Patent ID: 6357565
Filing Date: 2002-03-19
Classification: B23Q,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A shock-absorbing device for a spindle headstock of a machine tool, wherein the spindle headstock includes a motor driven spindle unit connected to a support, said shock-absorbing device comprising:a yieldable structure including a first tubular element having first and second ends and a second tubular element having first and second ends, wherein said first and second tubular elements are co-axially arranged and spaced apart relative to one another with said first end of said first tubular element being engaged with said first end of said second tubular element and said second end of said first tubular element being engaged with said second end of said second tubular element such that a closed space is defined between said first tubular element and said second tubular element, and wherein one of said first and second tubular elements is to be secured to the spindle unit and the other of said first and second tubular elements is to be secured to the support; and a collision sensor associated with said yieldable structure for detecting yielding of said yieldable structure resulting from a collision of the spindle headstock with a workpiece, and for transmitting in response to such yielding a signal to a machine tool control unit, wherein the yielding of said yieldable structure comprises one of (i) disengagement of said first end of said first tubular element from said first end of said second tubular element along with disengagement of said second end of said first tubular element from said second end of said second tubular element, and (ii) opening of said closed space.