Patent Publication Number: US-2015071719-A1

Title: Feeding device and machine tool using the same

Description:
FIELD 
     The subject matter herein generally relates to a machine apparatus, and particularly to a feeding device and a machine tool using the same. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Machine tool is used for machining workpieces. A common machine tool includes a machine bed, a feeding device positioned on the machine bed, and a cutter positioned on the feeding device. The feeding device moves the cutter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Implementations of the present technology will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached figures. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an assembled, isometric view of one embodiment of a machine tool including a feeding device. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an exploded, partial view of the machine tool of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an exploded, isometric view of the feeding device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is similar to  FIG. 3 , but viewed from another angle. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. Also, the description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts have been exaggerated to better illustrate details and features of the present disclosure. 
     Several definitions that apply throughout this disclosure will now be presented. 
     The term “coupled” is defined as connected, whether directly or indirectly through intervening components, and is not necessarily limited to physical connections. The connection can be such that the objects are permanently connected or releasably connected. The term “substantially” is defined to be essentially conforming to the particular dimension, shape, or other feature that the term modifies, such that the component need not be exact. For example, “substantially cylindrical” means that the object resembles a cylinder, but can have one or more deviations from a true cylinder. The term “comprising,” when utilized, means “including, but not necessarily limited to”; it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion or membership in the so-described combination, group, series and the like. 
     A feeding device can include a sliding member, a saddle slidably assembled with the sliding member, a driving module for moving the saddle back and forth relative to the sliding member, a main shaft positioned on the saddle, a cutter positioned with the main shaft, at least one balancing cylinder fixedly coupled with the sliding member and the saddle for balancing the main shaft. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a machine tool  100  of one embodiment for machining micro holes in arrays. The machine tool  100  can include a machine bed  10 , a moving device  30 , two feeding devices  50 , and a controller  60 . The moving device  30  can be movably positioned on the machine bed  10  along a first direction X. The two feeding devices  50  can be slidably arranged on the moving device  30  along a second direction Y substantially perpendicular to the first direction X. Each feeding device  50  can feed back and forth at high speed along a third direction Z perpendicular to the first direction X and the second direction Y. The controller  60  positioned on the machine bed  10  can be used for controlling the moving device  30  and the two feeding devices  50 . In the illustrated embodiment, the machine tool  100  is a two-axis machine tool including two feeding devices  50  and can be used for machining holes of a speaker (not shown); the machine tool  100  can machine  20  holes in one second, a diameter of each hole is about 0.1 mm. 
     The machine bed  10  can include a base  11  and two support bodies  13  positioned on the base  11 . The two support bodies  13  are substantially in parallel. Also referring to  FIG. 2 , two first sliding rails  131  can be separately positioned on each support body  13  away from the base  11 . Each first sliding rail  131  can extend along a direction substantially parallel to the first direction X. 
     The moving device  30  can be substantially slidably engaged with the two support bodies  13 . The moving device  30  can include a cross beam  31 , two sliding seats  33 , two first driving assemblies  35 , and two second driving assemblies  37 . The cross beam  31  can be substantially perpendicularly coupled to the two support bodies  13  and extend along the second direction Y. Two second sliding rails  311  can be formed on the cross beam  31  in parallel and extend along the second direction Y. The two sliding seats  33  can be positioned at opposite ends of the cross beam  31 , respectively. Each sliding seat  33  can slidably engaging with the pair of first sliding rails  131  of one support body  13 . Each first driving assembly  35  can be positioned between one sliding seat  33  and corresponding support body  13  for moving the cross beam  31  along the first direction X. The first driving assembly  35  can include a forcer  351  and a stator  353 . The forcer  351  of the first driving assembly  35  can be mounted on a side surface of the sliding seat  33  away from the cross beam  31 . The stator  353  of the first driving assembly  35  can be positioned on the support body  13  between the two first sliding rails  131 . 
     Each second driving assembly  37  can include a stator  371  and a forcer  373 . The stator  371  of each second driving assembly  37  can be positioned on the cross beam  31 . Stators  371  of the two second driving assemblies  37  can be arranged in line along an extension direction of the cross beam  31 . The forcer  373  of each second driving assembly  37  can be positioned on one feeding device  50 . Each second driving assembly  37  can move corresponding feeding device  50  along the second direction Y relative to the cross beam. The first driving assembly  35  and the second driving assembly  37  can be controlled by the controller  60 . In the illustrated embodiment, both the first driving assembly  35  and the second driving assembly  37  are linear motors. In at least one embodiment, the numbers of first driving assembly  35  and the second driving assembly  37  can be positioned as real application. The numbers of the forcer and stator of the first driving assembly  35  or the second driving assembly  37  are not limited, it can be also changed according to real application. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , each feeding device  50  can include a sliding member  51 , a saddle  52 , a driving module  53 , a main shaft  54 , a holding member  55 , and two balancing cylinders  56 . The sliding member  51  can be substantially a board. The sliding member  51  can be slidably engaged with the cross beam  31 . Two guiding rails  511  can be positioned on a sidewall of the sliding member  51  and extend along a direction parallel with the second direction Y. Each first guiding rail  511  can engage with corresponding one second sliding rail  311 . Two slidable rails  513  can be separately positioned on another sidewall of the sliding member  51  opposite to the two first guiding rails  511  and extend along the third direction Z. The forcer  373  of the second driving module  37  can be positioned on the sliding member  31  between the two guiding rails  511 . The saddle  52  can be slidably assembled with the sliding member  51 . 
     Two groups of guide blocks  521  can be separately positioned on the saddle  52  towards the sliding member  51  and extend along the third direction Z. Each group of guide block  521  can include two guide blocks  521  arranged in line. Each group of guide block  521  can be slidably engaged with corresponding slidable rail  513 , such that the saddle  52  can move along the third direction Z. The driving module  53  can be sandwiched between the sliding member  51  and the saddle  52 . The driving module  53  can be capable of moving the saddle  52  back and forth along the third direction Z relative to the sliding member  51 . In the illustrated embodiment, the driving module  53  can be a linear module. The driving module  53  can include a forcer  531  and a stator  533 . The forcer  531  of the driving module  53  can be mounted on the saddle  52  between the two groups of guide blocks  521 , the stator  533  of the driving module  53  can be positioned on the sliding member  51  between the two slidable rails  513 . Interactions between magnetic fields produced by the stators  533  and the alternating magnetic fields which are produced by the forcers  531  drive the saddle into a reciprocating motion at high speed along the third direction Z. 
     The holding member  55  can be positioned on a side of the saddle  52  away from the sliding member  51 . The main shaft  54  can be positioned on the saddle  52  via the holding member  55 . A cutter  541  can be located at the main shaft  54 . Two balancing cylinders  56  can be fixedly coupled with the sliding member  51  and the saddle  52  for balancing the main shaft  54 . The two balancing cylinders  56  can be positioned on opposite sides of the main shaft  54 . Each balancing cylinder  56  can include a cylinder body  561  and a balancing rod  563  slidably coupled to the cylinder body  561 . The cylinder body  561  can be fixed on the sliding member  51  with one end portion. The balancing rod  563  can extend along a direction parallel to the third direction Z. Another end portion of the balancing rod  563  can be coupled to the saddle  52  away from the cylinder body  561 . In at least one embodiment, the number of the balancing rod  563  is not limited to two, it can be one, three, or more. 
     The feeding device  50  can further include a chip removal assembly  57  positioned on saddle  52  via the holding member  55  for removing chip generated during a machining process. The chip removal assembly  57  can include two adjusting cylinders  571 , a chip removal cover  573 , and a chip removal pipe  575 . The two adjusting cylinders  573  are positioned on the holding member  55 . The holding member  55  can be positioned between the two adjusting cylinders  573 . The chip removal cover  571  can be movably sleeved on the cutter  541  and coupled to the two adjusting cylinders  57 . The chip removal pipe  575  can be coupled to the chip removal cover  571  for guiding the chip out. The adjusting cylinders  573  can be used for moving the chip removal cover  571  relative to the cutter  541 , such that the cutter  451  can be exposed out from the chip removal cover  571  for machining and a gap can be formed between the cutter  541  and an inner wall of the chip removal cover  571  for collecting the chip. In other embodiments, the holding member  55  can be omitted, and then the main shaft  54  and the two adjusting cylinders  573  can be directly positioned on the saddle  52 . 
     In assembly, the two support bodies  13  can be separately positioned on the base  11 . The moving device  30  can be slidably engaging with the two support bodies  13 . The feeding devices  50  can be arranged on the cross beam  31 . The controller  60  can be positioned on one side surface of one base  11 . The controller  60  can be electrically coupled to the feeding devices  50  and the moving device  30 . 
     In use, the adjusting cylinders  573  can move the chip removal cover  571 , then the cutter  541  exposed out of the chip removal cover  571 . The main shaft  54  can rotate the cutter  541 . The magnet force between the forcer of the driving module  53  and the stator  533  of the driving module  53  can drive the forcer  531  of the driving module  53  and the saddle  52  move back and forth at high speed along the third direction Z. Thus, the cutter  541  can rotate when the cutter  541  moves back and forth along the third direction Z to machine micro holes. Micro holes in arrays can be machined out when the first driving assembly  35  drive the cross beam  31  move, or the second driving assembly  37  move the feeding devices  50 , or both the cross beam  31  and the feeding devices  50 . The balancing cylinders  56  can pull the main shaft  54  for balancing weight of the main shaft  54 , thereby keeping a power of the main shaft  54  in balance. 
     In other embodiments, the number of the feeding device  50  is not limited to one, it can be just one, or more. 
     The embodiments shown and described above are only examples. Many details are often found in the art such as the other features of a circuit board. Therefore, many such details are neither shown nor described. Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present technology have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the present disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in the detail, including in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of the parts within the principles of the present disclosure, up to and including the full extent established by the broad general meaning of the terms used in the claims. It will therefore be appreciated that the embodiments described above may be modified within the scope of the claims.