JP2007260609A - Material coating apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a material coating apparatus, which enables a mixture of a plurality of liquid materials at a constant rate even when a material viscosity changes occur due to temperature changes or the like, can discharge mixed materials at a predetermined pressure, and can prevent delayed discharge or the like via coating. <P>SOLUTION: The material coating apparatus is provided with a plurality of boosters 11 for application of pressure to viscous materials M1 and M2, a mixing apparatus 13 for mixing the viscous materials sent from the boosters 11, and a nozzle 15 that is in communication with the mixing apparatus. Pressure sensors 48 for detecting pressure to be applied to the materials M1 and M2 within the cylinders 30 each composing the booster 11 are installed within the cylinders 30. The pressure sensors 48 are used for detecting pressure within the cylinders 30 upon a stable coating with the mixture of materials M3. The detected pressure is stored in a controller 24 as a determined pressure at the time of the initiation of discharge. Discharge is performed by opening discharge valves 16 when plungers 31 descend and then the pressure within the cylinders 30 reaches the determined pressure. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a material application apparatus. More specifically, a plurality of types of viscous materials can be mixed at a predetermined ratio, and a viscous material such as a sealant can be stably discharged and applied from a predetermined application start point. The present invention relates to a material application apparatus.

  A material application device that supplies a viscous material such as silicone resin into a cylinder of a booster and applies the material in a bead shape to a surface to be applied while discharging the material from the tip of the nozzle by a pressurizing operation of a plunger constituting the booster. Are known.

  Since the known material application apparatus manually sets the pressure at the discharge start point, it cannot cope with the viscosity change accompanying the temperature change of the material during the day. There was a disadvantage that the discharge amount of the material became unstable. That is, there are cases where the actual application start position of the material precedes or is delayed from the application start point, and it is difficult to keep the bead thickness constant.

  As described above, when the bead is formed before the actual application start position, when the material application is performed in a closed loop shape in plan view, an area overlapping the application end position of the material is generated. Therefore, the bead diameter of the area becomes too thick. On the other hand, the material application delayed from the application start position causes a region where the material is not applied between the application end position and a seal failure occurs when the material is used as a sealant. There is an inconvenience. Even if the material is discharged from the application start position, if the discharge amount is not stable, the expected bead thickness cannot be secured.

  Therefore, in Patent Document 1, let the discharge pressure in a state in which the material is satisfactorily applied be the set pressure, and operate the pump for supplying the material at the set pressure to achieve stable material discharge and application. A material coating apparatus is disclosed.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-36804

  However, the material application apparatus described in Patent Document 1 has a configuration in which a pressure sensor is connected to a hose connecting a pump and an application gun. Therefore, expansion, deformation, etc. of the hose become disturbance factors, and even if a set pressure is given to the controller that controls the pump, it may not be possible to discharge the material under optimum conditions when applying the material, and it is said that reliability is lacking. There is an inconvenience.

  By the way, the material applied to the surface to be applied is not limited to a single liquid, and for example, two liquids may be mixed and discharged from the nozzle tip. In this case, since it is necessary to send the viscous material supplied into the cylinder of each booster to the mixing device, the amount of material sent from each booster to the mixing device becomes a problem. In this regard, in the device having a disturbance factor as in Patent Document 1, the ratio of the two-component mixing cannot be accurately maintained due to the variation in the delivery amount, thereby causing an unexpected disadvantage such as performance deterioration of the applied material. Inconvenient.

[Object of invention]
The present invention has been devised by paying attention to such inconveniences, and its purpose is to accurately detect and set the pressure during stable application by detecting the pressure in the cylinder constituting the booster. An object of the present invention is to provide a material application apparatus that can acquire pressure and can accurately discharge and apply a material by updating the set pressure even if the viscosity of the material changes due to a temperature change or the like.
In addition, the present invention avoids variations in the delivery amount of a plurality of viscous materials delivered to the mixing device, and avoids causes of performance degradation of the material to be applied while maintaining a high mixing ratio in the mixing device. It is to provide a material application device that can

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a plurality of boosters for applying pressure to a viscous material supplied into a cylinder, a mixing device communicating with each booster via a discharge valve, and a chamber of the mixing device. In a material coating apparatus that discharges a mixed material from the tip of the nozzle and applies it to the surface to be coated,
A pressure sensor for detecting the pressure in each cylinder of each booster, and a controller for storing and updating the detected pressure of the pressure sensor and giving a material discharge operation signal for each booster,
The controller stores the pressure of each pressure sensor when the mixed material is stably applied, and controls each booster using the pressure as a set pressure when starting material discharge from the nozzle tip. Is adopted.
The material used for this invention can be used if it is a multi-liquid viscous liquid material. Specific examples include multi-component mixed curable liquid adhesives, sealing agents, and coating agents.

According to the present invention, the mixing device communicates with the cylinder via the discharge valve, and the pressure applied to the material in the cylinder is detected to grasp the pressure during stable application. The pressure value thus obtained is not confused by disturbance, and the pressure can be trusted as the set pressure at the start of material delivery and discharge. Therefore, the pressure at the time of stable application is stored in the controller as the set pressure and can be updated. When the pressure in the cylinder reaches the set pressure, the discharge valve corresponding to each booster is opened and the material is sent to the mixing device. As a result, a certain amount of each viscous material is supplied to the mixing device, and the performance of the mixed material can be stabilized. At the same time, there is no deviation in the material discharge start position, and it is possible to discharge and apply the material with the expected bead shape.
Note that the pressure is detected every time the cylinder is operated. For example, when the viscosity of the discharged material changes suddenly with changes in the outside air temperature, or even when the viscosity changes very slowly Is possible.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a schematic plan view of a material coating apparatus according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 shows a partial cross-sectional front view taken along line AA of FIG. FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional side view taken along line BB in FIG. In these drawings, the present embodiment is not particularly limited, but is configured as an apparatus for applying a mixed material obtained by mixing two liquid viscous materials. The material application apparatus 10 includes a pair of left and right boosters 11 and 11 supported by a frame F, a pair of left and right balance tanks 12 and 12 provided corresponding to the boosters 11, and the boosters 11 and 11. A mixing device 13 arranged to mix the viscous materials M1, M2 (see FIG. 2) delivered from each booster 11 to obtain a mixed material M3, and a nozzle connected to communicate with the chamber 14 of the mixing device 13 15, a pair of left and right discharge valves 16 and 16 for opening and closing communication between the boosters 11 and 11 and the mixing device 13, respectively, and the boosters 11 and 11 and the balance tanks 12 and 12 are connected to each balance. A pair of left and right liquid supply valves that supply the viscous materials M1, M2 in the tank 12 to the boosters 11, 11, respectively. 0, 20; a pair of material supply sources 22, 22 comprising pumps for replenishing the materials M1, M2 in the balance tanks 12, 12, respectively; and a controller 24 for controlling the entire system such as the booster 11. It is configured.

  In the present embodiment, the pair of components having the pair of relations have substantially the same structure. Therefore, in the following description, one configuration is described, and the same configuration is used for the other configuration to avoid duplication of description.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the booster 11 includes a cylinder 30 to which a viscous material M1 (M2) whose pressure is adjusted in the balance tank 12 is supplied, and a material M1 (M2) supplied to the cylinder 30. A material delivery head 33 having a passage 32 communicating with the cylinder 30 is disposed below the cylinder 30. As shown in FIG. 2, the material delivery head 33 is configured such that the passage 32 communicates with a passage 36 of a cylinder block 35 that forms a lower structure of the mixing device 13. The plunger 31 is provided so as to be able to advance and retract in the vertical direction via a ball screw 37, and a gear 38 is attached to an intermediate portion of the ball screw 37. The gear 38 is provided so as to be engaged with a gear 42 fixed to the output shaft 41 of the stepping motor 40 and transmit a driving force for moving the plunger 31 up and down. Note that the upper end portion of the ball screw 37 is received in a substantially cylindrical column 43 disposed on the frame F, and one end side of a plate-like arm 44 is connected to the upper end portion. The other end of the arm 44 is fixed to the upper end of a guide rod 46 that extends into a standing pipe 45 (see FIG. 1) provided alongside the support post 43, whereby the ball screw 37 is prevented from rotating, and the ball screw 37 and the plunger 31 connected thereto are configured to move up and down.

In the cylinder 30 of the booster 11, a pressure sensor 48 is disposed below the cylinder 30. The pressure sensor 48 detects the delivery pressure of the viscous material M1 (M2), that is, the discharge pressure of the mixed material M3, in the cylinder 30, and outputs the pressure signal to the controller 24.
In the boosters 11 and 11, it is necessary to set the total capacity larger than the coating amount of the material to be coated. Specifically, when the application amount is 10 ml, the total capacity of each booster 11 needs to be larger than 10 ml, and when it has a capacity exceeding 20 ml, application can be performed twice with one stroke of the plunger 31. . In addition, when apply | coating a liquid gasket to the oil pan of an internal combustion engine (automobile engine), the total capacity | capacitance of each booster 11 should just be about 50 ml.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the balance tank 12 is positioned at the lower part of the pressure adjustment cylinder 50, the adjustment plunger 51 provided so as to be movable up and down in the pressure adjustment cylinder 50, and the balance tank 12. And a material supply head 53 having a material supply passage 52 communicating with the pressure adjusting cylinder 50. The material supply head 53 is configured to communicate with the passage 32 of the material delivery head 33. The material supply head 53 is connected to a tip 54A of a material supply pipe 54 led out from the material supply source 22 so that the viscous material M1 (M2) can be supplied into the material supply passage 52. The operation of the adjustment plunger 51 is controlled via the air cylinder 56, whereby the pressure of the viscous material M1 (M2) replenished from the material supply source 22 into the material supply passage 52 and the pressure adjustment cylinder 50 becomes constant. Thus, the pressure is adjusted and supplied to the mixing device 13.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the mixing device 13 is driven to rotate by a mixing motor 60 positioned above a cylinder block 35 having a chamber 14 and the mixing motor 60. And a mixing rod 62 that extends. Viscous materials M1 and M2 flow into the chamber 14 through passages 36 communicating with the material delivery head 33, and the mixing rod 62 rotates in the chamber 14 to rotate the viscous material M1. , M2 are mixed, and the mixed material M3 is discharged from the nozzle 15. As shown in FIG. 4, the mixing rod 62 has a substantially hexagonal outer peripheral shape, thereby forming a mixing gap between the mixing rod 62 and the inner peripheral surface of the chamber 14. Are to be mixed.

  The nozzle 15 is connected in communication with the lower end of the cylinder block 35, and is configured to discharge the viscous material M3 when the discharge valve 16 is opened. The discharge valve 16 is attached to the material delivery head 33, and includes a valve stem 66 that is communicated with the passage 36 and that can be moved forward and backward with respect to a valve seat 65 that forms a valve hole. When the valve seat 65 is seated on the valve seat 65, the passage between the passage 32 and the passage 36 is interrupted. On the other hand, when the valve rod 66 is separated from the valve seat 65, the passages 32 and 36 are communicated.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the liquid supply valve 20 is a rod-shaped valve body that opens and closes a valve hole 68 provided between the material supply passage 52 of the material supply head 53 and the passage 32 of the material delivery head 33. 69. The valve body 69 opens the valve hole 68 so that the material M1 (M2) in the balance tank 12 can be sent to the cylinder 30. On the other hand, when the valve hole 68 is closed, the valve body 69 The communication is cut off. In the present embodiment, the shaft diameter of the valve element 69 is smaller than the inner diameter of the material supply passage 52, whereby the material M <b> 1 (M <b> 2) replenished from the material supply source 17 is around the valve element 69. The pressure adjustment cylinder 50 is replenished.

  The controller 22 is provided to control the operation of the booster 11, the stepping motor 40, and the like, and to control the opening and closing of the discharge valve 16 and the liquid supply valve 20. The controller 22 includes a CPU (not shown). The CPU can store and update the pressure in the cylinder 30 with the output of the pressure sensor 48 as an input, and the optimal discharge pressure when the mixed material M3 is discharged and applied. Is stored, and the plunger 31 is operated at a constant speed using the discharge pressure as a set pressure at the start of the next discharge.

  Next, the material ejection and application operations in this embodiment will be described.

  Here, as the initial position (origin), the plungers 31 and 51 of the booster 11 and the balance tank 12 are at the ascending end, and the discharge valve 16 and the liquid supply valve 20 are closed, and the cylinders 30 and 50 and It is assumed that a certain amount of viscous material M1, M2 is supplied into the material supply passage 52 and the chamber 14 of the mixing device 13.

  As the stepping motor 40 rotates and the plunger 31 of the booster 11 descends, the inside of the cylinder 30 is pressurized, and the inside of the cylinder 30 is raised to a set pressure. This set pressure is a pressure that is detected and set in the controller 24 by the pressure sensor 48 when the application is performed in a state where a stable bead is formed at the time of the previous discharge and application of the material. . However, at the time of the first application, it is preferable to perform trial application and detect an appropriate discharge pressure in advance. Note that the mixing motor 60 rotates at the same time as or before or after the rotation of the stepping motor 40, and the viscous material M1 (M2) in the chamber 14 is mixed.

When the pressure sensor 48 detects that the inside of the cylinder 30 has risen to the set pressure as the plunger 31 descends, the controller 24 outputs an opening operation signal to the discharge valve 16 according to the signal from the pressure sensor 48. The discharge valve 16 is opened, and the discharge of the mixed material M3 from the nozzle 15 is started. Then, when the plunger 31 moves downward at a constant speed, the mixed material M3 is continuously discharged from the tip of the nozzle 15 and the material is applied in a bead shape to a workpiece (not shown).
In this embodiment, each plunger 31 operates at a constant speed so that the materials M1 and M2 are mixed in equal amounts (1: 1). However, the speed of these plungers 31 may be changed relatively, or the boosters 11, By changing the volume of 11, for example, it is possible to perform mixing even at a mixing ratio of 1:10. In the case of three liquids and four liquids, the same is possible.

  After the discharge and application of the mixed material M3 in this way, the discharge valve 16 is closed, the driving of the stepping motor 40 is stopped, and the lowering operation of the plunger 31 in the booster 11 is also stopped.

  Next, the liquid supply valve 20 is opened, the stepping motor 40 is reversed, the plunger 31 of the booster 11 is raised, and the viscous material M1 (M2) is taken into the cylinder 30. That is, since the pressure adjusting plunger 51 of the balance tank 12 is always urged downward through the air cylinder 56, the pressure adjustment plunger 51 starts to descend and the viscous material M1 (M2) is fixed from the balance tank 12 to the cylinder 30 of the booster 11. Move with pressure.

  When the limit sensor (not shown) detects that the material liquid level in the balance tank 12 has reached the lower limit, the pump of the material supply source 22 is driven via the controller 24 to replenish the viscous material M1 (M2). Will be. Then, when the pressure adjusting plunger 51 rises due to the replenishing pressure at the time of material replenishment, and its rising end is detected by a limit sensor (not shown), the pump operation of the material supply source 22 stops and the pressure adjusting plunger of the balance tank 12 51 returns to the initial position (origin). In addition, when the material is supplied, the liquid supply valve 20 is adjusted in consideration of the magnitude of the material supply pressure from the material supply source 22 (ratio to the pressure in the balance tank 12) and the capacity of the balance tank 12. Adjust the opening and closing. For example, when the pressure of the material supply source 22 is high, it is possible to prevent exposure to high pressure in the booster 11 by closing the liquid supply valve 20 (material leakage or malfunction), and the material supply source 22 When the pressure difference between the pressure in the balance tank 12 and the balance tank 12 is small, or the capacity of the balance tank 12 is small, the liquid supply valve 20 may be opened to directly supply the material into the booster 11.

  Thereafter, the mixed material M3 can be discharged and applied by repeating the same cycle. At this time, for each application cycle, the pressure in the cylinder 30 at the time of the previous stable application is detected by the pressure sensor 48, and the set pressure at the start of discharge is updated one by one.

Therefore, according to such an embodiment, the pressure at the time of stable application in each cylinder 30 constituting the pair of boosters 11 is detected by the pressure sensor 48, and this is stored in the controller 24 as the set pressure at the start of discharge. Since the mixed material M3 is discharged at the set pressure and the plunger of the booster 11 is lowered at a constant speed, the amounts of the viscous materials M1 and M2 sent to or supplied to the mixing device 13 are always at a constant rate. And the properties of the mixed material M3 can be stably secured.
In addition, it is possible to continuously apply the material while effectively avoiding the material discharge delay or insufficient discharge amount at the application start position, and the closed loop material application where the application path returns to the application start position In this case, the bead shape at the joint between the application start position and the application end position is also stable, and there is no inconvenience that a partial bead bulge or a bead-cut region is formed.
Even if the viscosity of the material changes due to temperature changes, the pressure at the time of stable application when the viscosity changes is detected, and the detected pressure is updated as the set pressure at the start of material discharge in the next cycle. Therefore, the inconvenience that the discharge operation becomes unstable with a change in viscosity is eliminated.

The best configuration, method and the like for carrying out the present invention have been disclosed in the above description, but the present invention is not limited to this.
That is, the invention has been illustrated and described with particular reference to certain specific embodiments, but the embodiments described above are within the scope of the technical idea and scope of the invention. On the other hand, those skilled in the art can make various modifications in shape, material, quantity, and other detailed configurations.
Accordingly, the description limiting the shape and the like disclosed above is illustrative for easy understanding of the present invention, and does not limit the present invention. The description by the name of the member which excluded the limitation of all or part is included in the present invention.

For example, although the material application apparatus 10 provided with the balance tank 12 is shown in the above-described embodiment, the adoption of the configuration in which the viscous material M1 (M2) is directly supplied from the material supply source 22 to the booster 11 is not hindered.
Further, the material application device 10 can be used by being attached to the tip of an arm of a three-dimensional robot, and the control unit of the robot body and the control unit of the material application device 10 can be linked to form an automatic application device. Is possible.

1 is a schematic plan view of a material application device according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 1. The partial cross section side view which follows the BB line of FIG. The expanded sectional view which follows the CC line of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Material application apparatus 11 Booster 13 Mixing apparatus 14 Chamber 15 Nozzle 16 Discharge valve 24 Controller 30 Cylinder 48 Pressure sensor M1, M2 Viscous material M3 Mixed material

Claims (1)

A plurality of boosters that apply pressure to the viscous material supplied into the cylinder, a mixing device that communicates with each booster via a discharge valve, and a nozzle that communicates with the chamber of the mixing device. In the material application device that discharges the mixed material and applies it to the application surface,
A pressure sensor for detecting the pressure in each cylinder of each booster, and a controller for storing and updating the detected pressure of the pressure sensor and giving a material discharge operation signal for each booster,
The controller stores the pressure of each pressure sensor when the mixed material is stably applied, and controls each booster using the pressure as a set pressure at the start of material discharge from the nozzle tip. Material coating device.

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