TOOL MEASUREMENT DEVICE FOR A MACHINE TOOL

• Main Authors: FERGUSON, Graham, Richard, TOCKNELL, Stephen, Lindsey
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 19.01.2022
• Subjects: COMBINATIONS OR ASSOCIATIONS OF METAL-WORKING MACHINES, NOTDIRECTED TO A PARTICULAR RESULT; DETAILS, COMPONENTS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR MACHINE TOOLS, e.g.ARRANGEMENTS FOR COPYING OR CONTROLLING; MACHINE TOOLS; MACHINE TOOLS IN GENERAL CHARACTERISED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OFPARTICULAR DETAILS OR COMPONENTS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING

An optical tool measurement device (2) for a machine tool is described. The device comprises a light source (10) for directing light towards a tool-sensing region (13) and a sensor (14) for detecting light from the tool-sensing region (13). A shutter assembly (40) for selectively protecting the sensor (14) from contamination is also provided. The shutter assembly (40) is configured to provide a closed configuration in which the sensor (14) is covered by the shutter assembly (40) thereby preventing contamination of the sensor (14) and an open configuration in which light can pass to the sensor (14) through a first aperture (72;102) of the shutter assembly (40). Furthermore, the shutter assembly (40) is additionally configured to additionally provide a constricted configuration in which light can pass to the sensor through a second aperture (74;104) of the shutter assembly (40), the second aperture being smaller than the first aperture. In this manner, the device (2) has enhanced resistance to contaminants, such as swarf and coolant, present in the machine tool environment.