[001] The present invention generally relates a device facilitating coolant delivery in a CNC machine. More particularly, the present invention relates to a smart device that allows delivery of a coolant in Gang Tooling on a CNC machine.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

[002] CNC lathe machines are widely used for manufacturing parts or components, since these machines automate the manufacturing process by implementing computer generated design and directives. Minimizing the human control and supervision, CNC machines are faster and efficient to use. To execute more than one tooling functions in a CNC lathe machine,‘gang tooling’ methods are being utilized; where multiple tools are mounted on the toolplate , mounted on the cross slide . Continuous working of the tools produces heat that may hamper the tool productivity and life, and also part quality. Hence, coolant delivery systems are also equipped with the gang tooling on CNC lathe machines to cool off the working or machining zones. Another advantage of delivering a coolant around the working zones is chip removal and reducing any complications occurring from chip clogging.

[003] Various methods are developed to have efficient coolant delivery systems. Some conventional methods adopt a slant bed for CNC gang tool lathe, where the slant bed encourages efficient chip removal and coolant flow. While in another technologies, the machines use a distributor to direct coolant from pump to all the blocks in the gang tool. This method use flexible pipe connections to circulate coolant around the machining zone. This is the most common and easiest reason for chip clogging around the long and slender external pipes. Moreover, since these pipes are generally made of rubber or plastic, they get damaged very easily, including getting cuts due to chips. Therefore, they have shorter life. Also, coolant can get leaked through such damages. Further, using external pipes to circulate coolant to the block limits the transverse movement of block because of pipe length constraints.

[004] Furthermore, employing this technology for coolant delivery, all the tool blocks in the gang tooling receive coolant simultaneously. Resultantly, when one tool is performing a machining operation, the coolant from other blocks may escape from a machine enclosure and may get sprayed all around creating a mist. This causes wastage of coolant and may also cause environmental hazards.

[005] Other conventional methods of applying a coolant in the CNC lathe machines involve using a jet stream or using high pressure coolant systems. However, present technologies fail to solve the problems of wastage of coolant and providing full coolant flow rate and pressure as is originated from the pump only. SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[006] Therefore, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a coolant delivery device that ensures the coolant flows to blocks in Gang tooling of CNC machines through internal channels and avoid implementation of external pipes.

[007] It is also an objective of the present invention to ensure delivery of full quantum of coolant to the blocks of gang tooling.

[008] It is further an objective of the present invention to enable use of high pressure coolant in gang tooling machines to achieve very high machining parameters & breaking of chips into small pieces.

[009] The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular descriptions of exemplary embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0010] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a smart coolant delivery device, also referred to as a smart plate, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; [0011] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary environment showing the smart plate operating between a pump and a job being machined in a working zone, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

[0012] FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram showing a coolant delivery system, including the smart plate, for gang tooling in CNC machines, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. [0013] FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart showing a method for coolant delivery system using the smart plate, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

[0014] This patent describes the subject matter for patenting with specificity to meet statutory requirements. However, the description itself is not intended to limit the scope of this patent. The principles described herein may be embodied in many different forms.

[0015] Illustrative embodiments of the invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments of the invention are shown. Indeed, the invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

[0016] The present invention provides a smart coolant delivery device to deliver coolant to a number of blocks in gang tooling of CNC machines. The coolant delivery device is designed and manufactured in such a fashion that the coolant is delivered through internal channels build in the device, and hence avoids use of external pipes. The smart coolant delivery device is in the shape of a plate made of a hard metal, where the plate has internal channels build for the coolant to flow through it. The plate is referred to as‘smart plate’. The smart coolant delivery device and the smart plate may be used interchangeably through the disclosure of the present invention. The smart plate is installed with gang tooling of a CNC lathe machine.

[0017] In a preferable embodiment, the smart plate operates between a pump and a spindle of the CNC machine. The pump pumps the coolant through a valve system that controls the flow of the coolant. Passing through the valve system, the coolant is delivered to the smart plate. The smart plate has a plurality of coolant entry holes which are aligned on the rectangular plane surface along its length. Each entry hole further connects with a coolant transfer channel. The coolant transfer channels are built into the smart plate through which the coolant flows and reaches the working zone of the spindle. This way the coolant flows from the pump to the working zone of the spindle, and cools of the zone. Further, this avoids implementing any external pipes to deliver the coolant to the working zone.

[0018] In an embodiment of the present invention, the coolant is high-pressured stream of air. In another embodiment, the coolant is any cool liquid that reduces the temperature, such as cold water, or may be other suitable liquid coolant. The coolant may also depend on the type of tools used in the gang tooling.

[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of the smart plate, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The smart plate 100 comprises of a plurality of coolant entry holes 102, a plurality of coolant transfer channels 104, a plurality of vertical coolant springs 106 and a plurality of mounting holes 108 . Preferably, the coolant entry holes 102 are aligned on the rectangular surface along the length of the smart plate 100. The coolant entry holes 102 receive coolant from the pump, and allow the coolant to pass through them. Further, the coolant entry holes 102 connect with the coolant transfer channels 104 which are build into the smart plate 100. The coolant transfer channels 104 stretch from the rectangular plane surface with coolant entry holes 102 to the opposite rectangular plane surface of the smart plate 100. Further, the channels 104 end with the vertical coolant springs 106 through which the coolant moves out of the smart plate 100. Therefore, the coolant gets pumped from the pump and enters the smart plate 100 via the coolant entry holes 102, flows through the internal coolant transfer channels 104, and flows out of the smart plate 100 via the vertical coolant springs 106.

[0020] The smart plate 100 also has the mounting holes 108 on which a number of blocks are mounted. The coolant flows out of the smart plate 100, via the vertical coolant springs 106 and enter the blocks mounted on the smart plate 100. Consequently, the coolant flows out of the blocks and is delivered around a working zone of a tool in gang tooling of the CNC lathe machine to cool off the zone.

[0021] In an embodiment, the smart plate is made of carbon steel. [0022] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary environment showing the smart plate operating between the pump and the job being machined in the working zone, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the environment 200, the coolant is pumped from the pump 202, passes through a valve system 204 that includes one or more flow control valves. Thereafter as the coolant is allowed to pass through the valve system 204, the coolant flows through a pipeline 206 that connects the valve system 204 with the smart plate 100. The pipeline 206 is fixed metal pipeline supplying coolant to the smart plate 100. Further, the coolant flows into the smart plate 100, through the coolant entry holes 102 and the connected coolant transfer channels 104 to eventually reach the block 208, mounted on the smart plate 100, via the vertical coolant springs 106.

[0023] In an embodiment, the valve system 204 includes as many valves as there are blocks 208 mounted on the smart plate 100, where the valves are connected via the individual pipelines 206 with the smart plate 100 and eventually the block 208. This means each block 208 has a flow control valve associated with it, controlling the flow of coolant through that particular block 208 via the associated pipeline 206 and the smart plate 100.

[0024] It may be apparent to a person skilled in the art that each block 208 mounted on the smart plate 100 is installed to spray coolant around the working zone of each tool in gang tooling of CNC machine. Further, flowing through the smart plate 100 and the block 208, the coolant is delivered to the working zone where a job 210 is being worked upon by a tool equipped onto a chuck 212 of a spindle of the CNC machine. [0025] FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram showing a coolant delivery system, including the smart plate, for gang tooling in CNC machines, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The system 300 includes a tank 302 that stores the coolant to be delivered to the working zone of the job 210. The coolant is pumped out from the tank 302 using the pump 202; the coolant then flows through the valve system 204 that allows or restricts the flow of coolant through the flow control valves 304 it has. Flowing through the pipelines 206, the coolant reaches the smart plate 100; flows into and through the smart plate 100 via the coolant transfer channels 104 build into the smart plate 100. Thereafter, the coolant reaches the block 208, through which the coolant is required to be delivered. In the exemplary situation shown in the FIG. 3, the coolant flows through the block 208 A. Each block is linked with a tool in the gang tooling of the CNC machine. Consequently, the coolant reaches the working zone of the job 210 to cool off the zone.

[0026] FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart showing a method for coolant delivery system using the smart plate, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The method 400 shows a step 402 at which the coolant is pumped out of the tank 302 storing the coolant. The pump 202 is used to pump out the coolant. Further, the coolant may flow through a valve system 204 including one or more valves 304 that allow or restrict the flow of coolant through them as and when required. In an embodiment, the valve system 204 has one or more flow control valves 304. Further, at a step 404, flowing through one or more fixed pipelines 206, the coolant flows into the smart plate 100 via the coolant entry holes 102. Thereafter at a step 406, the coolant flows into the smart plate 100 and through the coolant transfer channels 104 which is inbuilt into the smart plate 100. In an embodiment, the smart plate 100 may also have more than one coolant transfer channel 104 build into it depending on the requirement and design of the smart plate 100, without deviating from the meaning and scope of the present invention.

[0027] The smart plate 100 mounts a number blocks 208 on the mounting holes 106, which are in fluid communication with the smart plate 100 via a number of vertical coolant springs 106 positioned on the smart plate 100. Therefore at step 408, the coolant enters a required block 208 for a tool in Gang Tooling after flowing through the smart plate 100. Consequently at a step 410, the coolant delivers out from the block 208 and reaches a working zone of a working tool in Gang Tooling. Hence, the working zone gets cooled off, and the method avoids the installation of external pipes for delivering coolant to the working zone.

[0028] Advantageously, the present invention provides a smart coolant delivery device referred to as smart plate that delivers a coolant to cool off working zones of tools equipped in gang tooling of a CNC machine. The smart plate has inbuilt internal channels to transfer the coolant flowing through the smart plate, from a pump to a working zone of a tool. The internal transfer channels for coolant avoids the need of external pipes to deliver the coolant which raises the problems of chip clogging and damages caused due to cuts from chips. The damages lead to leakage of coolant. Hence, the implementation of smart plate to deliver the coolant in the gang tooling rules out the chances of chip clogging and the damages caused due to chips. [0029] Further, the smart plate has a number of blocks mounted on it, which eventually delivers the coolant to the working zones. The smart plate ensures delivery of full quantum of the coolant to these blocks, since there is no leakage of coolant. Additionally, the smart plate enables the use of High Pressure Coolant (HPC) in Gang Tooling Machines to achieve very high machining parameters. This also helps in breaking of chips into small pieces. On the contrary, HPC cannot be used in standard coolant delivery system because such high pressure can cause external flexible pipes to burst.

[0030] While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Indeed, the novel methods, devices, and systems described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, and changes in the form of the methods, devices, and systems described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. [0031] The drawings and the forgoing description give examples of embodiments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more of the described elements may well be combined into a single functional element. Alternatively, certain elements may be split into multiple functional elements. Elements from one embodiment may be added to another embodiment. For example, orders of processes described herein may be changed and are not limited to the manner described herein. Moreover, the actions of any flow diagram need not be implemented in the order shown; nor do all of the acts necessarily need to be performed. [0032] Also, those acts that are not dependent on other acts may be performed in parallel with the other acts. The scope of embodiments is by no means limited by these specific examples.

[0033] Numerous variations, whether explicitly given in the specification or not, such as differences in structure, dimension, and use of material, are possible. Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described above with regard to specific embodiments. However, the benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any component(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential feature or component of any or all the claims.