JP2001226134A - Rim cutting device for glass crucible - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device for mechanically cutting the rim of glass crucible with stability and high accuracy. SOLUTION: This rim cutting device is featured in that the device is provided with a holding means of the crucible and a cutting means of the rim, the holding means is provided with a freely operable and closeable arm which holds the crucible and a rotatably vertial moving means. The cutting means is provided with a cutting blade and the moving means thereof. Furthermore, preferable, this rim cutting device is provided with a rim discharging mechanism separated from a centering mechanism of the crucible. A series of processes from the centering of the crucible to the cutting of the rim and discharging of the rim are continuously performed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for cutting a crucible opening edge (rim) smoothly and accurately in the manufacture of a glass crucible, particularly a quartz glass crucible used for pulling a silicon single crystal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Quartz glass crucibles for pulling a silicon single crystal are gradually increasing in size in order to increase the productivity of pulling. At present, this glass crucible is mainly manufactured by a rotary molding method, and is manufactured by uniformly depositing quartz powder on the inner surface of a rotating mold, and then heating and melting this to vitrify. In this manufacturing method, the edges of the opening of the crucible are likely to be irregular, so that the edge of the opening is cut to a fixed width after manufacture to finish the product, and this cutting is conventionally performed manually. However, with the increase in size of the crucible, the burden of rim cutting work has increased, and there has been a demand for mechanization thereof.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and provides an apparatus for mechanically and precisely cutting a rim of a glass crucible. Is also a suitable cutting device.

[0004]

A first rim cutting device of the present invention comprises a mechanism for holding and cutting a crucible. That is, the first invention is an apparatus for cutting an opening edge (rim) of a glass crucible, which has a crucible holding means and a rim cutting means, wherein the holding means is an openable and closable arm for gripping the crucible and the arm. Glass having rotating up and down moving means, said cutting means having a cutting blade and its moving means, and holding the crucible by the holding means and pressing the cutting blade while rotating to cut the rim. The present invention relates to a rim cutting device for a crucible. According to this device configuration, it is possible to stably cut the rim while mechanically holding the crucible.

The second rim cutting device of the present invention has a mechanism for controlling the posture of the crucible prior to cutting the rim, in addition to the crucible holding mechanism and the rim cutting mechanism. That is, the second invention has a centering mechanism of the crucible together with the holding means and the cutting means, and the centering mechanism includes a rotating table on which the crucible is placed, a tilting means and a moving means of the rotating table, and a crucible. A positioning means, a means for measuring the amount of eccentricity and inclination of the crucible is provided, and the turntable is inclined based on the amount of eccentricity and inclination of the crucible to control the posture of the crucible vertically. To a rim cutting device for a glass crucible, wherein the rim is cut while rotating the crucible by the holding means. According to this device configuration, the rim can be accurately cut by holding the center axis of the crucible vertically and guiding the process to the cutting process.

The third rim cutting device of the present invention has a mechanism for discharging the cut rim in addition to the crucible holding mechanism and the rim cutting mechanism. That is, the third invention has a mechanism for discharging the rim cut along with the holding means and the cutting means, the discharge mechanism includes a movable carrier, and the carrier includes a support roller for supporting the rim. A rim cutting device, wherein the rim is cut while being supported by a support roller while the crucible is rotated by the holding means, and the cut rim is discharged to the outside by moving a carrier. According to this device configuration, it is possible to obtain a smooth cut surface with good cutting accuracy without causing breakage of the cut surface. In addition, the cut rim can be easily discharged.

A fourth rim cutting device of the present invention has the centering mechanism and the discharging mechanism in addition to the crucible holding mechanism and the rim cutting mechanism. That is, the fourth invention has the above-mentioned discharging mechanism together with the above-mentioned centering mechanism together with the above-mentioned holding means and cutting means, and automatically performs a series of steps from centering of the crucible to cutting of the rim and discharging of the rim. A rim cut device having a control mechanism. According to this device configuration, each centering stage, cutting stage, and discharge stage are integrally formed by the centering mechanism, the rim cutting mechanism, and the discharging mechanism, and the turntable on which the crucible is placed is provided with the centering stage and the rim cutting stage. After reciprocating and vertically controlling the posture of the crucible in the centering stage, the turntable on which the crucible is placed moves from the centering stage to the cutting stage, and the arm of the holding means grips the crucible in the cutting stage. Then, the rim is cut while rotating, and then the unloading table is placed on the cut rim, moved from the cutting stage to the unloading stage, and the rim is discharged to the outside. And a series of steps leading to discharge are automatically performed continuously.

In the rim cutting device according to the present invention, preferably, the arm of the holding means is vertically and rotatably mounted on the frame via a stem, and the arm is divided into a plurality of pieces and surrounds the crucible. As described above, the base includes a base portion slidably mounted on a support plate at the lower end of the stem portion, and this sliding opens and closes the arm, and includes a device configuration for gripping the crucible downward. By holding the crucible downward, the rim can be easily cut and discharged.

In the rim cutting device of the present invention, preferably, the cutting means has a moving means for reciprocating and vertically moving the cutting blade with respect to the crucible, and the cutting blade is formed by a circular rotary blade. And a device configuration in which a conical grindstone for chamfering a cutting surface is provided coaxially with the cutting blade. By having means for arbitrarily adjusting the position of the cutting blade, the rim can be cut to an arbitrary width corresponding to crucibles of different sizes. In addition, since the conical grindstone for chamfering is provided integrally with the rotary blade, the cut surface can be chamfered after the rim is cut by using a common rotating means with the rotary blade.

Further, the rim cutting device according to the present invention includes:
Preferably, the alignment means of the centering mechanism, the device configuration is formed by a plurality of heads reciprocating toward the center of the turntable, and means for measuring the amount of eccentricity and inclination of the centering mechanism, It includes an apparatus configuration formed by means for measuring a distance from a reference position perpendicular to the crucible of the turntable to an upper surface of the crucible and a distance to a lower surface of the crucible. With such an apparatus configuration, the positioning of the crucible and the control of the center axis can be easily performed, and the cutting accuracy of the rim can be improved.

Further, the rim cutting device according to the present invention includes:
Preferably, a plurality of support rollers are erected at a position along the outer periphery of the rim of the crucible on the transfer table of the discharge mechanism,
This includes a device configuration in which the rim is sandwiched by the support rollers, and a device configuration in which a tilting means is provided on the transport table of the discharge mechanism, and the cut rim slides out to the outside due to the tilt of the transport table and is discharged. By cutting while holding the rim by the support roller provided along the outer periphery of the rim, it is possible to prevent inconvenience such as the rim being tilted and the cut portion being damaged when the cutting of the rim proceeds. Further, by providing the table moving means and the tilting means, the cut rim can be easily taken out and discharged.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings. In the illustrated example of the rim cutting device, a crucible centering mechanism 10, a rim cutting mechanism 30, and a discharge mechanism 50 are integrally formed.
FIG. 2 is a front view showing the entire configuration of the apparatus, FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof, and FIG. 3 is a side view thereof. FIGS. 4 and 5 show a centering mechanism, and FIGS. 6 and 7 show means for measuring the amount of eccentricity and inclination of the crucible. FIG. 8 schematically shows the cutting mechanism, and FIG.
And FIG. 10 show the unloading mechanism.

(A) Crucible Centering Mechanism (Apparatus) The crucible centering device 10 includes a rotating table 11 on which the crucible 1 is placed, a means 12 for tilting the rotating table 11, a positioning means 13 for the crucible, Means 14 for measuring the amount of eccentricity and inclination of the crucible, and means 2 for measuring the height of the crucible
2 The turntable 11 is arranged adjacent to the rim cutting mechanism (device) 30. As shown in FIG.
A plurality of grooves 15 are formed radially from the center of the turntable on the upper surface of the head, and a crucible positioning means 13 is formed by a head 16 provided in the grooves 15. The lower end of the head 16 is connected to a driving means 17 such as a telescopic rod or a motor provided on the lower side of the turntable 11, and the head 16 is moved forward and backward along the groove 15 by the driving means 17. The crucible 1 placed on the turntable 11 is
Accordingly, the rotary table 11 is pressed from the periphery toward the center of the turntable 11, and the position of the crucible 1 is adjusted.

As shown in FIG. 5, the turntable 11 is supported by a frame 18, and the turntable 11 and the frame 1 are supported.
8, a tilting means 12 is provided, and a gear 19 is provided.
The rotation means 20 is provided via the. Further, a driving means 21 for moving the rotary table 11 to the rim cutting device
Is provided.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, means 14 for measuring the amount of eccentricity and the amount of inclination of the crucible are provided on the side of the turntable 11 and are perpendicular to the crucible 1 of the turntable 11. It has means 14a for measuring the distance L1 from the reference position 14c to the upper surface of the crucible, and means 14b for measuring the distance L2 to the lower surface of the crucible. These measuring means 14a, 14b
Is formed by a telescopic rod that extends from the reference position so as to contact the crucible side surface. It is to be noted that a distance may be optically measured instead of such mechanical means. The inclination of the crucible is measured by the difference between the upper distance L1 and the lower distance L2, and the amount of eccentricity from the center of rotation is measured by the fluctuation of the distances L1 and L2 accompanying the rotation of the crucible. By inclining the turntable 11 so that the difference between the distances L1 and L2 becomes substantially zero, the central axis M of the crucible is controlled vertically. Further, the position of the crucible is adjusted by the positioning means 13 so that the fluctuation amount of the distances L1 and L2 becomes substantially zero, so that the center axis M of the crucible is adjusted.
Can be adjusted to the center of rotation.

A crucible centering stage is formed by the centering device 10, and the crucible 1 placed downward on the turntable 11 is pressed toward the center by the positioning means 13 in the centering stage. It is adjusted so that its central axis is located near the rotation center. Then, the rotation is performed, the amount of tilt and the amount of eccentricity are measured, and the turntable 11 is tilted according to the measured amounts, and the displacement is adjusted by the positioning means 13 so that the central axis of the crucible is perpendicular. Is done. The turntable 11 on which the crucible 1 whose posture is controlled in this manner is placed is moved by the driving means 21 to the rim cutting mechanism 30. At this time, the device 22 for measuring the height of the crucible is mounted on the upper part of the frame 34, and when the turntable 11 moves to the rim cutting mechanism, the crucible 1 passes below the measuring device 22, and The height of the crucible 1 is measured by a sound wave measuring unit or an optical measuring unit.

(B) Rim Cutting Mechanism (Apparatus) The rim cutting device 30 has a holding means 31 for the crucible 1 and a rim cutting means 40. The holding means 31 includes a stem 32
And an openable and closable arm 33 provided at the lower end thereof. The arm 33 is mounted on a frame 34 via the stem 32. The frame 34 extends upward and stands upright.
The stem portion 32
Is provided with means 38 for rotating the arm 31 and moving it up and down. Further, a plurality of the arms 33 are provided so as to surround the crucible 1 (three in the illustrated example), and the lower end thereof extends downward, and a cushion material 37 is provided so as not to damage the crucible 1. I have. On the other hand, the base 33a of the arm 33 is slidably mounted on a support plate 35 provided at the lower end of the stem. These arms 33 are connected to the stem 3
The crucible 1 is opened and closed by sliding in the radial direction of the crucible 1 via the second gear 36 to grip the crucible 1 downward.

The rim cutting means 40 is provided below the arm 33 and has a cutting blade 41. The cutting blade 41 is formed by a circular rotary blade, and is axially mounted on a tip of a telescopic rod 42. The cutting blade 41
The rod 42, which is supported horizontally with respect to the crucible 1 and supports the cutting blade 41, is provided with elevating means (not shown) for adjusting the height of the cutting blade 41 with respect to the crucible. On the upper surface of the cutting blade 41, a truncated conical grindstone 43 for chamfering the cut surface of the crucible is provided coaxially.
The cutting means 40 is provided with a nozzle (not shown) for injecting water to the cut portion so that the cutting of the rim proceeds smoothly.

A cutting stage is formed by the rim cutting device 30, and the crucible 1 whose posture is controlled in the centering stage is placed on the turntable 11 and carried into the cutting stage. In the cutting stage, after the turntable 11 stops below the arm 33, the arm 33 descends and moves inward according to the diameter of the crucible 1 to grip and lift the crucible 1. The turntable 11 returns to the centering stage. On the other hand, the transfer table 51 of the unloading mechanism (device) 50 enters below the crucible 1 held by the arm 33, and the arm 33 descends toward the transfer table 51 to move the crucible 1 held downward. While rotating, the rim 2 is inserted between the support rollers 52 erected on the carrier 51. The support roller 52 rotates together with the rotation of the crucible 1, and is in a state of holding the rim 2.

After the height of the cutting blade 41 is adjusted with respect to the crucible 1, the cutting blade 41 is pressed against the rim 2 of the crucible 1 by the rod 42, and the cutting blade 41 is rotated by the arm 33 while rotating the crucible 1. Is rotated to cut the rim 2. Since the rim 2 is cut while being clamped by the support roller 52, the impact at the time of cutting is not applied to the crucible, and the cut surface is not damaged. After the cutting, the arm 33 is raised to lift the crucible 1. A cutting blade 41 is provided below the crucible 1.
Then, a truncated conical grindstone 43 is inserted, and the conical surface is pressed against the cut surface of the crucible to rotate the grindstone 43, and the cut surface is chamfered while rotating the crucible 1. On the other hand, since the cut rim 2 remains on the carrier 51 while being supported by the support rollers 52, the carrier 51 is moved outside and the rim 2 is taken out.

(C) Unloading Mechanism (Device) The unloading device 50 has a movable transfer table 51. FIG.
As shown in FIG. 10, the transfer table 51 is formed on the upper surface of a frame 54, and a plurality (three in the illustrated example) of support rollers 5 supporting the rim 2 of the crucible on the frame 54.
2 are provided. The support roller 52 is disposed at a position along the outer periphery so as to press against the rim of the crucible, and the transfer table 51 is divided into a plurality of parts so that the tilt thereof is not hindered. A support roller 52 is provided. The support roller 52 is supported by an extensible rod 56 so that the distance between the rollers can be adjusted according to the diameter of the crucible. ing. Further, between the transfer table 51 and the frame 54, a tilting means 53 for lifting the transfer table 51 upward and inclining the transfer table 51 is provided. Further, a traveling unit 55 and a driving unit (not shown) are provided on the frame 54 of the transfer table 51. The carrying stage 51 forms a carry-out stage.

At the time of cutting the rim, the carrier 51 is
The rim 2 of the crucible, which is located below and held downward by the arm 33, is supported by the support roller 52. In this state, the holding means 31 rotates, and the crucible 1
With the rotation of, the support roller 52 that presses against the rim 2 supports the rim 2 while rotating, and the cutting blade 41 cuts the rim. After cutting the rim, the crucible is gripped by the arm 33 and lifted upward. On the other hand, the carrier 51 moves to the discharge stage on the side of the cutting stage while holding the cut rim 2 between the support rollers 52. In the discharge stage, the transfer table 51 is tilted above the support roller 52 by the tilting means 53. Due to this inclination, the rim 2 is disengaged from the support roller 52 and slides down the upper surface of the transfer table 51 and is discharged outside. After the rim 2 has been ejected, the carrier 51 returns to the horizontal position and moves to the cutting stage again.

(D) Operation The rim cutting device of the present invention is preferably provided with an automatic control circuit that continuously and integrally controls operations from a centering step to a rim cutting step and a discharging step. This automatic control circuit automates a series of operations. That is, in the centering stage, the positioning means is operated to adjust the center position of the crucible, and upon receiving the signal, the turntable 11 is started, and at the same time, the eccentric amount of the crucible 1 rotated by the measuring means 14 is rotated. Measure the amount of tilt. In response to the signal of the measurement result, the inclination of the turntable 11 and the positioning means are operated, and the posture of the crucible 1 is controlled vertically. Next, the turntable 11 is moved to the cutting stage, and the height of the crucible 1 is measured by the measuring means 22 during the transfer.
When the crucible 1 stops at the cutting position of the holding device 31, receiving the signal, the holding means 31 descends according to the measured height of the crucible, and the arm 33 surrounds the crucible 1. Subsequently, the arm 33 moves inward to grip the crucible 1. The movement of the arm 33 can be controlled by detecting a contact pressure or the like when the arm 33 comes into contact with the crucible. After grasping the crucible, the holding means 31 is raised to a predetermined position, the crucible is lifted, and the turntable 11 returns to the centering stage.

Next, the carriage 51 moves below the arm of the holding means 31 and stops at the cutting position. In response to the stop signal, the holding means 31 is lowered, and the rim 2 is sandwiched between the support rollers 52 of the transfer table 51 and the holding means 31
Rotates. In response to this signal, the height of the cutting blade 41 is adjusted, and the cutting blade 41 is rotated, so that the telescopic rod 42 is extended and the cutting blade 41 is pressed against the rim of the crucible to start cutting the rim. After cutting the rim, the telescopic rod 42 retreats and the cutting blade 41 returns to the standby position. The end of cutting of the rim is detected by the extension length of the telescopic rod 42 and the like. Cutting blade 4
After the retreat, the carrier 51 moves to the side discharge stage in response to the signal. After the movement of the carrier 51,
The telescopic rod 42 extends below the holding means 31, and upon receiving this signal, the holding means 31 descends, pressing the conical surface of the grindstone 43 provided integrally with the cutting blade 41 against the cut surface of the crucible and rotating the grindstone 43. Then, the cut surface is chamfered.

On the other hand, the transfer table 51 moved to the discharge stage
Is tilted to a side different from the cutting stage in response to the stop signal, and slides down the cutting rim 2 on the table to the side. During this time, the chamfering of the crucible proceeds in the cutting stage, and after the chamfering, the transfer table 51 moves to the cutting stage again and stops below the holding means 31. In response to this stop signal, the holding means 31 descends toward the transfer table 51, places the chamfered crucible 1 on the transfer table 51, and opens the arm 33 to release the grip of the crucible 1. Next, while the holding means 31 rises, the transfer table 51 moves from the cutting stage to the carry-out stage, and takes out the crucible 1.

[0026]

According to the rim cutting device of the present invention, the rim of a glass crucible can be cut mechanically with high precision, and the cutting of the rim of a large glass crucible can be completed in a short time. Further, the rim cutting device of the present invention can automate a series of operations from the centering to the discharge of the cut rim, so that the working efficiency can be greatly increased.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing the entire configuration of a rim cutting device.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a rim cutting device.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the rim cutting device.

FIG. 4 is a partial external view schematically showing a turntable.

FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view showing the structure of the turntable.

FIG. 6 is a partial external view schematically showing a measuring unit.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing a measuring method.

FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view showing the structure of the arm and the cutting means.

FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of a carry-out device.

FIG. 10 is a schematic explanatory view of a transfer device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1-crucible, 2-rim, 10-centering device, 11-turntable, 12-tilting means, 13-aligning means, 14-measuring means, 15-groove, 16-head, 17-moving means, 1
8-frame, 19-gear, 20-rotating means, 22-height measuring means, 30-cutting device, 31-holding means, 32-
Stem part, 33-arm, 34-frame, 35-support plate, 36-gear, 37-cushion material, 38-rotating up / down moving means, 40-cutting means, 41-cutting blade, 42-telescopic rod, 43-grinding stone , 50-discharge device, 51-conveying table, 5
2-support roller, 53-tilting means, 54-frame, 55-running means, 56-rod.

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Ryuji Aiba 5-14-3 Ibarima, Akita City, Akita Prefecture Mitsubishi Materials Quartz Co., Ltd. Akita Factory (72) Inventor Koichi Suzuki 5-14-3 Ibarjima, Akita City, Akita Mitsubishi Inside the Akita Plant of Material Quartz Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Kozo Ichie 2410 Motoe, Uozu City, Toyama Prefecture Inside Sugino Machine Co., Ltd. (72) Kunihide Takami 2410 Motoe Uozu City, Toyama Prefecture Inside Sugino Machine Co. 72) Inventor Masayoshi Hirose 2410 Motoe, Uozu-shi, Toyama F-term in Sugino Machine Co., Ltd. (reference) 4G015 FA02 FB05 FC01 FC05 FC07 FC11 FC14 4G077 PD01 PD02

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A device for cutting an opening edge (rim) of a glass crucible, comprising a crucible holding means and a rim cutting means, wherein the holding means comprises an openable and closable arm for gripping the crucible and a rotation thereof. A rim cut for a glass crucible, characterized in that the cutting means comprises a cutting blade and a moving means therefor, and the rim is cut by pressing the cutting blade while rotating the crucible by the holding means. apparatus. 2. The rim cutting device according to claim 1, further comprising a crucible centering mechanism, wherein the centering mechanism comprises: a rotary table on which the crucible is placed;
It has crucible positioning means, means for measuring the amount of eccentricity and inclination of the crucible, and the turntable is tilted based on the amount of eccentricity and inclination of the crucible to control the posture of the crucible vertically, and further to move the turntable. To send the crucible to the holding means,
A rim cutting device for a glass crucible, wherein the rim is cut while rotating the crucible by the holding means. 3. The rim cutting device according to claim 1, further comprising a mechanism for discharging the cut rim, wherein the discharging mechanism includes a movable carriage, and the carrier supports the rim. A rim cutting device provided with a roller, wherein the rim is cut while being supported by a support roller while rotating the crucible by the holding means, and the cut rim is discharged to the outside by moving the carrier. . 4. The rim cutting device according to claim 1, further comprising the discharging mechanism together with the centering mechanism, wherein a series of steps from centering of the crucible to cutting of the rim and discharging of the rim are continuously performed. A rim cutting device comprising an automatic control mechanism for performing the rim cutting. 5. The rim cutting device according to claim 1, wherein an arm of the holding means is vertically and rotatably mounted on the frame via a stem, and the arm is divided into a plurality of arms. A rim cutting device that extends downward so as to surround the crucible and has its base slidably mounted on a support plate at the lower end of the stem portion, whereby the arm opens and closes to grip the crucible downward. 6. The rim cutting device according to claim 1, wherein the cutting means has a moving means for reciprocating and vertically moving the cutting blade with respect to the crucible, and the cutting blade is formed by a circular rotary blade. A rim cutting device in which a conical grindstone for chamfering the cutting surface is provided coaxially with the cutting blade. 7. The rim cutting device according to claim 2, wherein the alignment means of the centering mechanism is formed by a plurality of heads reciprocating toward the center of the turntable. 8. The rim cutting device according to claim 2, wherein the means for measuring the amount of eccentricity and the amount of inclination of the centering mechanism is provided from a reference position perpendicular to the crucible of the turntable to an upper surface of the crucible. A rim cutting device formed by means for measuring the distance and the distance to the lower surface of the crucible. 9. The rim cutting device according to claim 3, wherein a plurality of support rollers are erected on a conveying table of the discharge mechanism at positions along the outer periphery of the rim of the crucible, and the rim is clamped by the support rollers. Rim cutting device. 10. The rim cutting device according to claim 3, wherein a slanting means is provided on a carrier of the discharge mechanism, and the cut rim is slid to the outside by the inclination of the carrier and discharged.