JP2001029851A - Color changing device and valve unit constituting the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily exchange a color changing valve without stopping a coating material forcibly feeding pump mounted at a separated place and making the surroundings dirty. SOLUTION: A shut-off valve 12 for shutting off a flow passage 10S is formed in a coating material feed passage 10S from a coating material port 9S for connecting a coating material feed hose 8S toward a valve chamber 7 fitted with the color changing valve 3 through a manifold block. Because the coating material feed flow passage 10S is shut-off by closing the shut-off valve 12, the color changing valve 3 is exchanged while the coating material forcibly feeding pump is operated, and at this time, the coating material is prevented from being vigorously jetted to the inside of the valve chamber 7.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a color changing device for selectively supplying each color paint supplied from each color paint supply source to a coating machine or the like, and a valve unit constituting the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a color changing device, a required number of air operated type color changing valves for supplying each color paint are mounted on a manifold having a paint outlet channel formed in the center. The paint of the color is supplied to a coating machine or the like connected to the paint outflow passage when the paint is opened.

[0003] However, if the communication path from the paint outlet of the color changing valve to the paint outflow path is long, the paint tends to remain in the communication path when performing color change, making color change cleaning difficult.

Further, a paint supply hose or an operating air supply hose is connected to the color changing valve, and a paint recirculation hose is further connected when the paint is circulated and supplied.
When replacing the valve, remove all these hoses,
It was troublesome to reconnect to the newly installed color change valve.

Further, when the number of colors is increased and a color change valve is added, the manifold must be replaced.
Even when the number of colors decreases, the manifold must be replaced with a manifold corresponding to the number of valves to prevent paint from remaining in the communication path to the color change valve branched from the manifold.
There was a trouble that the equipment cost increased. Furthermore, when the manifold is replaced, all the color change valves must be remounted, which increases the operating cost.

[0006] In order to improve the color changing device and to improve the cleaning performance, the present applicant has formed a paint outflow passage formed in the manifold with Teflon resin (Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 4-5).
254) Alternatively, the valve seat of the color change valve is formed integrally with the valve connection port opened to the paint outflow passage of the manifold, and the flow path from the valve outlet to the paint outflow passage is formed short (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 6 (1994) -207).
-277575, JP-A-7-39975, JP-A-8-2
66970).

Further, in order to facilitate replacement of the color changing valve, a paint supply hose conventionally connected to the color changing valve,
It has been proposed that a paint recirculation hose and an air supply hose are connected to a manifold so that only the color change valve can be replaced while these hoses are connected to the manifold (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. Hei 6-277575 and Hei 8-266970). ,
JP-A-9-94496, JP-A-9-94497, JP-A-9-94498 and JP-A-9-248499.

Furthermore, when the number of colors increases or decreases, the color change valve can be increased or decreased without replacing the manifold.
There have been proposed color changing devices (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 9-308849 and 10-399) in which manifold blocks each having two color changing valves mounted thereon are connected in accordance with the number of colors to form a manifold.

[0009]

By the way, in a color changing device in which a paint supply hose, a paint recirculation hose, and an air supply hose are connected to a manifold, each hose is detached when the color change valve is replaced. Although there is no trouble at all, once the color change valve is removed, the paint supply pump installed at a position distant from the color change device is once set so that the paint does not blow out vigorously and stain the surroundings. I had to stop it.

[0010] However, when the pressure feed pump is stopped, the paint supply system is branched into a plurality of parts and connected to the respective color changing devices, so that one color changing valve of one color changing device is replaced. The paint of the color is no longer supplied to the other color change devices, the valve replacement is completed, and the pumping pump installed at a remote position is started again to supply the paint steadily until the paint is steadily supplied. Has to be stopped, and it takes a long time to restart the coating.

Further, even if the supply of each color paint is stopped, in a paint supply system in which the paint is unilaterally supplied from each color paint supply source to the color changing valve, the high-pressure paint is trapped in the paint supply hose. As soon as the color change valve is removed, the paint gushes out vigorously, causing a problem that the surrounding area is soiled.

Further, in a paint supply system for circulating a metallic paint or the like containing a paint component which tends to settle, the paint component sinks as the pumping pump is stopped for a longer time. May cause color unevenness.

[0013] Accordingly, the present invention provides a method for stopping a pressure feed pump for supplying paint, which is installed at a position distant from the color changing device,
A technical problem is to make it possible to easily replace a valve without polluting the surroundings.

[0014]

In order to solve this problem, the present invention provides a valve unit in which two air operated type color change valves are mounted on a manifold block connectable in the front-rear direction according to the number of colors. In the required number of connected color changing devices, paint outflow passages are formed to penetrate in the front-rear direction of the manifold blocks constituting each valve unit, and the paint outflow passages are opened on both left and right sides of the paint outflow passage. A valve chamber having a valve port formed therein is formed, a color changing valve for opening and closing the valve port is mounted in the valve chamber, and a paint supply hose and an operating air supply hose are connected to an upper surface of the manifold block. A port and an air supply port are formed, and a shutoff valve for shutting off the flow path from the paint supply port to the paint supply passage from the paint supply passage through the manifold block to the valve chamber. Wherein the blanking is formed.

According to the present invention, the paint is supplied from the paint supply source to the valve chamber through the paint supply hose and the paint supply passage formed in the manifold. When the valve port is opened, the paint passes through the paint outflow passage and is supplied to a coating machine or the like connected thereto.

Next, when the color changing valve is replaced, when the shutoff valve is closed, the paint supply flow path from the paint supply port to the valve chamber is shut off. Here, even if the color change valve is removed, the paint supply flow path is blocked, so that the paint supply source can be maintained even if the paint supply pump or the like installed at a position remote from the color change device is operated. Does not supply paint into the valve chamber, so that the paint does not blow out vigorously.

Therefore, the color change valve can be replaced by merely closing the shut-off valve without stopping the pressure feed pump, so that the replacement can be performed in a short time and easily.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a valve unit of the color changing device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the color changing device according to the present invention.

In the color changing device 1 of this embodiment, a required number of valve units 4 each having two air operated type color changing valves 3, 3 mounted on a manifold block 2 which can be connected in the front-rear direction, according to the number of colors. It has been formed. The manifold block 2 of each valve unit 4 is formed with a paint outflow passage 5 penetrating in the front-rear direction, and on both left and right sides of the paint outflow passage 5, valve openings 6 opening to the paint outflow passage 5.
Is formed, and the color change valve 3 is mounted in the valve room 7, and the valve port 6 is opened and closed by the color change valve 3.

On the upper surface of the manifold block 2, a paint supply hose 8S for supplying paint from each color paint supply source (not shown) and a paint return hose 8R for returning paint to each color paint supply source (not shown) are provided. A paint supply port 9S, a paint recirculation port 9R, and an air supply port 9A for connecting an air supply hose 8A for supplying operation air for opening and closing the color changing valve 3 are formed.

The manifold block 2 includes a paint supply passage 10S extending from the paint supply port 9S to the valve chamber 7, a paint return passage 10R branched from the paint supply passage 10S and reaching the paint return port 9R, and an air supply passage. An air flow path 10A is formed from the supply port 9A to a pneumatic actuator 15 of the color changing valve 3 described later.

The paint supply passage 10S is provided with a needle 12 by tightening an operation screw 11, for example.
shut off valve 1 for advancing a to shut off the flow path 10S
2 are formed.

In this embodiment, the shut-off valve 12 is formed upstream of the branch point between the paint supply passage 10S and the paint recirculation passage 10R.
Since it is only necessary to be able to block the paint flowing into the paint supply passage 10S, the paint may be located downstream of the branch point if it is formed in the paint supply flow path 10S.

The color changing valve 3 includes a valve body 13 which is moved forward and backward with respect to the valve port 6, a spring 14 for urging the valve element 13 against the valve port 6, and an air supply hose 8A. The supplied operating air is caused to flow in from the air inflow / outlet 15a, and the valve body 1 is pressed against the resilience of the spring 14.
3 is provided with a pneumatic actuator 15 for retracting.

The valve unit 4a located at the rear end of the color changing device 1 has the paint supply ports 9S, 9S connected to the cleaning air supply hose 16A and the cleaning liquid supply hose 16B. Although the cleaning liquid is supplied, the cleaning air and the cleaning liquid do not need to be circulated. Therefore, unlike the other valve units 4, the paint return flow path 10R and the paint return ports 9R, 9R are not formed. .

Reference numerals 17F, 17R denote holding plates for holding the valve unit 4 in a connected state from the front and rear, and a front end holding plate 17F has a coating hose for supplying coating material to the coating machine T. The connection port 19 of 18 is formed so as to communicate with the paint outflow passage 5, and the pressing plate 17 </ b> R on the rear end side is formed so as to close the rear end opening of the paint outflow passage 5. Then, a fastening bolt 21 is passed through a bolt hole 20 formed in each valve unit 4, and this is fixed with a nut 22.

The above is an example of the present invention. Next, the operation thereof will be described. For example, when performing color change painting using 10 colors of paints, six valve units 4 are connected, and the color change device 1 is assembled by sandwiching the pressing units 17F, 17R from both front and rear sides thereof.

Then, the five valve units 4 on the front end side
The paint supply hose 8S, the paint return hose 8R, and the air supply hose 8A are connected to the paint supply port 9S, the paint return port 9R, and the air supply port 9A, respectively, and the left and right paint supplies of the rear valve unit 4a. A cleaning air supply hose 16A and a cleaning liquid supply hose 16B are connected to each of the ports 9S, and an air supply hose 8A is connected to the air supply port 9A.

Each port 9S, 9R, 9A is formed on the upper surface of the manifold block 2, so that each hose 8
S, 8R, 8A, 16A, and 16B can be connected from above the manifold block 2, and the connection work can be performed extremely easily. Even if the color changing device 1 is installed in a narrow place where space is not left and right, the hoses 8S, 8R, 8A, 16A and 16B are connected from above, so that they do not protrude to the side and are completely obstructive. Never be.

Next, after confirming that each shut-off valve 12 is open, each color paint is circulated and supplied from each color paint supply source (not shown), and the paint passes through the paint supply hoses 8S. 2 is supplied to the valve chamber 7 through the paint supply flow path 10S formed in the second.

Then, while the valve port 6 is closed by the color changing valve 3, the paint is returned from the paint return passage 10R to the paint supply source through the paint return hose 8R. Here, when operating air for valve operation is supplied to an arbitrary color changing valve 3 via the air supply hose 8A, the valve body 13 is retracted by the pneumatic actuator 15 against the resilience of the spring 14, and the valve port is opened. 6 is opened, the paint of that color passes through the paint outlet channel 5 and is supplied to the coating machine T via the paint hose 18.

Next, when performing the color change cleaning, the color change valve 3 that has supplied the paint is closed, and at the same time, the operating air is supplied to each of the color change valves 3 and 3 of the valve unit 4a at the rear end. When the opening and closing are alternately performed, the cleaning air and the cleaning liquid are alternately supplied to the paint outflow passage 5, so that the paint remaining from the paint outflow passage 5 to the coating machine T is washed and removed.

When the color changing valve 3 is replaced,
The operation screw 1 of the shutoff valve 12 formed in the paint supply flow path 10S for supplying the paint to the color changing valve 3 to be replaced.
1, the needle 12a is advanced, and the paint supply flow path 10S is shut off.

As a result, the supply pressure does not act on the paint in the valve chamber 7, so that the pumps for supplying the respective paints, which are installed at positions remote from the color changing device, are operated.
Even if the color changing valve 3 is removed, the paint does not blow out vigorously. Further, by simply tightening the operation screw 11 of the shut-off valve 12, the color change valve 3 can be immediately removed and replaced with a new color change valve 3.
By merely loosening the operation screw 11 and retracting the needle 12a, the paint supply flow path 10S becomes conductive, so that painting can be resumed.

As described above, the operation of replacing the color changing valve 3 can be performed in a short time and simply by operating the shut-off valve 12 attached to the color changing device 1 without stopping the pressure feed pump for supplying the paint. It can be performed.

When supplying a paint in which the paint component is unlikely to settle, the paint is not limited to the above-described case where the paint is circulated and supplied, but the paint return port 9R is plugged (not shown).
The paint return port 9R and the valve chamber 7 as in the valve unit 4a for closing and supplying the cleaning air and the cleaning liquid.
May be unidirectionally supplied by using a material that does not have the paint recirculation flow path 10R that allows the fluid to flow. Further, as a valve unit for supplying the cleaning air and the cleaning liquid, a valve unit in which the paint recirculation port 9R is closed with a plug (not shown) may be used.

Further, the color changing valve 3 is only required to be mounted in the valve chamber 7 and to be able to advance and retreat the valve element 13 for opening and closing the valve port 6, so that the paint supply system may be of a circulation type or not. The advantage is that the same type can be used.

[0038]

As described above, according to the present invention, the shutoff valve is formed in the paint supply passage from the paint supply port to the valve chamber, and the paint supply passage is shut off by closing the shutoff valve. Since the supply pressure of the paint does not work in the valve chamber, the pressure pump installed at a position distant from the color changing device must be stopped and started after the valve replacement work. The color change valve can be replaced, and since the paint does not blow out vigorously when the color change valve is removed, the area around the color change device is not stained and the valve replacement work can be performed easily. It has a very excellent effect of being able to produce

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a valve unit constituting a color changing device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a color changing device according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Color change device 2 ... Manifold block 3 ... Color change valve 4 ... Valve unit 5 ... Paint outflow path 6 ... Valve port 7 ... Valve chamber 8S ... Paint supply Hose 8R ... Paint return hose 8A ... Air supply hose 9S ... Paint supply port 9R ... Paint return port 9A ... Air supply port 10S ... Paint supply flow path 10R ... Paint return flow path 10A ... Air flow Road 12: shut-off valve

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Yasuo Ito 1-9-9 Kakimotocho, Toyota-shi, Aichi Prefecture F-term in Trinity Industry Co., Ltd. (reference) 3H051 BB03 CC01 FF15 3H067 AA33 BB08 BB14 CC35 DD32 DD33 EC01 FF01 GG19 GG21 4F035 AA03 BA12 BC06

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A color changer in which a required number of valve units (4) in which two air operated type color change valves (3) are mounted on a manifold block (2) that can be connected in the front-rear direction are connected according to the number of colors. In the device, a paint outflow passage (5) is formed to penetrate in the front-rear direction of the manifold block (2) constituting each valve unit (4), and on both left and right sides of the paint outflow passage (5), A valve chamber (7) having a valve opening (6) opened in the paint outlet channel (5) is formed, and a color changing valve (3) for opening and closing the valve opening (6) is provided in the valve chamber (7). The paint supply port (9S) and the air supply port (9A) for connecting the paint supply hose (8S) and the operated air supply hose (8A) are formed on the upper surface of the manifold block (2). (9S) from manifold block (2)
A color changing device characterized in that a cutoff valve (12) for shutting off the flow passage (10S) is formed in a paint supply flow passage (10S) passing through the inside and reaching a valve chamber (7). 2. A valve unit in which two air operated type color change valves (3) are mounted on a manifold block (2) that can be connected in the front-back direction. 5) is formed to penetrate, and a valve chamber (7) having a valve port (6) opened to the paint outflow passage (5) is formed on both left and right sides of the paint outflow passage (5). A color changing valve (3) for opening and closing the valve port (6) is attached to the valve chamber (7). A paint supply hose (8S) and an operating air supply hose (8A) are provided on the upper surface of the manifold block (2). ) To form a paint supply port (9S) and an air supply port (9A). From the paint supply port (9S) to the manifold block (2)
A valve unit characterized in that a paint supply flow path (10S) passing through the inside to a valve chamber (7) is provided with a shutoff valve (12) for shutting off the flow path (10S). 3. A paint return port (9R) for connecting a paint return hose (8R) is formed on the upper surface of the manifold block (2), and the valve chamber (7) is connected to the paint return port (9R). 3. The valve unit according to claim 2, wherein the valve unit is connected to the valve unit.