Main-shaft malfunction-state detector in an air bearing type machine tool

• US 5,987,967 A
• Filed: 08/03/1998
• Issued: 11/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Toshiba Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Momochi, Takeshi, Nagashima, Kazuo, Shiozaki, Masahito, Fujie, Hideo
• Primary Examiner(s): NOORI, MAX H
• Application Number:
  US09/127,907
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: 73/37.5, 73/37.6, 73/593, 73/600, 73/9, 73/862.381, 73/862.68, 324/662
• US Class Current: 73/37.5
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 1/70 Stationary or movable members for carrying working-spindles for attachment of tools or work B23Q1/01 takes precedence; designed to be moved by using particular mechanisms B23Q1/44
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 17/09 for indicating or measuring cutting pressure or for determining cutting-tool condition, e.g. cutting ability, load on tool arrangements preventing overload of tools B23Q11/04; devices for indicating failure of drills during boring B23B49/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2322/39 General build up of machine tools, e.g. spindles, slides, actuators in general B23Q
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 32/06 with moving member supported by a fluid cushion formed, at least to a large extent, otherwise than by movement of the shaft, e.g. hydrostatic air-cushion bearings
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 13/045 Acoustic or vibration analysis

Abstract

A main-shaft malfunction-state detector in an air bearing type machine tool, in which an abnormal contact of a main shaft with a housing is reliably and automatically detected. The contacting state of the main shaft 11 and the housing 13 is detected through the presence of electric conductivity by a contact detection means 31. A contact decision means 32 determines the contact of the main shaft 11 with the housing 13 based on the detected conductivity, thus automatic and certain preventative measures, such as the main shaft of the machine tool stops and so on, are based on the above decision.

Claims

1. A main-shaft malfunctioning detector in an air bearing type machine tool, for detecting an abnormal contact of a main shaft of the machine tool with a housing supporting the main shaft through an air bearing, the malfunctioning detector comprising:

contact detection means for detecting electrical and mechanical contact of the main shaft and the housing, the contact detection means being an acceleration vibration meter for detecting vibration of the housing and outputting an output signal; and

contact decision means for determining the detected contact of the main shaft and the housing by using the output signal sent from said contact detection means, the contact decision means being capable of determining the contact when the output signal sent from the acceleration vibration meter exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the contact decision means having an amplifying circuit for amplifying the output signal sent from the acceleration vibration meter, a RMS circuit for converting a change in amplitude of an output value of the amplifying circuit to a change in amplitude of the output value of said amplifying circuit to a change in level, a threshold value memory for storing the predetermined threshold values, and a comparing circuit for comparing the threshold value stored in said threshold value memory and the output value of the RMS circuit.

2. The main-shaft malfunction-state detector in the air bearing type machine tool according to claim 1, wherein said contact decision means has an amplifying circuit amplifying the output signal sent from said acceleration vibration meter, a RMS circuit converting a change in amplitude of the output value of said amplifying circuit to a change in level, an A/D converting circuit converting the output value of said RMS circuit from an analog form to a digital form, a threshold value memory storing the predetermined threshold values, and a comparison arithmetic area comparing the threshold value stored in said threshold value memory and the output value of said A/D converting circuit, said threshold value memory and said comparison arithmetic area being provided in an NC system controlling the machine tool.

3. The malfunctioning detector according to claim 1, further comprising an A/D converting circuit for analog-to-digital converting the output value of said RMS circuit, wherein the comparing circuit includes a comparison arithmetic section for comparing the threshold value stored in said threshold value memory and a value outputted by the A/D converting circuit, and the threshold value memory and the comparison arithmetic section are provided in an NC system for controlling the machine tool.