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Device and method for cooling tool holders comprising shrink fit chucks

Device and method for cooling tool holders comprising shrink fit chucks description/claims

The present invention relates to a device and a method for cooling tool holders with shrink fit chucks.

Tool holders with shrink fit chucks come in all variations. They serve to clamp piping, turning, milling, reaming and grinding tools and the like by a thermally induced shrinking process. Usually, such shrink fit chucks are thermally heated by inductive shrinking devices, as a result of which the inside diameter of the shrink fit chuck is enlarged. With the inside diameter enlarged, a tool to be clamped is inserted into the shrink fit chuck, with the ratio of the inner diameter of the shrink fit chuck to the shaft diameter of the tool designed such that, on subsequent cooling of the shrink fit chuck, the tool is firmly clamped by the shrink fit chuck and cannot rotate.

To accelerate cooling, cooling devices with ring-like heat sinks are often used, with the heat sink having an internal geometry adapted to the shrink fit chuck and being flowed through by a coolant. The disadvantage of these heat sinks is that adapting them to different shrink fit chuck dimensions is very difficult and often thermally ineffective and therefore a plurality of heat sinks must be kept available for the different shrink fit chucks.

For the purpose of avoiding this disadvantage, direct cooling devices are known that usually employ a coolant along with additives to prevent rusting. The shrink fit chuck together with the inserted tool is introduced into a housing, which is then closed water-tight in order that it may be cooled by the coolant. To be sure, the cooling device is highly versatile for use with all kinds of shrink fit chucks, but such a cooling device is unsuitable for cooling several shrink fit chucks in direct succession, especially in an automated process.

An object of the present invention is to provide a device for cooling tool holders with shrink fit chucks, said device being versatile for use with all kinds of tool holders while simultaneously facilitating more efficient cooling of several tool holders, particularly in direct succession.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the device for cooling tool holders with shrink fit chucks, which are accommodated in a tool holder receptacle, comprises means for spraying the tool holder with coolants (e.g., in liquid form), means for transporting the tool holder receptacle, and means for activating the means for cooling and the means for transporting. In this connection, the means for transporting are adapted for simultaneously transporting several tool holder receptacles through the device in succession.

The means for transporting the tool holder receptacles has an advantage of ensuring that not only one tool holder receptacle but several tool holder receptacles can be transported simultaneously in succession through the device and thus it is no longer necessary as it was before to await the cooling process at one tool holder before a further tool holder can be transported to such a cooling device by hand. The inventive cooling device is therefore much more efficient and allows the cooling process for several successive tool holders to be automated.

Advantageously, the means for transporting transports the tool holder receptacle can be substantially horizontal through the device, as that keeps down the design effort.

The means for activation can be adapted such that the device can be operated semi-automatically, and preferably fully automatically. A semi-automatic operation can be made possible, for example, in such a manner that a corresponding push-button for operation by the operating personnel is provided which is pressed after the tool holder receptacle with hot tool holder has been introduced into the cooling device, as a result of which the means for transporting and the means for cooling are activated. A fully automatic operation, in turn, could be facilitated by appropriate sensor technology that detects the introduction of a tool holder receptacle into the cooling device.

The means for transporting the tool holder receptacles through the device can be in an essentially linear first transport direction, as a result of which the device can have a particularly slim structure. If the device needs to be more compact, it is advantageous if the means for transporting the tool holder receptacles through the device in an essentially circular first transport direction.

If cooling liquids are to serve as coolant, it is furthermore advantageous to provide means for drying the cooled tool holder and to implement the means for cooling and drying in isolated areas of the device separate from each other as cooling station and drying station. As a result, the cooling efficiency of the device increases, because a tool holder is cooled in the cooling station at the same time as a tool holder can be dried in the drying station.

In an embodiment of the present invention, means of detecting temperature are provided, with the aid of which the temperature of the tool holder can be determined and, in accordance with the temperature observed, the means for activation can be controlled, such that the means of cooling can selectively release the coolant.

In another embodiment, the device can have a parking station and possibly a transfer station to the parking station, in which tool holder receptacles with cooled or cooled and dried tool holders are stored prior to removal from the cooling device. This parking station makes it possible for several tool holders to be cooled in direct succession by the cooling device, even when they are not removed from the cooling device by the operating personnel directly.

In the same measure, the cooling station can be preceded by a feed station, in which one or more tool holder receptacles can be stored temporarily before cooling.

In this regard, the transport directions in the feed station and/or the parking station can be different from the first transport direction, because that enables the cooling device to be kept very compact. It is contemplated that these two transport directions can be flexibly adjusted to the local conditions of the installation site of the cooling device.

In a particularly simple manner, the means for transporting can be realized by one or more chains or conveyors, which have dogs for the tool holder receptacles. On the other hand, gripper devices can also be provided, which are arranged to the side or above the transport direction and either are traversable in the transport direction or one gripper device each is assigned to one station, and two, with respect to the transport direction, neighboring gripper devices each forwarding one tool holder receptacle.

To essentially suppress escape of coolant, which usually contains water and rust inhibitor, or its vapors into the vicinity of the cooling device, it is preferable for at least the cooling station, especially the drying station as well, to have appropriate means of shielding. Such shielding means can consist of gas-tight and water-tight containers. Where applicable, appropriate waste and return means for catching the coolant can be provided on the lower side of the container.

Accordingly, suitable means for extracting vapors can be attached to the container walls as well.

For the purpose of facilitating transporting of the tool holder receptacles through such a shielded device, openable shielding doors can be provided at various points, said doors being closed when the device is in operation and capable of being opened during guiding. This allows the container to always remain at the cooling device. In particular, such doors can be provided before and after the cooling station, after the drying station and after the transfer station.

The cooling equipment as well as the drying agent can be designed as a ring with several spray elements, which are vertical relative to the tool holder and can be raised and lowered essentially concentrically with this. This makes for particularly uniform cooling and drying of the tool holder. To control the cooling and drying equipment in their vertical motion, suitable sensors can be provided that detect the contour of the tool holder.

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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