IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,502,746
Granted Patent B2
US 12,502,746 · App. 17/850,254 · Granted Dec 23, 2025

Machine tool and control method and control program thereof

Inventor: Tatsuya Namiki (Saitama, JP)
Assignees: CITIZEN WATCH CO., LTD.; CITIZEN MACHINERY CO., LTD.
B23Q15/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,502,746
App. No.
17/850,254
Granted
Dec 23, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A machine tool according to the disclosure has a spindle rotatably holding a cylindrical workpiece, a turret holding a thread whirling tool having a cutter ring having a base on which a through hole is formed and a plurality of types of cutting tools disposed on the inner diameter side of the base and having different shapes, so as to rotatably holds the cutter ring, a controller controlling rotations and relative movements of the spindle and the turret, wherein the controller has the spindle hold a workpiece, disposes the workpiece in the through hole so that the workpiece penetrates the through hole, rotates at least one of the cutter ring and the workpiece, and switches movements of the thread whirling tool in an extending direction of the workpiece and a direction intersecting with the extending direction thereof based on a selected predetermined cutting tool.

Claims (40)

1 . A machine tool comprising:

a spindle rotatably holding a cylindrical workpiece;

a turret holding a thread whirling tool having a cutter ring having a base on which a through hole is formed and a plurality of types of cutting tools disposed on the inner diameter side of the base, the plurality of types of cutting tools including a first cutting tool for forming a first screw groove by cutting the workpiece, and a second cutting tool having a shape different from that of the first cutting tool for forming a second screw groove by cutting the workpiece, so as to rotatably hold the cutter ring;

a controller controlling rotations and relative movements of the spindle and the turret, wherein

the controller has the spindle hold the workpiece,

disposes the workpiece in the through hole so that the workpiece penetrates the through hole,

rotates at least one of the cutter ring and the workpiece, and

switches movements of the thread whirling tool in an extending direction of the workpiece and a direction intersecting with the extending direction thereof, depending on whether the first cutting tool is forming the first screw groove or the second cutting tool is forming the screw groove.

2 . The machine tool according to claim 1 , wherein the controller

forms the first screw groove in a first screw portion during the first period, and

forms the second screw groove in a second screw portion which does not overlap the first screw groove portion during the second period.

3 . The machine tool according to claim 1 , wherein the controller

forms the first screw groove with a first lead having a length twice larger than the width of the first screw groove, and

form the second screw groove through the first screw groove during the second period.

4 . The machine tool according to claim 1 , wherein the controller

forms the first screw groove with a second lead having a length three times larger than the width of the first screw groove during the first period,

forms the second screw groove so that one end thereof is contacted with the first screw groove during the second period, and

forms a third screw groove between the first screw groove and the second screw groove during a third period for forming the third screw groove by cutting the workpiece by the first cutting tool or the second cutting tool, by moving the thread whirling tool in the direction crossing the extending direction of the workpiece to, so that the first cutting tool or the second cutting tool are in contact with the workpiece.

5 . The machine tool according to claim 1 , wherein the cutting tools further include a third cutting tool having a shape different from that of the first cutting tool and a second cutting tool, and

the controller

forms the first screw groove with a second lead having a length three times larger than the width of the first screw groove during the first period,

forms the second screw groove so that one end thereof is contacted with the first screw groove during the second period, and

forms a third screw groove between the first screw groove and the second screw groove during the third period for forming the third screw groove by cutting the workpiece by the third cutting tool, by moving the thread whirling tool in a direction crossing the extending direction of the workpiece during the third period for forming the third screw groove by cutting the workpiece by the third cutting tool, so that the third cutting tool are in contact with the workpiece.

6 . The machine tool according to claim 1 , wherein the controller moves the thread whirling tool in a direction crossing the extending direction of the workpiece during a first period for forming the first screw groove by cutting the workpiece by the first cutting tool, so that the first cutting stool is in contact with the workpiece, and moves the thread whirling tool in the direction crossing the extending direction of the workpiece during a second period for forming a second screw groove by cutting a workpiece by a second cutting tool, so that the second cutting stool is in contact with the workpiece.

7 . A method for controlling a machine tool comprising:

a spindle rotatably holding a cylindrical workpiece;

a turret holding a thread whirling tool having a cutter ring having a base on which a through hole is formed and a plurality of types of cutting tools disposed on the inner diameter side of the base, the plurality of types of cutting tools including a first cutting tool for forming a first screw groove by cutting the workpiece, and a second cutting tool having a shape different from that of the first cutting tools for forming a second screw groove by cutting a workpiece, so as to rotatably hold the cutter ring;

a controller controlling rotations and relative movements of the spindle and the turret, wherein the controller executes a process to

have the spindle hold the workpiece,

disposes the workpiece in the through hole so that the workpiece penetrates the through hole,

rotate at least one of the cutter ring and the workpiece, and

switches movements of the thread whirling tool in an extending direction of the workpiece and a direction intersecting with the extending direction thereof, depending on whether the first cutting tool is forming the first screw groove or the second cutting tool is forming the screw groove.

8 . A computer readable non-temporary recording medium having stored therein a computer program for controlling a machine tool comprising:

a spindle rotatably holding a cylindrical workpiece;

a turret holding a thread whirling tool having a cutter ring having a base on which a through hole is formed and a plurality of types of cutting tools disposed on the inner diameter side of the base, the plurality of types of cutting tools including a first cutting tool for forming a first screw groove by cutting the workpiece, and a second cutting tool having a shape different from that of the first cutting tools for forming a second screw groove by cutting the workpiece, so as to rotatably hold the cutter ring;

a controller controlling rotations and relative movements of the spindle and the turret, wherein the controller executes a process to

have the spindle hold the workpiece,

disposes the workpiece in the through hole so that the workpiece penetrates the through hole,

rotate at least one of the cutter ring and the workpiece, and

switches movements of the thread whirling tool in an extending direction of the workpiece and a direction intersecting with the extending direction thereof, depending on whether the first cutting tool is forming the first screw groove or the second cutting tool is forming the screw groove.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 23, 2022
From: NAMIKI, TATSUYA
To: CITIZEN WATCH CO., LTD.; CITIZEN MACHINERY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 061194/0377 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63215799 · Jun 28, 2021
Related Publication 20230001530A1 · Jan 5, 2023
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