JP2004275874A - Method and apparatus for applying protective layer forming material - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To rapidly start the application work of a protective layer forming material and to prevent the occurrence of coating unevenness and the shortage of the thickness of a coating film. <P>SOLUTION: A robot capable of teaching operation is provided in the vicinity of a transporting line on which a plurality of vehicles are successively transported. A freely rotatable roller made from a material capable of absorbing and storing the protective layer forming material is provided in the robot. A flat type vessel provided with a plane surface part on which the roller is rolled and a storage part for storing the protective layer forming material is arranged in the operation area of the robot. Before the protective layer forming material is applied on the vehicle (step S7), warm-up operation is carried out (step S4). The roller is immersed into the protective layer forming material stored in the storage part in the warm-up operation, and after that, is rolled on the plane surface part. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for applying a protective layer forming material for applying a protective layer forming material to an outer surface mainly of a painted portion of a painted vehicle, and in particular, a liquid acting as a peelable protective layer after drying. And a coating apparatus for applying the protective layer forming material.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Vehicles such as automobiles are often stored in outdoor stock yards or transported by trailers, boats, etc. before being handed to a user after manufacturing. During this time, the vehicle is exposed to dust, metal powder, salt, oil, acid, direct sunlight, etc. Quality may be affected. In order to prevent such a situation, a method is known in which a peelable protective layer is formed on a painted portion at a stage before shipment of a vehicle (for example, see Patent Document 1). The peelable protective layer is formed by applying and drying a protective layer forming material (also called a strippable paint), which is a liquid wrap material, and can protect the painted portion. In addition, it can be easily peeled at the time of removal, and does not peel naturally during normal storage.
[0003]
In the step of applying the protective layer forming material before the releasable protective layer is dried, the protective layer forming material is attached to the roller, and a plurality of workers roll the roller to apply the protective layer forming material.
[0004]
A method of extracting such a protective layer forming material on a body and then blowing the air to spread the protective layer forming material in order to automate such work, reduce the burden on the worker, and uniformize the coating quality. Has been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 2). According to this method, much of the work in the step of applying the protective layer forming material is automated, and the burden on the operator can be reduced, and the tact time can be improved, which is preferable.
[0005]
In a factory that produces vehicles, a resin cover called a scratch cover may be temporarily attached so as not to damage the body during the assembling work. The scratch cover is temporarily attached to, for example, a front lateral surface of the body and is removed before shipment. It is necessary to prepare a scratch cover having a different shape for each vehicle type, and further, it is necessary to prepare a large number of scratch covers according to the daily production number on the transfer line.
[0006]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2001-89697 A (paragraphs [0022] to [0027])
[Patent Document 2]
JP-A-8-173882 (FIG. 1)
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, in the method disclosed in Patent Document 2 described above, the degree of spreading of the protective layer forming material is not always uniform, and the method is applied to the edge of the roof in order to prevent the protective layer forming material from scattering. Not.
[0008]
Furthermore, the body of recent automobiles is becoming more and more complicated, and some have uneven portions and complicated curved surfaces. It is difficult to spread the protective layer forming material on such uneven portions and curved surfaces using an air nozzle. Furthermore, it is necessary to apply a thicker protective layer forming material to places where coating quality is particularly important, but it is difficult to adjust the thickness of the coating film when spreading the protective layer forming material with an air nozzle. It is.
[0009]
For this reason, after spreading the protective layer forming material with the air nozzle, several workers need to apply the protective layer forming material to the details such as the edge and unevenness of the roof with a roller to perform the finishing process. There is. Therefore, the coating process of the protective layer forming material partially relies on manual work, which imposes a burden on the operator, and the coating quality varies depending on the skill of the operator.
[0010]
In order to reduce such worker's work and to make the work quality uniform, it is considered to apply a roller conventionally used by a worker to an industrial robot. In this case, it is preferable that the protective layer forming material can be automatically supplied to the roller using a pump. As a method for supplying the protective layer forming material to the roller, a method in which the protective layer forming material is supplied from the inner surface of the roller and exuded to the surface is considered. According to this method, the protective layer forming material permeates the roller substantially uniformly, which is preferable.
[0011]
However, when the protective layer forming material is supplied from the inner surface of the roller as described above, it takes time until the protective layer forming material permeates the entire surface of the roller, and the permeation is not always sufficiently uniform. Therefore, it takes time to start the actual work, and there is a possibility that the coating material of the protective layer forming material is uneven or the coating film thickness is insufficient.
[0012]
The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and quickly starts the work of applying the protective layer forming material, and prevents the occurrence of uneven coating of the protective layer forming material and the shortage of the coating film. It is an object of the present invention to provide a coating method and a coating device for a protective layer forming material.
[0013]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The method for applying a protective layer forming material according to the present invention is provided near a transport line on which a plurality of vehicles are sequentially transported, and a robot capable of teaching operation, connected to the robot, rotatable, and after drying, A roller made of a material capable of absorbing and storing a liquid protective layer forming material acting as a peelable protective layer, and disposed within the operation range of the robot, and wider than the longitudinal direction of the roller, A dipping step of immersing the roller in the protection layer forming material stored in the storage portion, using a rolling flat portion and a storage portion arranged in the operation range of the robot and storing the protection layer forming material. And a rolling step of rolling the roller on the flat portion, and an application step of applying the protective layer forming material by bringing the roller into contact with the vehicle.
[0014]
As described above, before performing the application step of applying the protective layer forming material, the dipping step of immersing the roller in the protective layer forming material stored in the storage section and the rolling step of rolling the roller in the flat portion are performed. This allows the protective layer forming material to quickly permeate the roller. In addition, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of uneven coating of the protective layer forming material and to prevent the coating film thickness from becoming insufficient.
[0015]
In this case, the roller may be detachable from the robot, and the immersion step and the rolling step may be performed again when replacing the roller. This allows the protective layer forming material to quickly permeate even if the replaced and mounted roller is unused or has been washed, and the material forming the roller can be softened.
[0016]
Further, when the application step is being executed, the immersion step and the rolling step may be re-executed every predetermined number of vehicles or every predetermined time.
[0017]
As described above, since the immersion step and the rolling step are re-executed every predetermined number of times or every predetermined time, a sufficient amount of the protective layer forming material is always stored in the roller, and the protective layer is formed on the vehicle. It is possible to prevent the occurrence of coating unevenness of the material and to prevent the coating film thickness from becoming insufficient.
[0018]
A supply mechanism for supplying the protective layer forming material to the roller, wherein the immersing step and / or the rolling step are performed while supplying the protective layer forming material to the roller from the supply mechanism. Good. Thereby, the protective layer forming material can be more surely soaked into the roller.
[0019]
Further, when an acrylic copolymer agent is used as the material of the protective layer forming material, the painted portion of the vehicle can be more reliably protected, and can be easily peeled off when removed.
[0020]
Furthermore, when the flat portion and the storage portion are an integrated container, the operation of the roller is simple and smooth, and the protective layer forming material is unlikely to leak or scatter outside.
[0021]
The protective layer forming material coating apparatus according to the present invention is provided near a transport line through which a plurality of vehicles are sequentially transported, and a robot capable of teaching operation, connected to the robot, rotatable, and after drying, A roller made of a material capable of absorbing and storing a liquid protective layer forming material acting as a peelable protective layer, a supply mechanism for supplying the protective layer forming material to the roller, and disposed within an operation range of the robot And a container having a storage portion that is wider than the roller and has a flat portion and a storage portion for storing the protective layer forming material.
[0022]
In this way, by disposing the container within the operation range of the robot, the roller can be immersed in the protective layer forming material stored in the storage portion and the roller can be rolled in the flat portion as needed, and the protective layer is provided on the roller. The forming material can be quickly soaked. Further, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of uneven coating of the protective layer forming material on the vehicle and to prevent the coating film from becoming insufficient.
[0023]
In this case, when the flat portion is inclined and the lower end portion of the flat portion is smoothly connected to the storage portion, the operation of the roller becomes simple and smooth, and the protective layer forming material is Less likely to leak or scatter outside. In addition, the excess protective layer forming material that oozes out when the roller is rolled flows down the plane and is stored in the storage portion, so that it can be reused.
[0024]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Preferred embodiments of the method and apparatus for applying a protective layer forming material according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached FIGS.
[0025]
As shown in FIG. 1, a protective layer forming material applying apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment is provided on a transport line 12 of an automobile, and applies a protective layer forming material to a vehicle 14 which has completed painting. Is what you do. The coating apparatus 10 includes three robots 16a, 16b, and 16c, which are industrial robots, a control unit 18 that controls the entire system, a tank 20 containing a protective layer forming material, and each robot from the tank 20. It has an application material pipe 22 communicating with 16a, 16b, 16c, and a water pipe 26 for supplying water from a water supply source 24 to the robots 16a, 16b, 16c. The robots 16a, 16b, 16c are controlled by robot controllers 28a, 28b, 28c connected to the control unit 18, respectively. The control unit 18 includes an input device 18a such as a keyboard and a pointing device, and a monitor screen 18b. On the monitor screen 18b, for example, a screen related to a roller setting menu (see FIG. 7) is displayed.
[0026]
The robots 16a and 16c are provided on the transport line 12 on the left hand side in the traveling direction of the vehicle 14, and the robot 16b is provided on the right hand side in the traveling direction. The robot 16a is provided in the forward direction, the robot 16b is provided in the middle of the travel direction, and the robot 16c is provided in the rear direction. The robots 16a, 16b, 16c can move on a slide rail 30 parallel to the transport line 12.
[0027]
A pump 32 is provided in the middle of the coating material pipeline 22, and sucks the protection layer forming material from the tank 20 and supplies it to the robots 16a, 16b, and 16c. In addition, the protective layer forming material is controlled by a heater (not shown) and a thermometer so as to have an appropriate temperature. At the distal ends of the robots 16a, 16b, and 16c, there are provided a roller mechanism 34 to which the protective layer forming material is supplied by the coating material pipeline 22 and the tube 22a (see FIG. 2) at the distal end thereof.
[0028]
The material of the protective layer forming material is mainly composed of an acrylic copolymer agent, and preferably has two acrylic copolymer portions having different glass transition temperatures. Specifically, for example, a protective layer forming material disclosed in Patent Document 1 described above may be used. Further, the viscosity of the protective layer forming material can be adjusted by changing the mixing ratio with water and the temperature, and when the material is dried, it adheres to the vehicle 14 so that dust, metal powder, salt, oil, acid, direct sunlight, etc. Thus, the painted portion of the vehicle 14 can be chemically and physically protected. Further, when removing the vehicle 14 to the user at the time of delivery or the like, the vehicle 14 can be easily peeled off.
[0029]
As shown in FIG. 2, the robots 16a, 16b, and 16c are, for example, articulated robots for industrial use, and a base part 40, a first arm 42, a second arm An arm 44 and a third arm 46 are provided, and the roller mechanism 34 is provided at the tip of the third arm 46. The roller mechanism 34 is detachable from the third arm 46 and functions as a so-called end effector. The first arm 42 is rotatable about axes J1 and J2 that are horizontally and vertically rotatable with respect to the base 40. The second arm 44 is rotatably connected to the first arm 42 about a shaft J3. The second arm 44 can be twisted and rotated by the axis J4. The third arm 46 is rotatably connected to the second arm 44 about a shaft J5. The third arm 46 can be twisted and rotated by the axis J6.
[0030]
By the operation of the robots 16a, 16b, and 16c having such a six-axis configuration, the roller mechanism unit 34 connected to the distal end can be moved to an arbitrary position near the vehicle 14 and set in an arbitrary direction. It is possible. In other words, the roller mechanism 34 can move in six degrees of freedom. Each of the robots 16a, 16b, and 16c may have an operation unit such as a telescopic operation and a parallel link operation in addition to the rotation operation.
[0031]
A container table 47 is provided near each of the robots 16a, 16b, and 16c. On the container table 47, a moisture box 130 having a flat container 120 and an ultrasonic drive circuit unit 130b is fixed. . The container table 47 may be provided within an operation range that the roller 48 can reach. The relative positions of the container 120 and the moisture box 130 with respect to the robots 16a, 16b, 16c are stored in the control unit 18. Detailed configurations of the container 120 and the moisture box 130 will be described later.
[0032]
As shown in FIG. 3, the roller mechanism 34 is attached to the tip of the third arm 46, and has a cylindrical roller 48 made of a material capable of absorbing and storing the protective layer forming material, and a roller 48 of the robot 16a. And a thrust rotation mechanism 69 which is a mounting portion for the third arm 46. The thrust rotating mechanism 69 includes a mounting member 70 for the third arm 46, a thrust rotating member 74 rotatably supported by the mounting member 70 via a bearing, and a thrust rotating member 74 mounted below the thrust rotating member 74. And a roller mechanism base 76 provided. Examples of the material of the roller 48 include a sponge and a flocked body.
[0033]
The roller mechanism 34 includes pneumatic cylinders 78 and 80 provided at both ends of the roller mechanism base 76, and a swing shaft 82 swingably supported by a swing shaft 82 at a substantially lower end of the roller mechanism base 76. It has a moving member 84, and a holder connecting portion 88 connecting the holder 86 holding the roller 48 and the swinging member 84. The roller 48 is swingable in a radial direction about a swing shaft 82. The swinging member 84 has two upwardly extending portions 84a extending upward, and a pin 90 parallel to the swinging shaft 82 is provided at a substantially upper end of the upwardly extending portion 84a. The pin 90 is set above the swing shaft 82.
[0034]
Further, the roller mechanism section 34 has two pin pressing members 92 and 94 that rotate about the swing shaft 82 by receiving forces from the rods 78a and 80a of the pneumatic cylinders 78 and 80. The pressing surface 92a of the pin pressing member 92 presses one end of the pin 90 when the rod 78a is retracted, and the pressing surface 94a of the pin pressing member 94 presses the other end of the pin 90 when the rod 80a is retracted. I do.
[0035]
Two lower extending portions 76a extending downward from the roller mechanism base portion 76 are disposed between the two upper extending portions 84a, and pressing surfaces 92a and 94a are provided between the two lower extending portions 76a. Is arranged.
[0036]
The thrust rotating member 74 is provided with a rotation regulating member 96, and a small projection 98 projecting downward from the mounting member 70 is arranged in a concave portion 96 a on the upper surface of the rotation regulating member 96. The width of the small protrusion 98 is slightly smaller than the width of the concave portion 96a, and the thrust rotating member 74 is rotatable in the thrust direction in the range of this gap. Here, the thrust direction is a direction orthogonal to the axis of the roller 48 itself, and is a rotation direction about the axis of the third arm 46.
[0037]
The holder connecting portion 88 is provided with two clampers 102 and 104 facing each other at an upper portion and a lower portion. These clampers 102 and 104 hold an aluminum pipe 106, and the swing member 84 and the holder 86 are connected by the aluminum pipe 106. An annular groove 106 a is provided on the surface of the aluminum pipe 106.
[0038]
Both ends of the roller 48 are rotatably held by a holder 86, and the tube 22 a at the distal end of the coating material conduit 22 communicates with the inside of the roller 48 via one end of the holder 86. The roller 48 is detachable from the holder 86.
[0039]
As shown in FIG. 4, the container 120 is a flat type, and is set to have a width slightly larger than the width of the roller 48 and the holder 86 holding the roller 48. The container 120 has a gently inclined inclined surface (flat portion) 120a and a storage portion 120b smoothly connected to a lower portion of the inclined surface 120a. The storage section 120b has a depth about the diameter of the roller 48. A small mesh-like convex portion 120c is provided on the entire inclined surface 120a. The inclined surface 120a is set to be longer than the outer diameter of the roller 48, and when the roller 48 is rolled on the inclined surface 120a, it can be rotated at least 360 °.
[0040]
The storage layer 120b is supplied with a protective layer forming material from an upper supply port 122 and is stored therein. The supply port 122 is connected to a solenoid valve 124, and the protection layer forming material can be supplied to the storage unit 120 b by operating the solenoid valve 124 by the control unit 18. The reservoir 120b is provided with a liquid level gauge 126, which detects that the liquid level of the protective layer forming material has dropped and acts on the solenoid valve 124 to automatically supply the protective layer forming material. .
[0041]
As shown in FIG. 5, the moisture box 130 has a water storage box 130a with an open top and an ultrasonic drive circuit unit 130b adjacent to the water storage box 130a. The water storage box 130a has a width that is slightly wider than the roller 48 and the holder 86 that holds the roller 48, and has a height that is at least twice the height of the holder 86. On the inner surface of the water storage box 130a, there is provided an ultrasonic vibrator 130c that vibrates at a high frequency by the ultrasonic driving circuit unit 130b. By vibrating the ultrasonic vibrator 130c, the water stored in the water storage box 130a can be evaporated (or atomized) and the inside of the water storage box 130a can be kept wet. According to this method, water can be evaporated very quickly after the ultrasonic vibrating body 130c is vibrated. The vibration frequency of the ultrasonic vibrator 130c is set so that the water vapor particles have an appropriate size.
[0042]
Water is supplied to the water storage box 130a from an upper supply port 132 and is stored. The supply port 132 is connected to an electromagnetic valve 134, and the protective layer forming material can be supplied to the water storage box 130a by operating the electromagnetic valve 134 with the control unit 18. The water storage box 130a is provided with a liquid level gauge 136, which detects that the liquid level of the protective layer forming material has dropped and acts on the solenoid valve 134 to automatically supply water. Normally, water is supplied so that the water level is substantially half the height of the water storage box 130a.
[0043]
As shown in FIG. 6, a hydraulic and pneumatic composite circuit 150 for supplying the protective layer forming material and water to the roller 48, the container 120, and the moisture box 130 includes a compressor 152 and a discharge section of the compressor 152. A connected air tank 154, a manual pneumatic input valve 156 for switching between supply and cutoff of air pressure, a regulator 158 for reducing the secondary pressure by an electric signal supplied from the control unit 18, and a regulator 158. And a regulator operating valve 160 that is pilot operated by the secondary pressure to reduce the pressure in the coating material pipeline 22. Further, the composite circuit 150 has an MCV 162 to which the secondary pipe of the regulator operating valve 160 and the water pipe 26 are connected. A trigger valve 164 is provided between the secondary side of the MCV 162 and the roller 48. Inside the MCV 162, there are provided switching valves 162a and 162b for switching between communication and shutoff of the coating material pipeline 22 and the water pipeline 26, and the secondary sides of the switching valves 162a and 162b are in communication. The broken line in FIG. 6 indicates a pneumatic pipeline.
[0044]
The MCV 162 and the regulator operation valve 160 are not limited to the pneumatic pilot type, and may be of a drive type such as an electric solenoid.
[0045]
The composite circuit 150 further includes an MCV switching solenoid valve 166 that operates the switching valves 162a and 162b in a pilot form by switching the air pressure supplied from the pneumatic input valve 156, and a trigger switching operation that pilot-operates the trigger valve 164 with the air pressure. And a solenoid valve 168.
[0046]
The MCV switching electromagnetic valve 166 connects one of the switching valves 162a and 162b and shuts off the other, and switches between water and the protective layer forming material and supplies the same to the trigger valve 164 by an electric signal supplied from the control unit 18. I do. The trigger switching electromagnetic valve 168 switches the trigger valve 164 between open and closed by an electric signal supplied from the control unit 18 to supply the roller 48 with water or a protective layer forming material.
[0047]
In the middle of the coating material pipeline 22 and the water pipeline 26, manual stop valves 170 and 172 are provided, respectively. Usually, stop valves 170 and 172 are kept in communication. In the composite circuit 150, silencers 174 are provided at the air outlets, respectively, to reduce exhaust noise. The compressor 152, the pump 32 and the water supply source 24 are provided with a relief valve (not shown) for preventing an excessive rise in pressure.
[0048]
The electromagnetic valve 124 is connected to the coating material conduit 22, and the protective layer forming material can be supplied to the container 120 via the electromagnetic valve 124. The electromagnetic valve 134 is connected to the water pipe 26, and water can be supplied to the moisture box 130 via the electromagnetic valve 134.
[0049]
Note that the compressor 152, the air tank 154, the water supply source 24, and the pump 32 in the composite circuit 150 are common to the robots 16a, 16b, 16c, and the other devices are individually provided for the robots 16a, 16b, 16c. ing.
[0050]
As shown in FIG. 7, the roller setting menu displayed on the monitor screen 18b has a cleaning time table 140 and a material filling time table 142. The cleaning time table 140 is a table for setting a time (hereinafter referred to as a cleaning set time) for executing a cleaning operation described later for each of the robots 16a, 16b, and 16c. The material filling time table 142 stores a time (hereinafter referred to as material filling) for each robot 16a, 16b, 16c to execute a first operation (an operation of injecting the protective layer forming material into the roller 48 using the container 120) described later. This is a table for setting a setting time. The cleaning time table 140 and the material filling time table 142 each have a “set value” row and an “elapsed time” row. By operating the input device 18a, the cleaning set time and the cleaning set time are set for each of the robots 16a, 16b, and 16c. Enter the material filling set time. The set cleaning time and the set material filling time are held in a predetermined recording unit.
[0051]
“Elapsed time” in the cleaning time table 140 and the material filling time table 142 is a line in which the elapsed time of the operation of each of the robots 16a, 16b, and 16c is displayed. Also, each time the cleaning operation and the first operation are performed, the value is reset to “0.0”, and immediately after that, the timer is automatically restarted and the elapsed time is displayed.
[0052]
The monitor screen 18b is provided with a start button 144, a stop button 146, and a standby posture button 148, which are instructed by operating a predetermined pointing device. The start button 144 and the stop button 146 are buttons for starting and stopping the operation of the robots 16a, 16b, 16c. The standby posture button 148 is a button for setting the robots 16a, 16b, 16c to a predetermined standby posture without interfering with the vehicle 14 or the like. The start button 144, the stop button 146, and the standby posture button 148 can individually give operation instructions to the robots 16a, 16b, and 16c by a predetermined operation.
[0053]
Next, a method of applying the protective layer forming material to the vehicle 14 using the protective layer forming material applying apparatus 10 configured as described above will be described.
[0054]
First, the robots 16a, 16b, 16c are taught in advance how to apply the protective layer forming material. Instruct the robots 16a, 16b, 16c to share the bonnet portion 14a (see FIG. 1), the roof central portion 14b, and the roof rear portion 14c of the vehicle 14, and apply the protective layer forming material to each assigned portion, The teaching data taught is recorded in a predetermined recording unit of the control unit 18 and held. When the vehicle 14 is a sedan type, the robot 16c shares a trunk portion.
[0055]
The process of applying the protective layer forming material is instructed to be completed within the tact time set for each vehicle 14 on the transport line 12.
[0056]
Further, the following first, second and third operations are taught to the robots 16a, 16b and 16c.
[0057]
The first operation is an operation in which the roller 48 is immersed in the protective layer forming material of the storage portion 120b of the container 120 (see FIG. 4), and then the roller 48 is reciprocated a plurality of times (for example, 10 times) on the inclined surface 120a and rolled. It is. At this time, since the lower part of the inclined surface 120a is smoothly connected to the storage part 120b, the first operation is a simple and smooth operation, and teaching is easy. This first operation is an operation for preparing the roller 48 to be in a state suitable for application, and is also called a warm-up operation.
[0058]
The second operation is to insert the roller 48 into the water storage box 130a of the moisture box 130 (see FIG. 5), and teach the roller 48 not to come into contact with the water stored in the water storage box 130a.
[0059]
The third operation is to insert the holder 86 into the water storage box 130a of the moisture box 130 (see FIG. 8), and to sink the tube connection portion 86a (see FIG. 8) of the holder 86 into the water stored in the water storage box 130a. To teach. At this time, the roller 48 is detached from the holder 86.
[0060]
Next, a method of applying the protective layer forming material to the vehicle 14 after the teaching of the operation to the robots 16a, 16b, and 16c is completed will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0061]
First, in step S1, the protective layer forming material and water are supplied to the container 120 and the water storage box 130a of the moisture box 130, respectively, so as to have a specified liquid level. This process is automatically performed by the liquid level gauges 126 and 136 and the solenoid valves 124 and 134.
[0062]
Next, in step S2, the robots 16a, 16b, and 16c are set in the standby posture, and the roller 48 is mounted on the holder 86. The roller 48 is an unused roller or a roller whose protective layer forming material has been washed away.
[0063]
Next, in step S3, predetermined initial processing is performed. That is, the protective layer forming material is heated to an appropriate temperature by a predetermined heater, and the compressor 152, the water supply source 24, and the pump 32 are operated. Further, the robots 16a, 16b, and 16c are kept in the standby posture, and the pneumatic input valve 156 is connected.
[0064]
Further, in step S4, the warm-up operation taught in advance is executed. That is, the roller 48 is immersed in the protective layer forming material of the storage section 120b (immersion step), and then the roller 48 is rotated a plurality of times on the inclined surface 120a (rolling step). At this time, the protective layer forming material is also supplied to the inner surface of the roller 48 from the tube 22a.
[0065]
It takes some time for the protective layer forming material supplied from the tube 22a to seep out onto the surface of the roller 48, but the application operation can be started immediately by executing the warm-up operation. This is because the protective layer forming material stored in the storage portion 120b can be quickly and sufficiently impregnated into the roller 48, and the protective layer forming material can be evenly soaked into the roller 48. Further, by impregnating the roller 48 with the protective layer forming material, the material (for example, a flocked body) constituting the roller 48 becomes soft, and becomes a state suitable for the coating operation.
[0066]
Furthermore, since the lower portion of the inclined surface 120a is smoothly connected to the storage portion 120b, the roller 48 can smoothly move from the storage portion 120b toward the inclined surface 120a, and the protective layer forming material Is difficult to leak or scatter outside. Further, the excess protective layer forming material that oozes out when the roller 48 is rolled flows down the inclined surface 120a and is stored in the storage portion 120b, so that it can be reused.
[0067]
Since the inclined surface 120a is longer than the outer diameter of the roller 48, the roller 48 can be rotated by 360 ° or more, and the protective layer forming material can be uniformly permeated on the entire surface of the roller 48. Since the roller 48 receives resistance by the mesh-like convex portion 120c provided on the inclined surface 120a, the roller 48 does not run idle. In addition, the surface of the roller 48 is repeatedly compressed and expanded by the convex portion 120c, so that the protective layer forming material easily permeates.
[0068]
After the warming operation is performed to infiltrate the protective layer forming material into the rollers 48, the robots 16a, 16b, and 16c are returned to the standby posture (step S5).
[0069]
Next, in step S6, the vehicle 14 on which painting has been completed is carried in by the transport line 12, and stopped near the robots 16a, 16b, and 16c. The control unit 18 confirms that the vehicle 14 has been loaded by a signal or a sensor (not shown) supplied from the transport line 12, and proceeds to the next step S7. When the carry-in of the vehicle 14 is not confirmed, the process stands by.
[0070]
In step S7, the robots 16a, 16b, and 16c are operated based on the teaching data, and the protective layer forming material is applied to the surface of the vehicle 14. At this time, the controller 18 controls the regulator operating valve 160 via the regulator 158 (see FIG. 6), and controls the application material pipe 22 to an appropriate pressure. In addition, the MCV 162 is controlled via the MCV switching electromagnetic valve 166 so that the coating material pipe 22 is communicated and the water pipe 26 is shut off. Further, the control unit 18 operates the trigger switching electromagnetic valve 168 to make the trigger valve 164 communicate. The protective layer forming material is supplied to the inner surface of the roller 48 of the roller mechanism unit 34 while maintaining the appropriate pressure and the appropriate temperature by the operation of the control unit 18. The protective layer forming material supplied to the inner surface of the roller 48 takes a little time before it oozes out to the surface of the roller 48. However, by performing a warm-up operation, the protective layer forming material stored in the storage portion 120b of the container 120 is removed. Therefore, the protective layer forming material can be sufficiently and uniformly applied from the first vehicle 14.
[0071]
The thickness of the protective layer forming material applied to the vehicle 14 can be adjusted by controlling the pressure by the regulator 158 and controlling the operating speed of the robots 16a, 16b, 16c and the force applied to the rods 78a, 80a.
[0072]
At this time, the vehicle 14 may be an unfinished vehicle to which the components have not been attached, as long as the painting has been completed.
[0073]
The vehicle 14 to which the protective layer forming material has been applied by the robots 16a, 16b, 16c is transported by the transport line 12 to the next step. The applied protective layer forming material is dried naturally or while being blown to form a peelable protective layer to protect the painted portion of the vehicle 14.
[0074]
Next, in step S8, it is confirmed whether or not the material filling set time indicated by the “set value” row of the material filling time table 142 (see FIG. 7) has elapsed. If the material filling set time has elapsed, the corresponding timer counter is reset to "0.0", and the process returns to step S4 to perform the warm-up operation. If the material filling set time has not elapsed, the process moves to the next step S9.
[0075]
When the set material filling time has elapsed, the process returns to step S4, so that the protective layer forming material can be replenished by a regular warm-up operation. Therefore, the roller 48 always stores a sufficient amount of the protective layer forming material, thereby preventing the vehicle 14 from being covered with the protective layer forming material and preventing the coating film thickness from becoming insufficient. be able to.
[0076]
In step S9, it is confirmed whether or not the cleaning set time indicated by the “set value” row of the cleaning time table 140 (see FIG. 7) has elapsed. If the set cleaning time has elapsed, the corresponding timer counter is reset to "0.0", and then the mode shifts to the sleep mode shown in FIG. When the set cleaning time has not elapsed, the process proceeds to the next step S10.
[0077]
In step S10, it is confirmed whether or not a predetermined pause time has elapsed. If it is the pause time, the process shifts to the pause mode shown in FIG. 10; otherwise, the process returns to step S5, and waits until the next vehicle 14 is carried in (step S6).
[0078]
Here, the suspension time is a time during which the transport line 12 stops at a closing time, a start time of a lunch break, a predetermined break time in factory operation, or the like.
[0079]
In the pause mode shown in FIG. 10, first, in step S101, the robots 16a, 16b, and 16c are returned to the standby posture, and the cleaning operation is performed. The cleaning operation is an operation of operating the MCV 162 via the MCV switching electromagnetic valve 166 (see FIG. 6) to shut off the switching valve 162a and communicate the switching valve 162b. By this washing operation, water is supplied from the water pipe 26, and the MCV 162, the trigger valve 164, the tube 22a, and the roller 48 of the roller mechanism 34 can be washed.
[0080]
Next, in step S102, the roller 48 is removed from the holder 86. The removed roller 48 is again thoroughly washed and then dried.
[0081]
Next, in step S103, it is checked whether the pause time corresponds to a short pause or a long pause. The short pause is a suspension time such as a lunch break and a predetermined break time in factory operation, and the long pause is a suspension time such as a night after the closing time. If the pause time corresponds to a short pause, the process proceeds to step S104. If the pause time corresponds to a long pause, the process proceeds to step S108.
[0082]
In step S104, the roller 48 is mounted on the holder 86 as in step S2. The roller 48 is an unused roller or a roller whose protective layer forming material has been washed away.
[0083]
Next, in step S105, a warm-up operation is performed as in step S4. By the warm-up operation, the protective layer forming material can be sufficiently impregnated into the newly mounted roller 48.
[0084]
Next, in step S106, the second operation taught in advance is executed. That is, the roller 48 is inserted into the water storage box 130a of the moisture box 130 (see FIG. 5) so as not to come into contact with water. At this time, the inside of the water storage box 130a is kept wet by vibrating the ultrasonic vibrator 130c to evaporate water, and the roller 48 is humidified. The supply of the protective layer forming material is stopped.
[0085]
Since it is desirable that the protective layer forming material is dried and solidified quickly after being applied to the vehicle 14, some of the protective layer forming materials are adjusted so as to be easily dried and solidified. However, it is inconvenient to dry and solidify when the roller 48 has penetrated into the roller 48 before applying it to the vehicle 14. In the present embodiment, the roller 48 can be humidified using the moisture box 130 at the time of a small break such as a lunch break to prevent the protection layer forming material from drying and solidifying. Further, since the protective layer forming material has sufficiently penetrated the roller 48 in the previous step S105, the application of the protective layer forming material can be started immediately when the short pause is completed.
[0086]
When a thermal steam generator is used, it takes time to generate steam. Therefore, it is necessary to perform heat generation processing such as energization before a predetermined time before the roller 48 is inserted into the water storage box 130a, and the energy consumption is large. Further, for example, when it is necessary to temporarily stop the transport line 12 and humidify the roller 48 quickly, the thermal steam generator cannot generate steam in time, and the protective layer forming material permeated into the roller 48 is dried.・ It may be solidified.
[0087]
Since the moisture box 130 used in the present embodiment is of an ultrasonic type, water vapor can be quickly generated by inserting the roller 48 into the water storage box 130a and then vibrating the ultrasonic vibrating body 130c. Drying and solidification of the protective layer forming material can be more reliably prevented. It is possible to cope with a case where it is necessary to humidify the roller 48 immediately. Further, when the roller 48 is not inserted into the water storage box 130a, the generation of steam can be stopped, so that the energy consumption is small. Further, unlike the thermal type, the moisture box 130 does not generate heat, so that it is easy to handle.
[0088]
In addition, it has been described that at the time of a short pause, the rollers 48 are washed and replaced in steps S101 to S105 and a warm-up operation is performed. The roller 48 used at that time may be humidified in the moisture box 130 as it is. Only the cleaning and replacement processing of the rollers 48 in steps S101, S102 and S104 may be omitted, and after performing the warm-up operation (step S105), the process may proceed to step S106.
[0089]
Next, in step S107, the control unit 18 checks whether or not the suspension time has ended. At this time, the rollers 48 of the robots 16a, 16b, and 16c are kept inserted in the water storage box 130a, and the ultrasonic vibrator 130c generates steam to keep the robot wet. When the pause time ends, the process proceeds to step S5, and when it is the pause time, the process stands by. When the pause time ends, the process may return to step S4 to execute the warm-up operation.
[0090]
In step S108, that is, during a long pause such as at night, the third operation taught in advance is executed with the roller 48 removed from the holder 86. That is, the holder 86 is inserted into the water storage box 130a of the moisture box 130 (see FIG. 8), and the tube connecting portion 86a of the holder 86 is immersed in the water stored in the water storage box 130a. At this time, the ultrasonic vibration body 130c is kept stopped, and no water vapor is generated.
[0091]
By submerging the tube connecting portion 86a in water in this manner, it is possible to prevent the pipe line from being clogged due to drying and solidification of the protective layer forming material somewhat remaining in the trigger valve 164, the tube 22a, and the like.
[0092]
The long pause includes a normal night pause and a 24-hour or longer pause such as a consecutive holiday. However, during a 24-hour or longer pause, the amount of water stored in the water storage box 130a is increased, and the holder 86 is sunk deeply. Good to keep. In this way, by replenishing water according to the length of the suspension time, it is possible to compensate for a decrease in the water level due to spontaneous evaporation.
[0093]
By this step S108, the work of applying the protective layer forming material is completed, and when restarting, the above-mentioned step S1 is executed.
[0094]
9 and 10 are automatically performed mainly by the program processing of the control unit 18, and only a part of the auxiliary work needs to be performed by the worker in charge. The auxiliary work is, for example, the work of attaching and detaching the roller 48 in steps S2, S102, and S104. The supply of the protective layer forming material and the water to the container 120 and the water storage box 130a may be visually determined by an operator without using the liquid level gauges 126 and 136 and the like.
[0095]
As described above, according to the method and the apparatus 10 for applying the protective layer forming material according to the present embodiment, since the protective layer forming material is stored in the storage portion 120b of the container 120 and the warm-up operation is performed, The roller 48 can be quickly and sufficiently impregnated with the protective layer forming material, and thereafter the coating operation can be started immediately. Further, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of uneven coating of the protective layer forming material on the vehicle 14 and to prevent the coating film thickness from becoming insufficient.
[0096]
In addition, since the warm-up operation is performed after the roller 48 is mounted, even if the roller 48 is unused or has been washed, the protective layer forming material can be quickly permeated, and the surface of the roller 48 can be soaked. Can be softly adapted.
[0097]
Further, since the warm-up operation is performed every set time of the material filling, the sufficient protective layer forming material can always be impregnated into the roller 48. The re-execution of the warm-up operation may be executed for each predetermined number of vehicles 14.
[0098]
Since the warming-up operation is performed while supplying the protective layer forming material from the tube 22a to the roller 48, the protective layer forming material can be more surely soaked.
[0099]
In addition, by operating the roller mechanism unit 34 including the roller 48 with the robots 16a, 16b, 16c and supplying the protective layer forming material to the roller 48, the process of applying the protective layer forming material is automated, and the coating quality is uniform. Can be
[0100]
Further, the step of applying the protective layer forming material to the surface of the vehicle 14 can be further automated than in the prior art.
[0101]
Furthermore, since the step of applying the protective layer forming material by the operator is eliminated by automation, the number of steps can be reduced and the production efficiency can be improved. Further, air conditioning equipment for workers can be omitted. Therefore, energy saving can be achieved by reducing the power required for air conditioning, the environmental resistance can be improved, and the operating cost of the factory can be reduced.
[0102]
The peelable protective layer formed by the protective layer forming material can protect the painted portion after the vehicle 14 is shipped, and can also protect the painted portion in a factory, and can be used as a substitute for a scratch cover. Therefore, it is possible to omit a large number of scratch covers having different shapes for each vehicle type.
[0103]
In step S5, it has been described that the robots 16a, 16b, and 16c stand by in the standby posture. However, similarly to step S106, the roller 48 is inserted into the water storage box 130a of the moisture box 130, and the robot 48 stands by while being humidified with water vapor. You may. Although the water storage box 130a has been described as having an open upper surface, a rubber cover 200 may be provided as shown in FIG. In this case, the rubber cover 200 may be provided with a cutting portion 202, and the roller 48 and the holder 86 may be inserted from the cutting portion 202. By providing the rubber cover 200, when water vapor is generated, the water storage box 130a can be kept more moist.
[0104]
Some bumpers of the vehicle 14 are colored and do not require painting, but the protective layer forming material may be applied to a portion other than the painted portion such as the bumper.
[0105]
The method and apparatus for applying the protective layer forming material according to the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiment, but may adopt various configurations and steps without departing from the gist of the present invention.
[0106]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the method and the apparatus for applying the protective layer forming material according to the present invention, the coating work of the protective layer forming material is started quickly, and the occurrence of uneven coating of the protective layer forming material and the coating film Insufficient thickness can be prevented.
[0107]
In addition, by using an acrylic copolymer as a material of the protective layer forming material, the vehicle can be more reliably protected, and is easily peeled off when removed.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus for applying a protective layer forming material according to the present embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a robot, a roller mechanism, a container, and a moisture box provided in the robot.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a roller mechanism.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a container.
FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing a state in which a roller is humidified in a water storage box of the moisture box.
FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram showing a combined hydraulic and pneumatic circuit.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a roller setting menu displayed on a monitor screen.
FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional side view showing a state where a holder is submerged in a water storage portion of the moisture box.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a part of a method for applying a protective layer forming material according to the present embodiment.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a pause mode as a part of the method for applying a protective layer forming material according to the present embodiment.
FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a state in which a rubber cover is provided on the upper surface of the water storage section of the moisture box.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Coating apparatus 12 ... Conveying line 14 ... Vehicle 16a, 16b, 16c ... Robot 18 ... Control part 20 ... Tank 22 ... Coating material pipeline 22a ... Tube 26 ... Water pipeline 30 ... Slide rail 32 ... Pump 34 ... Roller mechanism 47 ... Container stand 48 ... Roller 120 ... Container 120a ... Inclination surface 120b ... Reservoir 120c ... Protrusion 122,132 ... Supply port 124,134 ... Electromagnetic valve 126,136 ... Level gauge 130 ... Moisture box 130a ... Water storage box 130b ... Ultrasonic drive circuit section 130c Ultrasonic vibrator 140 Cleaning time table 142 Material filling time table 150 Composite circuit 162 MCV 162a, 162b Switching valve 164 Trigger valve

Claims (8)

A robot provided near a transport line on which a plurality of vehicles are sequentially transported and capable of performing a teaching operation;
A roller of a material that is connected to the robot, is rotatable, and can absorb and store a liquid protective layer forming material that acts as a peelable protective layer after drying,
A flat portion that is arranged within the operation range of the robot, is wider than the length of the roller in the longitudinal direction, and rolls the roller,
A storage unit that is disposed within an operation range of the robot and stores the protective layer forming material;
Using
An immersion step of immersing the roller in the protective layer forming material stored in the storage section,
A rolling step of rolling the roller in the flat portion;
An application step of applying the protective layer forming material by bringing the roller into contact with the vehicle,
A method for applying a protective layer forming material, characterized by having: The method for applying a protective layer forming material according to claim 1,
The roller is detachable from the robot,
The method of applying a protective layer forming material, wherein the dipping step and the rolling step are performed again when the roller is replaced. The method for applying a protective layer forming material according to claim 1,
The method of applying a protective layer forming material, wherein the immersion step and the rolling step are re-executed every predetermined number of vehicles or every predetermined time while executing the application step. The method for applying a protective layer forming material according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A supply mechanism for supplying the protective layer forming material to the roller,
A step of performing the immersion step and / or the rolling step while supplying the protective layer forming material to the roller from the supply mechanism unit. The method for applying a protective layer forming material according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The method of applying a protective layer forming material, wherein the material of the protective layer forming material is an acrylic copolymer agent. The method for applying a protective layer forming material according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The method for applying a protective layer forming material, wherein the flat portion and the storage portion are an integrated container. A robot provided near a transport line on which a plurality of vehicles are sequentially transported and capable of performing a teaching operation;
A roller of a material that is connected to the robot, is rotatable, and can absorb and store a liquid protective layer forming material that acts as a peelable protective layer after drying,
A supply mechanism for supplying the protective layer forming material to the roller,
A container that is disposed within an operation range of the robot, is wider than the roller, and includes a storage part and a flat part that store the protective layer forming material,
A coating device for a protective layer forming material, comprising: The coating device for a protective layer forming material according to claim 7,
The flat surface portion is inclined, and a lower end portion of the flat portion is smoothly connected to the storage portion.

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