EP1775028B1

EP1775028B1 - Coloring nozzle

Info

Publication number: EP1775028B1
Application number: EP05765109A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Takeshi Kamata; Keigo Sugimura; Sei Saito; Kiyoshi Yagi
Original assignee: Yazaki Corp
Current assignee: Yazaki Corp
Priority date: 2004-06-25
Filing date: 2005-06-24
Publication date: 2010-12-29
Anticipated expiration: 2025-06-24
Also published as: CN100434195C; EP1775028A1; CN1993186A; JP2006007116A; MXPA06015209A; WO2006001372A1; JP4426911B2; PT1775028E; EP1775028A4

Abstract

A coloring nozzle capable of securely injecting the droplets of a coloring material in a fixed amount each to a specified position on the outer surface of an article. The coloring nozzle (31) colors a wire (3) by injecting the droplets of the liquid coloring material in a fixed amount each to the outer surface (3a) of the wire (3) as the article. The coloring nozzle (31) comprises a nozzle (54) injecting the droplets of the coloring material, a nozzle cover (55), and a washing fluid supply source (62). The nozzle cover (55) covers at least the tip part (37b) of the nozzle (54). The tip face (50b) of the nozzle (54) and the end face (56a) of the nozzle cover (55) are positioned on the same plane. The washing fluid supply source (62) supplies a washing fluid to the inside of the nozzle cover (55). The coloring nozzle (31) injects the droplets of the coloring material from the nozzle (54) in the state of the washing fluid being kept in the nozzle cover (55) by surface tension.

Description

[TECHNICAL FIELD]

This invention relates to a nozzle for coloring by use in coloring, for example, an electric wire having an electrically conductive core wire and an electrically insulating coating for coating the core wire.

[BACKGROUND ART]

Various electronic devices are mounted on a motor vehicle as a mobile unit. Therefore, the motor vehicle includes a wire harness for transmitting power from a power source, and control signals from a computer to the electronic devices. The wire harness includes a plurality of electric wires and connectors attached to ends of the wires.
The wire includes an electrically conductive core wire and a coating made of insulating synthetic resin, which coats the core wire. The wire is a so-called coated wire. A connector includes a terminal fitting and a connector housing that receives the terminal fitting therein. The terminal fitting, consisting of electrically conductive sheet metal or the like, is attached to an end of the wire and electrically connected to the core wire of the wire. The connector housing made of electrically insulating synthetic resin is formed in a box-shape. When the connector housing is connected to the electronic devices, each wires of the wire harness is connected to the corresponding electronic device through the terminal fitting, thereby the wires of the wire harness transmit the desired electric power and signals to the electronic devices.
When the wire harness is assembled, first the wire is cut into a specific length and then the terminal fitting is attached to an end of the wire after removing the coating near the end. A wire is connected to another wire according to the need. Afterward, the terminal fitting is inserted into the connector housing, thereby assembling the wire harness.
The wire of the wire harness must be distinguished in terms of the size of the core wire, the material of the coating (concerning with alteration in the materials depending upon heat-resisting property), and a purpose of use. The purpose of use means, for example, systems in a motor vehicle in which the wires are used, such as an air bag, an antilock brake system (ABS), a control signal of such as speed data, and a power transmission system.
The coating of the wire used in the wire harness has been colored to a desired color by mixing a coloring material of the desired color with synthetic resin which constitutes the coating when the synthetic resin of the coating is applied onto the circumference of the core wire by extrusion (for example, see Patent Documents 1 to 3). In this case, when a color of an outer surface of the wire is altered, it is necessary to halt an operation of an extrusion apparatus that performs the extrusion coating. That is, whenever the color of the wire is changed, it is necessary to halt an operation of an extrusion apparatus, causing increasing in a time period and labor hour required for the production of the wire and deteriorating in the productivity of the wire.
Alternatively, the coloring material to be mixed has been replaced when the extrusion apparatus is performing the extrusion coating. In this case, right after changing the color of the coloring material, a wire, in the color of the synthetic resin of which a coloring material before the replacement and a coloring material after the replacement are mixed, has been inevitably manufactured, causing the deterioration in the yield of the material of the wire.
In order to prevent the deterioration in the productivity of the wire and in the yield of the material of the wire, the present applicant proposed a method, in which monochromatic wire is produced, then the outer surface of the wire as an object is colored with a desired color according to the need, thereby assembling a wire harness (see Patent Document 4). Alternatively, the present applicant proposed an apparatus for coloring wire, by which upon coloring a monochromatic wire, a specific amount of liquid coloring material is spouted onto the outer surface of the wire as an object so as to deposit the spouted coloring material on the outer surface of the wire, thereby coloring the wire with the desired color (see Patent Document 5).
A Japanese Patent Application discloses a method and device for automatically marking an article which is transferred in one direction, the device comprising storing means for storing a pattern for coloring an outer surface of the article; detecting means for detecting a transfer speed of the article; a plurality of spouting means for spouting the coloring agents toward the outer surface of the article; and control means to make a plurality of the spouting means spout the coloring agent toward the outer surface of the article in response to the transfer speed of the article detected by the detecting means (see Patent Document 6).

[Patent Document 1] JP-A, H05-111947
[Patent Document 2] JP-A, H06-119833
[Patent Document 3] JP-A, H09-92056
[Patent Document 4] WO03019580
[Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-193904
[Patent Document 6] JP 2004 134371 A

The coloring material spouted onto the outer surface of the wire means a liquid substance, in which a coloring material (organic substance for use in industry) is dissolved and dispersed in water or other solvent. The organic substance described above is a dye or a pigment (most of them being organic substances and synthetic substances). Sometimes, the dye is used as the pigment and the pigment is used as the dye.
Therefore, in the apparatus for coloring wire described in the application above, when repeating the spouts from the nozzle for coloring, the dye or the pigment may be deposited on the nozzle for coloring, and an amount of the dye or the pigment being deposited on the nozzle for coloring may increase. When the coloring material is deposited on the nozzle for coloring, the nozzle may not spout the coloring material in a desired direction, and may not spout a specific amount of the coloring material.
In this case, it is difficult to color a desired position of the wire, and colored areas on the wire vary. Accordingly, it is difficult to spout a specific amount of the coloring material onto a desired position of the outer surface of the wire as an object with the nozzle for coloring on which the coloring material is deposited.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a nozzle for coloring by spouting a specific amount of coloring material reliably onto a desired position of the outer surface of the object.

[DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION]

In order to attain the object, according to the present invention as claimed in claim 1, there is provided a nozzle for coloring by spouting a specific amount of liquid coloring material onto an outer surface of an object and depositing the spouted coloring material on the outer surface of the object, said nozzle for coloring including:

a receiver for receiving the coloring material;
a pressurizing unit for pressurizing the coloring material in the receiver;
a nozzle element being formed in a cylinder-like shape, through which the coloring material flows, said nozzle element communicating with the receiver ;
a valve being mounted on a bottom end of the nozzle element disposed inside the receiver, and allowed to be attached to and detached from the bottom end for spouting the coloring material through the nozzle element;
a nozzle cover covering at least a top end of the nozzle element, and allowing the coloring material spouted through the nozzle element to be deposit on the object; and
a cleaning liquid supplying unit disposed in the nozzle cover for supplying a cleaning liquid, said cleaning liquid being employed for removing the coloring material being deposited on the nozzle element,
whereby under a condition that the cleaning liquid supplied from the cleaning liquid supplying unit to the nozzle cover is held in the nozzle cover by surface tension thereof, the nozzle for coloring spouts the coloring material through the nozzle element onto the object.

According to the present invention as claimed in claim 2, there is provided the nozzle for coloring,
wherein an end wall of the nozzle cover facing to the object and a top end wall of the nozzle element, both facing to the object, are arranged on the same plane.
According to the present invention as claimed in claim 1, the cleaning liquid is supplied to the nozzle cover that covers at least the top end of the nozzle element. Then, the cleaning liquid is held in the nozzle cover by the surface tension thereof. Thus, the cleaning liquid constantly contacts the top end of the nozzle element, and the coloring material, in particular about to be deposited on the top end of the nozzle element, is removed immediately from the top end wall of the nozzle element.
Incidentally, in this specification, the coloring material means a liquid substance, in which an organic substance for use in industry is dissolved and dispersed in water or other solvent. The organic substance described above is a dye or a pigment (most of them being organic substances and synthetic substances). Sometimes, a dye is used as a pigment and a pigment is used as a dye. As a concrete example, the coloring material may be a coloring liquid or a coating material. The coloring liquid is a liquid, in which a dye, as the coloring material, is dissolved or dispersed in a solvent.
When the outer surface of the object is colored with a coloring liquid, the dye permeates into the object. When the outer surface of the object is colored with a coating material, the pigment is deposited on the outer surface without permeating into the object. In the specification, "to color the outer surface of the object" means to dye a part of the outer surface of the object with a dye or to coat a part of the outer surface of the object with a pigment.
Preferably, the solvent and the liquid dispersion have an affinity to the synthetic resin that constitutes the object in order to securely permeate the dye into the coating or to allow the pigment to securely be deposited on the outer surface of the object.
In this specification, "spouting" means that the liquid coloring material in a state of a liquid drop is ejected vigorously from the nozzle for coloring onto the outer surface of the object.
Further, the cleaning liquid in this specification means a liquid such as a solvent or a liquid dispersion in which the organic substance for use in industry constituting the coloring material is dissolvable or dispersible. Preferably, the cleaning liquid is nonvolatile, particularly at room temperature.
According to the present invention as claimed in claim 2, since the end wall of the nozzle cover and the top end wall of the nozzle element are arranged on the same plane, the cleaning liquid supplied from the cleaning liquid supplying unit to the nozzle cover is held in the nozzle cover by surface tension thereof in such a manner that a surface of the cleaning liquid, the end wall of the nozzle cover, and the top end wall of the nozzle element are arranged in the same plane.

[BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS]

Fig. 1 is a schematic view showing an apparatus for coloring electric wire including a nozzle for coloring according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing a configuration of a coloring unit of the apparatus for coloring electric wire taken on line II-II in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is an explanatory sectional view showing a positional relationship between nozzles for coloring of the coloring unit shown in Fig. 2 and an electric wire.
Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing a configuration of the nozzle for coloring of the coloring unit shown in Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 (a) is a perspective view showing an electric wire colored by the apparatus for coloring electric wire shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 (b) is a plan view showing the electric wire shown in Fig. 5 (a).
Fig. 6 is an explanatory view showing a state that the cleaning liquid is supplied into a nozzle cover of the nozzle for coloring shown in Fig. 4.
Fig. 7 is an explanatory view showing a state that the coloring material is spouted through the nozzle for coloring shown in Fig. 4.

[BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION]

In the following, one embodiment of a nozzle for coloring 31 according to the present invention will be explained with reference to Fig. 1 to 7. The nozzle for coloring 31 shown in Fig. 4 constitutes (is mounted on) an apparatus for coloring an object, that is an electric wire 1 in this embodiment (hereafter referred to as "coloring apparatus") as a wire processing machine. The coloring apparatus 1 cuts an electric wire 3 as the object to a predetermined length, and marks a mark 6 on an outer surface 3a of the wire 3 as the object. Namely, the coloring apparatus 1 colors (marks) the outer surface 3a of the wire 3 as the object.
The wire 3 as the object constitutes a wire harness arranged in a vehicle as a mobile unit. As shown in Fig. 5 (a), the wire 3 includes an electrically conductive core wire 4 and an electrically insulating coating 5. A plurality of element wires are bundled to form the core wire 4. Each element wire of the core wire 4 is made of electrically conductive metal. The core wire 4 may be constituted by a single element wire. A coating 5 is made of synthetic resin such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The coating 5 coats the core wire 4. Therefore, the outer surface 3a of the wire 3 means an outer surface of the coating 5.
The coating 5 has a monochrome color P. A desired coloring material may be mixed with the synthetic resin of the coating 5 so as to make the color of the outer surface 3a of the wire 3 be the monochrome color P, or alternatively, the monochrome color P may be set as the color of the synthetic resin itself without adding a coloring material to the synthetic resin of the coating 5. In the latter case, the outer surface 3a of the wire 3 is not colored, namely, the coating 5 is not colored. The outer surface 3a of the wire 3 may be not colored, or have a monochrome color such as white.
On the outer surface 3a of the wire 3, there are formed a mark 6 consisting of a plurality of spots 7. The spot 7 has a color B (indicated with parallel oblique lines in Fig. 5), which is different from the monochrome color P. The spot 7 is round in the plan view as shown in Fig. 5. A plurality of the spots 7 are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the wire 3 according to a predetermined pattern. The distance between the centers of the spots 7 situated adjacently to each other is predetermined.
A plurality of the wires 3 are bundled, and connectors are attached to respective ends of the wires 3, thereby constructing a wire harness. The connectors are coupled with respective mating connectors of various electronic instruments in a motor vehicle and the like, thereby the wires 3 of the wire harness transmit various signals and electric power to the electronic instruments.
The wires 3 are distinguishable from one another by changing a color B of each spot 7 of the mark 6. In the figure, as an example, the color B of all of the spots 7 of the wire 3 is set the same, however, the color B may be changed for the respective spots 7 as required. The color B is used to distinguish types of the wires 3 in a wire harness or systems. That is, the color B is used to distinguish the types of the wires 3 in the wire harness or the purposes of use.
As shown in Fig. 1, the coloring apparatus 1 includes a frame 10 as a main body of the apparatus, a guide roll 11, a pair of delivery rolls 12 as a transporter, a straightening unit 13 for straightening the wire, a slack absorbing unit 14 as a slack absorber, a coloring unit 15, a duct 16, an encoder 17 as a detector, a cutting machine 18 as a processor, and a controller 19 as a controlling machine.
The frame 10 is installed on a floor of such as a factory. The frame 10 extends horizontally. The guide roll 11 is mounted rotatably on an end of the frame 10. The continuous wire 3 having no mark 6 is wound on to the guide roll 11. The guide roll 11 transfers the wire 3 to the straightening unit 13, the slack absorbing unit 14, the coloring unit 15, the duct 16, the encoder 17, and the cutting machine 18 in sequence.
The pair of delivery rolls 12 is mounted on the other end of the frame 10. The pair of delivery rolls 12 is rotatably supported by the frame 10, and arranged vertically. The delivery rolls 12 are rotated the same number of revolutions in a direction opposite to each other by such as a motor (not shown). The pair of delivery rolls 12 catches the wire 3, and pulls the wire 3 from the guide roll 11 in a longitudinal direction of the wire 3.
The delivery rolls 12 works as a pulling machine to pull the wire 3 in the longitudinal direction of the wire 3. Thus, the delivery rolls 12 transfers the wire 3 in the longitudinal direction of the wire 3 to move the wire relatively to a later-described nozzle for coloring 31 of the coloring unit 15 in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, the wire 3 is transferred along an arrow K in Fig. 1 from the guide roll 11 to the delivery rolls 12. The arrow K indicates a transferring direction of the wire 3.
The straightening unit 13 is mounted on the delivery rolls 12 side of the guide roll 11, in between the delivery rolls 12 and the guide roll 11. Namely, the straightening unit 13 is disposed downstream of the guide roll 11 and upstream of the delivery rolls 12 in the transferring direction K of the wire 3. The straightening unit 13 includes a plate-shaped unit body 20, a plurality of first rollers 21, and a plurality of second rollers 22. The unit body 20 is fixed to the flame 10.
The first and second rollers 21, 22 are supported rotatably by the unit body 20, respectively. A plurality of the first rollers 21 are arranged horizontally (in the transferring direction K), over the wire 3. A plurality of the second roller 22 are arranged horizontally (in the transferring direction K), under the wire 3. As shown in Fig. 1, the first and second rollers 21, 22 are arranged in a staggered fashion.
The straightening unit 13 puts the wire 3, being transferred by the delivery rolls 12 from the guide roll 11, between the first and second rollers 21, 22. Then, the straightening unit 13 makes the wire 3 straight. Further, the straightening unit 13 gives friction to the wire 3 by putting the wire 3 between the first and second rollers 21, 22. Namely, the straightening unit 13 gives to the wire 3 first energizing force H1 in a direction opposite to the pulling force applied from the delivery rolls 12 to the wire 3 (the transferring direction K). The first energizing force H1 is smaller than the pulling force applied from the delivery rolls 12 to the wire 3. Therefore, the straightening unit 13 tenses the wire 3 in the longitudinal direction of the wire 3.
The slack absorbing unit 14 is mounted on the delivery rolls 12 side of the straightening unit 13, in between the straightening unit 13 and the delivery rolls 12. Namely, the slack absorbing unit 14 is disposed downstream of the straightening unit 13 and upstream of the delivery rolls 12 in the transferring direction K of the wire 3. The slack absorbing unit 14 is arranged between the straightening unit 13 and the later-described nozzle for coloring 31 of the coloring unit 15.
As shown in Fig. 1, the slack absorbing unit 14 includes a pair of guiding rollers 24, a pair of supporting frames 23 for supporting the pair of guiding rollers 24, a movable roller 26, a supporting frame 25 for supporting the movable roller 26, and an air cylinder 27 as an energizing member. The supporting frames 23 are fixed on the frame 10. The supporting frames 23 are vertically arranged upward from the frame 10. A space exists between the pair of supporting frames 23 in the transferring direction K of the wire 3.
The supporting frames 23 rotatably support the pair of guiding rollers 24. The guiding rollers 24 are disposed under the wire 3, and guide the wire 3 so as not to make the wire 3 swerve from the transferring direction K by outer peripheral walls of the guiding rollers 24 contacting the wire 3. Thus, the guiding rollers 24 guide the wire 3 in the transferring direction K.
The supporting frame 25 for the movable roller 26 is fixed on the frame 10. The supporting frame 25 is vertically arranged upward from the frame 10. The supporting frame 25 for the movable roller 26 is disposed in the middle of the pair of supporting frames 23 for the guiding rollers 24.
The movable roller 26 is supported rotatably by the supporting frame 25 for the movable roller 26 and movably in a vertical direction along the supporting frame 25. The movable roller 26 is disposed over the wire 3. The movable roller 26 is supported movably in the vertical direction, namely, supported movably in a direction orthogonal to the transferring direction K of the wire 3. Further, the roller 26 is disposed in the middle of the pair of guiding rollers 24.
The air cylinder 27 includes a cylinder body 28 and an extendable rod 29 being extendable from the cylinder body 28. The cylinder body 28 is fixed on the supporting frame 25 for the movable roller 26, and disposed over the wire 3. The extendable rod 29 is expandable downward from the cylinder body 28. Namely, the extendable rod 29 is expandable from the cylinder body 28 toward the wire 3.
The movable roller 26 is attached to the extendable rod 29. By supplying a compressed gas to an interior of the cylinder body 28, the air cylinder 27 energizes the extendable rod 29, namely, the movable roller 26 with second energizing force H2 (shown in Fig. 1) downward in a direction orthogonal to the transferring direction K. Therefore, the air cylinder 27 energizes the movable roller 26 with the second energizing force H2 toward the wire 3. The second energizing force H2 is smaller than the first energizing force H1.
When the delivery rolls 12 temporally stops transferring the wire 3 for cutting the wire 3 by a pair of later-described cutting blades 48, 49 of the cutting machine 18 approaching each other, the wire 3 still transfers along the arrow K by an inertia force, so that the wire 3 slacks in between the pair of guiding rollers 24. In this moment, since the air cylinder 27 is energizing the movable roller 26 with the second energizing force H2 in the slack absorbing unit 14 having above-described constitution, the extendable rod 29 of the air cylinder 27 extends to move the movable roller 26, for example, to a position shown as a two-dot chain line in Fig. 1. Then, the slack absorbing unit 14 energizes the wire 3 slacking in between the pair of guiding rollers 24 as described above in the direction orthogonal to the transferring direction K and absorbs the slack to keep the wire 3 under tension.
The coloring unit 15 is mounted on the delivery rolls 12 side of the slack absorbing unit 14, and mounted in between the slack absorbing unit 14 and the pair of delivery rolls 12. Namely, the coloring unit 15 is disposed downstream of the slack absorbing unit 14 and upstream of the delivery rolls 12 in the transferring direction K of the wire 3. Therefore, the coloring unit 15, namely, the later-described nozzle for coloring 31 is disposed between the pair of delivery rolls 12 and the straightening unit 13.
As shown in Fig. 2, the coloring unit 15 includes a unit body 30, a plurality of the nozzles for coloring 31. The unit body 30 supports a plurality of the nozzles for coloring 31.
The nozzle for coloring 31 having the constitution described above spouts a specific amount of the liquid coloring material supplied from the coloring material source 32 toward the outer surface 3a of the wire 3. The nozzle for coloring 31 allows the spouted liquid drop or drops to be deposited on outer surface 3a of the wire 3 so as to color (or mark) at least a part of the outer surface 3a of the wire 3. A detailed constitution of this nozzle for coloring 31 will be explained later.
When the nozzles for coloring 31 are attached to the unit body 30, the nozzles for coloring 31 are arranged in the transferring direction K of the wire 3. As shown in Fig. 1, five nozzles for coloring 31 of the unit body 30 are arranged in the transferring direction K of the wire 3.
As shown in Fig. 3, each nozzle for coloring 31 is held by the unit body 30 on a condition that the most upper part 3b of the wire 3 is situated on an extension of an axis R (shown with an alternate long and short dash line in Fig. 3) of later-described first nozzle members 37. Each nozzle for coloring 31 spouts the coloring material along the axis R. That is, each nozzle for coloring 31 spouts a specific amount of the coloring material onto the most upper part 3b of the wire 3.
In the coloring unit 15, upon application of a voltage to a coil 40 of the optional nozzle for coloring 31 according to the signal from the control device 19, a later-described valve 44 detaches from the bottom end 37a of the first nozzle member 37. Then, the coloring unit 15 spouts a specific amount of the coloring material in the flow pass 39 of the desired nozzle for coloring 31 toward the outer surface 3a of the wire 3.
In this description, the coloring material of which consistency is equal to or lower than 10 milipascal second (mPa*s) is used. The coloring material means a liquid substance, in which a coloring material (organic substance for use in industry) is dissolved and dispersed in water or other solvent. The organic substance described above is a dye or a pigment (most of them being organic substances and synthetic substances). Sometimes, a dye is used as a pigment and a pigment is used as a dye. As a more concrete example, the coloring material is a coloring liquid or coating material.
The coloring liquid is a liquid, in which a dye is dissolved or dispersed in a solvent. The coating material is a material, in which a pigment is dispersed in a liquid dispersion. When the coloring liquid is deposited on the outer surface 3a of the wire 3, the dye permeates into the coating 5. When the coating material is deposited on the outer surface 3a of the wire 3, the pigment is deposited on the outer surface 3a without permeating into the coating 5. That is, the coloring unit 15 dyes a part of the outer surface 3a of the wire 3 with a dye or coats a part of the outer surface 3a of the wire 3 with a pigment. That is, "to color the outer surface 3a of the wire 3" means to dye a part of the outer surface 3a of the wire 3 with a dye or to coat a part of the outer surface 3a of the wire 3 with a pigment.
Preferably, the solvent and liquid dispersion have an affinity to the synthetic resin that constitutes the coating 5 in order to securely permeate the dye into the coating 5 or to allow the pigment to securely be deposited on the outer surface 3a.
The "spouting" described above means that the liquid coloring material in a state of the liquid drop is ejected vigorously from the nozzle for coloring 31 toward the outer surface 3a of the wire 3.
The duct 16 is mounted on the delivery rolls 12 side of the coloring unit 15 in between the coloring unit 15 and the delivery rolls 12. Namely, the duct 16 is disposed downstream of the coloring unit 15 and upstream of the delivery rolls 12 in the transferring direction K of the wire 3. The duct 16 has a cylinder shape, and the wire 3 is passed through the duct 16. A not-shown aspirating member such as a vacuum pump is connected to the duct 16. The aspirating member aspirates a gas in the duct 16 to prevent the solvent or the liquid dispersion of the coloring material from filling the outside of the coloring apparatus 1.
The encoder 17 is disposed downstream of the delivery rolls 12 in the transferring direction K of the wire 3. As shown in Fig. 1, the encoder 17 includes a pair of rotors 47. The rotors 47 are supported rotatably around axes of the rotors 47. Outer circumferential surfaces of the rotors 47 contact the outer surface 3a of the wire 3, which is held between the pair of delivery rolls 12. When the core wire 4, namely, the wire 3 is forwarded along the arrow K, the rotors 47 are rotated. The transferred length of the wire 3 along the arrow K is proportional to the number of revolutions of the rotors 47.
The encoder 17 is connected to the controller 19. When the rotors 47 rotate by a specific angle, the encoder 17 outputs a pulse signal to the controller 19. That is, the encoder 17 measures data corresponding to the transferred length of the wire 3 along the arrow K and outputs the data to the controller 19.
Thus, the encoder 17 measures data corresponding to the transferred length of the wire 3 and outputs the data corresponding to the transferred length of the wire 3 to the controller 19. Normally, the encoder 17 outputs the pulse signal corresponding to the transferred length of the wire 3 with the aid of the friction between the wire 3 and the rotor 47. However, when the transferred length of the wire 3 does not coincide with the number of the pulse due to a condition of the outer surface 3a of the wire 3, the speed data of the movement of the wire 3 may be obtained from another way for feedback or carry out a comparative operation.
The cutting machine 18 is disposed downstream of the pair of rotors 47 of the encoder 17 in the transferring direction K of the wire 3. The cutting machine 18 includes the pair of cutting blades 48, 49. The pair of cutting blades 48, 49 is arranged in a vertical direction. The pair of cutting blades 48, 49 is attached to and detached from each other at the same time vertically When approaching each other, the pair of cutting blades 48, 49 catches and cuts the wire 3 transferred by the delivery rolls 12 in between the cutting blades 48, 49. Then, the pair of cutting blades 48, 49 detaches from each other and detaches from the wire 3.
The controller 19 is a computer that includes a well-known ROM, a ROM, a CPU and the like. The controller 19 is connected to the delivery rolls 12, the encoder 17, the cutting machine 18, the nozzles for coloring 31, and the like. By controlling them, the controller 19 controls the whole coloring apparatus 1.
The controller 19 stores a predetermined pattern of the mark 6. When specific pulse signals, namely, data corresponding to the transferred length of the wire 3 is inputted from the encoder 17, the controller 19 applies voltage to the coil 40 of a predetermined nozzle for coloring 31 for a predetermined time interval to make the nozzle for coloring 31 spout a specific amount of the coloring material onto the wire 3. According to the stored predetermined pattern of the mark 6, the controller 19 makes the intervals for spouting shorter when the transfer speed of the wire 3 becomes faster, and the intervals longer when the transfer speed of the wire 3 becomes slower. Thus, the controller 19 colors the wire 3 according to the stored predetermined pattern. According to the transferred length of the wire 3 detected by the encoder 17, the controller 19 makes the nozzle for coloring 31 spout a specific amount of the coloring material.
Further, when the controller 19 judges that the wire 3 has moved a predetermined length based on the data from the encoder 17, the controller 19 stops the delivery roll 12 and makes the pair of the cutting blades 48, 49 approach each other and cuts the wire 3.
As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the nozzle for coloring 31 includes a nozzle unit 52 and a liquid supplying unit 53. As shown in Fig. 4, the nozzle unit 52 includes a cylindrical (tube-like) nozzle body 34, an insert member 35 received by the nozzle body 34, an inlet pipe 36, a nozzle element 54, a valve mechanism 38 and a nozzle cover 55.
The insert member 35 is formed in a cylindrical (pipe-like) shape. The flow pass 39 through which the coloring material is passed is formed in the insert member 35. The flow pass 39 is filled with the coloring material supplied from a later-described coloring material sources 32. The insert member 35 is a receiver for receiving the liquid coloring material described in this description.
The nozzle element 54 includes the first nozzle member 37, a second nozzle member 50, and a connecting pipe 51. The first nozzle member 37 is formed in a cylindrical shape and communicates with the flow pass 39. The first nozzle member 37 leads the coloring material in the flow pass 39 to an outside of the nozzle for coloring 31. An inner diameter of the first nozzle member 37 is smaller than an inner diameter of the nozzle body 34, namely, an outer diameter of the flow pass 39. The first nozzle member 37 is coaxial to the nozzle body 34. The first nozzle member 37 is made of stainless steel.
The second nozzle member 50 is formed in a cylinder-like shape. The second nozzle member 50 is made of Polyetheretherketone (hereafter referred to as "PEEK). An outer diameter of the second nozzle member 50 is equal to that of the first nozzle member 37. Thus, the coloring material flows through the interior of the nozzle element 54, which communicates with the insert member 35.
Further, an inner diameter of the second nozzle member 50 is smaller than that of the first nozzle member 37. The second nozzle member 50 is coaxial to, and communicates with the first nozzle member 37.
The second nozzle member 50 is nearer to the wire 3 than the first nozzle member 37. A watertight seal exists between the first nozzle member 37 and the second nozzle 50. The coloring material flows through the first nozzle member 37 and the second nozzle member 50 in a longitudinal direction of the first nozzle member 37 indicated by an arrow Q. The arrow Q shows the flowing direction of the coloring material.
Accordingly, an end wall 50a of the second nozzle member 50 next to the first nozzle member 37 protrudes toward an interior of the first nozzle member 37 from the inner wall of the first nozzle member 37. The end wall 50a is flat and orthogonal to the arrow Q. The end wall 50a is a part of a step, and formed in between the first nozzle member 37 and the second nozzle 50.
The connecting pipe 51 is formed into a cylindrical shape, and made of synthetic resin. An inner diameter of the connecting pipe 51 is substantially equal to those of the first nozzle member 37 and the second nozzle 50. The connecting pipe 51 is fitted with both outer walls of the first nozzle member 37 and the second nozzle 50, and connects the first nozzle member 37 and the second nozzle 50. Further, the connecting pipe 51 makes the second nozzle member 50 detachable from the first nozzle member 37.
The valve mechanism 38 includes the coil 40, the valve body 41 and the coil spring 42. The coil 40 is formed outside the flow pass 39 and embedded inside the insert member 35. An electric current is applied to the coil 40 from an outside. The valve body 41 includes an electrically conductive body 43 and a valve 44. The conductive body 43 integrally includes a cylinder 45 and a disc 46 continuing to an end of the cylinder 45.
The disc 46 of the conductive body 43 faces the bottom end 37a of the first nozzle member 37. The conductive body 43 is received in the flow pass 39 in a state that the longitudinal direction of the cylinder 45 is parallel to that of the nozzle body 34. The conductive body 43, namely, the valve body 41 is formed movably in the longitudinal direction of the cylinder 45, namely, the longitudinal direction of the nozzle body 34.
The valve 44 is attached to the disc 46 of the conductive body 43. That is, the valve 44 is received in the insert member 35. The valve element 44 faces the bottom end 37a of the first nozzle member 37. Since the valve 44 is attached to the disc 46 of the conductive body 43, the valve 44 is allowed to be attached to or detached from the bottom end 37a of the first nozzle member 37. The bottom end 37a of the first nozzle member 37 is a bottom end part positioned in the insert member 35 as a receiver of the nozzle element 54.
When the valve 44 is attached to the bottom end 37a of the first nozzle member 37, the coloring material in the flow pass 39 is prevented from entering into the nozzle member 37, that is, the watertight seal between the valve 44 and the bottom end 37a is held. When the valve element 44 detaches from the bottom end 37a of the first nozzle member 37, the coloring material is allowed to flow through the nozzle member 37 and the second nozzle member 50 so as to be spouted toward the outer surface 3a of the wire 3.
Thus, the valve element 44 is attached to or detached from the bottom end 37a between the opening position shown as a two-dot chain line in Fig. 4 and the closing position shown as a solid line in Fig. 4. At the opening position, the valve 44 is detached from the bottom end 37a, so that the coloring material may flow through the nozzle member 37 and the second nozzle member 50 so as to be spouted toward the outer surface 3a of the wire 3. At the closing position, the valve 44 is attached to the bottom end 37a, so that the coloring material may not flow through the nozzle member 37 to be spouted toward the outer surface 3a of the wire 3. Thus, the valve 44 is attached to and detached from the bottom end 37a to control the spout of the coloring material from the nozzle element 54.
The coil spring 42 energizes the disc 46 in such a direction that the valve 44 is attached to the bottom end 37a of the first nozzle member 37.
The nozzle cover 55 includes a cover body 56, of which an outer diameter is constant in an axial direction thereof, and an inner diameter changes in steps, a nozzle fixing member 57, and an inlet pipe 58 for a cleaning liquid. The cover body 56 is attached to the unit body 30. The cover body 56 receives the nozzle unit 52. In the nozzle unit 52, the nozzle body 34 of the nozzle unit 52 is mounted on a step 59. Further, the inlet pipe 36 of the nozzle unit 52 is positioned upward, and the nozzle members 37, 50 are positioned downward.
In the cover body 56, a packing 60 is mounted between the step 59 and the nozzle body 34 of the nozzle unit 52 for keeping them watertight. A space 61 is formed between the cover body 56 and the nozzle members 37, 51, namely, the nozzle element 54. The space 61 is open below. Therefore, the nozzle cover 55 allows the coloring material being spouted through the nozzle element 54 to be deposited on the wire 3.
An end wall 56a of the cover body 56 and a top end wall 50b of the second nozzle member 50, both facing the wire 3, are arranged on the same plane. The end wall 56a of the cover body 56 facing the wire 3 is a top end wall of the nozzle cover 55 facing the wire 3. The top end wall 50b of the second nozzle member 50 is a top wall of the nozzle element 54 facing the wire 3.
Further, a top end part 37b of the first nozzle member 37 near the wire 3 is a top end part of the nozzle element 54. Accordingly, the nozzle cover 55 covers at least the top end part 37b of the 37 as the top end part of the nozzle element 54.
As shown in Fig. 2, the nozzle-fixing member 57 is mounted on the cover body 56 and fixes the nozzle unit 52 to the cover body 56. The nozzle-fixing member 57 holds the cover body 56 and the nozzle unit 52 coaxially.
The inlet pipe 58 for the coloring liquid communicates with the space 61 formed between the nozzle element 54 and the cover body 56, and guides the coloring liquid to the space 61 from a later-described cleaning liquid source 62.
As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the liquid supplying unit 53 includes a plurality of coloring material sources 32, the cleaning liquid source 62 as a coloring liquid supplying member, and the pressurized gas source 33 as a pressurizing member. Each coloring material source 32 is a receiver for receiving the coloring material, and supplies the coloring material to the inlet pipe 36 of the nozzle for coloring 31. Each coloring material source 32 corresponds to each nozzle for coloring 31. The colors B of the coloring material supplied to the nozzle for coloring 31 may be different or the same among the coloring material sources 32.
The cleaning liquid source 62 is a receiver for receiving the cleaning liquid, and supplies the cleaning liquid to the inlet pipe 58. The cleaning liquid source 62 may be mounted corresponding to each nozzle for coloring 31, or solely to all nozzles for coloring 31. The cleaning liquid means a liquid substance such as a solvent or a dispersion liquid, in which an organic substance for use in industry constituting the coloring material can be dissolved or dispersed. Preferably, the cleaning liquid is nonvolatile in room temperature.
The pressurized gas source 33 supplies the pressurized gas to each of the coloring material sources 32 and the cleaning liquid source 62. Accordingly, the pressurized gas source 33 pressurizes the coloring material received in the coloring material sources 32 and in the insert members 35 of the nozzles for coloring 31, and the cleaning liquid received in the cleaning liquid source 62 and in the spaces 61 of the nozzles for coloring 31.
Since the pressurized gas source 33 pressurizes the coloring material received in the coloring material sources 32 and the insert members 35 of the nozzles for coloring 31, when the valve 44 detaches from the bottom end 37a of the first nozzle member 37 in one of the nozzles for coloring 31, the coloring material received in the flow pass 39 is rapidly spouted through the first nozzle member 37 and the second nozzle 50.
A valve 63 is mounted between the cleaning liquid source 62 and the inlet pipe 58 of the nozzle cover 55 of each nozzle for coloring 31. When the valve 63 is open, the cleaning liquid is supplied from the cleaning liquid source 62 to the space 61. When the valve 63 is closed, the cleaning liquid is stopped supplying to the space 61 from the cleaning liquid source 62.
The nozzle for coloring 31 having the above-described constitution leads the coloring material from the coloring material source 32 to the flow pass 39 through the inlet pipe 36. Then, with the energizing force of the coil spring 42 and without applying voltage to the coil 40, the valve 44 is attached to the bottom end 37a of the first nozzle member 37, and the coloring material is received in the flow pass 39.
Further, for example, before coloring the wire 3, the nozzle for coloring 31 opens the valve 63 and supplies the cleaning liquid received in the cleaning liquid source 62 to the space 61. The cleaning liquid supplied to the space 61 does not leak downward from the lower part of the cover body 56 owing to, for example, surface tension of the cleaning liquid, and the space between the nozzle element 54 and the cover body 56 is gradually filled with the cleaning liquid. As shown in Fig. 6, after the space 61 is filled with the cleaning liquid, the cleaning liquid leaks out from the cover body 56 through a lower opening formed at a lower part of the cover body 56.
Then, the cleaning liquid dissolves or disperses the coloring material being deposited on and solidified on the nozzle element 54, particularly on a top end wall 50b and a surface of the top end part 37b, and removes the coloring material from the top end wall 50b and the surface of the top end part 37b. For this purpose, the cleaning liquid is a remover liquid for removing the coloring material being deposited on the nozzle element 54 from the nozzle element 54. Thus, the nozzle element 54 is cleaned.
When the cleaning of the nozzle element 54 ends, the valve 63 is closed. Accordingly, the supply of the cleaning liquid from the cleaning liquid source 62 to the space 61 is stopped. Then, the cleaning liquid supplied to the interior of the nozzle cover 55 from the cleaning liquid source 62 is held in the space 61 between the nozzle cover 55 and the nozzle element 54 by the surface tension of the cleaning liquid, and no longer leaks from the nozzle cover 55. Then, as shown in Fig. 7, a surface (interface) T of the cleaning liquid in the space 61, namely, the interior of the nozzle cover 55 and the end wall 56a and the top end wall 50b are arranged on the same plane.
Then, in the nozzle for coloring 31, when the electric current is applied to the coil 40, the valve 44 attached to the disc 46 detaches from the bottom end 37a of the first nozzle member 37 against the energizing force of the coil spring 42. Then, the coloring material stored in the flow pass 39 flows through the interior of the first nozzle member 37 and the second nozzle member 50 along the arrow Q. Then, the nozzle for coloring 31 spouts the coloring material from the second nozzle 50. The electric current is applied to the coil 40 for a predetermined time according to a command from the controller 19. Therefore, while the cleaning liquid supplied to the nozzle cover 55 from the cleaning liquid source 62 is held in the interior of the nozzle cover 55 by the surface tension, a specific amount of the coloring material is spouted through the nozzle element 54 onto the outer surface 3a of the wire 3.
When the coloring apparatus 1 having the constitution described above forms the mark 6 on the outer surface 3a of the wire 3, namely, colors the outer surface 3a of the wire 3, firstly the guide roll 11 is mounted on the frame 10. After cutting blades 48, 49 are set apart from each other, the wire 3 rolled on the guide roll 11 is passed through the straightening unit 13, the slack absorbing unit 14, the coloring unit 15 and the duct 16 sequentially and caught in between the pair of delivery rolls 12. Then, each of the nozzle for coloring 31 is attached to a predetermined position of the corresponding unit body 30 of the coloring unit 15, and connected to the corresponding coloring material source 32 and the cleaning liquid source 62. Then, the pressurized gas source 33 is connected to the coloring material sources 32 and the cleaning liquid source 62. Then, the aspirating member aspirates the gas in the duct 16.
Then, by rotating the delivery rolls 12, the wire 3 is pulled out of the guide roll 11, and transferred in the longitudinal direction of the wire 3. Simultaneously, the straightening unit 13 gives friction owing to the first energizing force H1 to hold the wire 3 in tension. Then, the air cylinder 27 energizes the movable roller 26, namely, the wire 3 with the second energizing force H2. Then, as described above, the coloring material is supplied to the flow pass 39 of the nozzle for coloring 31 from the coloring material sources 32, and the cleaning liquid is supplied to the space 61 from the cleaning liquid source 62.
Then, when pulse signals in a specific pattern is inputted from the encoder 17 to the controller 19, the controller 19 applies the current for a specific time in a specific interval to the coil 40 of the predetermined nozzle for coloring 31. Accordingly, the nozzle for coloring 31 spouts a specific amount of the coloring material onto the outer surface 3a of the wire 3.
Then, the solvent or the liquid dispersion is evaporated from the coloring material deposited on the outer surface 3a of the wire 3, thereby the outer surface 3a of the wire 3 is dyed with the dye or coated with the pigment. The aspirating member aspirates the solvent or the liquid dispersion evaporated from the coloring material deposited on the outer surface 3a of the wire 3 through the duct 16. Thus, the surface 3a of the wire 3 is colored.
When judging that a specific length of the wire 3 is delivered according to the data from, for example, the encoder 17, the controller 19 stops the rolling of the delivery roll 12. Then, the wire 3 slacks particularly in between the pair of guiding rollers 24 of the slack absorbing unit 14, and the movable roller 26 energized with the second energizing force H2 is transferred to the position shown as a two-dot chain line in Fig. 1. Then, the extendable rod 29 of the air cylinder 27 of the slack absorbing unit 14 extends. Thus, the slack absorbing unit 14 absorbs the slack of the wire 3.
Then, the pair of cutting blades 48, 49 approaches each other and cuts the wire 3. Thus, the wire 3 having a mark 6 on the outer surface 3a as shown in Fig. 5 is obtained.
When a specific amount of the liquid coloring material is spouted through the nozzle for coloring 31 onto the outer surface 3a of the wire 3, the coloring material flowing through the first nozzle member 37 and the second nozzle member 50 along the axis R and the arrow Q collides partially with the end wall 50a of the second nozzle 50. Then, a part of the coloring material colliding with the end wall 50a generates a swirl shown as an arrow S in Fig. 7 to stir the coloring material. Therefore, a concentration of the coloring material is held uniform throughout the interior of the second nozzle 50.
In the case that a specific amount of the liquid coloring material is spouted through the nozzle for coloring 31 onto the outer surface 3a of the wire 3, when the coloring material penetrates into the first nozzle member 37 through the flow pass 39, a pressure of the coloring material increases. Then, the pressure of the coloring material is substantially constant in the first nozzle member 37. When the coloring material partially collides with the end wall 50a, the pressure of the coloring material drastically increases. After the coloring material is spouted through the second nozzle member 50 onto the outer surface 3a of the wire 3, the pressure of the coloring material drastically decreases.
In the case that a specific amount of the liquid coloring material is spouted through the nozzle for coloring 31 onto the outer surface 3a of the wire 3, when the coloring material penetrates into the first nozzle member 37 through the flow pass 39, a velocity of the flowing coloring material decreases. Then, the velocity of the flowing coloring material is substantially constant in the first nozzle member 37, and gradually decreases toward the second nozzle 50.
When the coloring material partially collides with the end wall 50a, the velocity of the flowing coloring material drastically increases. Then, when the coloring material is spouted through the second nozzle member 50 onto the outer surface 3a of the wire 3, the velocity of the flowing coloring material is kept high. Thus, when the coloring material penetrates into the second nozzle 50, the pressure and the velocity of flow of the coloring material drastically increases. Then, the high-pressured and rapid liquid coloring material is spouted onto the outer surface 3a of the wire 3.
According to this embodiment, the cleaning liquid is supplied to the nozzle cover 55 covering at least the top end part 37b of the nozzle element 54. Additionally, the cleaning liquid is held in the nozzle cover 55 by the surface tension thereof. Accordingly, the cleaning liquid constantly contacts the top end part 37b of the nozzle element 54. Therefore, the cleaning liquid rapidly removes the coloring material about to be deposited on the second nozzle 50, particularly to the top end part 37b, from the surface of the nozzle element 54. Therefore, the coloring material is prevented from being deposited on and solidifying on the nozzle element 54 when coloring the wire 3.
Since the coloring material is prevented from being deposited on and solidifying on the nozzle element 54, a specific amount of the coloring material is reliably spouted through the nozzle element 54 onto the outer surface 3a of the wire 3. Further, since the coloring material is prevented from being deposited on the nozzle element 54, it is avoided that the coloring material being deposited on the nozzle element 54 affects a spouting direction of the spouted coloring material. Therefore, a specific amount of the coloring material is allowed to be reliably spouted onto a desired position of the outer surface 3a of the wire 3. Resultingly, the desired position (dot 7) of the outer surface 3a of the wire 3 is colored in a desired color in a specific area (size).
Since the end wall 56a of the nozzle cover 55 and the top end wall 50b of the nozzle element 54 are arranged on the same plane, the cleaning liquid is held in the nozzle cover 55 by the surface tension thereof in a manner that the surface thereof, the end wall 56a of the nozzle cover 55, and the top end wall 50b of the nozzle element 54 are arranged on the same plane. Therefore, the cleaning liquid is prevented from interfering with the coloring material spouted through the nozzle element 54, and from affecting the spouting direction of the spouted coloring material. Therefore, a specific amount of the coloring material is more reliably spouted onto the desired position of the outer surface 3a of the wire 3, and the colored position (dot 7) is held in a desired colored area (size) of the outer surface 3a of the wire 3.
The coloring material collides with the end wall 50a of the second nozzle member 50 and is stirred. Since the first nozzle member 37 and the second nozzle member 50 are arranged coaxially, and the end wall 50a is arranged perpendicular to the arrow Q, the coloring material is further reliably stirred. Therefore, the concentration of the dye or the pigment in the coloring material is held uniform. Therefore, it is avoided that an extremely concentrated coloring material is deposited on the nozzle element 54 of the nozzle for coloring 31.
When the coloring material penetrates into the interior of the second nozzle member 50 from the first nozzle member 37, the coloring material is drastically pressurized. Therefore, the coloring material is vigorously spouted trough the second nozzle member 50 onto the outer surface 3a of the wire 3. Therefore, the coloring material is prevented from being deposited on the second nozzle 50.
Since the coloring material is prevented from being deposited on the second nozzle 50, a specific amount of the coloring material is reliably spouted through the second nozzle member 50 onto the outer surface 3a of the wire 3. Further, since the coloring material is prevented from being deposited on the second nozzle 50, it is avoided that the coloring material deposited on the second nozzle member 50 affects a spouting direction of the spouted coloring material. Therefore, a specific amount of the coloring material is reliably spouted onto a desired position of the outer surface 3a of the wire 3. Therefore, the desired position of the outer surface 3a of the wire 3 is colored in the desired color, and held in a desired area (size).
While the wire 3 is forwarded in the longitudinal direction of the wire 3 relative to the nozzle for coloring 31, the nozzle for coloring 31 spouts a specific amount of the coloring material onto the wire 3. Thus, the nozzle for coloring 31 colors the wire 3, when the wire is forwarded relative to the nozzle for coloring 31. Therefore, the wire 3 does not need to stop for coloring, so that its workability is not reduced. Further, when the wire 3 is forwarded relative to the nozzle for coloring 31, the nozzle for coloring 31 spouts a specific amount of the coloring material toward the wire 3. Therefore, optional positions of the wire 3 can be colored continuously.
The encoder 17 measures data corresponding to the transferred length of the wire 3 and the controller 19 controls the nozzle for coloring 31 according to the transferred length of the wire 3. Therefore, the controller 19 shortens a time interval of the spouting of the coloring material from the nozzle for coloring 31 when the transfer speed of the wire 3 increases, when the controller 15 elongates a time interval of the spouting of the coloring material from the nozzle for coloring 31 when the transfer speed of the wire 3 decreases. Thus, if the transfer speed of the wire 3 changes, the controller 19 can keep the spots of the coloring materials deposited on the outer surface 3a of the wire 3 in specific intervals.
Thus, if the transfer speed of the wire 3 changes, the controller 19 can deposit the coloring materials on the outer surface 3a of the wire 3 according to a predetermined pattern. Namely, even if the transfer speed of the wire 3 changes, the controller 19 can color the wire 3 according to a predetermined pattern.
In the embodiment described above, the first nozzle member 37 and the second nozzle member 50 are separated from each other, however, according to the present invention, the first nozzle member 37 and the second nozzle member 50 may be integrated with each other.
In the present invention, as the coloring liquid or coating material, various material may be used, such as acrylic coating material, ink (dye or pigment) and UV-ink.
In the embodiment described above, the electric wire 3 constituting a wire harness arranged in a vehicle is described. However, the wire 3 is not only applied to a vehicle, but also applied to various electronic apparatuses such as a computer, or various electric machines.
In the embodiment described above, the nozzle for coloring 31 colors the outer surface 3a of the wire 3, however, the nozzle for coloring 31 may color other various objects.
The aforementioned preferred embodiments are described to aid in understanding the present invention and variations may be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY]

As described the above, according to the present invention as claimed in claim 1, since the top end wall of the nozzle element constantly contacts the cleaning liquid, the coloring material about to be deposit particularly on the top end of the nozzle element is removed immediately from the top end wall of the nozzle element. Therefore, the coloring material is prevented from being deposited and solidifying onto the nozzle element during a coloring process.
Since the coloring material is prevented from solidifying as described the above, a specific amount of the coloring material can be spouted reliably onto the outer surface of the object. Further, since the coloring material is prevented from being deposited onto the nozzle element, it is avoided that the coloring material deposited on the nozzle element affects a spouting direction of the spouted coloring material. Therefore, a specific amount of the coloring material is allowed to be reliably spouted onto a desired position of the outer surface of the object. Resultingly, the desired position of the outer surface of the object is colored in a desired color in a specific area (size).
According to the present invention as claimed in claim 2, the cleaning liquid is held in the nozzle cover in a manner that the surface thereof, the end wall of the nozzle cover, and the top end wall of the nozzle element are arranged on the same plane. Therefore, the cleaning liquid is prevented from interfering with the coloring material spouted through the nozzle element, and from affecting the spouting direction of the spouted coloring material. Therefore, a specific amount of the coloring material is more reliably spouted onto the desired position of the outer surface of the object, and the spouted coloring material is held in a desired colored area (size) of the outer surface of the object.

Claims

A nozzle for coloring (31) by spouting a specific amount of liquid coloring material onto an outer surface (3a) of an object (3) and depositing the spouted coloring material on the outer surface (3a) of the object (3), said nozzle for coloring (31) comprising:
a receiver (32) for receiving the coloring material;

a pressurizing unit (33) for pressurizing the coloring material in the receiver (32);

a nozzle element (54) being formed in a cylinder-like shape, through which the coloring material flows, said nozzle element (54) communicating with the receiver (32);

characterized in that it further comprises

a valve (44) being mounted on a bottom end (37a) of the nozzle element (54) disposed inside the receiver (32), and allowed to be attached to and detached from the bottom end (37a) for spouting the coloring material through the nozzle element (54);

a nozzle cover (55) covering at least a top end (37b) of the nozzle element (54), and allowing the coloring material being spouted through the nozzle element (54) to be deposited on the object (3); and

a cleaning liquid supplying unit (62) disposed in the nozzle cover (55) for supplying a cleaning liquid, said cleaning liquid being employed for removing the coloring material being deposited on the nozzle element (54),

whereby under a condition that the cleaning liquid supplied from the cleaning liquid supplying unit (62) to the nozzle cover (55) is held in the nozzle cover (55) by surface tension thereof, the nozzle for coloring (31) spouts the coloring material through the nozzle element (54) onto the object (3).
The nozzle for coloring (31) as claimed in claim 1,
wherein an end wall (56a) of the nozzle cover (55) and a top end wall (50b) of the nozzle element (54), both facing to the object (3), are arranged on the same plane.