Machine tool locator

• US 6,301,007 B1
• Filed: 05/28/1999
• Issued: 10/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Los Alamos National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: Regents of the University of California (University of California)
• Inventors: Hanlon, John A., Gill, Timothy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Evans, F. L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH, ZANDRA V
• Application Number:
  US09/321,910
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 356/400, 356/399, 356/401, 356/614, 356/139.1
• US Class Current: 356/400
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 17/0909 Detection of broken tools
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 17/0957 Detection of tool breakage detecting failure of drills B23B49/001
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 17/22 for indicating or measuring existing or desired position of tool or work B23Q16/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 17/24 using optics or electromagnetic waves

Abstract

Machine tools can be accurately measured and positioned on manufacturing machines within very small tolerances by use of an autocollimator on a 3-axis mount on a manufacturing machine and positioned so as to focus on a reference tooling ball or a machine tool, a digital camera connected to the viewing end of the autocollimator, and a marker and measure generator for receiving digital images from the camera, then displaying or measuring distances between the projection reticle and the reference reticle on the monitoring screen, and relating the distances to the actual position of the autocollimator relative to the reference tooling ball. The images and measurements are used to set the position of the machine tool and to measure the size and shape of the machine tool tip, and examine cutting edge wear. patent

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

(a) an autocollimator having a projection reticle and a reference reticle;

(b) said autocollimator moveably mounted upon a machine tool setting station and positioned so as to focus upon a reference tooling ball or machine tool;

(c) a digital camera attached to viewing end of said autocollimator and connected to a marker and measure generator;

(e) said marker and measure generator connected to a monitor with screen;

(f) wherein a first beam splitter is positioned so as to split a beam of light from said autocollimator, direct one portion of said beam onto said tooling ball in line with said autocollimator and to direct at least one other portion of said beam into reflecting mirrors positioned to direct said beam onto said reference tooling ball at a position 90°

from where said first portion of said beam contacts said reference tooling ball.

2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein a second beam splitter is positioned so as to split a beam of light reflected from said reference tooling ball toward the reference reticle of the autocollimator.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said manufacturing machine has a CNC controller.

4. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein a PC with a frame grabber is substituted for said marker and measure generator.

5. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said reference reticle is a single dot and said projection reticle is a cross with an open space at the center of the cross.

6. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 further having a second autocollimator positioned to focus onto said reference tooling ball 90°

from where said first autocollimator focuses onto said reference tooling ball.

7. A method for accurately positioning a machine tool on a manufacturing machine comprising:

(a) focusing light from an autocollimator on a reference tooling ball positioned at an exactly known distance and height from the axis of said manufacturing machine;

(b) aligning an image of a projection reticle of light reflected from said reference tooling ball with an image of a reference reticle on a monitor screen by moving said autocollimator;

(c) substituting said machine tool for said reference tooling ball;

(d) aligning an image of a projection reticle of light reflected from said machine tool with said image of said reference reticle on said monitor by moving said machine tool;

thereby

positioning said machine tool at an exactly known distance and height from an axis of said manufacturing machine; and

(e) entering said radius of the tip of said machine tool into a CNC controller program.

8. A method as recited in claim 7 further comprising

(a) collimating said light reflected from said reference tooling ball;

(b) directing collimated light into a digital camera; and

(c) transmitting digitized signals from said digital camera to a measure and marker generator.

9. A method as recited in claim 7 further comprising

(a) generating a reference reticle and a projection reticle corresponding to said reflected light from said machine tool with said measure and marker generator;

and

(b) transmitting said generated reference reticle and projection reticle from said measure and marker generator to said monitoring screen.

10. A method as recited in claim 7 further comprising focusing light from said autocollimator onto said reference tooling ball from at least two different directions so that at least two different projection reticles are created.

11. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein said light from said autocollimator is focused onto said reference tooling ball from at least two different directions by using a beam splitter and at least one reflecting mirror.

12. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein said light is focused onto said reference tooling ball from at least two different directions by using a second autocollimator.

13. A method for measuring the shape of a machine tool tip on a manufacturing machine comprising:

(a) focusing light from an autocollimator onto said machine tool tip;

(b) focusing an image of said machine tool tip with light reflected from said machine tool tip on a monitor;

(c) generating three or more markers with a marker and measure generator;

(d) aligning said three or more markers with the outer diameter of said image of said machine tool tip displayed on said monitor screen;

(e) generating a circle which passes through said three or more markers on said monitor screen; and

(f) correlating size of said circle to actual radius of said machine tool tip; and

(g) entering said radius of said machine tool into a CNC controller program.

14. A method for examining wear of a machine tool tip on a manufacturing machine comprising:

(a) sending magnified backlit images of a machine tool tip through an autocollimator to a digital camera;

(b) transmitting digitized images of said machine tool tip from said digital camera to a monitor screen where said images can be viewed;

(c) transmitting digitized images of said machine tool tip from said digital camera to a measure and marker generator where measurements and markers can be generated prior to transmitting said digitized images to said monitor screen; and

(d) transmitting said measurements and markers to said monitor screen where said measurements and markers can be viewed.

15. A method as recited in claim 14 further comprising using a PC to measure distances related to said images on said monitoring screen.