Patent ID: 6201567
Filing Date: 2001-03-13
Classification: B23D,B23Q,Y10T

Abstract:
A turn broach abnormality sensing apparatus for use in a turn broach for cutting a rotating workpiece by rotating a broach cutter that comprises a plurality of unitary cutters axially coupled together, each having a row of tips arranged on a peripheral surface thereof in the form of a helicoid, the apparatus comprising:a plurality of image pickup means disposed corresponding respectively to said unitary cutters of the broach cutter;a focusing adjustment means operative while said broach cutter is being rotated for maintaining a distance substantially constant between each individual tip on said row of each of said unitary cutters and said image pickup means corresponding thereto; andan abnormality sensing means for image processing the image picked up by said image pickup means of each of said individual tips to determine an extent of wear thereof or damage thereto, thereby ascertaining an abnormality of each of the individual tips.