Device and Method for Cooling Tool Holders Comprising Shrink Fit Chucks

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a device ( 20 ) for cooling tool holders comprising shrink fit chucks, said tool holders beings received in a tool holder seat. The invention provides an especially efficient and above all completely automatable cooling system which allows a successive cooling of a plurality of tool holders ( 36 ). The cooling device ( 20 ) is very economical and can be shaped in such a manner as to be perfectly adapted to the space available and to already present shrink-fit devices ( 42 ).

1 - 32 . (canceled) 
   
   
       33 . A device for cooling tool holders with shrink fit chucks comprising:
 a transporter for transporting tool holder receptacles adapted to accommodate the tool holders;   a cooling device for cooling the tool holders with a coolant;   an actuator for activating the cooling device and the transporter;   wherein the transporter is adapted for simultaneously transporting several tool holder receptacles through the device in succession.   
   
   
       34 . The device according to  claim 33 , wherein:
 the transporter transports the tool holder receptacles through the device in a substantially horizontal direction.   
   
   
       35 . The device according to  claim 33 , wherein:
 the actuator allows the device to be operated fully automatically.   
   
   
       36 . The device according to  claim 33 , wherein:
 the transporter transports the tool holder receptacles in a linear first transport direction.   
   
   
       37 . The device according to  claim 33 , wherein:
 the transporter transports the tool holder receptacles in a circular first transport direction.   
   
   
       38 . The device according to  claim 33 , further including:
 a dryer for drying the tool holder after the tool holder has been cooled with the cooling device, the dryer and the cooling device being located in isolated areas of the device separate from each other, the cooling device being located at a cooling station and the dryer being located at a drying station.   
   
   
       39 . The device according to  claim 33 , further including:
 a temperature detector for detecting a temperature of the tool holder, the temperature detector actuating the actuator when the temperature of the tool holder is below a predetermined level to thereby actuate the cooling device to selectively release the coolant.   
   
   
       40 . The device according to  claim 38 , further including:
 a parking station for the tool holder receptacles.   
   
   
       41 . The device according to  claim 38 , further including:
 a feed station located upstream of the cooling station.   
   
   
       42 . The device according to  claim 40 , further including:
 a transfer station located after the drying station for outputting the tool holder receptacles to the parking station.   
   
   
       43 . The device according to  claim 40 , wherein:
 the transporter transports the tool holder receptacles in a linear first transport direction between the cooling station and the drying station;   the transporter transports the tool holder receptacles into the parking station in a linear second transport direction; and   the linear first transport direction and the linear second transport direction are not parallel.   
   
   
       44 . The device according to  claim 41 , wherein:
 the transporter transports the tool holder receptacles in a linear first transport direction between the cooling station and the drying station;   the transporter transports the tool holder receptacles from the feed station into the cooling station in a linear second transport direction; and   the linear first transport direction and the linear second transport direction are not parallel.   
   
   
       45 . The device according to  claim 33 , wherein:
 the transporter comprises one or more chains or conveyors with dogs or gripper devices, which are traversable along a transport direction of the tool holder receptacles.   
   
   
       46 . The device according to  claim 38 , wherein:
 the cooling station and the drying station have shields to suppress escape of the coolant from the device.   
   
   
       47 . The device according to  claim 46 , further including:
 an openable shielding door located in front of the cooling station.   
   
   
       48 . The device according to  claim 46 , further including:
 an openable shielding door located after the cooling station.   
   
   
       49 . The device according to  claim 46 , further including:
 an openable shielding door located after the drying station.   
   
   
       50 . The device according to  claim 42 , further including:
 an openable shielding door located after the transfer station.   
   
   
       51 . The device according to  claim 38 , wherein:
 the cooling device comprises a ring having several coolant spray elements arranged vertically relative to the tool holder receptacle located in the cooling station, the ring being configured to be raised and lowered concentrically with the tool holder in the tool holder receptacle.   
   
   
       52 . The device according to  claim 38 , wherein:
 the dryer comprises a ring having several coolant spray elements arranged vertically relative to the tool holder receptacle located in the drying station, the ring being configured to be raised and lowered concentrically with the tool holder in the tool holder receptacle.   
   
   
       53 . The device according to  claim 38 , wherein:
 the cooling device comprises several coolant spray elements configured to be arranged on both sides of the tool holder in one of the tool holder receptacles in the cooling station, with the coolant spray elements being configured to point radially towards the tool holder.   
   
   
       54 . The device according to  claim 38 , wherein:
 the dryer comprises compressed-air spray elements configured to be arranged at the sides of the tool holder accommodated in the drying station.   
   
   
       55 . The device according to  claim 53 , wherein:
 the coolant spray elements can be raised and lowered vertically relative to the tool holder.   
   
   
       56 . The device according to  claim 54 , wherein:
 the compressed-air spray elements can be raised and lowered vertically relative to the tool holder.   
   
   
       57 . A method for cooling tool holders with shrink fit chucks, with the tool holders being accommodated in a tool holder receptacle, the method being performed with the device according to  claim 33  and comprising:
 cooling of the tool holder with the cooling device;   transporting of one or simultaneously several tool holder receptacles in succession with the transporter;   wherein the steps of the method are executed at least semi-automatically.   
   
   
       58 . The method according to  claim 57 , wherein:
 a liquid coolant is sprayed onto the tool holder; and   after the cooling step, a drying step occurs, in which the tool holder is sprayed with compressed air.   
   
   
       59 . The method according to  claim 57 , wherein:
 the tool holder receptacles with heated tool holders are automatically transported to the device.   
   
   
       60 . The method according to  claim 57 , wherein:
 the tool holder receptacles are transported continuously through the device without interruption.   
   
   
       61 . The method according to  claim 57 , wherein:
 the tool holder receptacles are transported periodically though the device, with, for each period, at least one tool holder receptacle being located in a station of the device and, in between the periods, at least one tool holder receptacle being transported from one station of the device to a succeeding one.   
   
   
       62 . The method according to  claim 61 , wherein:
 in between periods, shielding doors between individual stations are opened.   
   
   
       63 . The method according to  claim 62 , wherein:
 only those shielding doors are opened which the tool holder receptacles pass.   
   
   
       64 . A device for cooling tool holders with shrink fit chucks comprising:
 a transporter for transporting tool holder receptacles adapted to accommodate the tool holders;   a cooling device for cooling the tool holders with a coolant;   an actuator for activating the cooling device and the transporter;   wherein the transporter is adapted for simultaneously transporting several tool holder receptacles in succession through the device in a vertical direction.