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WO-2026094157-A1 - TOOL STORAGE DEVICE AND WORKPIECE PROCESSING SYSTEM

WO2026094157A1WO 2026094157 A1WO2026094157 A1WO 2026094157A1WO-2026094157-A1

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to shorten processing time by reducing the time required for tool changes while ensuring a wide space around a workpiece. Provided is a tool storage device comprising: a housing capable of accommodating one or more tools below a workpiece mounting surface on which a workpiece to be machined can be fixed; and a tool holding part which is provided so as to be capable of being accommodated inside the housing, and which detachably holds a tool. The tool holding part is capable of placing at least one tool held by the tool holding part at a position where the tool can be removed from the outside of the housing.

Inventors

  • KUBOTA, HIROAKI

Assignees

  • ファナック株式会社

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20241029

Claims (10)

  1. Below the workpiece mounting surface, which can securely hold the workpiece to be machined, is a housing capable of accommodating one or more tools, The housing includes a tool holder that is housed inside the housing and removably holds the tool, A tool storage device wherein the tool holding section can be positioned so that at least one of the held tools can be removed from the outside of the housing.
  2. The tool storage device according to claim 1, wherein the workpiece mounting surface is provided on the upper surface of the housing.
  3. The tool storage device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the housing comprises a window portion that connects the inside and outside of the housing.
  4. The tool storage device according to claim 3, further comprising a shutter that allows the window portion to be opened and closed.
  5. The window portion is provided on the side of the housing, The tool storage device according to claim 4, comprising a tool holder drive mechanism that is movable between a first position in which the tool holder holding the tool is positioned inside the housing and a second position in which at least one of the tools is positioned outside the housing via the window.
  6. A sensor capable of detecting the presence or absence of the tool is fixed to the tool holding portion. The tool storage device according to claim 5, wherein the sensor is housed inside the housing when the tool holding portion is positioned in the first position, and is positioned outside the housing when the tool holding portion is positioned in the second position.
  7. The tool storage device according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the holding mechanism is a linear motion mechanism that moves the tool holding portion linearly between the first position and the second position.
  8. The shutter is fixed to the tool holding part, The tool storage device according to claim 5, wherein the shutter closes the window when the tool holding portion is positioned in the first position.
  9. Robots and, A processing device attached to the tip of the robot, A tool storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, A workpiece machining system comprising a machining apparatus that includes an automatic tool changer that holds the tool in an interchangeable manner.
  10. The workpiece machining system according to claim 9, further comprising a replacement tool holder that detachably holds at least one replacement tool interchangeable with at least one of the tools held in the tool holder, at a position different from the tool storage device within the operating range of the robot and at a position not affected by machining during workpiece machining.

Description

Tool storage device and workpiece machining system This disclosure relates to a tool storage device and a workpiece processing system. Conventionally, in machine tools, a tool changer is provided at the tip of the spindle for replacing worn tools or changing the type of tool, and a tool magazine is located within the operating range of the spindle (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The tool magazine has an openable and closable magazine cover, houses multiple replacement tools inside, and is located separately from the workbench on which the workpiece is placed. A perspective view showing a workpiece processing system according to one embodiment of this disclosure.This is a perspective view showing a tool storage device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, with the tools exposed.This is a perspective view showing a modified version of the workpiece machining system shown in Figure 1, which includes a separate tool holder.This is a modified version of the tool storage device shown in Figure 2, in a perspective view showing one of the tool holding parts protruding.Figure 4 is a perspective view of the tool storage device, showing the other tool holding part in a protruding state.This is a perspective view showing another modified version of the tool storage device shown in Figure 2, with one of the tool holding parts protruding.Figure 6 is a perspective view of the tool storage device, showing the other tool holding part in a protruding state.This is another modified example of the tool storage device shown in Figure 2, a perspective view showing the tool holder rotated to expose half of the tool.Figure 8 is a perspective view of a tool storage device, showing all tools in an exposed state.This is a modified version of the tool storage device shown in Figure 2, and is a partial side view showing a tool holding section and a window section that hold multiple tools spaced apart in the width direction.This is a partial side view showing a modified example of a tool storage device similar to that in Figure 10.Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a modified version of the tool storage device, which has a turntable-shaped tool holding section.Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the tool storage device. A tool storage device 1 and a workpiece processing system 100 according to one embodiment of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figure 1, the workpiece processing system 100 according to this embodiment comprises a robot 20, a processing device 30 attached to the tip of the robot 20, and a tool storage device 1. The workpiece processing system 100 also includes a control device 80 connected to the robot 20, the processing device 30, and the tool storage device 1, which controls the robot 20, the processing device 30, and the tool storage device 1 by command signals. Robot 20 is, for example, a vertical six-axis articulated robot installed on the floor surface. Specifically, robot 20 comprises a base 21 installed on the floor, a slewing body 22 rotatably supported relative to the base 21 around a vertical first axis, and a first arm 23 rotatably supported relative to the slewing body 22 around a horizontal second axis. Furthermore, robot 20 includes a second arm 24 rotatably supported relative to the first arm 23 around a third axis parallel to the second axis, and a three-axis wrist unit 25 attached to the tip of the second arm 24. Figure 1 illustrates a vertical six-axis articulated robot, but any type of robot can be used depending on the payload capacity, operating range, etc. The processing device 30 is fixed to the flange at the tip of the wrist unit 25 of the robot 20 and is a device that performs machining operations such as drilling or end milling on the workpiece W using a tool 50. The processing device 30 comprises a housing 31 fixed to the flange, a motor 32 fixed to the housing 31 for rotationally driving the tool 50, and an ATC (automatic tool changer) 33 housed in the housing 31 for holding the tool 50 in an interchangeable manner. Furthermore, the processing device 30 may be equipped with a cutting fluid supply device that supplies cutting fluid to the cutting edge 51 and the workpiece W when the workpiece W is machined by the tool 50. The cutting fluid supply device may be located in a place other than the processing device 30. The tool 50 has a cutting edge 51 at its cylindrical tip and a tapered shank 52 at its base for attachment and detachment by the ATC 33. The tool 50, held at its base by the ATC 33, is positioned so that the cutting edge 51 protrudes from the housing 31, and can be positioned at any location and orientation within the robot 20's operating range by the robot's movement. This allows the tool 50 to be brought close to each surface of the workpiece W located outside the robot 20 from any direction, and to be moved in any direction to perform machining on the workpiece W. As shown in Fi