JP2000063714A - Device for preparing coating - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a coating preparation device capable of preparing a coating in high accuracy, because conventional coating preparation works have been carried out by the manual works of workers in many cases, thereby having allowed to strengthen an expectation for automation, and because a slight error on the preparation of the coating largely affects the color of the prepared coating in many cases, and further capable of improving work environments in work places using solvents in large amounts. SOLUTION: This device for preparing a coating is provided with a preparation vessel 25 into which plural coatings are charged, a measurement device 50 for measuring the weight of the preparation vessel 25, plural nozzles 10a...17a for charging the coatings into the preparation vessel 25, and a support member 33 for supporting the plural nozzles 10a...17a. The support member 33 has a liquid surface detection sensor 47 for detecting the position of the liquid surface of the coatings charged into the preparation vessel 25, and further has a lifting or lowering device 28 for lifting the support member in response to the rise in the liquid surface of the coatings charged from the plural nozzles 10a...17a.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a paint blending apparatus used when blending a predetermined paint with a plurality of paints.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As is well known, when a specific paint is mixed and manufactured, the paints of the three primary colors of red, yellow and blue, and white and black paints are appropriately mixed. Therefore, in the conventional device, a predetermined amount of paint is discharged from the tip of each nozzle into the mixing container from the drum or tank filled with these paints through the paint supply pipeline, and the mixture is agitated. Manufactures the following paints. By the way, when a specific paint is prepared, the amount of the specific paint to be filled must be controlled extremely accurately depending on the color of the finally produced paint, and the final paint depending on the amount to be filled. There are paints that do not significantly affect the color of. Generally, the filling amount of light-colored paint is acceptable with some error,
Paints such as black and red have an extremely large effect on the color of the paint as the final product, even if the error is slight. Therefore, in the process of preparing such paints, especially when filling paints such as black and red that have a small error that greatly affects the color of the final product, manual work by workers is more common than before. is occupying.

[0003]

However, in the case of manually performing such a paint blending work, the work efficiency of blending a large amount of a large number of paints is extremely poor, and an organic solvent is included. The working environment is also poor.
In addition, there are many cases where a mixing error occurs, and from the viewpoint of reducing labor, the industry has long been expected to be almost completely automated. Therefore, the present invention was proposed in order to solve the problems of such a conventional coating compound preparation method, and it is possible to extremely accurately fill each coating material, and it is possible to sufficiently contribute to automation. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a paint blending device and thus improve the working environment.

[0004]

The present invention has been proposed to solve the above problems. In the first invention (the invention according to claim 1), a plurality of paints are filled. A mixing container and a weighing device for measuring the weight of the mixing container,
A plurality of nozzles for filling the preparation container with a coating material and a support member for supporting the plurality of nozzles are provided, and the support member detects the liquid level position of the coating material filled in the preparation container. In addition to having a liquid level detection sensor, it is characterized by having an elevating drive device for elevating the support member in response to an increase in the liquid level of the paint filled from the plurality of nozzles. is there.

The second invention (the invention according to claim 2)
In the above-mentioned first invention, a branch pipe connected to a vacuum pump is formed at the tip end side of each nozzle supported by the support member, and at the same time when the valve provided in each nozzle is closed. Alternatively, immediately after that, the residual liquid is recovered from the tip side of the nozzle through the branch pipe by driving the vacuum pump.

The third invention (the invention according to claim 3)
Is a first blending container filled with paint, a plurality of nozzles for filling the first blending container with paint, a first weighing device for measuring the weight of the first blending container, and the paint. , A second weighing device for measuring the weight of the second blending container, a plurality of nozzles for filling the second blending container with paint, and the first A nozzle for filling the second preparation container with paint from the preparation container;
And a support member for supporting a nozzle for filling the inside of the preparation container with the coating material, the first preparation container, and a nozzle for charging the coating material into the second preparation container from the first preparation container,
The support member has a liquid level detection sensor for detecting the liquid level position of the paint filled in the second preparation container, and the rise of the liquid level of the paint filled from the plurality of nozzles. It is characterized by comprising an elevating / lowering drive device which raises the supporting member in correspondence with the above.

The fourth invention (the invention according to claim 4)
In the above-mentioned third invention, branch pipes connected to a vacuum pump are formed at the tip ends of the plurality of nozzles for filling the paint in the first mixing container, and the paint is discharged from each nozzle. Is completed or immediately before the completion, the residual liquid is recovered from the tip end side of the nozzle through the branch pipe by driving the vacuum pump.

The fifth invention (the invention according to claim 5)
Is provided with a large number of paint supply pipes, one end of which is connected to a container filled with paint and the other end of which is provided with a nozzle, and the other end of each of these numerous paint supply pipes. A support member that supports the nozzle, a preparation container that is provided below the nozzle support member and is filled with the paint discharged from each nozzle, and a liquid level of the paint filled in the preparation container are detected. A liquid level detection sensor, a weighing device that weighs the weight of the paint in the container, and a lifting drive device that raises the support member in response to the rise of the liquid level of the paint filled from the multiple nozzles, Branch pipes that are connected to the tip side of all of the nozzles and are connected to the tip side of the nozzles, vacuum pumps that are connected to the branch pipes, and one end is connected to the container side of the paint supply pipeline. Within And a cleaning device that is connected to the other end of the cleaning pipe and that is connected to the preparation container via the discharge pipe and that circulates the solvent. It is characterized by becoming.

The sixth invention (the invention according to claim 6)
In the fifth aspect of the invention, in the cleaning device, a first solvent storage tank for storing a used solvent for cleaning the paint supply pipe, the nozzle, and the preparation container, and an unused solvent are stored. And a second solvent storage tank for cleaning the paint supply pipe, the nozzle and the preparation container with the used solvent, and then cleaning the paint supply pipe, the nozzle and the preparation container again with the unused solvent. In addition, the used solvent used for this cleaning is configured to be stored in the first solvent storage tank.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, a paint mixing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the paint mixing apparatus 1 mixes a large number of paints supplied from the paint supply unit 2 and a paint supply unit 2 which is a raw material of a paint as a final product, and produces a product. Paint blending section 3 for blending paint as
A cleaning unit 4 for cleaning the paint route from the paint supply unit 2 to the paint preparation unit 3; and a drive control unit 5 for supplying a specific amount of a specific amount of paint from the paint supply unit 2 to the paint preparation unit 3. It consists of

The paint supply section 2 is, as shown in FIG.
The first to third drum cans 10 ... 12 and the paint (or part of the organic solvent) filled in the first to fifth paint pressure tanks 13 ...
.. 12 or the paint pressure tanks 13 ... 17 from the first to eighth paint supply lines 10a ... 17a, respectively
It is supplied to the paint blending section 3 via. It should be noted that the method of discharging the paint in the drum can (the reference numeral is omitted) and the paint pressure tank (the reference numeral is omitted) to each of the paint supply pipelines (the reference numeral is omitted) is the The base end is inserted into the drum can or the paint pressure tank, and the tips of the air press-fitting pipes 10b ... 17b for pressurizing air into the drum can or the paint pressurizing tank are inserted, and the air press-fitting pipe line 10b is inserted. ... The paint inside is discharged by the pressurized air that is pressed in from 17b. Each of the air press-fitting conduits 10b ...
Reference numeral 17b is a branch from one air supply pipe line 18. This air supply pipe line 18 is an air compressor controlled by a central processing unit (CPU) 19 which constitutes a drive control unit 5 described later. 20 (see FIG. 3). As shown in FIG. 3, the air compressor 20 is connected to an air dryer 20a. Further, each of the air press-fitting conduits 10b ... 17b
17c are provided with flow rate control valves 10c ... 17c controlled by the central processing unit 19, and each of the drums 10 is driven by driving these flow rate control valves 10c.
... 12 or first to fifth paint pressure tanks 13
The amount of paint discharged from each paint supply pipe 10a to 17a from 17 is controlled.

In the present embodiment, the first
Each of the third to third drums 10 ... 12 is configured to be discharged via the reversing device 21 and then the paint inside thereof is discharged. As shown in FIG. 5, which shows a state in which the first drum can 10 is inverted, the reversing device 21 faces the upper surface of the drum can 10 and is vertically movable by an elevator drive device (not shown).
And left and right gripping members 21b and 21c formed on the left and right sides of the elevating member for gripping the drum can 10, and a reversing device (not shown) for vertically inverting the drum can 10 while gripping the drum can 10 with these left and right gripping members 21b and 21c. It is composed of Then, the lifting member 21a
Is connected to the paint supply pipeline 10a which is inserted into one opening (not shown) which is previously opened in the top plate of the drum can 10.
The middle part of the air can be fixed, and the middle part of the air press-fitting conduit 10b to be inserted into the other opening (not shown) which is previously opened in the top plate of the drum can 10 is fixed. The tip of the paint supply conduit 10a is slightly protruded toward the bottom plate from the inner surface of the top plate of the drum can 10, and the tip of the air press-fit conduit 10b is formed in the drum can 1
It is located near the bottom plate of 0. Further, a manual valve 10 is provided in each of the paint supply pipeline 10a and the air press-fit pipeline 10b, the tip of which is inserted into the drum can 10.
d and 10e are provided.

Therefore, according to the reversing device 21 described above, first, the reversing device 21 is lowered with the left and right gripping members 21b and 21c being opened. This reversing device 21
As a result of the downward movement, the tip of the paint supply conduit 10a and the tip of the air pressurizing conduit 10b are inserted into the interior through the openings provided in the top plate of the drum 10 respectively. Then, when it descends to a predetermined position, then the left and right gripping members 2
1b and 21c drive, and the drum can 10 is grasped. Then, the reversing device 21 rises slightly while holding the drum 10 and is then turned upside down as shown on the right side in FIG. When the drum cans 10 ... 12 are inverted by the reversing devices 21 in this way, as described above, the pressurized air is supplied into the drum cans 10 ... 12 from the air supply pipe line 10b. The paint filled in the drums 10 ... 12 is supplied into the paint supply pipes 10a ... 12a by the pressurized air.
In this way, each drum can 10 ...
By discharging the paint in the state in which 12 is inverted, the paint in the inside can be surely discharged even when the air pressure is low, and the air compressor 20 which is the supply source of the pressurized air has a large size. Not only does it have to be disregarded, but the danger of applying too much pressure can also be avoided. Further, by adopting such a configuration, it is possible to reduce the residual liquid in the drums 10 ... 12. In this embodiment, the first to fifth paint pressure tanks 13 ...
When the paint is discharged from the inside 17, the above-mentioned reversing device 21 is not used because the paint pressure tanks 13 ... 17 have excellent pressure resistance.

Then, each of the above-mentioned paint supply pipelines 10a
.. 17a are respectively connected to the paint mixing section 3. The paint mixing section 3 is provided with the above-mentioned paint supply pipelines 10a.
.. The paint (and the organic solvent) supplied from 17a is prepared, and the preparation of the paint or the like is performed in a preparation container 25 as a container (or a preparation container) constituting the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, this blending container 25 has wheels 25a, 25a on the lower side, and when the blending process is completed in the paint blending section 3, it can be moved to a subsequent process. There is. Further, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the leg portions 26, 26 are provided above the mixing container 25.
A horizontal plate 27 supported by the upper end of
A servo motor 28, which serves as an elevation drive device that constitutes the present invention, is fixed to the upper surface of the center of the horizontal plate 27. An elevating plate 29 is arranged below the horizontal plate 27, and the elevating plate 29 is supported at its lower end by an elevating shaft 30 fixed to the center of the upper surface of the elevating plate 29.
A midway portion of the elevating shaft 30 is inserted into an opening (not shown) formed substantially in the center of the horizontal plate 27, and an upper end thereof is located above the horizontal plate 27. A rack gear (not shown) is formed on one side of the lifting shaft 30,
The rack gear is a rotary shaft 28 of the servo motor 28.
It is meshed with a worm gear 31 fixed to a. Therefore, the paint blending apparatus 1 includes the servo motor 2
When the drive shaft 8 is rotationally driven, the elevating shaft 30 moves up and down, and the elevating shaft 30 moves up and down to move the elevating plate 29 up and down. The lower ends of the guide shafts 32, 32 are fixed to the upper surfaces of the left and right sides of the elevating plate 29, and the guide shafts 32, 32 are inserted into through holes (not shown) formed in the horizontal plate 27. Stoppers 32a, 32a having a diameter larger than the outer diameter of the insertion hole are provided on the upper end side.
Is fixed.

Below the lift plate 29, a nozzle support plate 33 which is parallel to the lift plate 29 is fixed via support members 34, 34. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the tip ends (nozzles) of the above-mentioned paint supply pipelines 10a ... 17a are fixed to the nozzle support plate 33, and these nozzles are, as shown in FIG. In the most lowered state, it faces the inside of the mixing container 25. Therefore, the tip end side of each of the paint supply pipelines 10a ... 17a is moved up and down by the rotational drive of the servo motor 28. In addition, each of the paint supply pipelines 10a ... 1
As shown in FIG. 4, receiver tanks 10f ... 17f are fixed in the middle of 7a so that the air flowing into each paint supply pipeline 10a. There is. Also, these receiver tanks 1
Below each of 0f ... 17f, each of the paint supply pipes 10
The first automatic valve 35 is provided as shown in FIG. 6 in which only the third paint supply line 12a among a.
Is provided, and a second automatic valve 36 is provided in the middle of the tip side of the third paint supply pipeline 12a. Further, on the tip side of the third paint supply pipeline 12a (as well as the other paint supply pipelines), the tip of the branch pipeline 37 communicates with the third paint supply pipeline 12a. It is fixed, and this branch line 37 is connected to the vacuum tank 40. A third automatic valve 41 is provided in the middle of the branch conduit 37. Further, the vacuum tank 40 is provided with a vacuum pump 43, a discharge pipe 40a for discharging the paint flowing into the vacuum tank 40, and a manual valve 40b provided in the middle of the discharge pipe 40a. There is. A hood 44 connected to an exhaust pipe 44a for discharging gas from the paint or the organic solvent discharged from the paint supply pipes 10a ... 17a to the outside is provided above the mixing container 25. It is provided. Further, as described later, the paint mixing unit 3 described above is provided with a stirring device (not shown) that stirs the inside of the mixing container 25 after a predetermined amount of paint or an organic solvent is supplied in a predetermined amount.

In addition to the paint supply conduits 10a ... 17a, the nozzle support plate 33 has a nitrogen gas supply conduit provided with an automatic valve 45a in the middle thereof, as shown in FIG. The tip of 45 is fixed. The base end of the nitrogen gas supply pipe 45 is connected to a nitrogen gas cylinder 46 as shown in FIG. Further, on the lower surface of the nozzle support plate 33, a liquid level detection sensor 47 connected to the servo motor 28 and connected to the central processing unit 19 is attached. This liquid level detection sensor 4
Reference numeral 7 is for detecting the liquid surface position of the coating material or the organic solvent discharged from the nozzles at the tip of some or all of the coating material supply pipes 10a ... 17a by means of sound waves. It is connected to the device 19. On the other hand, a measuring device 50 is disposed below the blending container 25 in which the paints and the organic solvent discharged from the paint supply pipelines 10a ... 17a are filled and the color is blended. 25 is mounted on the weighing device 50. The weighing device 50 is also connected to the central processing unit 19.

At the bottom of the blending device 25, a return conduit for returning the cleaning organic solvent used for cleaning the inside of the above-mentioned paint supply conduits 10a ... 17a to the cleaning section 4. One end of 51 is detachably attached. In addition, the ball valve 51 is provided in the middle of the return conduit 51.
a is provided, and the other end of the return pipe line 51 has the cleaning unit 4
Is connected to the solvent supply pipe line 52 constituting the. As described above, the cleaning unit 4 is for cleaning the paint route from the paint supply unit 2 to the paint mixing unit 3, and is the first storage tank 53 in which the organic solvent is stored.
And a second storage tank 54 in which the organic solvent used for cleaning once (or twice) is stored. The organic solvent stored in the first storage tank 53 is unused, and the unused organic solvent is replenished from the replenishment tank 55 via the pipe 55a. The first storage tank 53 is connected to the solvent supply pipeline 52 via a pipeline 53a in which a ball valve 53b is provided in the middle, and similarly the second storage tank 54 also has a ball. The valve 54c is connected to the solvent supply pipeline 52 via a pipeline 54a provided in the middle. The first three-way valve 56 and the second three-way valve 5 are provided on the other end side of the return conduit 51 connected to the solvent supply conduit 52.
7 is provided, and the first three-way valve 56 is connected to a supply pipeline 54b for supplying the used organic solvent sent from the return pipeline 51 into the second storage tank 54. ing. Further, the second three-way valve 57 is filled with the used organic solvent sent from the return pipe line 51 and is not supplied to the second storage tank 54 (cannot be used for cleaning). It is connected to a supply pipeline 58a connected to a third storage tank 58 for disposal.
A cleaning pump 60 for sending a used organic solvent or a new organic solvent in the direction of each of the paint supply pipes 10a ... 17a is provided in the middle of the solvent supply pipe 52. Has been. The solvent supply line 52
17a is the base end side of each paint supply pipeline 10a ... 17a (first to third drum cans 10 ... 12 side or first to fifth paint pressure tanks 13 ... 17 side). ) Provided to the first to eighth automatic valves 52a ... 52h.

Therefore, in the paint blending apparatus 1, the cleaning organic solvent which has been stored in the second storage tank 54 and has been used (once or twice) is driven by the cleaning pump 60. After passing through the solvent supply pipeline 52 and flowing into the respective paint supply pipelines 10a ...
It is discharged into the mixing container 25. Then, the used organic solvent discharged into the preparation container 25 is
5 from the inside into the return conduit 51, through the second three-way valve 57 into the supply conduit 58a, and then into the third storage tank 58 which is a tank for disposal, This completes the first washing. In addition, the used organic solvent is returned to the solvent supply pipe 52 from the inside of the return pipe 51.
The solvent supply pipeline 52, the paint supply pipelines 10a ... 17a, the mixing container 25 and the return pipeline 51 for a predetermined time.
Can also be circulated. When the first cleaning is completed, next, the first storage tank 53 is
The unused organic solvent stored therein is driven by the cleaning pump 60 to pass through the solvent supply pipeline 52 and flow into the respective paint supply pipelines 10a ... 17a. And
The used organic solvent discharged from each of the paint supply pipelines 10a ... 17a and flowing into the return pipeline 51 via the blending container 25 passes through the first three-way valve 56 to the second organic solvent. It is made to flow into the storage tank 54.

Next, the drive control section 5 for supplying a specific amount of the specific coating material from the coating material supply section 2 to the coating material mixing section 3 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the drive control unit 5 has a central processing unit 19 as a main component, and the central processing unit 19 has a RAM and an R (not shown) inside.
It has an OM, a timer, etc., and is connected to the operation control panel 61 as shown in FIG. The operation control panel 61 has the flow rate control valves 10c ...
7c, first automatic valve 35 (each paint supply pipeline 10a ...
17a) automatic valve provided in the middle of the tip side of 17a), second automatic valve 36 (automatic valve provided in the middle of the tip side of each paint supply pipe 10a ... 17a), third automatic valve 41 (3rd automatic valve provided in the middle part of the branch pipes connected to the tip side of each paint supply pipe 10a ... 17a) and the like, and drives this paint preparation device 1. Switch for driving the agitator, a switch for driving an agitator described later, and each paint supply pipeline 10a.
A switch and the like for starting the cleaning of 17a are provided. The central processing unit 19 connected to the operation control panel 61 is also connected to the measuring device 50 and the liquid level detection sensor 47. Next to the central processing unit 19, the above-mentioned nitrogen gas cylinder 46 is arranged, and this nitrogen gas cylinder 46 is connected to the air supply pipeline 18 and to the nitrogen gas supply pipeline 45. Is also connected. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the nitrogen gas filled in the nitrogen gas cylinder 46 passes through the manual valve 46 a and the automatic valve 46 b connected to the central processing unit 19 and then the nitrogen gas supply pipe 45. Air supply line 18
The air compressor 20 is installed in the first to third drum cans 10 ... 12 and the first to fifth paint pressure tanks 13 ... 17 described above. The compressed air is mixed with nitrogen gas and supplied. In addition, the compressed air from the air compressor 20 is supplied to the air supply line 18
An automatic valve 20c connected to the central processing unit 19 is provided in the middle of the conduit 20b for flowing into the inside, and the flow rate of compressed air (that is, the discharge amount of paint) is controlled by the central processing unit 19. It is configured to be.

The operation of the above-described paint blending apparatus 1, that is, the operation for blending a specific paint will be described in detail below. First, a plurality of paints as materials necessary for blending paints to be manufactured (paints as final products) are selected, and drums and pressure tanks filled with the selected paints (including organic solvent). Set. For example, a first drum 1 filled with an organic solvent
0 and second and third drums 11 filled with paint,
12 and the first to fourth pressure tanks 13 ... 16 filled with different paints from the second and third drums 11 and 12 are set. In addition,
In this work, the first to fourth pressure tanks 1
3 ... 16, the lower end of the paint supply pipelines 13a ... 16a is located at the bottom in one of the two openings formed in each pressure tank (reference numeral is omitted). To the other side, and the air press-fitting conduit 1 at the other opening.
Insert the tip of 3b ... 16b slightly. On the other hand, when the first to third drums 10 ... 12 are set, in the blending device 1 of the present embodiment, since the reversing device 21 is a constituent element as described above, With the gripping members 21b and 21c of the same being opened, the reversing device 21 is lowered by driving an elevating device (not shown), and the tip of the paint supply conduit 10a and the air press-fitting conduit 1
The tip of 0b is inserted into the inside from the two openings formed in the top plate of the drums 10 ... 12 respectively, and then the left and right gripping members 21b and 21c are driven to grip the drums 10 ... 12. Each drum can 10 ... 12
Is slightly raised while being gripped, and then is turned upside down as shown on the right side in FIG.

Then, in the steps described above, each drum 10
... 12 and pressurized tanks 13 ... 16 are set, the mixing operation is automatically performed by operating a switch (not shown) provided on the operation control panel 61. First, according to the data previously input to the central processing unit (CPU) 19, the first to third drums 10 ...
12 and first to fourth pressure tanks 13 ... 16
Is applied (pressurized). Such pressurization applies to the automatic valve 20 connected to the central processing unit (CPU) 19.
The compressed air from the compressor 20 shown in FIG. 3 flows into the air supply conduit 18 from the conduit 20b after the dryer 20a is dried.
Each air press-fitting pipeline 10b ... 12b, 13b ... 1
It is discharged from the tip of 6b. In addition, in the blending apparatus 1, the air supply pipe 18 is configured to flow into the air supply pipe 18 via the automatic valve 46b as described above. Nitrogen gas in the nitrogen gas cylinder 46 is also introduced from the tips of the press-fitting conduits 10b ... 12b, 13b ... 16b.
Then, as described above, the first to third drums 10
.... 12 and first to fourth pressure tanks 13 ... 1
When 6 is pressurized, the first to seventh automatic valves 52a ...
・ 52g was opened, and as a result, the drum can 10 ...
12 and the pressure tanks 13 ... 16 are filled with the organic solvent and the paint.
a, 13a ... 16a, and each of the receiver tanks 10f ... 12f, 13f ...
・ It flows into 16f and is deaerated. In addition, in parallel with such a process, a blending container 25 in which each paint or organic solvent is blended
Is set on the weighing device 50 by an operator. Whether or not it has been set at the proper position is detected by a sensor (not shown), and if it has not been set at the proper position, it is set again by the operator. Further, when the blending container 25 is set at an appropriate position in this way, it is confirmed whether or not an organic solvent or a residual liquid of paint remains in the set blending container 25. This confirmation work is performed by subtracting the measured value of the mixing container 25 from the measured value measured by the measuring device 50 on which the mixing container 25 is placed by the central processing unit (CPU) 19.
Then, paint (or an organic solvent, etc.) is placed in the mixing container 25.
If there is left, the operator replaces the compounding container 25 with another compounding container 25 and sets it again. Further, it is confirmed whether or not the ball valve 51a provided in the middle of the return pipe line 51 fixed to the bottom of the blending device 25 is closed.

When the confirmation work or confirmation fixation is completed, the tip ends (nozzles) of the respective paint supply pipes 10a ... 17a are fixed via the liquid level detection sensor 47 (or visually by the operator). The existing nozzle support plate 33 is lowered to a predetermined position. The lowering of the nozzle support plate 33 is performed by driving the servo motor 28, and by driving the servo motor 28, the lifting plate 29,
Together with the support members 34, 34, the guide shafts 32, 32
It will be done while being guided by. Then, when each nozzle descends to a predetermined position, it is confirmed again by the liquid level detection sensor 47 that there is no paint or organic solvent in the preparation container 25, and it is confirmed that the preparation container 25 is empty. Then, the weighing device 50 again confirms whether or not the inside of the mixing container 25 is empty. The liquid level detection sensor 47
If it is confirmed that the liquid is contained by the operator, the liquid is drained by the operator. When it is confirmed by these steps that no liquid is contained in the preparation container 25,
Next, the driving of the compressor 20 is started and the second automatic valve 36 is opened. The second automatic valve 36 is shown in FIG. 6 showing the tip side of the third paint supply conduit 12a, but each paint supply conduit 13a constituting the paint mixing apparatus 1 of the present invention. ... 17
All of them are provided at the tip of a, and in the case of this example, the first to third paint supply pipelines 10a ... 12
a and the respective second automatic valves 36 provided on the tip side of the first to fourth paint supply pipelines 16a are opened.

When each of these second automatic valves 36 is opened, the first automatic valve 35 is then opened, and each of the air pressurizing conduits 10b ... 12b, 13b ... 16b.
Each flow rate control valve 10c ... 12 provided in the middle part of
c, 13c ... 16c are opened. By these steps, each paint supply pipeline 10a ... 12a, 13a ...
An organic solvent or paint is discharged from the tip (nozzle) of 16a. Then, when the paint or the like is discharged in this way,
The amount of paint is measured every moment by the measuring device,
The liquid level detection sensor 47 detects the liquid level position. When the liquid level is detected by the liquid level detection sensor 47 and the liquid level gradually rises, the servo motor 28 is driven accordingly and the nozzles are gradually raised. by this,
The tip of each nozzle and the liquid surface are always at a constant distance. On the other hand, the amount of the paint that increases every moment is measured by the measuring device 50, and when the paint (including the organic solvent) reaches 90% of the predetermined amount, the first automatic valves 35 described above are closed to reduce the flow rate to 1
/ 3. When the driving of the first automatic valve 35 is started, the driving of the vacuum pump 44 is started. Then, when each coating material or the like is further discharged and the preset amount is reached, all the second automatic valves 36 are closed. When the second automatic valve 36 is closed, then, in this example, the first to sixth automatic valves 52a ... 52g are closed, and further the first automatic valve 35 is completely closed. At this time, with the closing of the first automatic valve 35, the third automatic valve 41 provided in the middle of each branch conduit 37 is opened, and the coating force is supplied by the driving force of the vacuum pump 43. The residual liquid in the nozzles provided at the tips of the pipelines 10a ... 12a, 13a ... 16a is recovered in the vacuum tank 40 via each branch pipeline 37. Therefore, the residual liquid remaining in each nozzle does not drip into the mixing container 25 from the tip of each nozzle. Then, the third automatic valve 41
Is closed again after a predetermined time has elapsed by a timer (not shown) provided in the central processing unit (CPU) 19 after opening.

Therefore, in this embodiment,
The paint (or organic solvent) filled in the first to third drums 10 ... 12 and the paint filled in the first to fourth pressure tanks 13 ... 16 have a predetermined size. The amount is accurately discharged into the mixing container 25 through the paint supply pipes 10a ... 16a. An operator confirms (inspects) whether or not the total amount of each paint and the organic solvent discharged into the mixing container 25 is appropriate. If there is no error in such an inspection, the process proceeds to the stirring process. If there is an error, the paint mixing apparatus 1 again performs a mixing operation, or an operator manually mixes a specific paint. To do. And like this,
As a result of being re-prepared and inspected by the present paint blending apparatus 1 or manually, if it is appropriate, the process shifts to a stirring step of stirring the blended paint at the same place. This stirring step is performed by a stirrer equipped with a stirring blade (not shown) connected to the central processing unit (CPU) 19, and is determined by the number of rotations determined in advance by the type of paint and also by a predetermined number. Stirring time The paint is stirred. When the number of rotations and the stirring time are determined, the stirrer is driven by an elevator drive device (not shown) to prepare the mixing container 2
The stirring blade is lowered so as to be immersed in 5, and when the work of stirring for a predetermined time at the verified rotation speed is completed, it is raised. Then, when it is inspected by the operator and confirmed to be proper, this stirring process is completed, and the process shifts to a subdivision process for separating into drum cans or one-tower cans. In addition,
When it is determined as a result of the inspection that the agitated paint is not appropriate, it is agitated by the agitator again.

Next, the step of cleaning the paint supply pipelines 10a ... 16a used in the above steps will be described. First, an operator sets the mixing container 25 for cleaning to an appropriate position as shown in FIG. In addition, whether or not it is set at an appropriate position is detected by a sensor (not shown), and when it is not set at an appropriate position,
It is set again by the operator. When it is set at an appropriate position, a cleaning switch (not shown) provided on the operation control panel 61 is operated to start it. By operating this switch, the above-mentioned first ones provided on the base end side of each paint supply pipeline 10a ...
To 52g are automatically driven, and the inside of the solvent supply pipe 52 and the paint supply pipes 10a.
..Communication with 16a. Then, when these first to sixth automatic valves 52a ... 52g are driven, they are then provided in the middle of the pipe 54a connecting the solvent supply pipe 52 and the second storage tank 54. The ball valve 54c is opened, and the first and second automatic valves 35 and 36 are driven to be fully opened. In this state,
The cleaning organic solvent still stored in the second storage tank 54 is not discharged from the tips (nozzles) of the paint supply pipelines 10a ... 16a. Then, when the first and second automatic valves 35 and 36 are driven as described above, the servo motor 28 is then driven to drive the lifting plate 29 and the support member 3.
The nozzle support plate 33 moves down to a predetermined position while being guided by the guide shafts 32 and 32 together with the guide shafts 4 and 34.
When the nozzle support plate 33 descends to a predetermined position, the cleaning pump 60 starts driving. By driving the cleaning pump 60, the used cleaning organic solvent stored in the second storage tank 54 is used as the solvent supply conduit 5.
2 to the first to sixth automatic valves 52a ... 52g
16a through each of the paint supply pipelines 10a ... 16a and discharged from the tip (nozzle) of the paint supply pipelines 10a ... 16a from the preparation container 25 to the return pipeline 51. Then, the solvent again flows into the solvent supply pipe line 52, and the organic solvent for cleaning is circulated. The interior of each paint supply pipe 10a ... 16a is cleaned by such circulation of the organic solvent.

Then, when the cleaning pump 60 is started to be driven for a predetermined time, the second three-way valve 57 is then driven.
Is released. By opening the second three-way valve 57, the used organic solvent from the return conduit 51 is supplied to the supply conduit 58a.
Third storage tank 5 for discarding organic solvent via
It flows into 8. When the discharge of the used organic solvent is completed, the driving of the cleaning pump 60 is stopped, and the ball valve 54c that has been open until then is closed.
Through these steps, all the used cleaning organic solvent stored in the second storage tank 54 flows into the third storage tank 58. Then, when the above-mentioned cleaning (first cleaning step) is completed, then the second cleaning step is started. In the second cleaning step, first, the ball valve 5 provided in the middle part of the pipe 53a connecting the first storage tank 53 and the solvent supply pipe 52 to each other.
Open 3b. Then, the cleaning pump 60 is driven again. The first storage tank 53 stores unused organic solvent, and the paint supply pipelines 10a ... 16a are cleaned with the new organic solvent by driving the cleaning pump 60. . Then, when a predetermined time elapses after the driving of the cleaning pump 60 is started,
Then, the first three-way valve 56 is opened. By opening the first three-way valve 56, the used organic solvent from the return conduit 51 is supplied into the second storage tank 54 via the supply conduit 54b. The organic solvent stored in the second storage tank 54 is used in the next cleaning work. The washing process is completed through the above steps. In addition, when preparing the paint next time, all the automatic valves and ball valves are returned to the initial state.

As described above, according to the paint blending apparatus 1 of the present embodiment described above, each paint supply pipeline 10a ...
The nozzle formed at the tip of 17a is a liquid level detection sensor 4
7 is raised corresponding to the rise of the liquid level of the coating material containing the organic solvent discharged into the preparation container 25 by 7, and the tip of the nozzle and the liquid level are always at a constant distance. It is possible to control the paint discharged from the device with extremely high accuracy. Therefore, it is possible to effectively prevent a situation in which the paint as the final product is different from the planned color due to an error in the discharge amount of the three primary colors of red, yellow, and blue, and the amount of paint such as white and black. In particular, the paint blending apparatus 1 adopts a configuration in which branch pipes 37 communicating with the tip ends of the respective nozzles are provided and the residual liquid in each nozzle is sucked into the vacuum tank 40 by driving the vacuum pump 43. Therefore, the risk of the residual liquid dripping into the preparation container 25 can be effectively prevented.

Further, in the paint blending apparatus 1, by driving the cleaning pump 60, each paint supply pipeline 10a ... 1
Since 7a is configured to be washed with an organic solvent, it is possible to effectively prevent the paint that is the last product from adversely affecting the paint that is the final product due to the paint that has adhered to the paint supply pipe that was used previously (the reference numeral is omitted). can do. In particular, in the paint blending apparatus 1, the first storage tank 53 in which unused organic solvent is stored and the second storage tank 54 in which used organic solvent used last time is stored are constituent elements. In the first cleaning process, the second storage tank 5
Since the organic solvent in 4 is used and the second cleaning step is performed by cleaning with the new organic solvent stored in the first storage tank 53, the paint supply pipeline (the reference numeral is omitted). It is possible to further prevent the paint adhered inside from adversely affecting the paint that is the final product.

In the above-described embodiment, as a container for preparing the paint as the final product, the individual paints as the raw materials are supplied to the respective paint supply pipes 10a ... Although the configuration for discharging via 17a has been described, the present invention is not necessarily limited to one container for preparation, and for example, as shown in FIG. It may be a component.

FIG. 7 shows the paint blending section 3 described in the above embodiment, which is constituted by other constituent elements. The paint mixing section 80 shown in FIG. 7 has one pressure tank added to the paint supply section 2 of the above-described embodiment, and a total of nine (first to ninth) paint supply pipelines 81a. ... 89a supplies paint (including an organic solvent) to the paint blending section 80. The paint blending section 80 includes a first blending container 90 and a second blending container 91. It is a component. 89b are provided in the middle of the coating material supply pipes 81a ... 89a, respectively, and nozzles (reference numeral is formed at the tip of the fourth coating material supply pipe 84a). 8) is exposed in the first mixing container 90, and the first to third coating material supply lines 81a ...
A nozzle formed at the tip of 3a (reference numeral is omitted).
Faces a second blending container 91 provided below the first blending container 90. That is, the paint mixing section 80 shown in FIG. 7 has the second mixing container 9 above the mixing container 25 that constitutes the paint mixing apparatus 1 according to the above-described embodiment.
0 is provided.

Above the second blending container 91, a horizontal plate 93 supported by the upper ends of the legs 92, 92 is provided above the second blending container 91, similarly to the paint blending apparatus 1 according to the above-mentioned embodiment. Servo motor 94 as an elevating and lowering device fixed to the substantially central upper surface of the elevating plate, an elevating plate 95 arranged below the horizontal plate 27, an elevating shaft 96 for supporting the elevating plate 95 at its lower end, and an elevating shaft 96. A rack gear (not shown) formed, a worm gear 97 fixed to a rotary shaft (reference numeral is omitted) of the servo motor 94, the lift plate 95.
Guide shafts 96, 96 provided on both left and right sides of the nozzle support plate, nozzle support plate 97 parallel to the elevating plate 95, support members 98, 98 for supporting the nozzle support plate 97, and fixed to the lower surface of the nozzle support plate 97. Liquid level detection sensor 9
8 etc. are provided. In the paint mixing section 80 shown in FIG. 7, the receiving table 10 is provided above the nozzle supporting plate 97.
0 is provided, a first weighing device 101 is arranged on the pedestal 100, and the first mixing container 90 is placed on the first weighing device 101. And
The first preparation container 90 is provided with a discharge conduit 102 for discharging the paint prepared in the first preparation container 90 into the second preparation container 91. The part is provided with an automatic valve 102a. The nozzle (reference numeral is omitted) formed at the tip of the discharge pipeline 102 has the same nozzle support plate 97 as the tips of the first to third paint supply pipelines 81a ... 83a. It is fixed to.

Therefore, in the paint mixing section 80, nozzles (reference numerals are omitted in advance formed in the first mixing container 90 at the tips of the fourth to ninth paint supply pipelines 84a ... 89a). ) Is mixed (primary mixing), and then the first to third paint supply pipes 81
a ... 83a and the respective ends of the discharge pipeline 102,
It is supplied to the mixing container 91. At this time, when the liquid level of the paint discharged from each of the paint supply lines 81a ... 83a and the discharge line 102 rises, the liquid level is detected by the liquid level detection sensor 98, and the liquid level rises. Accordingly, the first to ninth paint supply pipelines 8 including the first blending container 90 are included.
89a, the lifting plate 95, and the nozzle support plate 97 are integrally lifted. Further, the second blending container 91 is placed on the second weighing device 110 as in the above-described embodiment, and the hood 111 is provided above the second blending container 91. In addition, a stirring device (not shown) that is driven up and down is provided. It should be noted that, on the tip side of the first to ninth paint supply pipelines 81a ... 89a, the first to eighth paint supply pipelines 10a, ... Constituting the paint blending apparatus 1 according to the above-mentioned embodiment. In the same manner as the configuration of the tip side of 17a (see FIG. 6 showing the configuration of the tip side plate reinforcement of the third paint supply pipeline 12), each is connected to a vacuum tank 113 provided with a vacuum pump 112 and , A nozzle provided at the tip of each paint supply pipeline 81a ... 89a is provided with a branch pipeline (reference numeral is omitted) in which an automatic valve (reference numeral is omitted) is arranged in the middle part. (The reference numeral is omitted.) It is configured to suck the residual liquid inside.

According to the paint blending apparatus having the paint blending section 80 having the above-mentioned configuration as a component, the second blending container 91
Since a predetermined coating material is prepared in the first preparation container 90 prior to the step of preparing in step 1, the supply amount of the coating material as a raw material that greatly affects the color tone due to a slight error can be more accurately adjusted. It becomes possible to mix.

[0034]

As is apparent from the description of the paint mixing apparatus according to the above-described embodiment, the paint mixing apparatus according to the first invention (the invention according to claim 1) fills the inside of the container. Since the liquid level of the paint is detected by the liquid level detection sensor and the supporting member is raised by the lifting drive device,
The distance between the liquid surface in the container and the tip of the nozzle is always the same, and as a result, it is possible to control the amount of paint filled from each nozzle with extremely high accuracy.

The second invention (the invention according to claim 2)
According to the above, a branch pipe connected to a vacuum pump is formed on the tip side of each nozzle supported by the support member, and the vacuum is formed immediately before or after the discharge of the paint from each nozzle is completed. Since the residual liquid is recovered from the tip side of the nozzle by driving the pump through the branch pipe,
It is possible to effectively prevent the residual liquid remaining in the nozzle from dripping into the container, and it is possible to make the color tone of the paint used as a product more elaborate.

The third invention (the invention according to claim 3)
According to this, the first container and the second container are used as constituent elements, and the paint prepared in the first container is filled in the second container. Since each second container is provided with a measuring device, it is possible to prepare a paint in the first container that has a great influence on the color tone by a small amount of the paint as a raw material. The color tone of the paint used as a product can be made more precise.

The fourth invention (the invention according to claim 4)
According to this, a branch pipe connected to a vacuum pump is formed at the tip end side of the plurality of nozzles for filling the paint in the first container, and the discharge of the paint from each nozzle is completed or immediately before the end. In addition, since the residual liquid is recovered from the tip side of the nozzle through the branch pipe by driving the vacuum pump, the color tone of the paint to be the product is more elaborate as in the second invention. Can be

The fifth invention (the invention according to claim 5)
According to the above, since the cleaning device employs a configuration in which the solvent circulates through a large number of paint supply pipes, blending containers, and washing pipes, the paint used this time is adversely affected by the paint used last time. Can be effectively prevented.

The sixth invention (the invention according to claim 6)
According to the method, after the used solvent stored in the first solvent storage tank is used for cleaning, the unused solvent stored in the second solvent storage tank is used for cleaning. Not only can it be reliably washed, but the solvent to be washed can be effectively used without waste. That is, according to the present invention described above, since the paint can be prepared extremely automatically and with high accuracy, the operator is not only free from manual work, but also in a work environment where a large amount of solvent is used. Eliminates the need to work in Therefore, according to these inventions, the cost of the product can be reduced and the work environment of the workplace can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram schematically showing an overall configuration of a paint blending apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram schematically showing a configuration of a paint supply unit shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram schematically showing a cleaning unit and a drive control unit shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram schematically showing the paint mixing section shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram schematically showing a state before being inverted and a state after being inverted by a drum inverting device.

6 is a view showing a third of the paint supply pipes shown in FIG.
It is a schematic diagram which shows the structure by the side of the front end of the paint supply pipeline.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view schematically showing another example of the paint mixing section shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 paint mixing equipment 2 Paint supply section 3 Paint Preparation Department 4 Cleaning section 5 Drive controller 10 ... 12 First to third drums 13 ... 17 First to fifth pressurized tanks 10a ... 17a Paint supply pipeline 25 compounding container 28 Servo motor 33 Nozzle support plate 47 Liquid level detection sensor 50 weighing device

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A compounding container filled with a plurality of paints,
A weighing device for measuring the weight of the preparation container, a plurality of nozzles for filling the preparation container with paint, and a support member for supporting the plurality of nozzles are provided. And a drive device for raising the support member in response to the rise of the liquid level of the paint filled from the plurality of nozzles, the liquid level detecting sensor for detecting the liquid level position of the paint filled in A paint blending device comprising: 2. A branch pipe connected to a vacuum pump is formed on the tip side of each nozzle supported by the support member, and at the same time as or immediately after closing of a valve provided in each nozzle, The paint preparation device according to claim 1, wherein residual liquid is recovered from the tip end side of the nozzle through the branch pipe by driving the vacuum pump. 3. A first blending container filled with the coating material, a plurality of nozzles for filling the coating material into the first blending container, and a first weighing device for measuring the weight of the first blending container. A second compounding container filled with the coating material; a second weighing device for measuring the weight of the second compounding container; a plurality of nozzles for filling the second compounding container with the coating material; A nozzle for filling the second mixing container with the paint from the first mixing container, a nozzle for filling the second mixing container with the paint, the first mixing container, and the second mixing container to the second mixing container. A support member for supporting a nozzle for filling the inside of the preparation container with the coating material, and a liquid level detection device for detecting the liquid surface position of the coating material filled in the second preparation container. In addition to having a sensor, the liquid level of the paint filled from the above multiple nozzles A paint blending device comprising a lifting drive device that lifts the support member in response to a rise. 4. A branch pipe connected to a vacuum pump is formed at the tip end side of a plurality of nozzles for filling the paint in the first mixing container, and the discharge of the paint from each nozzle is completed or The paint preparation device according to claim 3, wherein the residual liquid is recovered from the tip end side of the nozzle via the branch pipe by driving the vacuum pump immediately before the end. 5. A large number of paint supply pipes each having one end connected to a container filled with paint and another nozzle provided at the other end, and the other end of each of the large number of paint supply pipes. A support member for supporting the nozzle provided, a preparation container provided below the nozzle support member and filled with the paint discharged from each nozzle, and a liquid of the paint filled in the preparation container. A liquid level detection sensor for detecting the surface, a weighing device for weighing the weight of the paint in the container, and a lifting drive for raising the support member in response to the rise of the liquid level of the paint filled from the plurality of nozzles. An apparatus, a branch pipe which is connected to the tip side of the nozzle, which is all or a part of each nozzle, a vacuum pump which is connected to each of the branch pipes, and one end of which is a container of the paint supply pipeline. Touching side A cleaning pipe in which the solvent flows into the interior, and a cleaning device which is connected to the other end of the cleaning pipe and is connected to the blending container through the discharge pipe to circulate the solvent. A paint blending device comprising: 6. The cleaning device comprises: a first solvent storage tank for storing a used solvent for cleaning the paint supply pipe, the nozzle, and the mixing container; and a second solvent storage tank for storing an unused solvent. After cleaning the paint supply pipeline, the nozzle and the preparation container with the used solvent, the paint supply pipeline, the nozzle and the preparation container are washed again with the unused solvent. The paint blending device according to claim 5, wherein the used solvent used for cleaning is stored in the first solvent storage tank.