DEVICE FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING AND FOR OPERATING A MACHINE VISE

Abstract

A device for loading and unloading and for operating a machine vise (10) of a machine tool (02), the device having a positioning device (13) mounted so as to be displaceable along a longitudinal direction (L), a coupling unit (14) movable together with the positioning device (13) being disposed at one end of the positioning device (13) in the longitudinal direction (L) for the detachable mechanical coupling to a machine vise (10) of the machine tool (02) and for the operation, in particular opening and closing, of the machine vise (10) and a workpiece handling unit (15), in particular a multiaxial robot unit, being disposed on the positioning device (13) behind the coupling unit (14) in the longitudinal direction (L) so as to be movable together with the positioning device (13).

Claims

1. A device for loading and unloading and for operating a machine vise (10) of a machine tool (02), the device comprising a positioning device (13) mounted so as to be displaceable along a longitudinal direction (L), a coupling unit (14) movable together with the positioning device (13) being disposed at one end of the positioning device (13) in the longitudinal direction (L) for the detachable mechanical coupling to a machine vise (10) of the machine tool (02) and for operation of the machine vise (10) and a workpiece handling unit (15) being disposed on the positioning device (13) behind the coupling unit (14) in the longitudinal direction (L) so as to be movable together with the positioning device (13).

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the workpiece handling unit (15) is a multiaxial robot unit.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the coupling unit (14) has a, preferably spring-loaded, balancing system (21) which is movable in relation to the positioning device (13) in the longitudinal direction (L) and a coupling piece (16) which is driven in a rotatory manner by means of a drive motor (17) and which is movable together with the positioning device (13) and which serves for the coupling to a drive journal or a drive spindle (11) of the machine vise (10).

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the workpiece handling unit (15) is realized and disposed in such a manner that a workpiece holder of the workpiece handling unit (15) can reach the machine vise (10) when the coupling of the coupling unit (14) to a machine vise (10) has taken place.

5. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a shared control system (20) for a workpiece handling unit (15) and the coupling unit (14).

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the shared control system is for the workpiece handling unit (15) and the coupling unit (14) and for the positioning device (13).

7. The device according to claim 5, wherein the control system (20) can detect the coupling state and the state of the machine vise (10) by means of at least one sensor of the coupling unit (14) and/or of the balancing system (21).

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the at least one sensor is of the drive motor (17) of the coupling piece (16).

9. The device according to claim 5, wherein the control system (20) is configured to transfer a workpiece to a coupled machine vise (10) and to remove the workpiece by means of the workpiece handling unit (15) and wherein the control system (20) is also configured to open and to close the machine vise (10) and to establish an intended clamping of the workpiece depending on the workpiece when closing the machine vise (10).

10. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a shared housing (07) which encloses the positioning device (13) together with the coupling unit (14) and the workpiece handling unit (15) in a retracted state.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the housing (07) comprises a workpiece storage (18) or a coupling device for a workpiece storage (18) or a workpiece supply device.

12. The device according to claim 10, wherein the housing (07) has a roller system (08) comprising a zero fixation system (09) at the bottom.

13. The device according to claim 10, wherein the housing (07) accommodates all operating and control devices, whereby only an energy supply and a communication interface (06), having to be provided in order to operate the device (01).

14. The device according to claim 10, wherein the housing (07) has a base area between 0.8 m.sup.2 and 1.5 m.sup.2.

15. The device according to claim 14, wherein the base area is between 1.0 m.sup.2 and 1.2 m.sup.2.

16. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a workpiece detection system (19) which can directly or indirectly determine at least the dimensions of a workpiece which is located in a workpiece holder of the workpiece handling unit (15).

17. A system (03) comprising a device (01) according to claim 1 and a machine tool (02) having a processing tool (12) and a machine vise (10).

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the processing tool is a milling tool and/or a lathe.

19. The system according to claim 17, wherein the machine tool (02) is provided with an access opening which can be closed in the vertical direction and which is dimensioned in such a manner that the workpiece handling unit (15) can at least partially protrude into the machine tool (02) in the open state.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0051] The device according to the invention, the system according to the invention and the method according to the invention are described below on the basis of merely schematic and exemplary drawings. In the drawings,

[0052] FIG. 1a shows a device according to the invention and a system according to the invention in a first, uncoupled state;

[0053] FIG. 1b shows a device according to the invention and a system according to the invention in a second, uncoupled state;

[0054] FIG. 1c shows a device according to the invention and a system according to the invention in a third, coupled state; and

[0055] FIG. 2 shows a perspective illustration of a part of the device according to the invention and a part of the system according to the invention in an uncoupled state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0056] FIG. 1a shows a device 01 which together with a machine tool 02 forms a system 03. In the state of FIG. 1a, device 01 is not coupled to machine tool 02. Instead, device 01 is shown in a retracted state in which, with the exception of an electric supply line 04 and a compressed air supply line 05, all components of the device, including communication interface 06 (shown as an example), are disposed inside the device or inside housing 07 of device 01. Additionally, housing 07 is provided with a roller system 08 which interacts with a zero fixation system 09.

[0057] Machine tool 02 comprises a machine vise 10 which has a drive journal or an end of a drive spindle 11 which can be used or operated in order to open, close, clamp and/or release machine vise 10.

[0058] Furthermore, machine tool 02 can comprise a processing tool 12, for example a milling tool and/or lathe, machine vise 10 being used to mount and to fix workpieces in such a manner that processing tool 12 can process said workpieces.

[0059] In the state of device 01 and system 03 according to FIG. 1b, a positioning device 13 which is movable in a longitudinal direction L and which is mounted so as to be movable in device 01, in particular in housing 07, has been partially moved out of housing 07. A coupling unit 14 and a workpiece handling unit 15 are connected to positioning device 13 or supported by positioning device 13. For example, workpiece handling unit 15 can be designed as a multiaxial robot unit, preferably as a six-axis robot. As shown and described in more detail with respect to FIG. 2, coupling unit 14 can have a spring-loaded balancing system and a coupling piece 16, the latter being driven in a rotatory manner by a drive motor.

[0060] In the illustration of FIG. 1c, positioning device 13, driven by a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder (not shown), for example, has been moved out of housing 07 in longitudinal direction L to such an extent that coupling unit 14 contacts machine vise 10 and that a coupling piece 16 of coupling unit 14 engages around drive spindle 11, thus coupling drive spindle 11 to coupling piece 16. Coupling piece 16 can in turn be driven by a preferably electric drive motor 17. As shown in FIG. 1c, moving positioning device 13 farther out of device 01 or out of housing 07 of device 01 has caused workpiece handling unit 15 together with positioning device 13 to move closer towards machine tool 02 and machine vise 10. In the coupling state of system 03 or of device 01 to machine tool 02 shown in FIG. 1, drive spindle 11 of machine vise 10 can be driven by coupling piece 16, which is driven in a rotatory manner, and machine vise 10 can thus be opened, closed and/or pre-tensioned and/or clamped. Additionally, a workpiece can be removed from a workpiece storage 18, which can also be disposed inside housing 07, and supplied to machine vise 10 by means of workpiece handling unit 15. Once the workpiece reaches machine vise 10, said machine vise 10 can be operated, i.e., closed, for example, via coupling unit 14, in particular via coupling piece 16, in order to achieve a clamping and a preceding pre-tensioning, if applicable. Advantageously, the workpiece can be pressed vertically downwards into machine vise 10 or a force can be applied to the workpiece during the creation of the tension or during the clamping and the corresponding drive of coupling piece 16 and the drive of the machine vise spindle caused thereby; this is done to ensure flush placement or contact of the workpiece on and in machine vise 10. Device 01 can further comprise a workpiece detection system 19 which allows a, for example, optical, direct or indirect detection of a workpiece. Furthermore, workpiece handling unit 15 and coupling unit 16 and positioning device 13, if applicable, can be controlled by a shared control system 20 which is preferably also disposed in device 01, in particular in housing 07.

[0061] FIG. 2 shows a perspective illustration of a part of the system according to the invention comprising a machine tool 02 and a device 01 according to the invention. For reasons of clarity, parts and components of machine tool 02 and of device 01 are not shown in the view of FIG. 2. For example, machine vise 10 is shown essentially for machine tool 02. However, the end of drive spindle 11 is not shown in the perspective illustration of FIG. 2.

[0062] For example, housing 07 is hidden on the side of device 01. The illustration of FIG. 2 mainly focuses on positioning device 13, coupling unit 14, workpiece handling unit 15 and on the details of coupling unit 14. As clearly shown in FIG. 2, both coupling unit 14 and workpiece handling unit 15 can be moved together with positioning device 13 in longitudinal direction L in order to be able to achieve or cause an approximation or distancing to or from machine tool 02 or machine vise 10. If coupling unit 14 reaches a sufficient approximation to machine vise 10, a balancing system 21, which is spring-loaded via spring devices 22, can also be displaced in relation to positioning device 13 in longitudinal direction L or against longitudinal direction L. Depending on the state of balancing system 21, coupling piece 16 of coupling unit 14 can be coupled to drive spindle 11 of machine vise 10, a rotation caused by a drive motor (not shown in detail in FIG. 2) of coupling piece 16 thus being transferable to the drive shaft of machine vise 10. Depending on the direction of rotation of coupling piece 16 or of drive motor 17 of coupling piece 16, machine vise 10 can thus be opened or closed. Furthermore, machine vise 10 can be pre-tensioned or tensioned in a coupled state according to FIG. 1c, the tensioning state or clamping state being detectable via at least one sensor device or one sensor. For example, the current consumption and/or the voltage consumption of drive motor 17 of coupling piece 16 can be used to assess or to measure the clamping state or tensioning state of the clamping jaws of machine vise 10.

[0063] FIG. 2 also shows that workpiece handling unit 15 is moved together with positioning device 13 towards machine tool 02 or machine vise 10 in the course of the coupling process and moved away accordingly in the course of the decoupling. This has the advantage that workpiece handling unit 15 is disposed relatively close to machine vise 10 in the coupled state. This in turn has the effect that workpiece handling unit 15 only has to bridge or overcome relatively small distances to load and unload machine vise 10, an overall small and compact workpiece handling unit 15 thus being usable.

[0064] FIG. 2, in particular in conjunction with the illustration of FIG. 1c, also shows that an automatic or automated equipping of machine tool 02 can take place in the coupled state; in this automatic or automated equipping, a workpiece is removed from a workpiece storage 18, for example, and is supplied to machine vise 10 by means of workpiece handling unit 15; at the same time or in a subsequent step, machine vise 10 is operated via coupling unit 14, in particular coupling piece 16, this operation allowing the reception of the workpiece and the tensioning of the workpiece, if necessary while performing a pre-tensioning step. Workpiece handling unit 15 also allows a pressing of the workpiece into machine vise 10 or a force application to the workpiece during the tensioning process in such a manner that a flush or plane contact of the workpiece with the surfaces of machine vise 10 is ensured. After the detachment of the workpiece from a workpiece holder of workpiece handling unit 15 and a corresponding removal of workpiece handling unit 15 from machine tool 02, an automatic processing of the workpiece can be performed, for example after closing an opening of machine tool 02; following the processing, workpiece handling unit 15 can be used again to automatically perform the removal of the processed workpiece in interaction with coupling unit 14, in particular with coupling piece 16, by analogy with the loading process of machine vise 10.

[0065] Particularly advantageously, a system 03 according to the invention can thus be realized for a plurality of existing and standardized machine tools by adding device 01 according to the invention to machine tools 02, system 03 allowing a temporarily automatic feeding or equipping of machine tools 02, including an automatic clamping of the workpieces. The particular advantage is that a manual operation or a manual feeding or equipping of machine tool 02 can be performed without modification of machine tool 02 via a new decoupling of device 01 from machine tool 03, essentially by a new displacement or movement of positioning device 13 in longitudinal direction L or against longitudinal direction L. An extremely flexible system is thus provided.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0066] 01 device [0067] 02 machine tool [0068] 03 system [0069] 04 supply line [0070] 05 compressed air supply line [0071] 06 communication interface [0072] 07 housing [0073] 08 roller system [0074] 09 zero fixation system [0075] 10 machine vise [0076] 11 drive spindle [0077] 12 processing tool [0078] 13 positioning device [0079] 14 coupling unit [0080] 15 workpiece handling unit [0081] 16 coupling piece [0082] 17 drive motor [0083] 18 workpiece storage [0084] 19 workpiece detection system [0085] 20 control system [0086] 21 balancing system [0087] 22 spring devices [0088] L longitudinal direction