Patent · US Expired

Spindle for machine tool

US6481508B2 · kind B2 · utility

6Cited by
7References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 5, 2000
Grant dateNov 19, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 5, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB23Q11/0032
  • WIPO fieldMachine tools
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A spindle (60) for a machine tool comprising a rear spindle portion (62) and a forward spindle portion (64) with each of the rear spindle portion and the forward spindle portion being rotatable about the same axis relative to one another. The inventive spindle includes one or more spring elements (68) extending between the rear spindle portion and the forward spindle portion whereby with the forward spindle portion and the rear spindle portion rotating at a predetermined amount and with the rotation of the forward spindle portion being constrained at that amount, an additional rotation applied to the rear spindle portion results in a deflection of the springs thereby effecting a torque between the forward and the rear spindle portions. The present invention also includes a control method which has as its objective to control the position of, not the torque applied to, one of the spindles, usually the gear member spindle. In this method, the gear member spindle position is controlled relative to the pinion member spindle position by a computer numerical control (CNC). As the pinion member is turned at some speed, the gear member is kept in coordination with the pinion (according to …

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.