JP2008290029A - Coating device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a coating device in which a valve seat is surely fixed, the time required for maintenance work of the valve seat is shortened and the cost is reduced while securing the sealing property between the valve seat and the device body and between the valve seat and a nozzle. <P>SOLUTION: The coating device is provided with the device body 2 where a flow route R for liquid substance is formed and the nozzle 3 having an ejecting aperture 30. The valve seat 4 is sandwiched between the device body 2 and the nozzle 3. A communicating hole 4a is formed on the valve seat 4. A needle 6 for opening and closing the communicating hole 4a of the valve seat 4 is formed on the device body 2. An upstream side O-ring 25 is provided between the device body 2 and the valve seat 4. A downstream side O-ring 33 is provided between the nozzle 3 and the valve seat 4. The nozzle 3 is fastened to the device body 2 with a cap nut 5. The valve seat 4 is made to have a symmetric shape centered on the central part in the axial direction of the communicating hole 4a. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a coating apparatus used when a liquid material such as a sealing agent, a filler, and an adhesive is applied.

Conventionally, as a coating apparatus of this type, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example, a nozzle having a discharge hole connected to a flow path is attached to an apparatus main body having a flow path through which a liquid material flows. It is known that it is configured as follows. In the thing of patent document 1, the valve seat is accommodated in the inside of the discharge hole of a nozzle. The valve seat is formed with a communication hole communicating with the flow path of the apparatus main body and the discharge hole of the nozzle. The device body has a built-in valve body that opens and closes the communication hole of the valve seat. By moving the valve body and opening the communication hole of the valve seat, liquid material passes through the communication hole of the valve seat and The ink is discharged from the discharge hole.
JP-A-2005-230812

  By the way, in the coating apparatus of patent document 1, the valve seat is accommodated in the inside of the discharge hole of a nozzle. In this case, it is necessary to prevent the valve seat from moving together with the valve body, and it is necessary to ensure a sealing property between the valve seat and the inner surface of the nozzle discharge hole. Must be pressed into the nozzle discharge hole. However, since the valve seat can be worn or damaged, it is difficult to replace only the valve seat if it is press-fitted into the nozzle, and it takes a long time for maintenance work, and consequently, the application work interruption time. Becomes longer, leading to deterioration of productivity.

  On the other hand, it is conceivable to replace the nozzle into which the valve seat is press-fitted together with the valve seat, or to replace the valve body by making the valve seat a material that does not easily wear. However, in the former case, the maintenance cost is increased because the nozzle must be replaced together. In the latter case, the main body of the apparatus needs to be disassembled, and the maintenance work takes a long time. .

  The present invention has been made in view of such a point, and an object of the present invention is to firmly fix the valve seat so as not to move, and to provide a sealing property between the valve seat, the apparatus main body, and the nozzle. It is to reduce the time required for the maintenance work when the valve seat is worn or damaged, and to reduce the cost, while ensuring it.

  In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, the valve seat is sandwiched between the device body and the nozzle fastened by the fastening member, and between the valve seat and the device body, and between the valve seat and the nozzle. A seal member was provided for each of the two, and the valve seat was formed in a symmetrical shape with the axial center portion of the communication hole as the center of symmetry.

  Specifically, in the first invention, an application apparatus used when applying a liquid material, the apparatus main body having a flow path through which the liquid material circulates, and a downstream of the flow path in the apparatus main body. A nozzle having a discharge hole connected to the end opening, and a periphery of the downstream end opening of the flow path in the apparatus main body and a periphery of the upstream end opening of the discharge hole in the nozzle, and are sandwiched between the flow path and the discharge hole. A valve seat in which a communication hole communicating therethrough is formed; a valve body provided in the apparatus body for opening and closing the communication hole of the valve seat; a periphery of a downstream end opening of a flow path in the apparatus body; An upstream seal member provided between the periphery of the communication hole, a downstream seal member provided between the periphery of the upstream end opening of the discharge hole in the nozzle and the periphery of the communication hole of the valve seat, Fastening member for fastening the nozzle to the apparatus body Comprising a, the valve seat has a structure that is the symmetrical shape around the symmetry axial central portion of the communicating hole.

  According to this configuration, when the nozzle is fastened to the apparatus main body by the fastening member, the valve seat is sandwiched between the apparatus main body and the nozzle. At this time, the gap between the valve seat and the apparatus main body is sealed by the upstream seal member, and the gap between the valve seat and the nozzle is sealed by the downstream seal member.

  When the valve seat is worn or damaged, it is possible to easily remove the valve seat when the nozzle is removed from the apparatus main body by loosening the fastening member. Since this valve seat has a symmetrical shape in which the central portion in the axial direction is a symmetric center, it can be used even if it is inverted in the axial direction. For this reason, when only the side of the valve seat that contacts the valve body is worn or damaged, the valve seat is turned over without replacing it with a new one, and then placed between the device body and the nozzle and fastened. All you need to do is tighten the parts. In addition, when both sides of the valve seat are worn or damaged, it is only necessary to place a new valve seat between the apparatus main body and the nozzle and tighten the fastening member. The exchanged valve seat has a symmetrical shape in which the axial center of the communication hole is the center of symmetry, and thus can be manufactured easily and inexpensively.

  According to a second invention, in the first invention, a recess in which at least a part of the valve seat is fitted is formed around the downstream end opening of the flow path in the apparatus main body.

  According to this structure, when attaching a valve seat to an apparatus main body, it becomes possible to position easily by fitting in the recessed part of an apparatus main body.

  In the third invention, in the first or second invention, an upstream groove portion into which the upstream seal member is fitted is formed around the downstream end opening of the flow path in the apparatus main body, and the upstream end opening of the discharge hole in the nozzle is formed. In the periphery, a downstream groove portion into which the downstream seal member is fitted is formed.

  According to this configuration, it is possible to easily position the seal member by fitting the upstream seal member into the upstream groove portion of the apparatus main body and fitting the downstream seal member into the downstream groove portion of the nozzle. .

  According to the first invention, since the valve seat is sandwiched between the device body and the nozzle, the valve seat can be firmly fixed so as not to move, and the upstream side between the valve seat and the device body. Since the seal member is provided and the downstream seal member is provided between the valve seat and the nozzle, the sealing performance between the valve seat, the apparatus main body and the nozzle can be sufficiently ensured. When the valve seat is worn or damaged, the valve seat can be easily removed and attached by operating the fastening member, and the time required for the maintenance work can be shortened. In addition, since the valve seat has a symmetrical shape in which the axial center of the communication hole is the center of symmetry, the valve seat can be inexpensive and can be reversed and reused. Therefore, the cost required for maintenance work can be reduced.

  According to the second invention, since the concave portion into which at least a part of the valve seat is fitted is formed in the apparatus main body, the valve seat can be easily positioned on the apparatus main body, and maintenance workability can be improved.

  According to the third aspect, the upstream seal member can be fitted and positioned in the upstream groove formed in the apparatus main body, and the downstream seal member can be fitted and positioned in the downstream groove formed in the nozzle. Thereby, the sealing performance between a valve seat, a nozzle, and an apparatus main body can be improved further.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the following description of the preferred embodiment is merely illustrative in nature, and is not intended to limit the present invention, its application, or its use.

  FIG. 1 shows a sealer gun 1 as a coating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. This sealer gun 1 is used when a filler is applied to a steel plate (not shown) constituting an automobile door or the like, and is attached to the tip of a robot arm (not shown) of an industrial robot. It is an automatic type sealer gun that is automatically operated by a predetermined program.

  The sealer gun 1 includes a device main body 2 attached to a robot arm, a nozzle 3 for discharging a filler, and a valve seat 4 as a valve seat provided between the device main body 2 and the nozzle 3 (shown in FIG. 2). ) And a cap nut 5 as a fastening member for fastening the nozzle 3 to the apparatus main body 2. The apparatus main body 2 includes a gun base 10 incorporating a needle 6 (shown in FIG. 2) as a valve body, and an actuator 11 for moving the needle 6. The gun base 10 has a columnar shape extending in the axial direction of the needle 6 (vertical direction in FIGS. 1 and 2). A small diameter portion 10a is formed on one side of the gun base 10 in the axial direction (lower side in FIGS. 1 and 2), and a large diameter portion 10b is formed on the other end side (upper side in FIGS. 1 and 2). . As shown in FIG. 2, a through hole 15 penetrating in the axial direction is formed in the center of the gun base 10, and the needle 6 is disposed in the through hole 15. In the description of this embodiment, for convenience of explanation, the upper side of FIGS. 1 and 2 is referred to as the upper side of the sealer gun 1, and the lower side of FIGS. However, when the sealer gun 1 is used, the upper side may face downward.

  A projecting portion 16 that protrudes inwardly of the through hole 15 and extends in the circumferential direction is formed at an intermediate portion in the vertical direction of the inner peripheral surface of the through hole 15. The inner diameter on the upper side of the protruding portion 16 of the through hole 15 is set larger than that on the lower side. Two packings 17 and 17 having a shape through which the needle 6 penetrates are arranged above the protruding portion 16 of the through hole 15 so as to overlap in the vertical direction. These packings 17 and 17 are so-called U packings having a U-shaped cross section. The lower end surface of the packing 17 located on the lower side hits the protruding portion 16 so as not to move downward. Further, a packing holding member 18 that holds the packing 17 positioned on the upper side from above is fixed to the upper portion of the gun base 10. The packing pressing member 18 is formed with an insertion hole 18a through which the upper portion of the needle 6 is inserted. A tapered surface 6 a is formed at the lower end of the needle 6 so as to have a tapered shape.

  The actuator 11 is fixed to the upper end surface of the gun base 10 and is composed of a known fluid pressure cylinder that operates using compressed air or the like as a power source. The actuator 11 is disposed such that the rod 11a is positioned on the lower side and the expansion / contraction direction of the rod 11a is the vertical direction. The upper end portion of the needle 6 is fixed to the distal end portion of the rod 11a. Therefore, the needle 6 moves up and down by the expansion and contraction of the rod 11a. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, an adapter 20 attached to the robot arm is provided at the upper end portion of the actuator 11.

  The lower side of the projecting portion 16 of the through hole 15 is a flow path R through which a filler flows. Further, a connection hole 21 to which a supply pipe P extending from a filler supply device (not shown) is connected is formed near the center of the gun base 10 in the vertical direction. The connection hole 21 communicates with the upper end portion of the flow path R, extends radially outward of the gun base 10, and opens on the outer peripheral surface of the gun base 10. Note that the filler pressurized to a high pressure of about 30 MPa is supplied from the supply device. In addition to the filler, liquid materials such as various sealing agents and adhesives can be supplied from the supply device.

  On the outer peripheral surface of the small-diameter portion 10a of the gun base 10, a male screw portion 10c into which the cap nut 5 is screwed is formed. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 2, the recessed part 23 in which the valve seat 4 fits is formed in the lower end surface of the small diameter part 10a so that it may dent upwards. The downstream end of the flow path R is opened at the bottom surface of the recess 23 (the upper surface in FIG. 2). An upstream annular groove 24 is formed on the bottom surface of the recess 23 so as to surround the downstream end opening of the flow path R. An upstream O-ring 25 as an upstream seal member is fitted in the upstream annular groove 24.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the valve seat 4 has a circular plate shape with a smaller diameter than the small diameter portion 10 a of the gun base 10. A communication hole 4 a communicating with the flow path R is formed in the central portion of the valve seat 4 so as to penetrate the valve seat 4 in the thickness direction. As shown in FIG. 2, the diameter of the communication hole 4 a is set to be smaller than the diameter of the downstream end opening of the flow path R and smaller than the outer diameter of the needle 6. The cross-sectional shape of the communication hole 4 a is the same circle over both ends in the thickness direction of the valve seat 4. That is, since the valve seat 4 has a symmetrical shape with the central portion in the thickness direction, that is, the central portion in the axial direction of the communication hole 4a as a symmetrical center, the valve seat 4 can be easily manufactured and obtained at low cost. The thickness of the valve seat 4 is preferably set in the range of about 3 mm to 9 mm.

  The communication hole 4 a of the valve seat 4 is opened and closed by the needle 6. That is, as shown by the phantom line in FIG. 2, when the needle 6 is moved downward by the actuator 11, the tapered surface 6a at the lower end of the needle 6 comes into contact with the upper peripheral edge of the communication hole 4a. The hole 4a is closed. On the other hand, when the needle 6 is moved upward by the actuator 11 as shown by a solid line in FIG. 2, the tapered surface 6a of the needle 6 is separated from the communication hole 4a, thereby opening the communication hole 4a.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the nozzle 3 extends linearly in the vertical direction. The lower outer diameter of the nozzle 3 is smaller than the upper outer diameter. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the discharge hole 30 of the nozzle 3 extends in the vertical direction. A flange 31 extending outward in the radial direction is formed at the upper end portion of the nozzle 3. The upstream end of the discharge hole 30 is open on the upper surface of the flange 31. The upstream end opening of the discharge hole 30 communicates with the communication hole 4 a of the valve seat 4. A downstream annular groove 32 is formed on the upper surface of the flange 31 so as to surround the upstream end opening of the discharge hole 30. The downstream annular groove 32 has a smaller diameter than the diameter of the upstream annular groove 24. A downstream O-ring 33 as a downstream sealing material is fitted into the downstream annular groove 24. The inner diameter of the downstream O-ring 33 is set smaller than the inner diameter of the upstream O-ring 25. Further, the downstream end of the discharge hole 30 is open to the lower end surface of the nozzle 3.

  The cap nut 5 is formed so that a portion below the flange 31 of the nozzle 3 is inserted. As shown in FIG. 2, a protruding portion 5 b that protrudes inward of the cap nut 5 and extends in the circumferential direction is formed below the female screw portion 5 a of the cap nut 5. The protruding portion 5b is formed with a step portion 5c into which the flange 31 of the nozzle 3 is fitted from above.

  Next, the case where the nozzle 3 of the sealer gun 1 configured as described above is attached to the apparatus main body 2 will be described. First, the upstream O-ring 25 is fitted into the upstream annular groove 24 of the gun base 10, and the downstream O-ring 33 is fitted into the downstream annular groove 32 of the nozzle 3. As a result, the positions of the upstream and downstream O-rings 25 and 33 are held at regular positions. Then, the valve seat 4 is fitted into the recess 23 of the gun base 10. At this time, since the valve seat 4 has a symmetrical shape as described above, no misassembly occurs regardless of which side of the valve seat 4 is on, and the assembly workability is good. The flange 31 of the nozzle 3 is applied to the valve seat 4 from below the valve seat 4 fitted in the recess 23.

  Thereafter, the female screw portion 5a of the cap nut 5 is screwed into the male screw portion 10c of the gun base 10 and tightened. As a result, the flange 31 of the nozzle 3 moves upward, the upper surface of the flange 31 is pressed against the lower surface of the valve seat 4, and the upper surface of the valve seat 4 is pressed against the bottom surface of the recess 23 of the gun base 10. As a result, the valve seat 4 is sandwiched between the periphery of the downstream end opening of the flow path R in the apparatus main body 2 and the periphery of the upstream end opening of the discharge hole 30 in the nozzle 3. At this time, the upstream O-ring 25 is pressed against the inner surface of the upstream annular groove 24 and the upper surface of the valve seat 4, thereby sealing between the valve seat 4 and the apparatus main body 2. Further, the downstream O-ring 33 is pressed against the downstream annular groove 32 and the lower surface of the valve seat 4, thereby sealing between the valve seat 4 and the nozzle 3.

  In this state, by operating the actuator 11 and moving the needle 6 upward, the communication hole 4a of the valve seat 4 is opened, and the filler passes through the flow path R, the communication hole 4a, and the discharge hole 30 in order. Discharged. At this time, since the thickness of the valve seat 4 is 9 mm or less and the length of the communication hole 4a is sufficiently short, the time from when the communication hole 4a is opened until the filler is discharged is It can be shortened.

  Further, by moving the needle 6 downward by the actuator 11, the tapered surface 6a of the needle 6 abuts on the peripheral portion of the communication hole 4a of the valve seat 4, and the communication hole 4a is closed. At this time, since the length of the communication hole 4a of the valve seat 4 is short, the amount of the filler remaining in the communication hole 4a is reduced. Therefore, the filler is less likely to sag from the nozzle 3 after the communication hole 4a is closed. .

  When the filler is discharged from the discharge hole 30, if foreign matter is mixed in the filler, the inner surface of the communication hole 4 a of the valve seat 4 and the upper surface of the valve seat 4 may be damaged. Further, since the tapered surface 6a of the needle 6 is brought into contact with the peripheral portion of the communication hole 4a, the peripheral portion of the communication hole 4a is worn when the valve seat 4 is used for a long time.

  When the valve seat 4 is damaged or worn as described above, maintenance work is required. In this case, first, the cap nut 5 is loosened and the nozzle 3 is removed from the apparatus main body 2. At this time, since the valve seat 4 is sandwiched between the nozzle 3 and the apparatus main body 2, the valve seat 4 can be easily removed. Since the valve seat 4 has a symmetrical shape in which the central portion in the axial direction is the center of symmetry, the valve seat 4 can be used even if it is reversed in the axial direction. For this reason, when only the contact side of the needle 6 in the valve seat 4 is worn or damaged, the valve seat 4 is turned upside down without being replaced with a new one, and then the apparatus body 2 as described above. And the nozzle 3 can be attached simply by tightening the cap nut 5. If the upper and lower sides of the valve seat 4 are worn or damaged, a new valve seat 4 is prepared and disposed between the apparatus main body 2 and the nozzle 3 and the cap nut 5 is tightened. .

  As described above, according to the sealer gun 1 according to this embodiment, since the valve seat 4 is sandwiched between the apparatus main body 2 and the nozzle 3, the valve seat 4 can be firmly fixed so as not to move. Moreover, since the upstream O-ring 25 is provided between the valve seat 4 and the apparatus main body 2 and the downstream O-ring 33 is provided between the valve seat 4 and the nozzle 3, the valve seat 4 and the apparatus main body 2 and A sufficient sealing property with the nozzle 3 can be secured. When the valve seat 4 is worn or damaged, the valve seat 4 can be easily removed and attached by operating the cap nut 5, and the time required for the maintenance work can be shortened. Further, the valve seat 4 has a symmetrical shape in which the axial center of the communication hole 4a is the center of symmetry, so that the valve seat 4 can be inexpensive and can be reversed and reused. Therefore, the cost required for maintenance work can be reduced.

  Further, since the recess 23 into which the valve seat 4 is fitted is formed in the apparatus main body 2, the valve seat 4 can be easily positioned on the apparatus main body 2, and the maintenance workability can be improved. The shape of the recess 23 may be a shape in which the entire valve seat 4 is fitted, or a shape in which only a part is fitted.

  Further, the upstream O-ring 25 can be fitted and positioned in the upstream groove 24 formed in the apparatus main body 2, and the downstream O-ring 33 can be fitted and positioned in the downstream groove 32 formed in the nozzle 3. Thereby, the sealing performance between the valve seat 4 and the nozzle 3 and the apparatus main body 2 can be further enhanced.

  Further, since the upstream and downstream annular grooves 24 and 32 into which the upstream and downstream O-rings 25 and 33 are respectively fitted are formed in the apparatus main body 2 and the nozzle 3, the upstream and downstream O It is not necessary to provide grooves for the rings 25 and 33. Therefore, the shape of the valve seat 4 can be a simple flat plate shape. Thereby, the cost of the valve seat 4 can be further reduced. Further, since the valve seat 4 is formed in a flat plate shape as described above, when both sides of the valve seat 4 are damaged, the valve seat 4 can be reused only by polishing the both sides.

  In addition, although the said embodiment demonstrated the case where the sealer gun 1 was an automatic type attached to the robot arm of an industrial robot, this invention is applied also to the manual type sealer gun which an operator operates directly. be able to.

  As described above, the coating apparatus according to the present invention is suitable for an automatic type sealer gun attached to an arm of an industrial robot, for example.

It is a side view of the sealer gun concerning the embodiment of the present invention. It is a fragmentary sectional view of a sealer gun. It is a disassembled perspective view of a sealer gun. It is a perspective view of a valve seat.

Explanation of symbols

1 Sealer gun (coating device)
2 Device body 3 Nozzle 4 Valve seat (valve seat)
4a Communication hole 5 Cap nut (fastening member)
6 Needle (Valve)
10 Gun base 24 Upstream annular groove (upstream groove)
25 Upstream O-ring 30 Discharge hole 32 Downstream annular groove (downstream groove)
33 Downstream O-ring R

Claims (3)

An application device used when applying a liquid material,
An apparatus main body formed with a flow path through which the liquid material circulates;
A nozzle having a discharge hole connected to the downstream end opening of the flow path in the apparatus body;
A valve seat sandwiched between the periphery of the downstream end opening of the flow path in the apparatus main body and the periphery of the upstream end opening of the discharge hole in the nozzle, and a communication hole communicating with the flow path and the discharge hole;
A valve body provided in the apparatus body for opening and closing the communication hole of the valve seat;
An upstream seal member provided between the periphery of the downstream end opening of the flow path in the apparatus main body and the periphery of the communication hole of the valve seat;
A downstream seal member provided between the periphery of the upstream end opening of the discharge hole in the nozzle and the periphery of the communication hole of the valve seat;
A fastening member for fastening the nozzle to the apparatus main body,
The applicator according to claim 1, wherein the valve seat has a symmetric shape with a central portion in the axial direction of the communication hole as a symmetric center. The coating apparatus according to claim 1,
An applicator characterized in that a recess into which at least a part of the valve seat is fitted is formed around the downstream end opening of the flow path in the apparatus main body. The coating apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
Around the downstream end opening of the flow path in the apparatus main body, an upstream groove portion into which the upstream seal member fits is formed,
An application apparatus, wherein a downstream groove portion into which a downstream seal member is fitted is formed around an upstream end opening of a discharge hole in a nozzle.

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