Profile grinding machine

Abstract

The profile grinding machine includes: a base; a work unit disposed on one side on the base and including a work table for gripping a work; and a stone unit disposed on the other side on the base and including a stone rotating mechanism for holding and rotating a grinding stone on its axis. The work unit includes first to third moving device for supporting and moving the work table in an X-direction and a Y-direction perpendicular to each other in a horizontal plane, and in a Z-direction normal to the horizontal plane, respectively. The stone unit includes turning mechanism for turning the grinding stone about a vertical axis substantially coinciding with the leading end portion of the grinding stone.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A profile grinding machine comprising:
 a base; 
 a work unit disposed on one side on the base and including a work table for gripping a work; and 
 a stone unit disposed on another side on the base and including a stone rotating mechanism for holding and rotating a grinding stone about an axis thereof, 
 wherein the work unit includes first, second and third moving devices for supporting and moving the work table in an X-direction and a Y-direction intersecting with each other in a horizontal plane, and in a Z-direction normal to the horizontal plane, respectively; 
 the stone unit includes a turning mechanism capable of turning the grinding stone about a vertical axis substantially coinciding with a leading end portion of the grinding stone, and the turning mechanism comprising: a rotatable table having a rotational axis and fourth and fifth moving devices, the rotatable table being disposed above the base for rotating about the rotational axis, and the fourth and the fifth moving devices disposed above the rotatable table for supporting and moving the stone rotating mechanism in a U-direction and a V-direction, intersecting with each other in the horizontal plane, respectively; and 
 a numerical controller which controls the first, second and third moving devices in the work unit and the rotatable table in the stone unit, 
 wherein the numerical controller controls the work unit such that the work is moved in the X-direction and the Y-direction in synchronism with movement of the work in the Z-direction, and 
 the numerical controller controls the stone unit to move the stone rotating mechanism to a predetermined position and rotate the rotating rotatable table at a predetermined angle on the rotational axis such that the leading end portion of the grinding stone substantially coincides with the rotational axis of rotatable table. 
 
     
     
       2. The profile grinding machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the turning mechanism includes a rotating table disposed above the base for rotating about a rotation axis of the turning mechanism, and fourth and fifth moving devices disposed above the rotating table for supporting and moving the stone rotating mechanism in a U-direction and a V-direction intersecting with each other in the horizontal plane respectively. 
     
     
       3. The profile grinding machine according to  claim 1 , further comprising an image pickup mechanism including a camera disposed above the base for taking an image of the work unit and the stone unit. 
     
     
       4. The profile grinding machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotational axis substantially coincides with the leading end portion of the grind stone. 
     
     
       5. The profile grinding machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotational axis extends in the Z-direction. 
     
     
       6. The profile grinding machine according to claim 1, wherein the work table comprises:
 a work fixing bed that directly grips the work;   a first work bed that supports the work fixing bed;   a second work bed that supports the first work bed such that the first work bed is rotatable at a fine angle in the horizontal plane;   and a third work bed that supports the second work bed, wherein the work fixing bed is configured to be rotated at the fine angle through the first work bed so that the position of the work is finely adjusted.   
     
     
       7. The profile grinding machine according to claim 6, wherein the third moving device comprises:
 a mounting bed that fixes a base side of the third work bed of the work table;   a Z-direction carriage configured to move back and forth in the Z-direction on a pair of Z-direction rails attached to a back side of the mounting bed and arranged parallel to the Z-direction; and a Z-axis column that supports the Z-direction rails in the Z-direction.   
     
     
       8. The profile grinding machine according to claim 7, wherein the first moving device comprises:
 a column bed that mounts the Z-axis column;   an X-direction carriage configured to move back and forth in the X-direction on a pair of X-direction rails attached to a back side of the column bed and arranged parallel to the X-direction, and an X-axis column that supports the X-direction rails in the X-direction.   
     
     
       9. The profile grinding machine according to claim 8, wherein the second moving device comprises:
 a Y-direction carriage configured to move back and forth in the Y-direction on a pair of Y-direction rails attached to a back side of the X-axis column and arranged on the one side of the base.