MACHINES FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention is generally related to CNC machines. More particularly, the present invention is related to a method and system for automatic loading and unloading of jobs in CNC machines for saving idle time. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] CNC machines are widely used for manufacturing parts or components, since these machines automate the manufacturing process by implementing computer generated design and directives. The machines need raw jobs to be loaded and finished jobs to be unloaded from them to continue the process without any interruptions. Conventional methods for loading and unloading involve human operators for some CNC machines; while others involve robot or gantry systems for automate the loading and unloading process. Having human operators for loading systems are considered inefficient and also dangerous. [0003] Conventional automatic loading and unloading systems include gantry loading systems which are compatible with CNC lathe machines. Such gantry systems come in various sizes with single or twin multiple axis gantry arms. In some of the systems, the arms are accessorized with a pneumatically operated gripper. These conventional auto- loading systems for CNC lathes have machine idle time during unloading of machined job from a work holding or a chuck, cleaning of work holding and loading of fresh jobs.

[0004] Also, these auto-loading systems are robot and gantry based and machine doors in front or top needs to be opened and closed to allow entry of robot or gantry arm inside machine enclosure to remove machined component and load fresh job. This further increase machine idle time.

[0005] Further, such loading systems are also guarded with safety doors or light curtains that need to be opened whenever the gantry arms enter machine enclosures to load or unload a job. A usual implementation of these loading systems includes the gantry arm/robot unloading a finished job, loading a new job, coming out of the door and dropping the finished job at a designated point. Adding the machine idle time in process further.

[0006] Such existing auto loading methods and systems use complex CNC controlled machines (Robot or Gantry). The implementation of the machine doors to allow entry of the gantry arms into the machine enclosures, in turn, requires time and energy and also allows escape of a coolant mist when the door opens. This escaped coolant mist is a loss of money and also spreads dampness in the area around machine.

[0007] Furthermore, robot and gantry based auto-loading systems also find it hard to load shaft type components where more than half of the job has to be inside the work holding or the chuck area and only area to be machined lies outside the work holding or the chuck area. They also find it difficult to unload components of such shapes. [0008] Additionally, robot or gantry systems are expensive and add to complexity of entire system and chances of breakdown are more. [0009] Therefore, there exists a need for automatic loading and unloading systems in the CNC machines which eliminates machine idle time during loading/unloading, is efficient and suitable for shaft type components, is economical and reliable.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION [0010] Hence, it is an objective of the present invention to provide an innovative and efficient and economical way of automatically loading of raw jobs and unloading of finished jobs in a CNC machine.

[0011] It is an objective of the present invention to provide an auto loading system and method for CNC machines that eliminates or minimizes the machine idle time greatly. [0012] It is another objective of the present invention to provide an auto loading system and method for CNC machines that is suitable to load and unload variety of jobs with variety of shapes, sizes, and designs, including and not limited to shaft shaped type jobs. [0013] It is another objective of the present invention to provide an auto loading system and method for CNC machines with single and multiple spindles.

[0014] It is a yet another objective of the present invention to provide an auto loading system that is efficient, economical and highly reliable. [0015] To further clarify advantages and features of the present invention, a more elaborate description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which is illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

[0016] For a better understanding of the embodiments of the systems and methods described herein, and to show more clearly how they may be carried into effect, references will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals represent like elements/components throughout and wherein:

[0017] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary environment showing a double spindle CNC lathe machine employing an auto loading and unloading system of the present invention, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] FIG. 2 illustrates a flow chart showing a method employing the auto loading and unloading system in a CNC machine with double spindles, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

[0019] FIGs. 3-6 illustrates an exemplary environment showing a double spindle CNC lathe machine with auto loading and unloading system, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

[0020] 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.

[0021] 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. [0022] The present invention provides an automatic loading and unloading system and method to be employed in CNC machines. More particularly, the present invention provides an automatic loading and unloading system and method for multiple spindle CNC machines. In an embodiment, the CNC machine is a double spindle CNC lathe machine. It may be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that the present invention may also be used for other CNC machines, like milling, drilling and the like, without deviating from the meaning and scope of the present invention. [0023] According to an embodiment, the auto loading and unloading system for the double spindle CNC machine provides automatic unloading of a machined job from one spindle using a movable part catcher and a pusher system which is installed at the rear of the spindle. As soon as the machined job is unloaded, the system auto loads a raw job at the same spindle using a stopper and the pusher system. While at the one spindle, the system is unloading the machined job, at the other spindle, a slide or a saddle continues and finishes machining of a raw job at the other spindle. After finishing the machining at the other spindle, the saddle slides to the one spindle for starting the machining of the loaded raw job. This way, the system helps in eliminating machine idle time.

[0024] It may also be apparent to a person skilled in the art that the present auto loading system may be applied to a variety of CNC machines, such as Lathes, Milling, Gear Cutting, Grinding and others. [0025] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary environment including a double spindle CNC lathe machine employing the auto loading and unloading system of the present invention, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The system 100 has a CNC lathe machine 102 that includes two spindles, a first spindle 104 and a second spindle 106. The two spindles of the machine 102 are facing opposite to each other axially, according to an embodiment.

[0026] In an embodiment, each of the spindles, the first spindle 104 and the second spindle 106 has their separate smart push feed systems, namely first smart push feed system 108 and second smart push feed system 110 respectively. Further, each of the spindles, the first spindle 104 and the second spindle 106 has their separate chuck or work holding area and stoppers, namely first chuck 112 and first stopper 114; and second chuck 116 and second stopper 118, respectively. [0027] The machine 102 comprises of a machine slide or a machine saddle 120 that moves between the first spindle 104 and second spindle 106 for machining or working on raw jobs. The machine 102 further comprises of movable part catcher 122 for catching machined jobs from the first spindle 104 and second spindle 106. In an embodiment, the system includes one movable part catcher 122 that moves between the first spindle 104 and second spindle 106 for catching machined jobs from the first spindle 104 and second spindle 106. In another embodiment, the system includes two movable part catchers 122, one for each of the first spindle 104 and second spindle 106.

[0028] The smart push feed systems 108 and 110 are located at the rear of the spindles 104 and 106, such that they feed raw jobs from the rear of the spindles 104 and 106. In an embodiment, the smart push feed systems 108 and 110 may be located at any suitable position with respect to the spindles 104 and 106, respectively, such that they feed raw jobs to the spindles 104 and 106 appropriately and efficiently, without any hurdles, without deviating from the meaning and scope of the present invention. For example, the smart push feed systems 108 and 110 are located at the front of the spindles 104 and 106, such that they feed raw jobs from the front of the spindles 104 and 106, respectively. [0029] The stoppers 114 and 118 are unlike conventional stoppers, and are mounted on heads of each of the spindles (104 and 106) and are independent mechanism mounted on each head of the spindles. Stoppers 114 and 114 help the smart push feed systems 108 and 110 for loading the raw jobs at the spindles 104 and 106, by navigating, supporting and stopping the position of the raw jobs to and at the chucks 112 and 116 or the work holdings of the spindles.

[0030] It may be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that the CNC machine 102 may have other suitable in-feed system than the present smart push feed systems 108 and 110 which are able to feed raw jobs to the spindles 104 and 106, without deviating from the meaning and scope of the present invention.

[0031] FIG. 2 illustrates a flow chart showing a method employing the auto loading and unloading system in a CNC machine with double spindles, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The method 200 should be read and understood in conjunction with the auto loading system 100 explained in the FIG. 1 above, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The method 200 may include at least one limitation of the auto loading system 100 explained in the FIG. 1 above, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Steps shown in the method 200 in the FIG. 2 may or may not follow a flow as shown in the flowchart in the FIG. 2. Thus, the flow of steps in the method 200 should not be restricted as shown in the FIG. 2.

[0032] According to an embodiment, the method 200 includes a step 202 where the first smart push feed system 108 feeds a raw job to the first spindle 104 to mount the raw job on the first chuck 112. In an embodiment, the first smart push feed system 108 feeds a raw job from the rear of the first spindle 104 to mount the raw job on the first chuck 112. [0033] Thereafter at step 204, the first smart push feed system 108 pushes and loads the raw job against the first stopper 114 at the first spindle 104. The first stopper 114 navigates, supports and stops the position of the raw job to and at the chuck 112 or the work holding of the first spindle 104. At step 206, the machine slide 120 moves to the first head of the first spindle 104 for machining of the raw job.

[0034] Further, in an embodiment, while the CNC machine 102 executes machining of the raw job at the first spindle 104 from the steps 202-206, the steps 208-212 happens on the second spindle 106. For the purposes of the understanding of the present invention, it is assumed that the second spindle 106 has finished working on a job to produce a finished job, at stage before step 208 at the second spindle 106. At step 208, the auto loading and unloading system 100 unloads a finished job from front of the second spindle 106. The movable part catcher 122 moves to the second spindle 106 in an active position to catch the finished job. In an embodiment, the movable part catcher 122 may be roof mounted on the spindles to prevent chips getting into it or conventionally mounted.

[0035] When the movable part catcher 122 has taken its active position, the second smart push feed system 110 pushes the finished job from the second spindle 106 into the movable part catcher 122. In an embodiment, the second smart push feed system 110 pushes the finished job from the rear of the second spindle 106 into the movable part catcher 122. Thereby, the auto loading and unloading system 100 performs ejection of the finished job from the second spindle 106 while a raw job is being machined at the first spindle 104. The system 100 unloads the raw job from the front of the spindles 104 and 106.

[0036] After ejection of the finished job from the second spindle 106, the second smart push feed system 110 feeds a raw job to the second spindle 106 to mount the raw job on the second chuck 116, at step 210. In an embodiment, the second smart push feed system 110 feeds a raw job from the rear of the second spindle 106 to mount the raw job on the second chuck 116. The second smart push feed system 110 pushes and loads the raw job against the second stopper 118 at the second spindle 106. The second stopper 118 navigates, supports and stops the position of the raw job at the second chuck 116 or the work holding of the second spindle 106.

[0037] At step 212, the second stopper moves to a safe zone away from the second spindle 106. At step 214, after machining ends on the first spindle 104, the machine slide 120 moves to the second head of the second spindle 106 for machining of the raw job that is loaded at the step 210.

[0038] Now, while the machine 102 machines, at step 214, the raw job that is loaded at the step 210 at the second spindle 106, the auto loading and unloading system 100 follows the unloading steps of 208-212 similarly at the first spindle 104 to unload the finished job from front of the first spindle 104, using the part catcher 122 and the first smart push feed system 108.

[0039] FIGs. 3-6 illustrates an exemplary environment showing a double spindle CNC lathe machine with auto loading and unloading system, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIGs. 3-6 are read and understood in conjunction with description of the FIGs. 1-2 explained above, while including at least one or more of the embodiments of the FIG.s 1-2 as described above. It should be understood that FIGs. 3-6 only show an exemplary design of the autoloading system 100, and is not restricted to the design and shape as illustrated in the FIGs. 3-6. It should also be understood that FIGs. 3-6 should be read and understood in conjunction with the FIGs. 1-2, and may include at least one or more embodiments of the autoloading system 100 of the FIGs. 1-2. [0040] FIG. 3 shows an environment 300 including the CNC lathe machine 102. The machine 102 includes the components as listed in Fig. 1. In environment 300, the first smart push feed system 108 feeds a raw job 302 from the rear of the first spindle 104 to mount the raw job 302 on the first chuck 112. The first smart push feed system 108 pushes and loads the raw job 302 against the first stopper 114 at the first spindle 104. The first stopper 114 navigates, supports and stops the position of the raw job 302 at the chuck 112 or the work holding of the first spindle 104. The machine slide 120 moves to the first head of the first spindle 104 for machining of the raw job 302. [0041] FIG. 4 shows the CNC machine 102 in an exemplary environment 400, the auto loading and unloading system 100 unloads a finished job 402 from the second chuck 114 of the second spindle 106. The movable part catcher 122 moves to the second spindle 106 in an active position to catch the finished job 402. When the movable part catcher 122 has taken its active position, the second smart push feed system 110 pushes the finished job 402 from the rear of the second spindle 106 into the movable part catcher 122. Thereby, the auto loading and unloading system 100 performs ejection of the finished job 402 from front of the second spindle 106 while a raw job is being machined at the first spindle 104.

[0042] FIG. 5 shows the CNC machine 102 in an exemplary environment 500, showing the operations at the second spindle 106. After ejection of the finished job 402 in the FIG. 4 from the second spindle 106, the second smart push feed system 110 feeds a raw job 502 from the rear of the second spindle 106 to mount the raw job 502 on the second chuck 116. The second smart push feed system 110 pushes and loads the raw job 502 against the second stopper 118 at the second spindle 106. The second stopper 118 navigates, supports and stops the position of the raw job 502 at the second chuck 116 or the work holding of the second spindle 106. Afterwards, the second stopper 118 moves to a safe zone away from the second spindle 106.

[0043] FIG. 6 shows the CNC machine 102 in an exemplary environment 600, showing the unloading operations at the first spindle 104. While the raw job 502 is being machined at the second spindle 106, the machine 102 simultaneously performs unloading of a finished job 602 from the first spindle 104. Also, after machining ends on the first spindle 104, the slide 120 moves to the second head of the second spindle 106 for machining of the raw job 502 that is loaded at the second spindle 106 in the Fig. 5 above. [0044] The machine 102 simultaneously performs the unloading of the finished job 602 from the first spindle 104 in the same fashion as is described for the second spindle 106 in the Fig. 4 above, using the part catcher 122 and the first smart push feed system 108.

[0045] It may be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that the present invention may also work in the same way with multi-spindle CNC machines, more than two spindles, to reduce machine idle time greatly, without departing from the meaning and scope of the present invention.

[0046] Advantageously, the present invention provides an auto loading and unloading system which eliminates or reduces the machine idle time greatly, and is simpler in design and functions faster than the conventional systems. The present auto loading and unloading system also works efficiently with the variety of shapes, designs and sizes of the jobs, including and not limited to shaft type jobs, and is highly reliable for variously shaped and sized jobs.

[0047] Since, the present auto loading and unloading system feeds the raw jobs from the rear of the spindles and not from front or top of the machine doors using robot or gantry arms for entering the machine enclosures to load/unload jobs, the present auto loading and unloading system further reduces the machine idle time. [0048] The present auto loading and unloading system is also economical since it does not use expensive robot and gantry arms for loading unloading the jobs.

[0049] 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.

[0050] 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.

[0051] 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.