JP2002326223A - Method and apparatus for housing smc - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent folds 3a, 3b of an SMC 3 folded in a zigzag manner from being wrinkled. SOLUTION: A method for housing the SMC 3 comprises the steps of alternatively changing a folding direction of the SMC 3 by folding the SMC 3 many times and housing the SMC 3 in a container 5 while folding the SMC in the zigzag manner. The method further comprises the steps of intermittently blowing a band-like compressed air toward the folding side of sites 3a, 3b corresponding to the folds of the SMC 3 before folding the SMC 3 with the sites 3a, 3b corresponding to the folds of the SMC 3 as references.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of storing an SMC (Sheet Molding Compound) in a container while displacing the SMC, and an SMC storage device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art SMC is a sheet obtained by impregnating a thermosetting resin composition with a glass fiber material such as chopped strands as a reinforcing material, and increasing the viscosity of the sheet between a pair of separate films. When forming the SMC, the separate film is peeled off and put into a mold, and the mold is pressed and heated.

[0003] By the way, as a pre-stage of forming the SMC, an SMC storage device 101 as shown in FIG. 3 was used to store the SMC in a container and mature it. The SMC storage device 101 folds the SMC 103 many times by alternately changing the folding direction, and folds the SMC 103 into the container 105 installed at a predetermined position.
This is where the MC 103 is stored. The SMC storage device 101 will be briefly described as follows.

That is, a slide mechanism 107 is provided above the predetermined position so as to be able to reciprocate in a horizontal direction (left-right direction in FIG. 3).
Guide rollers 109, 11 for guiding and supporting both sides of
1 is provided in two sets. Further, a feed mechanism 113 for feeding the SMC 103 upward from between the pair of guide rollers 109 and 111 in the slide mechanism 107 is provided at an appropriate position.
Is provided.

[0005] Therefore, the SMC
The slide mechanism 107 is reciprocated a number of times in the horizontal direction while feeding the SMC 103 from above into the pair of guide rollers 109 and 111 in the slide mechanism 107. As a result, the SMC 103 can be stored in the container 105 while being folded by alternately changing the folding direction and sending the SMC 103 many times.

[0006]

However, in the storage of the SMC 103 by the conventional SMC storage device 101, the balance between the reciprocating speed of the slide mechanism 107 and the feed speed by the feed mechanism 113 is lost, and the slide mechanism 107 is not moved. Such as aging, etc.,
When the reciprocation of the slide mechanism 107 is reversed, subtle vibration is generated, and wrinkles are generated in the folded SMC 103. Therefore, the SMC 103 from which the SMC 103 has been taken out of the container 105 is in a state in which wrinkles are partially generated as shown in FIG. 4, and when the SMC 103 is molded in this state, the flow of the SMC 103 inside the mold changes. However, there is a problem that the moldability of the SMC 103 changes and the quality of the molded product of the SMC deteriorates.

[0007]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the SMC is housed in a container while the SMC is housed in a container while changing the folding direction alternately and bending the SMC many times. In the method, intermittently blowing strip-shaped compressed air toward the folded side of the portion corresponding to the fold in the SMC before folding the SMC with reference to the portion corresponding to the fold in the SMC (the portion to be folded by the fold). It is characterized by.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the SMC is folded back and forth by changing the folding direction alternately a large number of times, and the SMC is placed in a container installed at a predetermined position.
In the SMC storage device for storing the MC, a slide mechanism having a pair of guide rollers for guiding and supporting both surfaces of the SMC is provided above the predetermined position so as to be able to reciprocate in the horizontal direction, and an upward direction is provided between the pair of guide rollers. And a flat nozzle that intermittently blows band-shaped compressed air toward a fold side of a portion corresponding to a fold (a portion to be folded by folding) in the SMC. .

According to the second aspect of the present invention,
The SMC is reciprocated a number of times in the horizontal direction while the SMC is fed from above into the pair of guide rollers of the slide mechanism by the feed mechanism. As a result, the SMC can be stored in the container while the SMC is folded back and forth by changing the turning direction alternately many times.

Here, before the SMC is folded (including the part where the SMC is folded) on the basis of the part corresponding to the fold in the SMC (the part which is folded by the folding), the part of the SMC corresponding to the fold is folded. A band of compressed air is intermittently blown toward the side.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the specific features of the second aspect, the flat nozzle is configured to be adjustable in a width direction of the SMC. I do.

According to the third aspect of the present invention,
In addition to the operation according to the invention specifying matter described in claim 2, even when the type of the SMC to be stored is changed, the SM after the change is changed.
The position of the flat nozzle can be adjusted according to the width of C.

[0013]

FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of an SMC storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of an arrow part II in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the SMC storage device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention is installed at a predetermined position while being folded by alternately turning the SMC 3 many times while changing the turning direction. SMC3 in the container 5
Hereinafter, the SMC storage device 1 will be described in detail.

A table 7 for supporting the container 5 is provided at the predetermined position, and a support frame 9 stands upright near the table 7. The horizontal portion 9a of the support frame 9 is located above the predetermined position (upward in FIGS. 1 and 2). A guide rail 11 extending toward the front and back sides is provided.
A slide mechanism 13 is provided on the guide rail 11 so as to be able to reciprocate in the horizontal direction by driving a reciprocating motor 15. At the center of the slide mechanism 13, a pair of support arms 17 spaced forward and backward (front and back in FIG. 1, right and left in FIG. 2, right and left in FIG. 2) are provided in a hanging state. A pair of guide rollers 19 and 21 for guiding and supporting both surfaces of the SMC 3 are rotatably provided. A first support roller 23 that supports one surface of the SMC 3 is rotatably provided at an intermediate portion between the pair of support arms 17.
A second support roller 25 that supports the other surface of the SMC 3 is rotatably provided below the support roller 23.

A feed mechanism 27 is provided at an appropriate position, and the feed mechanism 27 is provided between the pair of guide rollers 19 and 21 of the slide mechanism 13 from above in the direction SM.
C3 is sent. The configuration of the feed mechanism 27 itself is publicly known. The feed mechanism 27 includes a pair of feed rollers 31 that are rotatable by driving a feed motor 29 and are vertically opposed to each other, a rotatable support roller 33, and the like. .

A first bracket 35 is provided at the lower left portion of each support arm 17 of the slide mechanism 13, and a pair of first brackets 35 is provided with a first support shaft 37 extending in the front-rear direction. A plurality of first flat nozzles 39 are provided on the first support shaft 37 so as to be position-adjustable in the front-rear direction (the width direction of the SMC) and to be rotatable about the axis of the first support shaft 37. Here, the first flat nozzle 39 is a portion corresponding to a fold in the SMC 3 (a portion that becomes a fold 3a by folding) 3a.
Before turning SMC3 back to the right based on
The band-shaped compressed air is intermittently blown toward the folded side (inside) of the portion 3a corresponding to the fold in FIG.

Similarly, a second bracket 41 is provided at the lower right part of each support arm 17 of the slide mechanism 13, and a pair of second brackets 41 is provided with a second support shaft 43 extending forward and backward. It is. A plurality of second flat nozzles 45 are provided on the second support shaft 43 in the front-rear direction (S
It is provided so that the position can be adjusted in the width direction of the MC and the rotation can be adjusted about the axis of the second support shaft 43. Here, the second flat nozzle 45 folds the portion 3b corresponding to the fold in the SMC3 before turning the SMC3 leftward with reference to the portion corresponding to the fold in the SMC3 (the portion that becomes the fold 3b by folding) 3b. The band-shaped compressed air is intermittently blown toward the side (inside).

One end of a first nozzle circuit 47 is connected to the plurality of first flat nozzles 39, and the first nozzle circuit 4
The other end of 7 is connected to a first outlet port of a solenoid valve 49. Similarly, one end of a second nozzle circuit 51 is connected to the plurality of second flat nozzles 45, and the second nozzle circuit 5
The other end of 1 is connected to the second outlet port of the solenoid valve 49. One end of a supply circuit 53 is connected to the inlet port of the solenoid valve 49, and an air source 55 such as a compressor is connected to the other end of the supply circuit 53. Here, the solenoid valve 49 is arranged at an appropriate position of the slide mechanism 13 and is connected to the first nozzle circuit 47 and the supply circuit 51 by a first nozzle.
The configuration is such that it can be switched between three stages: a nozzle supply state, a second nozzle supply state in which the second nozzle circuit 51 communicates with the supply circuit 53, and a neutral state in which communication between the nozzle circuits 47 and 51 and the supply circuit 53 is cut off. I have.

Next, the method of storing the SMC 3 will be described including the operation.

The SMC 3 is reciprocated a number of times in the horizontal direction by driving the reciprocating motor 15 while the SMC 3 is fed from above into the pair of guide rollers 19 and 21 of the slide mechanism 13 by the feed mechanism 27. . As a result, the SMC 3 can be stored in the container 5 while being folded back by alternately changing the folding direction and sending back the SMC 3 many times.

Here, before the SMC 3 is turned rightward with respect to the portion 3a corresponding to the fold in the SMC (including the middle of the turning of the SMC 3), the solenoid valve 49 is changed from the neutral state to the first nozzle supply state. Switch
A band of compressed air is intermittently blown toward the folded side of the portion 3a corresponding to the fold in the SMC 3. Also, before turning the SMC 3 leftward with reference to the portion 3b corresponding to the fold in the SMC 3, the solenoid valve 49 is switched from the neutral state to the second nozzle supply state,
3, band-shaped compressed air is intermittently blown toward the folded side of the portion 3 b corresponding to the fold in 3. Even if the type of the SMC 3 to be stored is changed, the plurality of first flat nozzles 41 may be changed according to the width of the SMC 3 after the change.
In addition, the positions of the plurality of second flat nozzles 45 in the front-rear direction can be adjusted.

As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the portions 3a and 3b corresponding to the folds in the SMC 3
Before the SMC 3 is folded back on the basis of the above, the band-shaped compressed air is intermittently blown toward the folded side of the portions 3a and 3b corresponding to the folds in the SMC 3,
By providing tension to the portions 3a and 3b corresponding to the folds in C3, it is possible to prevent wrinkles from occurring in the folds 3a and 3b of the folded SMC3. Therefore, when molding the SMC 3 taken out of the container 5, the SMC 3
The flow of the MC3 is stabilized, and the quality of the molded product of the SMC3 can be maintained.

Further, since the compressed air blown toward the portions 3a and 3b corresponding to the folds in the SMC 3 has a band shape, the compressed air is prevented from being separated from the portions 3a and 3b corresponding to the folds, and the folds are suppressed. Since compressed air can be intensively blown to the corresponding portions 3a and 3b, even if the pressure of the compressed air blown from the first flat nozzle 39 and the second flat nozzle 45 is small,
The portions 3a and 3b corresponding to the folds in the SMC3 are sufficiently tensioned to make the folds 3 of the folded SMC3.
It is possible to reliably prevent wrinkles from occurring in a and 3b.

Further, even if the type of the SMC 3 to be stored is changed, the positions of the first flat nozzle 39 and the second flat nozzle 45 can be adjusted in accordance with the width of the SMC 3 after the change. Crease 3 of SMC3
It is possible to prevent wrinkles from occurring in a and 3b, so that the SMC storage device 1 can be used effectively.

[0026]

According to the invention described in any one of claims 1 to 3, before turning back the SMC with reference to a portion corresponding to the fold in the SMC,
In order to intermittently blow the band-shaped compressed air toward the folded side of the part corresponding to the fold in MC, SM
The portion corresponding to the fold in C can be provided with tension to prevent wrinkles from being formed in the fold of the folded SMC. Therefore, when the SMC taken out of the container is molded, the flow of the SMC is stable inside the mold,
The quality of the molded product can be maintained.

Further, since the compressed air blown toward the portion corresponding to the fold in the SMC is band-shaped, it is possible to suppress the compressed air from being dispersed in portions other than the portion corresponding to the fold, and to concentrate on the portion corresponding to the fold. Compressed air can be blown on the SMC, so even if the pressure of the compressed air is small, sufficient tension is applied to the area corresponding to the fold in the SMC to reliably prevent wrinkles from forming on the folded SMC. it can.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the above-described effects, even when the type of the SMC to be stored is changed, the position of the flat nozzle can be adjusted according to the changed width of the SMC. For this reason, it is possible to prevent wrinkles from being formed in the folded folds of the various SMCs, and it is possible to effectively use the SMC storage device.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of an SMC storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of an arrow part II in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic front view of a conventional SMC storage device.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a problem of the related art.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 SMC storage device 3 SMC 5 Container 13 Slide mechanism 19, 21 Guide roller 27 Feeding mechanism 41 1st flat nozzle 45 2nd flat nozzle

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Katsuhito Hirose 1250 Shimoedori, Shimodate-shi, Ibaraki Pref. AJ21 AJ40 AK05

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A method for storing an SMC in a container, wherein the SMC is stored in a container while the SMC is folded back many times while alternately changing the folding direction. A band-shaped compressed air is intermittently blown toward a folded side of a portion corresponding to a fold in the SMC before the SMC is folded with reference to the (site). 2. An SMC storage device for storing an SMC in a container installed at a predetermined position while bending the SMC by repeatedly turning the SMC a number of times while alternately changing the turning direction. A slide mechanism having a pair of guide rollers for guiding and supporting both sides is provided so as to be able to reciprocate in the horizontal direction, and S is disposed between the pair of guide rollers from above.
An SMC comprising a feed mechanism for feeding the MC, and a flat nozzle for intermittently blowing a band-shaped compressed air toward a fold side of a portion corresponding to a fold (a portion to be folded by the fold) in the SMC. Storage device. 3. The SMC storage device according to claim 2, wherein the flat nozzle is configured to be adjustable in the width direction of the SMC.