makoto Yoshida
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Patent number: 7635327Abstract: A multi-layered tool magazine of a CNC machine having multiple specifications and fast tool-changing speed, includes a racket connecting to the CNC machine and being disposed with more than one set of tool magazine modules, a tool selecting module and a tool changing module. The tool changing module includes a tool selecting disk disposed with two tool selecting portions at both ends thereof respectively, and the tool selecting disk can move up and down corresponding to the tool magazine module. Furthermore, the tool changing module includes a tool changing rod disposed corresponding to the shaft of the CNC machine and a positioning point of the tool selecting module; therefore, it can increase the number of tools of the tool magazine and prepare the tools for the next process quickly in advance to exchange the tools with high speed and to further enhance the processing efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2009Date of Patent: December 22, 2009Assignee: Quaser Machine Tools, Inc.Inventor: Rock Liao
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Patent number: 7264581Abstract: A machining center includes a first column, a second column, a crossbeam mounted transversely on the first and the second columns, a tool magazine, an upper tool exchange device mounted on the crossbeam, a lower tool exchange device mounted on the tool magazine and a relay tool exchange device. The tool magazine is mounted near the first column and extends transversely. The relay tool exchange device is mounted on the first column and has a guide device, a frame, a tool case and a driving device. The guide device is mounted on the first column and extends longitudinally. The frame is mounted moveably on the guide device. The tool case is mounted the frame and aligned selectively with the upper and the lower tool exchange devices. The driving device is connected to the frame and drives the frame to approach the upper and the lower tool exchange devices.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2007Date of Patent: September 4, 2007Assignee: Ding Koan Machinery Co., LtdInventor: Jim Lai
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Patent number: 7229397Abstract: A tool changing device for a machine tool with at least one tool carrier is proposed, which comprises at least one transit station, into which a tool is introducable in an inward transit direction and is extractable in an outward transit direction, wherein, at the transit station, the tool is at least one of detachable from the assigned tool carrier and fixable to the tool carrier provided.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2006Date of Patent: June 12, 2007Assignee: Ex-Cell-O GmbHInventors: Michael Hagmann, Friedrich Winckler
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Patent number: 7153252Abstract: A storage arrangement (1) for machine tools is proposed, comprising at least two storage shelves (12) arranged vertically one above the other and in each case having a multiplicity of tool or workpiece retainers (14), the tool or workpiece retainers (14) being arranged in a circle, and a movable gripping arm (16) which is rotatably arranged about an axis through the center of the circle formed by the storage retainers (14) and which furthermore is arranged so as to be movable in the vertical direction with respect to the storage shelves (12) and which furthermore is arranged so as to be movable horizontally and radially from the circle center, the gripping arm (16), during its horizontal movement, covering at most a distance which corresponds to the radius of the circle formed by the storage retainers (14).Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2005Date of Patent: December 26, 2006Assignee: Mikron Comp-Tec AGInventor: Thomas Lüscher
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Patent number: 7131940Abstract: The present invention provides a machine tool whose width dimension is not increased even when it includes a tool magazine. The present invention includes: a bed; a saddle disposed on the bed to be movable in a forward and backward (Y-axis) direction in a front view of the machine tool; a table disposed on the saddle to be movable in right and left (X-axis) direction; a column fixed on the bed a spindle head disposed on the column to support a spindle and movable in a vertical (Z-axis) direction; an automatic tool changer disposed on a back face side of the column, wherein the column has an opening which allows the back face side and a front face side of the column to communicate with each other, and the automatic tool changer replaces a tool on the spindle side by a tool on a tool magazine side through the opening.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2006Date of Patent: November 7, 2006Assignee: Mori Seiki Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kazuyuki Hiramoto, Akihiro Mochizuki, Shunsuke Nakazawa, Satoshi Matsui
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Patent number: 7104940Abstract: A tool changer for machine tools having at least two tong-shaped grippers, the legs of which are formed for engaging with the ring groove at a broader end of a tool taper. The grippers are symmetrically mounted about the central axis of a carrier and are rotatable around the central axis with their legs pointing outward. The carrier is mounted on a support structure that has a drive for moving the carrier. In order to enable an earlier release of the tool taper from the collet chuck in the work spindle, and thus faster tool changes, at least one leg of the grippers is extended to form a protruding holding finger.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2002Date of Patent: September 12, 2006Assignee: DECKEL MAHA Geretsried GmbHInventor: Kurt Kessler
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Patent number: 6949055Abstract: A machine tool consists in a pair of slide ways set apart one from another and extending parallel with a longitudinal axis, a machining station between the slide ways, presenting a first zone and a second zone adjacent one to the other, and a traveling gantry set in motion along the slide ways and carrying a machining head positionable in the first and second zones. Installed alongside at least one of the slide ways and containing a supply of tools attachable to the machining head is a magazine equipped with a first changer element positioned to coincide with the first zone of the station, and a second changer element positioned to coincide with the second zone, so that whichever of the two zones the machining head happens to occupy at any given moment, the tool currently in use can be replaced with a tool from the magazine by the relative changer element with minimal loss of time.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2004Date of Patent: September 27, 2005Assignee: JOBS S.p.A.Inventors: Maurizio Ferrari, Carlo Massari
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Patent number: 6846276Abstract: The present invention relates a tool changer controlling method and apparatus, which can reduce a tool changing time as compared with the prior art. The controlling apparatus controls operation of a tool changer (1) which comprises a changer arm (2) for holding tools (Ta,Tb) and is adapted to pivot the changer arm (2) by a driving system including a servo motor (5) and exchange the tool (Ta) attached to a main spindle (20) in a tool changing position and the tool (Tb) in a predetermined position. The servo motor (5) is driven and controlled so that the changer arm (2) is preliminarily pivoted by a predetermined angle when the main spindle (20) is moved to the tool changing position, and further pivoted to the tool changing position after the main spindle (20) reaches the tool changing position.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2002Date of Patent: January 25, 2005Assignee: Mori Seiki Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kaoru Yasumatsuya, Takashi Okuda
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Patent number: 6802801Abstract: A tool changing device for a tool machine having a tool spindle which can be moved at least in the spindle direction and with which a tool can be engaged in a spindle hand-over position. A tool magazine/storage area houses a tool to be changed in a magazine ready position with an orientation diverging from the spindle direction. A transport device is fitted with a tool holder which, by means of an operating device provided with a driving guide/guide path, swivels the tool about a swiveling axis during its transport from the ready position in the tool magazine and an orientation parallel to the spindle direction. The transport device is designed for an entire transport path between the magazine ready position and a spindle hand-over position. The transport device is aligned with the rotation axis of the stored tool. The swiveling axis runs perpendicularly to the transport direction and the spindle axis.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2001Date of Patent: October 12, 2004Assignee: Deckel Maho Speech GmbHInventor: Thorsten Lasch
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Patent number: 6464623Abstract: A tool storage and tool exchange device of a high speed machining machine-tool having a horizontal ram that receives a tool. The exchange device includes a tool storage module that has a multiplicity of housings receiving the tools, a handling module that loads or unloads at least one tool from a housing and transports the tool from the housing toward an exchange zone with a transfer module, and a transfer module that transports a tool present in the ram from an exchange zone with the ram toward the exchange zone with the handling nodule and vice-versa. The multiple modules allow simultaneous execution of different operations by a tool storage and tool exchange device.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 1999Date of Patent: October 15, 2002Assignee: Renault Automation ComauInventors: Raymond Laur, Gilles Sudre
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Patent number: 6454684Abstract: Disclosed is an automatic tool changing apparatus which comprises a tool magazine storing a multiplicity of tools each held by tool holding means, the tool magazine having a tool port through which the tools are loaded into or unloaded from the tool magazine; a tool shifter translating the tools for loading into or unloading from the tool magazine; a standby magazine having tool holding means by which the tools loaded or unloaded by the tool shifter are temporarily held and stand by; and an automatic tool changer changing the tool held in the standby magazine for the tool fitted to a spindle. The standby magazine has a plurality of tool holding means which are provided on an output shaft of a rotation indexing mechanism and which come to rest at delivery positions and to/from the tool shifter and the automatic tool changer, respectively.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2001Date of Patent: September 24, 2002Assignee: Sankyo Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventor: Heizaburo Kato
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Patent number: 6450932Abstract: A guide rail (12) is laid on a frame (4) of a horizontal machining center provided with a tool magazine (5) to guide a tool changer (11) for movement between a tool transfer station near the tool magazine (5) and a tool changing station at a lower part of the frame (4). The guide rail (12) has a horizontal section (12a), a vertical section (12b) and a curved section (12c). The direction of the tool changer (11) is changed while the tool changer (11) is traveling along the curved section (12c). The tool changer (11) carries a spare tool (T) in a horizontal position along the horizontal section (12a) of the guide rail (12) and in a vertical position along the vertical section (12b) of the guide rail (12). The tool changer (11) has a carriage (16) and a tool holding device (17) supported on the carriage (16) so as to be movable in directions perpendicular to the guide rail (12).Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2000Date of Patent: September 17, 2002Assignee: Howa Machinery, Ltd.Inventors: Yoshiro Hirose, Tetsuya Yamada
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Patent number: 6371899Abstract: A tool changer for machine tools is capable of transferring a tool transfer pot with a stroke smaller than the transfer distance of the tool transfer pot. The tool changer for a combined machining lathe includes a tool magazine having a multiplicity of tools and serving for transferring and indexing a next-process tool to a specified tool takeout position. A tool transfer mechanism transfers the next-process tool positioned in the tool takeout position or the tool delivery position to a tool changing position. A tool changing mechanism changes a process-completed tool loaded on a tool post body with the next-process tool positioned in the tool changing position. The tool transfer mechanism comprises a transfer arm pivotally disposed between the tool delivery position and the tool changing position. A tool transfer pot is coupled to a front-end portion of the transfer arm and serves to support the next-process tool.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2000Date of Patent: April 16, 2002Assignee: Mori Seiki Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masamitsu Nakaminami, Masahiro Naito
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Patent number: 6364818Abstract: A CNC machine center with double-speed shifting feature in X and Z axes, comprises an upright stand for disposing a worktable assembly and a tool holder assembly. The worktable assembly and the tool assembly are relatively movable with each other in two perpendicular coordinate axes, i.e., X-axis and Z-axis. It is characterized in that in at least one of X-axis and Z-axis, the tool holder assembly and the worktable assembly are interconnected with each other by a screw rod having a positive thread section and a counter thread section, thereby the tool holder assembly and worktable assembly can be simultaneously shifted in opposite directions to obtain a relative shifting speed double of conventional one, so that the non-cutting operation time of a machine center is greatly reduced, and so that the overall machining speed and efficiency are improved.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2001Date of Patent: April 2, 2002Inventor: Hsi-Kuan Chen
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Patent number: 6010440Abstract: An automated machine tool is provided and includes a frame having a first workpiece transfer station at a first location on the frame; at least two self-contained processing units, each of the units including structure for holding the workpiece for processing and structure for performing a process on the workpiece; structure for sequentially indexing the processing units to the first workpiece transfer station for transferring workpieces to and from each of the processing units; a shared tool storing device; a first cutting tool transfer device for transferring cutting tools to and from the processing units; and a second cutting tool transfer device for transferring cutting tools between the first transfer device and the storing device.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 1997Date of Patent: January 4, 2000Inventor: Toshiharu Tom Miyano
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Patent number: 5908374Abstract: A tool changer for a machine tool includes an arm support disposed between a spindle head and a tool magazine to be reciprocally moved along the spindle relative to the spindle, a pair of tool changing arms mounted for rocking motion on support shafts further mounted on the arm support to cross the spindle, respectively, holding mechanisms on one ends of the tool changing arms respectively, and a rotating mechanism for rotating the tool changing arms by 180 degrees about a center shaft parallel with the spindle. Each holding mechanism has a moving pin and a spring for urging the moving pin in a direction of projection of the pin. The moving pins are engaged with a tool attached to the spindle and another tool located at a standby position of the tool magazine when the tool changing arms are rocked about the support shafts so that the tools are detachably held by the holding mechanisms respectively.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 1998Date of Patent: June 1, 1999Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Fumihiko Kato
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Patent number: 5885200Abstract: In the tool change device, a tool change arm 27 for changing a tool 25 with respect to a main spindle 24, a main tool magazine 29 including a plurality of hold grooves 30 arranged linearly for holding the tools 25, and a tool storage member 41 including at least one storage portion 46 for storing the tool 25 are arranged in the back-and-forth direction of the tool change device. In order that the tools 25 can be delivered between the tool change arm 27 and main tool magazine 29, between the main tool magazine 29 and tool storage member 41, and between the tool storage member 41 and tool change arm 27, a single tool loader L is disposed in such a manner that it can be moved in correspondence to the tool change arm 27, main tool magazine 29 and tool storage member 41.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 1997Date of Patent: March 23, 1999Assignee: Nippei Toyama CorporationInventors: Tsutomu Sugihara, Hisao Sasaki, Kazuoki Sakai
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Patent number: 5584788Abstract: A machine presenting a worktable movable along a first axis; and a crosspiece fitted with a number of machining heads and movable along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. The crosspiece presents a box structure, and two end portions guided on two horizontal appendixes of two fixed uprights. Between one of the appendixes and the corresponding end portion of the crosspiece, there is provided a screw-nut screw pair for selectively moving the crosspiece. Each machining head is assigned a tool store accessible from the rear of the machine.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 1994Date of Patent: December 17, 1996Assignee: Pluritec Italia S.p.A.Inventor: Luigi Piovano
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Patent number: 5437592Abstract: Device for metal cutting a workpiece in a clamping fixture by using tools (WZ) which are removable in alternating sequence from a tool magazine with a sequence control of the machining steps and with a tool spindle unit changing device (4) and with a tool changing device comprised of a movable and rotatable as well as pivotable tongs-type grasp (ZG), the grab jaws (28, 29) of which being aligned to the respective tool removal axis and spindle axis (Z), and a mirror-image jaw profile (30) to receive tools (WZ) with more than two different shank or taper sizes with at least three adjoining arched sections (a, b, d), the radii (ERa, ERb, ERd) of which match the different diameters of at least three shank or taper sizes, and in which the tool spindle unit (10) which is in the working position is insertable into and removable from a receptacle and exchanged for a tool spindle unit (11) in a stand-by position.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 1994Date of Patent: August 1, 1995Assignee: Schiess Kopp Werkzeugmaschinen GmbHInventors: Udo Klicpera, Bernd Schlieter
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Patent number: 5169373Abstract: The tool storage apparatus according to the present invention includes holder units consisted by a strut and a multiplicity of holders adapted to hold tools. Holders are arranged in two rows and in each row, the holders are arranged one above another and in the adjacent rows the openings for receiving tools are opened in the opposite direction relative to each other.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 1991Date of Patent: December 8, 1992Assignee: Matsuura Machinery CorporationInventor: Yoshiharu Horikawa