EP4063020A1 - Système pour le traitement de surface de pièces semi-finies - Google Patents

Système pour le traitement de surface de pièces semi-finies Download PDF

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Publication number
EP4063020A1
EP4063020A1 EP22160745.0A EP22160745A EP4063020A1 EP 4063020 A1 EP4063020 A1 EP 4063020A1 EP 22160745 A EP22160745 A EP 22160745A EP 4063020 A1 EP4063020 A1 EP 4063020A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
semi
station
finished workpieces
vertical spindles
clamping means
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
EP22160745.0A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Marco LEVA
Tommaso ACQUATI
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Imf Engineering Srl
Original Assignee
Imf Engineering Srl
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Imf Engineering Srl filed Critical Imf Engineering Srl
Publication of EP4063020A1 publication Critical patent/EP4063020A1/fr
Pending legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
    • B05B13/00—Machines or plants for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces of objects or other work by spraying, not covered by groups B05B1/00 - B05B11/00
    • B05B13/02—Means for supporting work; Arrangement or mounting of spray heads; Adaptation or arrangement of means for feeding work
    • B05B13/0221—Means for supporting work; Arrangement or mounting of spray heads; Adaptation or arrangement of means for feeding work characterised by the means for moving or conveying the objects or other work, e.g. conveyor belts
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
    • B05B12/00—Arrangements for controlling delivery; Arrangements for controlling the spray area
    • B05B12/16—Arrangements for controlling delivery; Arrangements for controlling the spray area for controlling the spray area
    • B05B12/20—Masking elements, i.e. elements defining uncoated areas on an object to be coated
    • B05B12/26—Masking elements, i.e. elements defining uncoated areas on an object to be coated for masking cavities

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a system for the surface treatment of semi-finished workpieces, of the type comprising a sequence of work stations to which the workpieces are fed by means of a horizontal belt or chain conveyor on which a series of vertical workpiece support spindles are mounted.
  • the work stations often include robotic manipulators that are programmed for the intervention on the workpieces based on a prediction of their position.
  • One of the main drawbacks of conveyors with vertical support spindles is related to the possible oscillation of the spindles with respect to the conveyor advancement direction or the rotation of the spindles on their axis during the advancement.
  • An emblematic case is related to vehicle wheel rim coating systems, where the spindles support the vehicle wheel rims that must be coated and in which selective zones where the coating must not be applied must be protected before the coating.
  • an external channel in the wheel rim onto which the tyre is mounted, a central hub and a plurality of radial spokes or a continuous element connecting the central hub to the external channel can be found.
  • the holes for the passage of the fixing bolts for fixing the wheel rim to the vehicle positioned at the central hub as well as other predefined zones of the rim are protected with appropriate masks to avoid the coating thereof; the wheel rims are thus coated and then transferred to another spindle conveyor for the polymerisation process inside a furnace, after which the masks are removed.
  • an optical head at the entry to the mask application station recognises the rim and its positioning, and transmits the necessary coordinates for programming to a subsequent manipulator for the application of the masks.
  • the vertical spindles supporting the rims, or other semi-finished products to be treated in the coating cycle typically have a conical head provided with a lower flange that engages the central hub of the rim, and a base for fixing to the horizontal conveyor.
  • the conveyor is constrained by longitudinal sliding guides, the spindles burdened by the weight of the rim can undergo small oscillations with respect to the advancement direction of the conveyor and the rotations around its axis, especially when the high productivity required by the system involves high conveyor speeds.
  • the manipulator of the coating masks acting based on the positioning detected by the optical head can consequently position the masks in the respective housing no longer coinciding with the detected position, and therefore in an inaccurate or forced manner.
  • a further drawback related to the oscillation of the spindles can similarly occur in the unloading station from the conveyor of the workpieces sprayed with coating but still to be sent to the firing furnace and/or the finished workpieces.
  • the manipulator can no longer find the workpiece exactly in the position detected by the optical head and expected, and can cause smears and/or indentations in the coating which has not yet stabilised on the finished coating if the coated workpiece has already undergone the passage in the furnace.
  • the technical task of the present invention is therefore to provide a system for the surface treatment of semi-finished workpieces of the type described above that makes it possible to eliminate the cited technical drawbacks of the prior art.
  • an object of the invention is to provide a system for the surface treatment of semi-finished workpieces with high productivity and efficiency.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a system for the surface treatment of semi-finished workpieces with a reduced incidence of production waste.
  • an object of the invention is to provide a system for the surface treatment of semi-finished workpieces, typically a system for coating wheel rims for vehicles with improved performance in terms of efficiency, precision and quality of the finished product.
  • a system for the surface treatment of semi-finished workpieces comprising a sequence of work stations, a linear horizontal belt or chain conveyor having a continuous direction of movement along longitudinal sliding guides, a series of vertical spindles for supporting said semi-finished workpieces, said spindles being mounted in longitudinal succession on said conveyor, said conveyor being configured and disposed for the conveyance of said semi-finished workpieces through said sequence of work stations, characterised in that at least one work station of said sequence of work stations has a releasable clamping means for clamping said spindles, said clamping means being configured and disposed to block the oscillations and rotations of said spindles with respect to said direction of movement of said conveyor during the transit of said spindles through said at least one work station.
  • said clamping means comprises at least one arm with a gripping terminal that can be actuated between a position of interference with said spindles and a position of non-interference with said spindles.
  • said gripping terminal has a profile complementarily shaped with respect to the zones of interference and engagement with said spindles.
  • said arms in said position of interference are movable along the trajectory followed by said spindles in the movement of the conveyor between a position of entry and a position of exit from said at least one work station.
  • said arms in said position of interference are passively drawn by said spindles.
  • said arms in said position of interference are drawn by said spindles towards said exit position in opposition to an elastic element of return towards said entry position.
  • said workpieces are wheel rims for vehicles.
  • said plurality of stations comprises at least one station for loading said semi-finished workpieces to be coated onto said linear conveyor, at least one station for masking parts of said semi-finished workpieces that are not to be coated, at least one station for coating of the semi-finished workpieces, and at least one station for unloading said coated semi-finished workpieces from said linear conveyor.
  • said at least one work station of said sequence of work stations having a releasable clamping means of said spindles is a masking station.
  • said at least one work station of said sequence of work stations having a releasable clamping means of said spindles is an unloading station.
  • said semi-finished workpieces are wheel rims for vehicles.
  • a system for the surface treatment of semi-finished workpieces comprises a plurality of successive work stations in which different processes are carried out in sequence.
  • such a surface treatment system comprises at least one station for loading the semi-finished workpieces to be coated on a conveyor of a known type, at least one station for masking parts of the semi-finished workpieces that are not to be coated, at least one station for coating the semi-finished workpieces of a known type, and at least one station for unloading the coated workpieces from the conveyor.
  • a work station is shown, indicated overall with the reference number S1, in the case illustrated, typically but not exclusively, a station for masking parts of the semi-finished workpieces not to be coated.
  • a linear horizontal belt or chain conveyor 100 has a continuous direction X of movement along longitudinal sliding guides 101A and 101B for the sliding of a series of vertical spindles 200i mounted in longitudinal succession at constant pitch p on the linear conveyor 100 itself, it is configured and disposed for the transport of semi-finished workpieces 10i through a sequence of work stations.
  • the semi-finished workpieces 10i treated by the surface treatment system are wheel rims for vehicles: for illustrative and graphic simplicity, the aforementioned figures represent the simplest spindles.
  • the semi-finished workpieces 10i can be any, as long as they can be engaged with vertical axis spindles.
  • the vertical spindles 200i for supporting the semi-finished workpieces 10i to be treated in the surface treatment cycle typically have a conical head 211 provided with a lower flange 212 that axially engages the semi-finished workpiece 10i, and a fixing base 213 suitably constrained to the linear horizontal conveyor 100.
  • the semi-finished workpieces 10i typically have at least one intervention point 20, typically a plurality of intervention points 20i, on which automated manipulators of the known type must intervene.
  • such an intervention point 20, or such a plurality of intervention points 20i are points that must be protected from the coating operations.
  • the work station S1 has a releasable clamping means 300 for clamping the vertical spindles 200i, suitably configured and disposed so as to block any oscillations and/or rotations of such spindles 200i relative to or transversely to the direction X, and also combined, during the transit through the station S1.
  • the releasable clamping means 300 is typically configured laterally to the linear conveyor 100, and is movable along its own guide 350 typically in parallel along the trajectory followed by the spindles 200i between a position of entry 110 and a position of exit 120 from the work station S1.
  • the releasable clamping means 300 comprises at least one arm 310 with a gripping terminal 311, respectively, preferably two arms 310 and 320 with respective gripping terminals 311 and 321.
  • Such arms 310 and 320 and gripping terminals 311 and 321 can be actuated by a movement means of a known type between a position of interference and a position of non-interference with the vertical spindles 200i.
  • the gripping terminals 311 and 321 have a profile respectively complementary in shape with respect to the zones of interference and engagement of the spindle 200i.
  • the releasable clamping means 300 with the arms 310 and 320 in the position of interference is passively dragged along its own guide 350 by the vertical spindles 200i in the movement of the conveyor 100 along the direction X from the position of entry 110 to the position of exit 120 from the work station S1.
  • the releasable clamping means 300 is drawn towards the exit position 120 in opposition to an element of return 330 towards the entry position 110.
  • loading means and manipulators of the known type load the semi-finished workpieces 10i to be treated on the vertical spindles 200i where they are axially engaged by the conical head 211 and supported by the flange 212.
  • the vertical spindle 200i supporting the semi-finished workpiece 10i is drawn by the linear conveyor 100 to which it is constrained through the fixing base 213 in the direction of movement X towards the station S1; in the preferred but not exclusive embodiment illustrated, the station S1 is a station for masking parts of the semi-finished workpieces that are not to be coated.
  • the releasable clamping means 300 is activated with detection and actuation means of known type: at least a first arm 310 with respective gripping terminal 311 is activated.
  • the spindle 200i When advancing in the direction of movement X the spindle 200i is therefore engaged with the gripping terminal 311 which has a profile complementary in shape with respect to the zones of interference and engagement of the spindle 200i, blocking it on the vertical axis Z and preventing any oscillations.
  • a second arm 320 with respective gripping terminal 312 is also activated, typically in opposition to the gripping terminal 311 on the spindle 200i.
  • Figure 1A and 1B shows the spindle 200i in the entry position 110 of the station S1.
  • the stroke c of the first releasable clamping means 300 along its guide 350 is depicted at the beginning with c0.
  • the releasable clamping means 300 with the arm 310 in the position of interference is then passively drawn by the vertical spindles 200i along the guide 350 in the movement of the conveyor 100 along the direction X.
  • Figure 2A and 2B shows the spindle 200i engaged by the gripping terminal 311 at a first specific work station 400 within the station S1: an optical reader of the known type frames the semi-finished workpiece 10i, detects the position in the space of the intervention point 20, or of the plurality of intervention points 20i, and transfers the information of the coordinates and of the reference system to a subsequent second specific work station 500.
  • the spindle 200i reaches the second specific work station 500 in position 115: the stroke c of the releasable clamping means 300 along its guide 350 is depicted in the figure with c1.
  • the engagement of the releasable clamping means 300 with the spindle 200i ensures its stability along the Z axis and therefore the semi-finished workpiece 10i appear in the second work station 500 with the intervention point 20 or with the plurality of intervention points 20i as detected in the space and transferred from the optical reader of the first specific work station 400.
  • the second specific work station 500 inside the illustrated station S1 comprises a manipulator of the known type which, thus instructed, provides for the positioning of the coating masks 510i at the intervention points 20i as detected and transferred by the optical reader of the first specific work station 400.
  • Figure 3A and 3B show the spindle 200i engaged by the gripping terminal 311 at the second specific work station 500.
  • the spindle 200i reaches the position of exit 120 from the station S1; the stroke c of the releasable clamping means 300 along its guide 350 is depicted by c2, where typically c2 is equal to two times c1.
  • suitable known means activate the release of the releasable clamping means 300, and the first arm 310 with respective gripping terminal 311 are positioned in a position of non-interference with the vertical spindle 200i.
  • the vertical spindle 200i is free to continue in the movement of the conveyor 100 along the direction X towards subsequent work stations, where the semi-finished workpiece 10i appear with the coating masks 501i at the intervention points 20i.
  • the releasable clamping means 300 no longer interfering with the vertical spindle 200i is then drawn by an element of return 330 towards the entry position 110 in the opposite direction to the direction X of movement of the conveyor 100.
  • the return means 330 comprises a flexible constraint element 331, one or more return pulleys 332, a piston 333 of a pneumatically operated cylinder 334.
  • the flexible constraint element 331 is fixed at one end thereof to the clamping means 300, follows a sinuous path guided by one or more return pulleys 332, and is fixed at the distal end opposite the piston 333 of the pneumatically operated cylinder 334.
  • the flexible constraint element 331 drawn by the clamping means, draws the piston 333 of the pneumatically operated cylinder 334 in elongation: in the exit position 120 the piston 333 is at its maximum elongation stroke.
  • a known suitable means for feeding the pneumatically operated cylinder 334 is activated which recalls the piston 333 inside the cylinder 334 towards its minimum elongation position.
  • the clamping means 300 is thus repositioned in the entry position 110 at the vertical spindle 200i+2 of the series of vertical spindles on the even-numbered index conveyor 100; the vertical spindles on the odd-numbered index conveyor 100 are treated on a station S1bis with features identical to the station S1, placed sequentially along the path in direction X of the conveyor 100.
  • Figure 4A and 4B show the spindle 200i at the exit position 120 engaged by the gripping terminal 311: the releasable clamping means 300 is engaged with the vertical spindle 200i.
  • Figure 5A and 5B show the spindle 200i at the exit position 120 disengaged from the gripping terminal 311: the releasable clamping means 300 is disengaged from the vertical spindle 200i.
  • Figure 6A and 6B show the releasable clamping means 300 disengaged from the vertical spindles 200i in the return stroke from the exit position 120 to the entry position 110.
  • Figure 7A and 7B show the releasable clamping means 300 upon return to the entry position 110: correspondingly, the passage of the spindle 200i+2 in the entry position 110 activates the detection and actuation means of the known type of the releasable clamping means 300, and the cycle is repeated.
  • the features and functionality of the station S1 as innovatively described above for a station for masking parts of the semi-finished workpieces not to be coated can be replicated in a station for unloading the coated workpieces from the conveyor 100, where an optical reader of the known type of a first specific work station 400 frames the semi-finished workpiece 10i, detects the position in the space of the plurality of the intervention points 20i, in the specific case the lifting points, and transfers the information to the next second specific work station 500, where a manipulator of the known type thus instructed provides for hooking the semi-finished workpiece 10i at the intervention points 20i as detected and transferred by the optical reader of the first specific work station 400, ensuring the precise grip thereof and safeguarding the surface finish of the coated semi-finished workpiece.
  • a further advantage of the invention is to create a system for the surface treatment of semi-finished workpieces, typically a system for coating wheel rims for vehicles with improved performance in terms of efficiency, precision and quality of the finished product.
  • the materials used, as well as the dimensions, can be any according to the needs and the state of the art.

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  • Spray Control Apparatus (AREA)
EP22160745.0A 2021-03-23 2022-03-08 Système pour le traitement de surface de pièces semi-finies Pending EP4063020A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT202100007034 2021-03-23

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP4063020A1 true EP4063020A1 (fr) 2022-09-28

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ID=76269906

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EP22160745.0A Pending EP4063020A1 (fr) 2021-03-23 2022-03-08 Système pour le traitement de surface de pièces semi-finies

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Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2547884A (en) * 1944-07-20 1951-04-03 Jens A Paasche Spray coating apparatus
DE19738820A1 (de) * 1997-09-05 1999-03-11 Peter Dipl Ing Herbold Einrichtung zum Transport von Werkstücken während eines Bearbeitungsprozesses
US5911259A (en) * 1995-05-15 1999-06-15 Reynolds Wheels International Ltd. Equipment for the removal of paint from wheel hubs
EP1927470A2 (fr) * 2004-05-14 2008-06-04 CARL STRUTZ & CO., INC. Appareil pour établir une orientation prédéterminée d'une surface d'une pièce de travail
US20160016735A1 (en) * 2013-02-22 2016-01-21 Eisenmann Se Conveying system
DE102017112072A1 (de) * 2017-06-01 2017-08-17 Eisenmann Se Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum teilweisen Entfernen einer auf ein Fahrzeugrad aufgebrachten Beschichtung
US20190275682A1 (en) * 2018-03-07 2019-09-12 Eisenmann Se Method and apparatus for handling a wheel

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2547884A (en) * 1944-07-20 1951-04-03 Jens A Paasche Spray coating apparatus
US5911259A (en) * 1995-05-15 1999-06-15 Reynolds Wheels International Ltd. Equipment for the removal of paint from wheel hubs
DE19738820A1 (de) * 1997-09-05 1999-03-11 Peter Dipl Ing Herbold Einrichtung zum Transport von Werkstücken während eines Bearbeitungsprozesses
EP1927470A2 (fr) * 2004-05-14 2008-06-04 CARL STRUTZ & CO., INC. Appareil pour établir une orientation prédéterminée d'une surface d'une pièce de travail
US20160016735A1 (en) * 2013-02-22 2016-01-21 Eisenmann Se Conveying system
DE102017112072A1 (de) * 2017-06-01 2017-08-17 Eisenmann Se Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum teilweisen Entfernen einer auf ein Fahrzeugrad aufgebrachten Beschichtung
US20190275682A1 (en) * 2018-03-07 2019-09-12 Eisenmann Se Method and apparatus for handling a wheel

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