EP4304806A1

EP4304806A1 - System for workpiece machining, machine tool, support device and workpiece support

Info

Publication number: EP4304806A1
Application number: EP22706574.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Roland Köchl; Johannes PITTERLE
Original assignee: Deckel Maho Pfronten GmbH
Current assignee: Dmg Mori Pfronten GmbH
Priority date: 2021-04-08
Filing date: 2022-02-15
Publication date: 2024-01-17
Also published as: JP2024513161A; WO2022214230A1; US20240181582A1; DE102021108803A1; CN117062688A

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for workpiece machining, comprising a machine tool having a support device (100) which comprises a receiving device (120) for workpiece supports (200), which receiving device is designed to be driven rotatingly about a rotational axis R with respect to a base (400) of the machine tool during workpiece machining. The system also comprises a workpiece support (200) which can be secured to the receiving device (120) and which has a clamping device (220) by means of which a workpiece (300) to be machined is secured to the workpiece support (200). The workpiece support (200) comprises a monitoring device which is designed to monitor a clamping state of the clamping device (220). The support device (100) and a workpiece support (200) secured to the receiving device (120) are electrically coupled to one another via a contactless information transmission interface (141, 241) in such a way that the monitoring device of the secured workpiece support (200) can transmit information about the clamping state, in particular during the workpiece machining, monitored by the monitoring device to the support device (100) via the information transmission interface (141, 241). The support device (100) and the workpiece support (200) secured to the receiving device (120) are designed to be coupled to one another via an energy transmission interface (130, 230) in order to transmit hydraulic and/or pneumatic energy between the support device (100) and the workpiece support (200).

Description

System for workpiece processing, machine tool, carrier device and

workpiece carrier

DESCRIPTION

technical field

The present invention relates to a system for machining workpieces, a machine tool for use in a system for machining workpieces, a carrier device for use in a machine tool and a workpiece carrier for use in a system for machining workpieces.

Background of the Invention

In the machining of workpieces by means of a

Machine tools are tools and the workpieces to be machined by them are moved relative to one another in order to machine the workpiece, for example in the course of milling and/or turning operations. The workpiece is usually fastened or clamped on a workpiece carrier, with the machine tool usually comprising several drive devices for implementing relative movements between the workpiece carrier and a machining device carrying the tool, e.g. a work spindle, which can perform both translatory and rotary movements of Allow workpiece carrier and / or processing device.

So-called rotary milling tables are known from the prior art for this purpose, which enable rotation of the workpiece carrier about an axis of rotation, in order to enable milling operations with a stationary workpiece carrier and turning operations with a rotating workpiece carrier including the workpiece clamped on it.

The rotational speeds usually required for turning are comparatively high, which results in correspondingly high safety requirements during operation, which, among other things, require reliable clamping of the workpiece on the workpiece carrier as well as a monitoring of the state of tension of the workpiece clamped on the workpiece carrier, the implementation of which is made even more difficult due to the usually detachable connection between the milling turntable and the workpiece carrier and the rotational movement of the milling turntable relative to a fixed base of the machine tool during operation.

From the prior art it is known that this different

Sensors and/or actuators can be arranged on the workpiece carrier, which are coupled contactlessly to the milling turntable via a transmission interface in order to transmit electrical energy and/or information in the form of electrical signals between the workpiece carrier and milling turntable.

[0007] EP 1 522 377 A1 shows a rotatable milling turntable with a contactless, inductive (or capacitive) transmission of electrical energy from the milling turntable to a workpiece carrier attached to it for the purpose of information transmission and for the energy supply of actuators arranged there for interaction with a clamped workpiece .

The contactless transmission of electrical energy is largely wear-resistant, but limits the possibilities of the sensors and/or actuators that can be used on the workpiece carrier, which in turn can have a negative effect on operational safety, e.g. in the event of a failure of the electrical energy transmission.

Summary of the Invention

An object of the present invention is therefore to provide an improved

Provide a system for workpiece processing, in particular for milling and turning of a workpiece, which ensures increased operational reliability with a compact design at the same time.

To solve this problem, a system for workpiece machining, in particular for milling and turning, according to claim 1, a machine tool for use in a system for workpiece machining according to claim 14, a carrier device for use in a machine tool according to claim 15 and a workpiece carrier for use in a system for workpiece machining according to claim 16 is proposed.

The respective dependent claims relate to preferred embodiments of the system according to the invention, which can be provided individually or in combination.

According to a first aspect of the invention, a system for workpiece machining is provided, comprising a machine tool with a carrier device, which comprises a receiving device for workpiece carriers, which is set up to be driven in rotation about a rotational axis relative to a base of the machine tool during workpiece machining be, and an attachable to the receiving device workpiece carrier with a clamping device via which a workpiece to be machined is attached to the workpiece carrier, the workpiece carrier for monitoring a

Includes voltage state of the clamping device set up monitoring device. The carrier device and a workpiece carrier attached to the receiving device are electrically coupled to one another via a contactless information transmission interface in such a way that the monitoring device of the attached workpiece carrier can transmit information about the voltage state monitored by the monitoring device, in particular during workpiece processing, to the carrier device via the information transmission interface . The carrier device and the one attached to the receiving device

Workpiece carriers are also set up to each other via a

To be coupled energy transmission interface for the transmission of hydraulic and / or pneumatic energy between the carrier device and workpiece carrier.

Under the interfaces is a merger of a respective workpiece carrier-side part and a carrier device-side part to understand between which in the case of a manufactured or present coupling electrical signals in both directions - for

Information transmission interface - or hydraulic and / or pneumatic energy - for the energy transmission interface - can be transmitted that can advantageously serve to transmit information and/or control commands and to provide energy to the workpiece carrier.

About the provision of hydraulic and / or pneumatic

Energy is made possible - at least in a coupled state - via the energy transmission interface, an energy supply of the workpiece carrier, which means any supply of energy-consuming or energy-actuated devices of the workpiece carrier, e.g. the clamping device, with the hydraulic and/or pneumatic energy supply, for example takes place in the form of providing a hydraulic and/or pneumatic medium with a specific supply pressure or a specific volume flow via the energy transmission interface.

The interfaces are preferably set up in such a way that both the energy and the information can be transmitted bidirectionally, ie both from the side of the carrier device in the direction of the workpiece carrier and vice versa.

As an example of a workpiece carrier is one from the at this point

Field of machine tool construction known pallet with mounted thereon clamping device for fastening a workpiece called. The clamping device can be detachably mounted on the pallet and the clamping device can be, for example, a multi-jaw chuck known from the field of turning.

The state of tension of the clamping device, which through the

Monitoring device of the workpiece carrier is monitored, provides information about the attachment of the workpiece on the workpiece carrier and can be specified, for example, via a clamping or clamping force, a voltage value or position or path information from clamping elements of the clamping device.

The inventive system for machining workpieces is advantageously a monitoring of the state of tension of the workpiece mounted on the workpiece carrier with contactless information transmission via the information transmission interface with a hydraulic and / or pneumatic energy supply combined via the energy transmission interface.

In this way, there are two independent interfaces between the carrier device and the workpiece carrier, which can each be used in the course of different tasks when machining the workpiece with the system according to the invention, which enables a task-specific use of the two interfaces when machining the workpiece, in the course of which for a task to be performed or a function to be provided which can be used for each more advantageous interface.

On the one hand, the electrical coupling via the information transmission interface is advantageous for monitoring the status of the workpiece carrier or its clamping device during workpiece processing, since the relevant information is reliably transmitted contactlessly as electrical signals with usually relatively low power the transmission means required for this and the supply or connection means leading from and/or to these, e.g. electrical lines, require comparatively little installation space.

On the one hand, this can significantly reduce the risk of failure due to wear and thus failure of condition monitoring and, on the other hand, due to the low power transmission - since information transmission usually requires relatively low voltages and currents - a stress on the

Information transmission interface, e.g. in the form of an electrically induced thermal load, which, among other things, increases the reliability and service life of the information transmission interface.

The information transmission interface of the invention

In this way, systems for workpiece machining advantageously implement a so-called black channel technology, in which all information relevant to the workpiece carrier (or control commands) is transmitted via a central information transmission interface, the so-called black channel, regardless of the Energy supply of the workpiece carrier can be transmitted safely and reliably.

Since usually only low-power electrical signals are used to transmit information and there is no simultaneous, contactless energy transmission with high electrical power to supply energy to the workpiece carrier, as is the case, for example, in the case of the interface shown in EP 1 522 377 A1, it also happens Interactions between electric currents of high and low power do not lead to disruptive effects, which is a problem that is well known from the prior art in the case of contactless transmission.

[0024] A risk of information relating to the stress state of the clamping device being falsified by interactions can thus be significantly reduced in comparison to an interface of the device from EP 1 522 377 A1.

[0025] On the other hand, the pneumatic and/or hydraulic coupling is used via the energy transmission interface to supply energy to the workpiece carrier, which means that, compared to a purely electrical energy supply, the workpiece carrier is provided with a relatively safer and more reliable energy supply.

Thus, in the case of the system for workpiece processing according to the invention, the electrical coupling for information transmission and the hydraulic and/or pneumatic coupling for the energy supply of the workpiece carrier are used in an advantageous manner, whereby in comparison to a purely electrically designed interface for information and energy transmission, as shown, for example, in EP 1 522 377 A1

Information transmission interface for the electrical coupling between the carrier device and the workpiece carrier is loaded only extremely slightly and furthermore an independent and separately usable hydraulic and/or pneumatic energy supply of the workpiece carrier is available.

Furthermore, the inventive at least partially electrically executed coupling between the carrier device and the workpiece carrier in the Compared to a purely hydraulic coupling known from the prior art with one or more rotary feedthroughs, the installation space required for hydraulic and/or pneumatic supply lines and the like within the carrier device and within the workpiece carrier can be significantly reduced.

The energy transmission interface is preferably designed to be detachable.

In this way, workpiece carriers attached to the carrier device can be exchanged or exchanged with relatively little effort, which in turn is advantageous in the context of automated workpiece processing in the context of mass production.

Preferably, the clamping device of the workpiece carrier as

Multi-jaw chuck with a plurality of clamping jaws as clamping means, the multi-jaw chuck being set up to fasten and/or release the workpiece by shifting individual clamping jaws of the plurality of clamping jaws in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the carrier device.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the

Carrier device and the workpiece carrier can be coupled via the energy transmission interface in such a way that in a coupled state the clamping device of the attached workpiece carrier can be supplied with energy via the energy transmission interface, in particular with hydraulic and/or pneumatic energy.

The energy provided via the energy transmission interface can thus be used independently of the processes at the information transmission interface to actuate the clamping device of the workpiece carrier, in order to fasten the workpiece on the workpiece carrier or to detach it from it again.

In comparison to a purely electrical energy supply, as shown for example in EP 1 522 377 A1, a safer and more reliable attachment of the workpiece to the workpiece carrier via the clamping device is made possible, since the use of hydraulic or pneumatic energy is Among other things, it offers the advantage of using a comparatively simple structure to apply very high forces for fastening or clamping, which in turn are essential for securely fixing the workpiece during turning operations at high rotational speeds. In addition, the state of tension in the clamping device can be set and/or determined relatively easily via such an energy supply, since this can be determined, for example, directly from the supply pressure provided at the energy transmission interface or from the pressure of the hydraulic and/or pneumatic medium present at the clamping device .

The clamping device of the workpiece carrier preferably comprises one or more self-locking actuating devices for actuating the clamping device. In this way, even if the energy supply fails or is decoupled via the energy transmission interface, it is ensured that the workpiece remains fixed by the clamping device.

The self-locking can be designed in such a way that when the coupled state is released via the energy transmission interface, a hydraulic and/or pneumatic pressure applied to the actuating devices is kept constant. The hydraulic and/or pneumatic pressure present does not drop, or at least not significantly, when the coupling via the energy transmission interface is released, but is maintained.

Alternatively or in addition to the self-locking actuating devices, the clamping device can comprise a mechanically executed inhibiting device which is set up to block movements of clamping elements of the clamping device for fastening a workpiece at least in an uncoupled state via the energy transmission interface.

The design with a self-locking actuating device and/or mechanical locking device additionally increases operational safety. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the

Monitoring device for monitoring the state of tension one or more sensor units from a group of sensor units, the group of sensor units including a pressure sensor unit for detecting a hydraulic and/or a pneumatic pressure on the clamping device, an end position sensor unit for detecting an end position of the clamping device, in particular of clamping means of the clamping device for clamping the workpiece, a displacement sensor unit for detecting an adjustment path of the clamping device, in particular the clamping means of the clamping device, and a force sensor unit for detecting a clamping force of the clamping device acting on the workpiece.

Due to the large number of sensor units from the group of

Sensor units enable comprehensive and application-specific monitoring of the state of stress, with the information recorded by the sensor units being transmitted by the monitoring device in the form of electrical signals from the workpiece carrier to the carrier device, and from there, for example, to a control device of the machine tool for consideration in the machine control to become.

If, for example, by the monitoring device for a

If insufficient tension is detected when turning, the control device can react to this by reducing the rotational speed or even stopping the machine tool immediately.

For most cases, especially when the rotational speeds hardly change, one end position sensor is usually sufficient, which detects an end position or final configuration of the clamping device when the workpiece is fixed, whereas monitoring the clamping force proves to be particularly advantageous when the rotational speeds change, since this is more accurate Allows statements about changes in the clamping forces that can be caused, for example, by the weight of the workpiece or centrifugal forces.

The monitoring device for monitoring the state of tension preferably comprises at least two different sensor units from the group of sensor units. In this way, redundant monitoring of the

State of tension are provided, which includes at least two different types of sensor units, whereby the monitoring of the state of tension is improved and thus the operational reliability is increased. In particular, the combination of the end position sensor unit relating to the mechanics and the pressure sensor unit relating to the energy supply is appropriate.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the

Energy transmission interface in the coupled state is also set up for the transmission of electrical energy between the carrier device and the workpiece carrier attached to the receiving device, in particular for supplying energy to the clamping device of the attached workpiece carrier.

As a result, for example, different clamping devices can be used on the workpiece carrier, which can also be partially electrically actuated depending on the configuration.

The use of electrical energy is here by no means on the

Limited supply of the clamping device, but can also be used for additional devices of the workpiece carrier that require an energy supply.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the

Carrier device set up to establish and/or release a coupling between the carrier device and the attached workpiece carrier via the energy transmission interface by relative movements between a carrier device-side part and a workpiece carrier-side part of the energy transmission interface.

In this way, the attachment of the workpiece carrier to the carrier device is independent of the energy transmission interface, such that after attachment to the receiving device, the coupling via the energy transmission interface can be produced and/or released again at any time. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the

Carrier device set up to establish and/or release the coupling between the carrier device and the attached workpiece carrier via the energy transmission interface by translatory displacements of the part of the energy transmission interface on the carrier device side in the direction of a displacement axis, in particular in the direction of the axis of rotation of the receiving device.

[0049] In this way, a comparatively simple possibility for producing the coupling via the energy transmission interface is provided. For example, the part on the carrier device side can be moved towards an underside of the workpiece carrier by a lifting movement directed in the direction of the axis of rotation, in order to establish the coupling there by docking with the part of the interface on the workpiece carrier side.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the system is set up in such a way that the coupling between the carrier device and the attached workpiece carrier is released via the energy transmission interface during the machining of the workpiece.

For example, for fastening the workpiece through the

In this case, the clamping device of the workpiece carrier attached to the receiving device is coupled via the energy transmission interface, so that the clamping device can be supplied with energy in order to actuate it. After the workpiece has been secured by the clamping device, the coupling is released again, with the state of tension of the clamping device being maintained, whereupon the workpiece is machined via the energy transmission interface with the coupling released.

In this way, the carrier device-side part of the

Energy transmission interface not connected to the workpiece carrier during workpiece processing, so that it consequently does not have to follow the rotational movement of the workpiece carrier, which in turn considerably simplifies storage of the part on the carrier device side. Preferably, the part of the energy transmission interface on the carrier device side essentially retains its position with respect to the base of the machine tool during a rotation of the receiving device in the course of machining the workpiece.

[0054] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the system is set up in such a way that the coupling between the carrier device and the attached workpiece carrier is established via the energy transmission interface during the machining of the workpiece.

[0055]In this case, the coupling via the energy transmission interface exists, for example, both during an actuation of the clamping device made possible by the energy supply for fastening the workpiece and during the subsequent machining of the workpiece.

In this way, not only the information transmission interface, but also the

Energy transmission interface available, the carrier device-side part of the interface rotates together with the attached workpiece carrier about the axis of rotation. As a result, for example, the clamping device can be supplied with energy even while the workpiece is being processed, which means that the state of tension can be varied or readjusted, for example in the event that the monitoring device detects a drop in the clamping force during workpiece processing.

Furthermore, an additional monitoring of the state of tension on the part of the carrier device can advantageously be carried out, for example by a supply pressure present there of a hydraulic and/or pneumatic medium for the clamping device provided via the energy transmission interface being able to be detected even during the machining of the workpiece, thereby increasing operational reliability is additionally increased.

[0058] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the

Carrier device, in particular the carrier device-side part of the Energy transmission interface, and the base of the machine tool are coupled to one another via a further energy transmission interface for the transmission of hydraulic and/or pneumatic and/or electrical energy in such a way that energy can be transmitted between the carrier device and the base via the further energy transmission interface during the machining of the workpiece, in particular for the purpose of supplying energy the clamping device via the energy transmission interface between the carrier device and the workpiece carrier.

In this way, an additional interface is provided that makes it possible to connect a part of the energy transmission interface on the carrier device side that rotates with the workpiece carrier along with it to an energy supply source arranged on the side of the base of the machine tool, so that even during machining, hydraulic and/or pneumatic energy can be provided by the energy supply source.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, part of the further energy transmission interface is designed as a rotary feedthrough with a sealed transition between the carrier device and a hydraulic fluid supply and/or a gas supply and/or a vacuum supply arranged on the side of the base of the machine tool.

In this way, a reliable and established in the prior art design of the further energy transmission interface in the form of a rotary union is provided, which allows energy transmission of hydraulic and / or pneumatic energy between two components rotating relative to each other, which in this case a reliable and enables fail-safe supply of the carrier device by an energy supply source on the side of the base of the machine tool in the form of a hydraulic fluid supply and/or a gas supply and/or a vacuum supply.

[0062] In a particularly preferred embodiment, a carrier device-side part of the information transmission interface maintains during the rotation of the receiving device in the course of machining the workpiece substantially with respect to the base of the machine tool.

[0063] Substantially retained is to be understood here as meaning that during the machining of the workpiece, there are no changes in the position of the part on the carrier device side caused by displacement movements. Operational changes in position due to deformation or vibration of individual components are still possible.

It should be noted at this point that the base of the machine tool itself does not have to be fixed relative to the rest of the machine tool, but can also be moved or rotated via linear or rotary axes in order to position the carrier device connected to the base relatively opposite to position or align a machining device of the machine tool, in particular with respect to a tool-carrying work spindle.

[0065] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the part of the information transmission interface on the carrier device side and the part on the workpiece carrier side are each designed as inductive couplers which are set up to inductively transmit information to one another in the form of electrical signals across an air gap.

[0066] The inductive transmission provides a contactless and therefore low-wear and secure transmission option that is only slightly susceptible to faults, which proves to be particularly advantageous for the transmission of safety-related information, such as information on the voltage state of the clamping device.

Preferably, the inductive coupler on the carrier device side is electrically coupled to a control device of the machine tool arranged on the side of the base of the machine tool, such that during the machining of the workpiece, information in the form of electrical signals can be transmitted between the carrier device and the control device, in particular information about the the surveillance device monitored state of tension of the clamping device which are transmitted to the carrier device via the information transmission interface.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, this is done

Coupling between the inductive coupler on the carrier device side and the control device via a second, contactless information transmission interface, which is set up in particular for inductive transmission.

In this way, the additional use of connecting cables and/or plug-in connections between the carrier device and the base is avoided, which enables a clear structure, a compact design and a simple exchange of individual parts or assemblies, e.g. in the context of maintenance.

According to a second aspect of the invention, a

A machine tool for use in a workpiece machining system according to the first aspect of the invention is provided.

According to a third aspect of the invention, a carrier device for use in a machine tool according to the second aspect of the invention is provided.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, a workpiece carrier is provided for use in a system for workpiece processing according to the first aspect of the invention.

Other aspects and their advantages as well as more specific ones

Exemplary embodiments of the aforementioned aspects and features are described below with the aid of the drawings shown in the attached figures:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective detail of an exemplary embodiment according to the first aspect of the invention with a workpiece carrier with a clamping device, a carrier device and a base of a machine tool. Figure 2 shows a two-dimensional sectional view of the

Embodiment of Figure 1 without clamping device of the workpiece carrier.

[0076] FIG. 3 shows a perspective illustration

Embodiment of a carrier device according to the third aspect of the invention.

FIGS. 4a to 4c show exemplary embodiments of the parts of the information and energy transmission interface of the carrier device and workpiece carrier that are on the workpiece carrier side and on the carrier device side.

Identical or similar elements in the figures can be denoted by the same reference numbers, but sometimes also by different reference numbers.

It is emphasized that the present invention is in no way limited to the exemplary embodiments described below and their design features. The invention also includes modifications of the exemplary embodiments mentioned, in particular those resulting from modifications and/or combinations of individual or several features of the exemplary embodiments described within the scope of the independent claims.

Detailed character description

1 shows a perspective detail of an embodiment according to the first aspect of the invention with a workpiece carrier 200 with a clamping device, a carrier device 100 and a base 400 of a machine tool.

The structure shown shows a rotary milling table, with the aid of which a workpiece 300 carried by the workpiece carrier 200 can be rotated about an axis of rotation R running vertically here in the course of workpiece machining. A rotation about the axis of rotation R can take place both within the framework of a milling workpiece machining, in which an angular reorientation of the workpiece 300, which is ring-shaped here, takes place by a specific angular value about the axis of rotation R, as well as within the framework of a rotating one Workpiece processing in which the workpiece carrier 200 together with the workpiece 300 rotates about the axis of rotation R at a fixed rotational speed. This results in comparatively high requirements for fastening the workpiece 300 on the workpiece carrier 200.

The workpiece carrier 200 comprises a pallet 210 and a jaw chuck 220 mounted on its top as a clamping device for fastening the workpiece 300.

The jaw chuck 220 shown in Fig. 1 is a three-jaw chuck with three clamping jaws 221 (one of which is not shown due to the sectional representation], which are displaced along respective guide grooves 222 in a direction radial to the axis of rotation R can, so as to attach the workpiece 300 to the workpiece carrier 200 and fix it securely.

The workpiece carrier 200 is detachably connected to the carrier device 100 of the machine tool on an underside of the pallet 21, so that the entire workpiece carrier 200, i.e. pallet 210 and jaw chuck 220, together with the workpiece 300, can be quickly and easily exchanged or replaced within the scope of automated industrial production. can be exchanged.

The workpiece carrier 200 can be supplied with a hydraulic medium for energy supply when it is mounted on the carrier device 100, in order to actuate or actuate the jaw chuck 220 for the purpose of fastening or detaching the workpiece 300.

For workpiece machining, the pallet 210 of the workpiece carrier 200 is fastened to a pallet carrier 120 designed as a receiving device of the carrier device 100 of the machine tool, the fastening being effected via clamping cones of the pallet carrier 120, which are not shown in the selected perspective.

For the rotational drive of the workpiece carrier 200 attached to the pallet carrier 120, the pallet carrier 120 is connected to the rotor 112 of an electric drive motor 110, the stator 111 of which is arranged on the side of the base 400 of the machine tool. With rotation of the rotor 112 relative to the stator 111 The pallet carrier 120 and the attached workpiece carrier 200 together with the workpiece 300 thus also rotate about the axis of rotation R.

The pallet carrier 120 of the carrier device 100 is supplied with a hydraulic medium via a non-rotating distributor flange 150 in order to actuate the clamping cones for fastening the workpiece carrier 200 in this way. The distributor flange 150 can be connected to a hydraulic supply of the machine tool via a hydraulic coupling 151 that can be displaced in the direction of the axis of rotation R, or it can also be separated from it.

The workpiece carrier 200 and thus also its jaw chuck 220 is supplied with hydraulic energy via a centrally arranged energy transmission interface in order in this way, among other things, to actuate the clamping jaws 221 of the jaw chuck 220 in order to firmly clamp the workpiece 300 or to clamp it again after machining has taken place to solve from the jaw chuck 220.

On the carrier device 100 side, the energy transmission interface comprises a media coupler 130, which can be coupled to a receptacle 230 on the workpiece carrier side, in order to enable a media transfer of a hydraulic medium between the carrier device 100 and the workpiece carrier 200, so that, for example, a specified hydraulic supply pressure is required to actuate the Clamping jaws 221 can be provided.

The energy transmission interface is detached in the representation shown, so there is no coupling via said interface. To establish a coupling via the energy transmission interface - in order to supply the jaw chuck 220 with energy, among other things - the media coupler 130, starting from the configuration shown in Fig there to dock to the receptacle 230.

Before workpiece processing begins, the media coupler 130 is lowered back to the configuration shown in Figure 1, thereby releasing the coupling via the energy transfer interface. The workpiece carrier 200 is designed in such a way that when the said coupling is released, the previously in one Hydraulic network of the workpiece carrier 200 applied hydraulic pressure is maintained and does not drop, or at least not significantly.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the media coupler 130 is designed in such a way that it does not rotate about the axis of rotation R when the workpiece carrier 200 is rotated during the course of workpiece machining, but rather maintains its position relative to the base 400 .

The media coupler 130, which can be displaced in the direction of the axis of rotation R, is arranged around an inner structure 140 which is stationary with respect to the base 400 and comprises a pot 146 on the underside, a piston 142 attached thereto and a first inductive coupler 141 connected thereto. For this purpose, the media coupler 130 has a cylindrical recess which encloses part of the inner structure 140 in such a way that the media coupler 130 is mounted so that it can be displaced in the direction of the axis of rotation R. In order to eliminate the remaining rotational degree of freedom of the media coupler 130 relative to the inner structure 140, it is also connected to the piston 142 via torque arms (see FIG. 2).

A lifting hydraulic system is arranged between the piston 142 and the media coupler 130 (see FIG. 2), via which a displacement of the media coupler 130 in the direction of the axis of rotation R is implemented for the purpose of establishing or releasing the coupling via the energy transmission interface.

The piston 142 itself has a cylindrical inside

Recess as a cable bushing 145 through which supply or transmission cables to the first inductive coupler 141 are guided from the base 400 side.

The first inductive coupler 141 is part of a

Information transmission interface between carrier device 100 and workpiece carrier 200, which is used to transmit information in the form of electrical signals.

The information transmission interface is composed of the carrier device-side first inductive coupler 141 and a workpiece carrier-side second inductive coupler 241 together are set up to inductively transmit information in the form of electrical signals to one another across an air gap 242.

The first inductive coupler 141 is stationary relative to the base 400 during workpiece processing, whereas the second inductive coupler 241 is arranged in a central recess in the pallet 210 and rotates along with the rest of the workpiece carrier 200 during workpiece processing, so that the first 141 and second inductive coupler 241 rotate relative to each other, but are not in contact, but are separated from each other via the air gap 242. The inductive transmission via said interface thus offers a low-wear possibility to provide an electrical coupling between workpiece carrier 200 and carrier device 100 despite relative movement or relative rotation of the two couplers 141, 241, even during workpiece processing.

The second inductive coupler 241 is connected via connecting means running in connecting channels 243 to a monitoring device (not shown here) of the workpiece carrier 200, which is set up to monitor a voltage state of the jaw chuck 220 and to transmit related information via the information transmission interface, primarily for the purpose of forwarding to a control device (not shown here) of the machine tool. The monitoring device can generally be provided both as part of the clamping device or the jaw chuck 220 and as a separate device of the workpiece carrier 200.

Due to the structure described above, a safety-related

The state of tension can also be monitored during the machining of the workpiece, so that in the event of an insufficiently secure or even loosening attachment, the control device can be set up, for example, to immediately stop the rotation of the workpiece carrier.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the workpiece carrier or its jaw chuck 220 is supplied with energy hydraulically, whereas the transmission of safety-related information regarding the voltage state of the jaw chuck 220 takes place electrically Paths via the contactless designed information transmission interface in the center of the carrier device 100 and the workpiece carrier 200 takes place.

In this way, the transmission variant that is optimal for the respective task is selected, since hydraulically provided energy is optimally suitable for actuating the clamping device and the inductive and thus contactless transmission is optimally suitable for transmitting information (in particular safety-relevant information), since this is particularly fail-safe and, with low power of the electrical signals to be transmitted, also particularly robust against interference.

FIG. 2 additionally shows a two-dimensional sectional representation of the exemplary embodiment from FIG.

In addition to the illustration in FIG. 1, the sectional illustration in FIG. 2 mainly shows the previously described structure of the carrier device 100 of the exemplary embodiment of the system according to the invention.

In particular, Fig. 2 shows the lifting hydraulic system 143 between the piston 142 and the media coupler 130 for displacing the media coupler 130 in the direction of the axis of rotation R, as well as the torque supports 144 used to support the media coupler 130 between the media coupler 130 and the piston 142.

The lifting hydraulic system 143 is implemented by two hydraulic chambers, each of which is delimited between a radially protruding piston extension of the piston 142 that extends into a recess in the media coupler 130 and the media coupler 130. Viewed in the direction of the axis of rotation, there is a first hydraulic chamber below the piston extension and above a second (here not filled) hydraulic chamber. Starting from the configuration shown in Fig. 2, the media coupler 130 can be displaced axially upwards in the direction of the axis of rotation R by filling the second hydraulic chamber and emptying the first hydraulic chamber, so that in this way the media coupler 130 is attached to the receptacle 230 of the workpiece carrier or the Pallet 210 docks and a coupling is established via the energy transmission interface.

3 shows a perspective view of part of an exemplary embodiment of a carrier device according to the third aspect of the invention, but without a receiving device for a workpiece carrier, the structure shown essentially corresponding to that of the carrier device already described in FIGS .

Fig. 3 shows an internal structure 140 of the carrier device, which includes a pot 146, a piston 142 attached thereto and an inductive coupler 141 in turn attached thereto as part of an information transmission interface between the carrier device and an attachable thereto rotatable about the axis of rotation R ( not shown here] workpiece carrier acts includes.

A media coupler 130 as part of an energy transmission interface between the carrier device and the workpiece carrier attached to it is mounted so that it can be displaced in relation to the inner structure 140 in the direction of the axis of rotation R, in order to create or restore a coupling to an attached workpiece carrier for the transmission of hydraulic and electrical energy by displacement to solve. Torque supports 144 between piston 142 and media coupler 130 prevent the media coupler 130 from rotating relative to the inner structure 140 .

A lifting movement for the axial displacement of the media coupler 130 takes place via lifting hydraulics 143, the operating principle of which has already been described with reference to FIG.

[0112] In the configuration shown in FIG. 3, the media coupler 130 is in a position suitable for docking to the workpiece carrier, with the second hydraulic chamber (top) now being filled and the first hydraulic chamber (top) being filled compared to the configuration shown in FIG. bottom] of the lifting hydraulics 143 is emptied.

[0113] Energy is transmitted between the media coupler 130 and the matching counterpart on the side of a workpiece carrier via the top side arranged couplings 131 for media transfer, with which a hydraulic medium (or optionally a pneumatic medium) can be exchanged with each other. In addition, a further energy transmission interface in the form of a plurality of electropins 132 for the transmission of high-power electrical energy—at least higher than that of the electrical signals transmitted via the information transmission interface—is arranged on the upper side of the media coupler 130 .

[0114] Energy is supplied to the media coupler 130 via media supply connections 133 arranged on the underside, which can be connected to a hydraulic fluid supply (not shown here) and/or a gas supply and/or a vacuum supply. Electrical energy is supplied via connecting means (not shown here) which run below the electropins 132 in cable bushings 145 and are connected to an electrical energy source (also not shown here).

With the (at least partially) illustrated carrier device, a workpiece carrier attached to it can thus be supplied both with hydraulic and/or pneumatic energy via the energy transmission interface and with electrical energy via the further energy transmission interface, whereas information can be transmitted via the centrally arranged first inductive coupler 141 with a counterpart on the workpiece carrier side.

4a and 4b show enlarged views of the carrier device-side parts of the energy and information transmission interface of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 in a perspective top view, in a position corresponding to a coupled state in FIG. 4a and in a non-coupled position State corresponding position in Fig. 4b.

The media coupler 130 forms the part of the energy transmission interface on the carrier device side, which can provide a hydraulic and/or pneumatic medium for supplying energy to the workpiece carrier via the four couplings 131 arranged around the circumference for media transfer in a state coupled to the workpiece carrier or its receptacle 230 . Furthermore, there is a further energy transmission interface with three electropins 132 arranged on a partial circumference on the upper side of the media coupler 130, via which, in the coupled state, electrical energy can be provided for supplying energy to the workpiece carrier.

Surrounded by the media coupler 131, the first inductive coupler 141 of the information transmission interface is arranged centrally.

In comparison to FIG. 4b, FIG. 4a shows the position of the media coupler 130 in a state coupled to the workpiece carrier or to its receptacle 230. The first inductive coupler 141 is fixed with respect to a base of the machine tool, not shown here, the media coupler 130 being displaced axially upwards relative to the first inductive coupler 141 to establish a coupling and axially downwards to release the coupling. Figure 4a shows the upshifted position, while Figure 4b shows the downshifted position of the media coupler 130.

4c shows an exemplary embodiment of counterparts on a workpiece carrier that match the parts of the relevant interfaces on the carrier device side shown in FIGS. 4a and 4b.

To establish a coupling via the energy transmission interface, the workpiece carrier has a receptacle 230 on the underside for the media coupler 130 shown in FIGS to couple the couplings 131 shown in FIGS. 4a and 4b for media transfer in order to set up a hydraulic and/or pneumatic network between the carrier device and the workpiece carrier, via which the workpiece carrier is supplied with energy.

Furthermore, in the area of the receptacle 230 as part of the further energy transmission interface, three electropins 132 are arranged, distributed over a partial section of the circumference, via which an electrical coupling for the transmission of electrical energy of comparatively high power can take place between the carrier device and the workpiece carrier. Surrounded by the receptacle 230 for the media coupler 130, the second inductive coupler 241 that matches the one shown in FIGS. 4a and 4b is arranged in the middle, which can be used in conjunction with the first inductive coupler 141 as an information transmission interface, regardless of a position of the media coupler 130 and thus independent of a coupling via the energy transmission interface(s) (cf. configurations in FIGS. 4a and 4b).

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention and their advantages have been described in detail above with reference to the attached figures. It is again emphasized that the present invention in no

Way is limited to the embodiments described above and their design features. The invention also includes modifications of the exemplary embodiments mentioned, in particular those resulting from modifications and/or combinations of individual or several features of the exemplary embodiments described within the scope of the independent claims.

List of reference symbols Carrier device Drive motor Stator Rotor Pallet carrier Media coupler Couplings for media transfer Electropin Connections for media supply Cable bushing for power supply to the electropins Internal structure of the first inductive coupler Piston Lifting hydraulics Torque arm Cable bushing pot Distributor flange Hydraulic coupling for distributor flange Workpiece carrier Palette Jaw chuck Clamping jaws Guide groove Recording for media coupler Coupling nipple Second inductive coupler Air gap Connection channels

workpiece 400 base of the machine tool

R axis of rotation

Claims

EXPECTATIONS

1. System for workpiece machining, in particular for milling and turning, comprising: a machine tool with a carrier device (100) (100), which includes a receiving device (120) for workpiece carriers (200), which is set up to face a base during workpiece machining (400) of the machine tool to be driven in rotation about an axis of rotation (R); a workpiece carrier (200) which can be fastened to the receiving device (120) and has a clamping device (220) via which a workpiece (300) to be machined is fastened to the workpiece carrier (200), the workpiece carrier (200) having a clamping device ( 220) equipped monitoring device; wherein the carrier device (100) and a workpiece carrier (200) attached to the receiving device (120) are electrically coupled to one another via a contactless information transmission interface (141, 241), such that the monitoring device of the attached workpiece carrier (200) receives information about the Monitoring device monitored voltage state, especially during workpiece processing, on the

Information transmission interface (141, 241) to the carrier device (100), characterized in that the carrier device (100) and the workpiece carrier (200) attached to the receiving device (120) are set up to communicate with one another via an energy transmission interface (130, 230). Transmission of hydraulic and / or pneumatic energy between the carrier device (100) and the workpiece carrier (200) to be coupled.

2. System for workpiece processing according to Claim 1, characterized in that the carrier device (100) and the workpiece carrier (200) can be coupled to one another via the energy transmission interface (130, 230) in such a way that in a coupled state the clamping device (220) of the attached workpiece carrier (200) can be supplied with energy, in particular with hydraulic and/or pneumatic energy, via the energy transmission interface (130, 230).

3. System for workpiece machining according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the monitoring device for monitoring the state of stress comprises one or more sensor units from a group of sensor units, the group of sensor units comprising: a pressure sensor unit for detecting a hydraulic and/or a pneumatic pressure on the tensioner (220); an end position sensor unit for detecting an end position of the clamping device (220), in particular of clamping means (221) of the clamping device (220) for clamping the workpiece (300); a displacement sensor unit for detecting an adjustment path of the clamping device (220), in particular the clamping means (221) of the clamping device (220); a force sensor unit for detecting a clamping force of the clamping device (220) acting on the workpiece (300).

4. System for workpiece processing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the energy transmission interface (130, 132, 230) in the coupled state also for the transmission of electrical energy between the carrier device (100) and the on the receiving device (120) attached workpiece carrier ( 200) is set up, in particular for Power supply of the clamping device (220) of the attached

workpiece carrier (200).

5. System for workpiece processing according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrier device (100) is set up to provide a coupling between the carrier device (100) and the attached workpiece carrier (200) via the energy transmission interface (130, 230) by relative movements between to produce and/or release a part (130) on the carrier device side and a part (230) on the workpiece carrier side of the energy transmission interface (130, 230).

6. System for workpiece processing according to claim 5, characterized in that the carrier device (100) is adapted to the coupling between the carrier device (100) and the attached workpiece carrier (200) via the energy transmission interface (130, 230) by translatory

Shifts of the carrier device-side part (130) of the energy transmission interface (130, 230) in the direction of a

Shift axis, in particular in the direction of the axis of rotation (R) of the receiving device (120), to produce and / or solve.

7. System for workpiece processing according to one of claims 5 or 6, characterized in that the system is set up in such a way that during workpiece processing the coupling between the carrier device (100) and the attached workpiece carrier (200) via the energy transmission interface (130, 230) is solved.

8. System for workpiece processing according to one of claims 5 or 6, characterized in that the system is set up in such a way that the coupling between the carrier device (100) and the attached workpiece carrier (200) is established via the energy transmission interface (130, 230) during the machining of the workpiece.

9. System for workpiece machining according to Claim 8, characterized in that the carrier device (100) and the base (400) of the machine tool are coupled to one another via a further energy transmission interface for the transmission of hydraulic and/or pneumatic and/or electrical energy such that between the carrier device (100) and the base (400) during the machining of the workpiece, energy can be transmitted via the further energy transmission interface, in particular for supplying energy to the clamping device (220) via the energy transmission interface (130, 230) between the carrier device (100) and the workpiece carrier (200).

10. System for workpiece machining according to claim 9, characterized in that a part of the further energy transmission interface as a rotary feedthrough with a sealed transition between the carrier device (100) and a hydraulic fluid supply and/or a gas supply and/or a gas supply and/or arranged on the side of the base (400) of the machine tool or a vacuum supply.

11. System for workpiece machining according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a carrier device-side part (141) of

Information transmission interface (141, 142) during the rotation of the receiving device (120) in the course of workpiece processing its position relative to the base (400) of the machine tool essentially maintains.

12. System for workpiece machining according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the part (141) on the carrier device side and the part (241) on the workpiece carrier side of the information transmission interface (141, 241) are each designed as inductive couplers which are set up to transmit information to one another in the form of to inductively transmit electrical signals across an air gap (242).

13. System for workpiece machining according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrier device (100) is electrically coupled via a second, contactless information transmission interface to a control device of the machine tool arranged on the base (400), the second information transmission interface being set up for this purpose is to transmit information in the form of electrical signals between the carrier device (100) and the control device during the machining of the workpiece, in particular via the first information transmission interface (141, 241) to the information transmitted by the

Monitoring device monitored voltage state of the clamping device (220).

14. Machine tool for use in a system for machining workpieces according to one of claims 1 to 13.

15. Carrier device (100) for use in a machine tool according to claim 14.

16. Workpiece carrier (200) for use in a system for workpiece machining according to one of claims 1 to 13.