DE102011120230B4 - Plant for surface treatment of objects - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus for the surface treatment of articles comprising a) a treatment booth (14) defining a treatment space (16); b) a transport system (28) by means of which the articles (12) can be transported into and out of the treatment space (16); c) at least one working unit (30) by means of which work in the treatment room (16) can be carried out, wherein d) the treatment cabin (16) comprises at least one maintenance passage (34) between the treatment space (16) and a maintenance zone (36); e) a delivery unit (38) is provided, by means of which the at least one working unit (30) can be moved through the at least one maintenance passage (34) out of the treatment space (16) into the maintenance zone (36), characterized in that f) the delivery unit (38) comprises sealing means (46, 48) by which the at least one maintenance passage (34) is at least sealed against the ambient atmosphere when the working unit (30) has a working position within the treatment space (16) or a maintenance position in the maintenance zone (36).

Description

The invention relates to a system for the surface treatment of objects according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

From the market known plants of this type, which are used for painting vehicle bodies and in particular of body parts. There, the treatment room is often formed as a paint tunnel, through which the body parts to be painted are conveyed in the passage through.

For example, multiaxial industrial robots are present as working units in such installations, which as an application robot carry an application device for paints or as a handling robot a gripping device. Also, such robots can carry radiation sources that are used to irradiate objects to dry coatings. For example, thus UV-curing coatings can be cured in an inert gas atmosphere by UV light sources.

Such work units are increasingly used in areas where there is a special atmosphere. This includes all atmospheres that are different from a normal atmosphere surrounding the treatment room.

Even in simple painting processes in paint booths, the atmosphere in the treatment room includes, among other things, paint not applied to the objects, which in professional circles is referred to as "overspray". The overspray is detected by an air stream supplied to the paint booth and fed to a separation. Thus, the special atmosphere is formed there by the solvent-containing and overspray-laden air.

In addition, work units are also used in areas where other special atmospheres prevail. These include z. As areas in which there is a large pollution, there is a toxic, low-oxygen and / or harmful atmosphere or high temperatures. It may also happen that work units must be used under reduced or elevated pressure, under water or in areas with radioactive radiation.

In general, it is difficult or even impossible to carry out maintenance and service work on the work units or to make other settings while they are in a special atmosphere. Therefore, the production must be interrupted and the special atmosphere to be replaced with a harmless to a maintenance or operator atmosphere before access to a serviceable work unit is possible. Once the required work has been completed on the work unit, the special atmosphere in the treatment room must first be restored before further operation of the system is possible. However, such restoration of the necessary special atmosphere can take up to one hour. However, this is usually out of all proportion to the time spent on maintenance work on the work unit, which usually takes only a few minutes.

Alternatively, the maintenance or operating person may wear a protective clothing adapted to the prevailing special atmosphere. However, this means difficult working conditions for the person, whose freedom of movement is also limited by the protective clothing.

Overall, therefore, maintenance or the like on the work units are cumbersome, time-consuming and disturb the operation of the system to a great extent.

A plant for the surface treatment of objects of the type mentioned is from the DE 10 2006 032 804 A1 known. There are provided in a paint booth painting robots for painting objects, wherein for the maintenance of the application equipment used maintenance flaps are arranged in a side wall of the paint booth, through which the application devices can be handed out. Alternatively, it is provided that the entire painting robot can be moved out of the painting booth into a maintenance zone.

A plant similar to that of the type mentioned is in the DE 10 2009 060 649 A1 described. Here, a painting robot can be driven out of a door in the side wall of a painting booth and onto a maintenance platform, which is located outside the painting booth.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a system of the type mentioned, which carries the above idea into account.

This object is achieved in a system of the type mentioned above in that it has the features specified in claim 1.

As is known per se in the prior art, the working unit can thus be moved out of the treatment room and thus out of the atmosphere prevailing there, so that the working unit in the maintenance zone outside the treatment room is easy and safe for a maintenance or operator for manual work is accessible.

According to the invention, the delivery unit comprises sealing means by which the at least one maintenance passage is sealed against the ambient atmosphere at least when the working unit occupies a working position within the treatment space or a maintenance position in the maintenance zone. As a result, an exchange of the atmosphere in the treatment room with the ambient atmosphere is prevented.

The maintenance zone is preferably arranged above or below the treatment space. This is particularly favorable in cases where there is an inert gas atmosphere in the treatment room that is lighter or heavier than air.

It is advantageous if the conveyor unit is a lift unit, by which the working unit is movable in the vertical direction.

Preferably, then the conveyor unit comprises a carriage, which leads as a sealing means at least one sealing wall with it. This sealing wall can then close the maintenance passage in one of the above-mentioned positions of the working unit.

Alternatively or additionally, the maintenance passage may be formed as a double lock. In this case, an atmosphere exchange can also be inhibited while the working unit passes through the maintenance passage.

The above features are particularly advantageous when there is a special atmosphere in the treatment room.

For this purpose, it is advantageous if a system is provided by means of which the special atmosphere can be generated in the treatment room.

Preferably, the special atmosphere is an inert gas atmosphere.

It is particularly advantageous if the system is a system for the surface treatment of body parts, a system for painting objects or a system for painting body parts.

Embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawings. In these show:

1 a schematic vertical section of a paint booth of a paint shop according to a first embodiment, wherein two application robots are each located in a working zone within a treatment room;

2 one of the 1 corresponding section, wherein one of the application robot is located in a maintenance zone outside and above the treatment room;

3 a schematic vertical section of a paint booth of a paint shop according to a second embodiment, wherein two application robots are each located in a working zone within a treatment room;

4 one of the 3 corresponding section, wherein one of the application robot is located in a maintenance zone outside and below the treatment room.

First, on the 1 and 2 Referenced. There is shown as an example of a system for the surface treatment of objects a painting, the total with 10 is designated. In the paint shop 10 become objects 12 painted, which are shown only very schematically in the present embodiment. As examples of objects to be painted 12 be vehicle bodies and in particular body parts, such. B. bumpers called. The objects to be painted 12 were in not specially shown pretreatment stations z. B. cleaned and degreased, the painting 10 are upstream.

The paint shop 10 comprises a spray booth as a treatment cabin 14 with a treatment room 16 in the form of a paint tunnel 18 , which of vertical side walls 20 , a horizontal cabin floor 22 and a horizontal cabin ceiling 24 is limited.

By means of one only very schematically below the paint tunnel 18 indicated system 26 can in the paint tunnel 18 in a manner known per se, a special atmosphere is generated and maintained. A special atmosphere should be understood as any atmosphere that differs from the treatment room 16 surrounding outside atmosphere differs. A special atmosphere may in particular be an inert gas atmosphere, but also a clean-room atmosphere or other working atmospheres are included.

In a not specifically shown modification is the cabin ceiling 24 formed for example in the usual way as the lower boundary of an air supply space with filter cover. Conditioned air enters the paint tunnel from the air supply chamber 18 and flows through this from top to bottom, the air absorbs the resulting overspray during painting. The air laden with overspray then reaches the area below the paint tunnel 18 where then instead of the inert gas system 26 a separator may be located by means of which the air can be freed from the overspray. This procedure is known from the prior art. In this case, the special atmosphere is thus formed by the solvent-containing and overspray-laden tunnel air.

It is a transport system 28 present, with the objects to be painted 12 from an input side of the paint tunnel 18 to an exit side of the paint tunnel 18 be transported, which are not recognizable due to the selected cuts. Both on the inlet side and on the outlet side of the paint tunnel 18 corresponding passage locks are present in a manner known per se, through which the articles to be painted 12 in the paint tunnel 18 can be introduced and moved out of these again, the inert gas atmosphere in the paint tunnel 18 is maintained.

Inside the paint tunnel 18 are work units 30 in the present embodiment in the form of multi-axis application robots 32 are present, by means of which the objects 12 can be coated with varnish. Both the transport system 28 as well as the application robot 32 are known in and of itself, which is why a more detailed explanation is unnecessary. The work units 30 can also be set up for purposes other than the application. For example, the working units 30 also be formed by gripping units, by means of which the objects 12 in the treatment room 16 can be moved and handled.

So with the application robots 32 Maintenance or service work performed or other settings can be made without the inert gas atmosphere in the paint tunnel 18 removed and replaced with normal atmosphere, includes the paint booth 14 Maintenance passages 34 , Through these maintenance runs 34 the application robots can pass through 32 from the paint tunnel 18 be moved out, so that a certain application robot 32 out of the inert gas atmosphere into a maintenance zone 36 can be moved, in which normal atmosphere prevails. There is the application robot 32 safely accessible to a serviceman or operator who performs the necessary work on the relevant application robot 32 can make.

When in the 1 and 2 Embodiment shown are the maintenance passages 34 in the cabin ceiling 24 above the application robot 32 present and lead to the maintenance zone 36 located above the cabin ceiling 24 located.

The application robots 32 are each on conveyor units 38 arranged, by means of which the application robot 32 through the associated maintenance passage 34 through the treatment room 16 are movable out. In the present embodiment, the conveyor units 38 as lift units 40 trained, through which the application robot 32 can be moved in the vertical direction.

The lift units 40 each include a slide carrier 42 on each of which is an application robot 32 is arranged. The sled carrier 42 with the application robot 32 can along a vertical guide pillar 44 be driven up or down. For this purpose, not specifically shown drive means are present, as they are known in and of themselves.

To the maintenance rounds 34 and thus the paint tunnel 18 To seal against the ambient atmosphere, sealing means are present, with which the maintenance runs 34 sealed or released.

This includes the lift unit 40 Sealant in the form of a first, upper sealing wall 46 and a second, lower sealing wall 48 , The sled carrier 42 guides the upper sealing wall 46 with it, vertically above the application robot 32 is arranged and the associated maintenance passage 34 seals when the carriage carrier 42 and the application robot 32 occupy a working position in which the application robot 32 inside the paint tunnel 18 located. This is in 1 to recognize.

In addition, the slide carrier leads 42 also the lower sealing wall 48 with it, vertically under the application robot 32 is arranged and the associated maintenance passage 34 seals when the carriage carrier 42 and the application robot 32 assume a maintenance position in which the application robot 32 in the maintenance zone 36 outside the paint tunnel 18 located. This is in 2 at the lift unit shown on the right 40 to recognize.

In a modification not specifically shown, other sealing means may be present, in particular independently of the conveyor units 38 work. For example, the maintenance runs 34 optionally sealed or released by doors or slides or the like.

If now in the present embodiment of an application robot 32 Maintenance or service work to be performed or other settings to be made, the will questionable application robot 32 carrying sled carrier 42 along with this from the paint tunnel 18 out to the top. The maintenance passage 34 becomes during the upward movement of the slide carrier 42 for its passage open briefly when the upper sealing wall 46 moves up and the maintenance passage 34 releases. When the sled carrier 42 with the application robot 32 through the maintenance passage 34 passed through, this is again through the lower sealing wall 48 sealed so that no inert gas atmosphere from the paint tunnel 18 can escape.

In the maintenance zone 36 can do the necessary work on the application robot 32 then be carried out in normal atmosphere. Also an exchange of the work unit 30 on the carriage 42 , so z. B. the replacement of an application robot 32 against a handling robot, is so in the maintenance zone 36 possible under normal atmosphere. This is useful, for example, when it appears that maintenance on the application robot 32 take longer. In this case, the necessary maintenance on the application robot 32 in peace away from the plant 10 be performed; the full operation of the plant 10 can in a short time with the replacement application robot 32 be resumed.

When the work on the application robot 32 in the maintenance zone 36 are completed, the slide carrier 42 with the application robot 32 back down into the drying tunnel 18 moved in until the maintenance passage 34 through the upper sealing wall 46 is closed.

That in the 1 and 2 shown embodiment of the paint shop 10 is for an inert gas atmosphere in the paint tunnel 18 designed, which is heavier than air. Also during the passage of the sled carrier 42 and the application robot 32 through an open maintenance passage 34 then occurs only a reasonable amount of the tunnel atmosphere from the paint tunnel 18 to the outside, that of the sled carrier 42 and the application robot 32 be whirled up and carried away, if this the maintenance passage 34 happen. As an inert gas in this case, for example, carbon dioxide into consideration.

In the 3 and 4 is as a second embodiment, a modified paint shop 10 ' shown, which is adapted to an inert gas which is lighter than air. As such inert gas, for example, helium comes into question.

At the paint shop 10 ' are components similar to those of the paint shop 10 after the 1 and 2 correspond with the same reference numerals.

In contrast to paint shop 10 can the application robot 32 by means of the lift units 40 not up, but down from the paint tunnel 18 to be moved out. These are the maintenance openings 34 in the tunnel floor 22 available. The maintenance zone 36 is located there below the tunnel floor 22 next to the inert gas system 26 ,

In this training, the lower sealing wall sits 48 thus sealing in the associated maintenance passage 34 when the carriage carrier 42 and the application robot 32 occupy a working position in which the application robot 32 inside the paint tunnel 18 is; this shows 3 ,

As it is in 4 on the basis of the lift unit shown on the right 40 it can be seen, sits the upper sealing wall 46 then then sealing in the associated maintenance passage 34 when the carriage carrier 42 and the application robot 32 assume a maintenance position in which the application robot 32 in the maintenance zone 36 outside the paint tunnel 18 located.

Otherwise, the above applies to the paint shop 10 The same applies mutatis mutandis to the paint shop 10 ' ,

When the inert gas atmosphere is made of an inert gas having a density similar to that of air, as is the case with nitrogen, for example, the maintenance passes 34 also in the side walls 20 be provided and the sled carrier 42 in horizontal direction on horizontal guide pillars from the drying tunnel 18 be moved out. In this case, the maintenance passes 34 formed in practice in each case as a double lock known per se, so that the tunnel atmosphere does not penetrate to the outside or is not contaminated from the outside by ambient atmosphere.

At the paint shops 10 and 10 ' are maintenance or service work on the application robots 32 optionally also during operation of the paint shop 10 . 10 ' possible, provided that the tasks of the application robot to be serviced 32 through the paint tunnel 18 remaining application robot 32 can be taken over.

In the above embodiments, the application robots become 32 as a work unit 30 considered. The maintenance runs 34 however, may also be arranged and dimensioned such that only the working tool guided by the robot, be it a spraying unit for paints, a gripping unit, a radiation source or the like, passes through the maintenance passage 34 in the maintenance zone 36 can be moved while the robot itself in the treatment room 16 remains. In this case, the corresponding work tools form the respective work unit 30 , A seal of the maintenance passage 34 Then it is expedient by sealing flaps or the like, so that a corresponding maintenance passage 34 optionally closed or released.

Claims (9)

Plant for the surface treatment of articles with a) a treatment cabin ( 14 ), which has a treatment room ( 16 ) pretends; b) a transport system ( 28 ), by means of which the objects ( 12 ) in the treatment room ( 16 ) into and out of this are transportable; c) at least one working unit ( 30 ), by means of which work in the treatment room ( 16 ) are feasible, d) the treatment cabin ( 16 ) at least one maintenance round ( 34 ) between the treatment room ( 16 ) and a maintenance zone ( 36 ); e) a conveyor unit ( 38 ) by means of which the at least one working unit ( 30 ) through the at least one maintenance passage ( 34 ) through the treatment room ( 16 ) out into the maintenance zone ( 36 ) is movable, characterized in that f) the conveyor unit ( 38 ) Sealant ( 46 . 48 ) through which the at least one maintenance passage ( 34 ) is sealed against the ambient atmosphere at least when the working unit ( 30 ) a working position within the treatment room ( 16 ) or a maintenance position in the maintenance zone ( 36 ) occupies. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the maintenance zone ( 36 ) above or below the treatment room ( 16 ) is arranged. Installation according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the conveyor unit ( 38 ) a lift unit ( 40 ), by which the unit of work ( 30 ) is movable in the vertical direction. Installation according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the conveyor unit ( 38 ) a sledge ( 42 ), which is used as a sealant ( 46 . 48 ) at least one sealing wall ( 46 . 48 ) with you. Installation according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the maintenance passage ( 34 ) is designed as a double lock. Installation according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that in the treatment room ( 16 ) a special atmosphere prevails. Plant according to claim 6, characterized in that a system ( 26 ) by means of which the special atmosphere in the treatment room ( 16 ) is producible. Plant according to claim 7, characterized in that the special atmosphere is an inert gas atmosphere. Installation according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the system is a system for the surface treatment of body parts, a system for painting objects or a system for painting body parts.

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