Multifunctional unit

The invention relates to a multifunctional unit for machining workpieces preferably consisting at least partially of wood, wood materials, plastics or the like, with a plurality of vertical drill spindles, a plurality of horizontal drill spindles, and at least one fixed saw comprising at least one saw blade with a horizontal axis of rotation. The multifunctional unit according to the invention is characterised in that it is mounted and driven by a mounting means in such a way that it may be rotated about at least one vertical axis of rotation.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to European Patent Application 06017269.9, filed Aug. 18, 2006, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a multifunctional unit for machining workpieces preferably consisting at least partially of wood, wood materials, plastics, or the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Units of the type described in the introduction are used for example in the furniture and kitchen construction sector to provide carcass parts with drill holes (for example for dowels), grooves (for example for rear walls), or the like.FIG. 3shows the structure of a unit known to the applicant in a schematic top view. The unit comprises a plurality of vertical drill spindles, a plurality of horizontal drill spindles and a saw. In this regard, the saw is integrated with a unit with four horizontal drill spindles and this unit can be rotated about a vertical axis (perpendicular to the plane of projection in FIG.3) in order to permit horizontal drilling work and sawing work in several directions and endow the unit with sufficient flexibility.

In order in addition also to permit vertical drilling work in several directions, the unit comprises two rows of vertical drill spindles disposed orthogonally to each other. This disposal requires a high number of vertical drill spindles resulting in a complex structure and a high weight and requires a powerful drive.

There is also a commercially available “Alberti-Polar” CNC-machining centre in which a complete set of units can be rotated about 360.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a unit of the type described in the introduction which has higher flexibility and a simple design.

This object is achieved by a multifunctional unit according to the present invention. Particularly advantageous further development are disclosed in the dependent claims.

The invention is based on the concept of being able to reduce the number of vertical drill spindles in the multifunctional unit without impairing the flexibility of the unit. To this end, it is provided according to the invention that the generic multifunctional unit is mounted and driven via a mounting means in such a way that it may be rotated about at least one vertical axis of rotation. In this way, it is possible in the majority of applications to dispense with a complete second row of vertical drill spindles, which greatly simplifies the design of the unit and results in a significant weight loss particularly because it is also possible to use a lighter drive for the few vertical drill spindles.

If, on the other hand, a high number of vertical drill spindles is nevertheless retained with a multifunctional unit according to the invention, the flexibility of the unit can be significantly increased since the additional vertical drill spindles do not have to be used to facilitate machining in a plurality of rotation positions, but can, for example, be equipped with other drill diameters in order to increase the range of machining options.

Although for the purposes of the present invention, the at least one saw can in principle be disposed at any location, it has been found to be advantageous for the saw to be attached to a housing of at least one of the vertical and/or horizontal drill spindles. This produces a simple and lightweight design. In this regard, it is particularly preferable for the at least one saw to share a common drive with the vertical and/or horizontal drill spindles so that it is able to dispense with an additional or separate drive for the at least one saw with corresponding advantages with respect to the design, the weight, etc.

According to a further development of the invention, it is provided that the multifunctional unit further comprises at least one interface for the attachment of at least one further machining unit. This can further increase the variability of the multifunctional unit according to the invention so that the unit can be adapted to a virtually unlimited plurality of machining types. In this regard, it is particularly preferable for the at least one interface to comprise an attachment surface and be in particular set up to supply an attached unit at least with drive power and/or energy and/or fluids and/or data. This does not have to change the configuration of the multifunctional unit in relation to the respective unit to be attached; instead the respective unit can be supplied via the interface with the required input and output variables.

The unit to be attached to the interface can be one of a plurality of different units such as those used in the field of the machining of workpieces of the type in question here. However, in combination with the other tools or units of the multifunctional unit according to the invention it has been found to be advantageous for the at least one unit to be a milling unit and/or a flush milling unit with a separating means, in particular a scraper, and/or a multispindle drill head.

For the purposes of the present invention, the vertical drill spindles can be disposed in a wide variety of configurations. For many applications, it has been found to be advantageous for the vertical drill spindles to be disposed in at least one row, for example to provide a row of holes for shelf bottoms or the like in carcass parts. In addition, however, according to a further development of the invention it is provided that at least one further vertical drill spindle is disposed, which can preferably be equipped with a drill, with a diameter deviating from that in the at least one row. This results in a high machining variety or enables tool changing times to be dispensed with.

In a similar way, according to a further development of the invention, it is provided that horizontal drill spindles are disposed in at least two directions which can preferably be fitted with drills of a different diameter.

According to a further development of the invention, it is provided that the vertical axis of rotation of the multifunctional unit is located within a housing which contains at least the vertical drill spindles or is formed by at least these. This enables the rotational range of the multifunctional unit to be minimised resulting in low space requirements and, for the majority of units, a short rotation path with correspondingly high positioning accuracy and a high-speed mode of operation. A particularly compact construction and mode of operation of the multifunctional unit according to the invention is further obtained if according to a further development of the invention the at least one saw and/or the at least one interface is located at least partially within a region which is circumscribed by the vertical drill spindles which are located furthest from the vertical axis of rotation of the multifunctional unit during a complete rotational movement of the multifunctional unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A multifunctional unit1as a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in a schematic perspective view and a top view (bottom view) inFIGS. 1 and 2, respectively. The multifunctional unit can be a freestanding machine or integrated in a production line or the like and is used for machining (generally plate-shaped) workpieces, which in the present embodiment at least partially consists of wood, wood materials, plastics or the like such as those used in the furniture or kitchen construction sectors.

As is best identified inFIG. 2, in the present embodiment, the multifunctional unit comprises two rows of vertical drill spindles2which are substantially disposed in parallel to each other. In this regard, for example, drills with different diameters are used in the two rows. The vertical drill spindles2are combined in a housing14. In addition, a plurality of horizontal drill spindles4,4′ are disposed on the housing14, wherein the horizontal drill spindles4can comprise drills with a larger diameter than those of the horizontal drill spindles4′.

In addition, a saw6is attached to the housing14with a saw blade8with a substantially horizontal (i.e. lying in the projection plane ofFIG. 2) axis of rotation.

The whole above-described unit is mounted and driven via a mounting means10, which is best identified inFIG. 1in such a way that it can be rotated about at least one vertical axis12. This vertical axis12is indicated inFIG. 2by a dot and extends through the housing14, which is also identifiable inFIG. 1.

As is best identified inFIG. 1, the multifunctional unit may also be moved in the vertical direction by a guiding means20. In addition, the horizontal and vertical spindles4,2, although not shown in the figures, can be moved via a suitable drive from a resting position into a working position so that a variety of drilling patterns can be produced.

In addition, disposed on the housing14there is an interface16which is only shown inFIG. 2but not inFIG. 1. The interface16is used to attach at least one further machining unit, for example a milling unit, a flush milling unit with a separating means (for example a scraper) or a multispindle drilling head. To this end, the interface16comprises an attachment surface in which are disposed the connection and transmission means for drive power, energy, fluids and data although these are not shown in any more detail inFIG. 2.

A main working area18for the multifunctional unit according to the invention1is represented inFIG. 2by a dotted circle. This region is the region which is circumscribed by the outer lying vertical spindles2during a rotational movement of the multifunctional unit1about the axis12. This region18contains the essential components of the multifunctional unit according to the invention, in particular drill spindles, the interface16and also the essential part of the saw6.