OIL AIR SUPPLY SYSTEM

Abstract

The oil air supply system includes a lubricant oil supply pipeline, a compressed air supply pipeline, a mixing device which distributes lubricant oil supplied from the lubricant oil supply pipeline in a fixed amount and mixes the lubricant oil with compressed air to generate oil air, a plurality of oil air supply pipelines which supply the oil air to a plurality of bearings of a main spindle device respectively, a flow rate sensor provided in the lubricant oil supply pipeline and detects the flow rate of the lubricant oil, a pressure sensor provided in the compressed air supply pipeline and detects the pressure of the compressed air, and an abnormality detection device which detects supply abnormality of lubricant oil based on a detection signal output from the flow rate sensor and detects supply abnormality of compressed air based on a detection signal output from the pressure sensor.

Claims

1. An oil air supply system comprising a lubricant oil supply pipeline, a compressed air supply pipeline, a mixing device which distributes lubricant oil supplied from the lubricant oil supply pipeline in a fixed amount and mixes the lubricant oil with compressed air supplied from the compressed air supply pipeline to generate oil air, a plurality of oil air supply pipelines which supply the oil air to a plurality of lubricating points respectively, a flow rate sensor which is provided in the lubricant oil supply pipeline and detects the flow rate of the lubricant oil, and an abnormality detection device which detects supply abnormality of lubricant oil based on a detection signal output from the flow rate sensor.

2. The oil air supply system according to claim 1, further comprising a pressure sensor which is provided in the compressed air supply pipeline and detects the pressure of the compressed air, wherein the abnormality detection device detects supply abnormality of compressed air based on a detection signal output from the pressure sensor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] FIG. 1 is an illustrative diagram showing an oil air supply system according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] Hereinafter, the oil air supply system according to an embodiment of the invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 1.

[0025] In this embodiment, the invention is applied to an oil air supply system in a main spindle device of a machine tool.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 1, an oil air supply system (1) includes a lubricant oil supply pipeline (2), a compressed air supply pipeline (3), a mixing device (4) which distributes lubricant oil supplied from the lubricant oil supply pipeline (2) in a fixed amount and mixes the lubricant oil with compressed air supplied from the compressed air supply pipeline (3) to generate oil air, a plurality (five in this case) of oil air supply pipelines (5) which supply the oil air to a plurality (five in this case) of bearings (lubricating points) (11) of a main spindle device (10) respectively, a flow rate sensor (6) which is provided in the lubricant oil supply pipeline (2) and detects the flow rate of the lubricant oil, a pressure sensor (7) which is provided in the compressed air supply pipeline (3) and detects the pressure of the compressed air, and an abnormality detection device (8) which detects supply abnormality of lubricant oil based on a detection signal output from the flow rate sensor (6) and detects supply abnormality of compressed air based on a detection signal output from the pressure sensor (7).

[0027] The lubricant oil supply pipeline (2) extends from a lubricant oil supply source which is not shown in the drawing, and its distal end side is connected to the mixing device (4).

[0028] The compressed air supply pipeline (3) extends from a compressed air supply source which is not shown in the drawing, and its distal end side is connected to the mixing device (4).

[0029] In the mixing device (4), the lubricant oil supply pipeline (2) and the compressed air supply pipeline (3) are respectively branched into a plurality (five in this case) of pipelines, and each branch pipeline of the lubricant oil is merged into each branch pipeline of the compressed air. A quantifier (not shown in the drawing) is provided in each branch pipeline of the lubricant oil. With this quantifier, the lubricant oil is supplied to each branch pipeline of the compressed air in a fixed amount (for example, about 0.01 to 0.03 cc), and by mixing the lubricant oil with the compressed air here, oil air is generated.

[0030] The base end side of each oil air supply pipeline (5) is connected to the outlet end of each branch pipeline of the compressed air in the mixing device (4), and the distal end side is connected to the vicinity of each bearing (11) of the main spindle device (10).

[0031] The flow rate sensor (6) is not particularly limited as long as it is suitable for detection of the flow rate of the lubricant oil flowing through the lubricant oil supply pipeline (2). The position at which the flow rate sensor (6) is to be installed is also not particularly limited as long as it is within the lubricant oil supply pipeline (2).

[0032] The pressure sensor (7) is not particularly limited as long as it is suitable for detection of the pressure of the compressed air flowing through the compressed air supply pipeline (3). The position at which the pressure sensor (7) is to be installed is also not particularly limited as long as it is within the compressed air supply pipeline (3).

[0033] In the abnormality detection device (8), a detection signal of the flow rate of the lubricant oil output from the flow rate sensor (6) is received via a wiring or received wirelessly and is compared with a preset flow rate range of a normal state, and when it is out of the range, it is determined that the supply of the lubricant oil is abnormal.

[0034] Further, in the abnormality detection device (8), a detection signal of the pressure of the compressed air output from the pressure sensor (7) is received via a wiring or received wirelessly and is compared with a preset pressure range of a normal state, and when it is out of the range, it is determined that the supply of the compressed air is abnormal.

[0035] When the abnormality detection device (8) determines that the supply of at least one of the lubricant oil and the compressed air is abnormal, it will notify an operator of the abnormality by, for example, a monitor display or an alarm sound. At the same time, an abnormality signal may be sent from the abnormality detection device (8) to a drive control device (not shown in the drawing) of the main spindle device (10) such that the main spindle device (10) is automatically stopped.

[0036] The invention is suitably used as an oil air supply system for supplying oil air to a plurality of lubricating points in, for example, a main spindle device and the like which perform lubrication of a plurality of lubricating points such as bearings by oil air lubrication.