JP2011224436A - Discharge device and discharge method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a discharge device particularly capable of keeping the discharge of the stable fixed quantity and improving operation efficiency, and a discharge method therefor.SOLUTION: The discharge device has a syringe 2 capable of filling a solution 5 inside and a nozzle 3 which is supported while communicating with the syringe and has a discharge port 3e at a distal end. A mesh material (shearing flow path part) shearing the solution 5 till discharging the solution 5 from the discharge port 3e by applying air pressure A to a solution 5 which contains a filler filled in the syringe 2 is disposed in one or more places from the inside of the syringe to the inside of the nozzle.

Description

  The present invention relates to a discharge apparatus and a discharge method for discharging a liquid agent containing a filler, particularly a liquid agent having thixotropy, in small amounts.

  The dispenser is a discharge device that can quantitatively discharge a small amount. And in a dispenser, air pressure is applied with respect to the liquid agent with which the syringe was filled, and the said liquid agent is discharged quantitatively from the discharge port of a needle nozzle.

  However, in a conventional dispenser, when a highly viscous liquid agent, particularly a thixotropic liquid agent containing a filler, is quantitatively discharged, in a state where the viscosity of the liquid agent is increased due to aggregation of the filler or the like (a state where fluidity is lowered). The liquid agent tends to stay inside the syringe or nozzle, and the discharge timing of the liquid agent is shifted, or excessive discharge occurs when trying to discharge the liquid agent by increasing the air pressure. It was difficult to do.

  For example, when a small amount of liquid agent is applied as a lubricant to a predetermined part of an electronic component, the conventional dispenser cannot dispense a small amount of the lubricant into a predetermined position of each electronic component, and characteristics such as the operating force of the electronic component There was a problem of large variations.

  For this reason, once the above-mentioned problem occurs, it is necessary to stop the apparatus, remove the liquid agent from the inside of the syringe or nozzle, perform cleaning, re-injection of the liquid agent, etc., and workability is lowered.

JP 2006-102659 A JP 2002-177743 A JP 2008-3285 A

  The invention described in Patent Document 1 relates to a paint supply device (flow coater) for forming a stable paint curtain. Patent Document 1 is an invention having a lower head and an upper head, wherein slits are provided on the downstream side of the lower head and the upper head, respectively, and the slit of the upper head is narrower than the slit of the lower head. And according to the structure of patent document 1, when it circulates a coating material, it is supposed that the curtain breakage by the bubble which entered the coating material can be prevented.

  As described above, the invention described in Patent Document 1 is to prevent curtain breakage due to air bubbles in the circulating paint, and to form a stable paint curtain that continuously flows down. In the liquid agent filled in the syringe, On the other hand, it does not relate to a dispenser for applying a pressure to quantitatively discharge a small amount. That is, Patent Document 1 is not an invention that attempts to maintain stable quantitative discharge by suppressing the retention of a highly viscous liquid agent inside a syringe or needle nozzle.

  In each patent document other than Patent Document 1, as in Patent Document 1, the viscosity change due to staying in a syringe or needle nozzle of a high-viscosity liquid agent that is intermittently discharged as well as in the case of discharging continuously is also included. A structure for suppressing and maintaining stable quantitative discharge is not disclosed.

  Accordingly, the present invention is to solve the above-described conventional problems, and in particular, to provide a discharge device and a discharge method capable of maintaining stable quantitative discharge and improving work efficiency. It is aimed.

The discharge device in the present invention has a syringe that can be filled with a liquid agent inside, a nozzle that is supported in communication with the syringe and has a discharge port at the tip,
A shear flow path section capable of shearing the liquid agent is applied from the inside of the syringe to the nozzle until pressure is applied to the liquid agent containing the filler filled in the syringe and the liquid agent is discharged from the discharge port. It is characterized in that it is provided at one or more places in the interior.

Further, the present invention is a discharge method using a discharge device having a syringe that can be filled with a liquid agent inside, and a nozzle that is supported in communication with the syringe and has a discharge port at the tip,
Pressure is applied to the liquid agent containing the filler filled in the syringe, and the liquid agent is sheared by a shear flow path provided at one or more locations from the inside of the syringe to the inside of the nozzle. Is discharged from the discharge port.

  As a result, a highly viscous liquid containing filler can be properly sheared in the shear flow path, and the fluidity of the liquid is increased (decreased in viscosity) by temporarily destroying the filler aggregation and network structure. Can be discharged from the discharge port. Therefore, it is possible to appropriately suppress the viscosity change due to the retention of the liquid agent inside the syringe or nozzle as compared with the conventional case, and it is possible to stably discharge a small amount of liquid agent stably even when intermittently discharging as well as continuous discharge. In addition, it is possible to effectively improve the work efficiency by cleaning work or the like.

  In this invention, it is preferable that the said shear flow path part is provided in one or more places among the inside of a nozzle, the nozzle side area | region inside a syringe, or the communicating port of the said syringe and the said nozzle. As described above, by providing the shear flow path portion on the nozzle tip side near the discharge port, the liquid agent is sheared immediately before the liquid agent is discharged from the discharge port, and the fluidity of the liquid agent is improved more effectively. It is preferable that the liquid agent can be discharged from the discharge port while maintaining the state. In addition, the nozzle side area | region inside a syringe refers to the area | region close | similar to a nozzle inside a syringe, Specifically, it is closer to a nozzle side than half of a syringe full length, More preferably, it is closer to a nozzle side than 1/3 of a syringe full length. More preferably, it points closer to the nozzle than 1/5 of the total length of the syringe.

  In the present invention, it is preferable that a plurality of openings are formed in the shear flow path so as to divide the flow of the liquid agent into a plurality. As a result, it is possible to effectively generate a shear stress by the liquid agent and further improve the fluidity of the liquid agent. In such a case, it is preferable that the size of each opening formed in the shear flow path is larger than that of the discharge port. Thereby, even if a higher pressure is not applied to the liquid agent, the liquid agent can be divided and appropriately circulated through the openings of the shear flow path portion, and appropriate flowability of the liquid agent can be ensured. In addition, it is possible to suppress an increase in load on the shear flow path when a pressure is applied to the liquid agent, and it is possible to suppress the deformation and damage of the shear flow path. In this way, by providing the shear channel portion formed so that the size of each opening is larger than the discharge port at a position close to the discharge port at the tip of the nozzle, it is appropriately (with clogging etc.) with a weak pressure. The liquid agent can be sheared and circulated in the shear flow channel portion, so that the liquid agent in a state where high fluidity is maintained can be appropriately discharged from the discharge port, and the liquid agent is more effectively stabilized. Can be realized.

  The discharge device in the present invention can be preferably applied to a liquid agent having thixotropy. By shearing the thixotropic liquid agent with the shear flow path part, the liquid agent can be discharged from the discharge port in a state in which the network structure of the filler contained in the liquid agent is broken to improve the fluidity, and the thixotropic property is high. Bubbles are easy to entrain air bubbles, but by increasing the fluidity by passing the liquid agent through the shear channel, defoaming can be promoted, pressure can be applied appropriately to the whole liquid, and a small amount of liquid agent can be stably discharged in a fixed amount. can do.

  In the present invention, a high-viscosity liquid containing a filler can be sheared appropriately in the shear flow path, and the fluidity of the liquid is increased (decreased in viscosity) by temporarily destroying filler aggregation and network structure. Can be discharged from the discharge port. Therefore, compared to conventional cases, it is possible to suppress the change in viscosity due to the retention of the liquid agent inside the syringe and nozzle, it is possible to stably discharge a small amount of liquid agent stably even when discharging intermittently as well as continuous discharge, In addition, it is possible to effectively improve the work efficiency due to cleaning work and the like.

A partial cross-sectional view of the discharge device in the present embodiment, FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a liquid agent is filled in a syringe of the discharge device illustrated in FIG. 1 and the liquid agent is discharged from a discharge port; Partial enlarged plan view of a mesh material used as a shear flow path part of the present embodiment, FIG. 4 shows a structure of a shear flow path portion different from FIG. 3, FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b) are plan views of the shear flow path section, and FIG. 4 (c) is a perspective view of the shear flow path section. The schematic diagram for demonstrating the thixotropic property of a liquid agent.

  FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a discharge device of a dispenser in the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a portion showing a state in which a liquid agent is filled in a syringe of the discharge device shown in FIG. 1 and the liquid agent is discharged from a discharge port. FIG. 3 is a partial enlarged plan view of a mesh material used as a shear flow path portion of the present embodiment. FIG. 4 shows a structure of a shear flow path portion different from FIG. FIGS. 4A and 4B are plan views of the shear flow path section, FIG. 4C is a perspective view of the shear flow path section, and FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining the thixotropic property of the liquid agent.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the discharge device 1 according to this embodiment includes a syringe 2 and a needle nozzle 3. As shown in FIG. 1, the internal space 2a of the syringe 2 and the internal space 3a of the needle nozzle 3 communicate with each other.

  For example, both ends of the syringe 2 in the Z direction shown in the figure are open, and the opening on the Z1 side shown in the figure is a filling port 2b for filling the liquid agent. The syringe 2 has an opening on the Z2 side shown in FIG. The support part 2c for this is provided. For example, the syringe 2 shown in FIG. 1 has a shape in which a support portion 2c and a cylindrical portion 2d having an inner diameter of the internal space 2a larger than the support portion 2c are integrally formed.

  As shown in FIG. 1, both ends of the needle nozzle 3 are open in the Z direction in the figure, and include a base end part 3 c that has an opening on the Z1 side in the figure and is fixedly supported by the support part 2 c of the syringe 2. A needle part (needle-like part) 3d provided with a discharge port 3e is provided at the tip on the Z2 side in the figure. The inner diameter of the discharge port 3e shown in FIG. 1 is about several hundred μm.

  The shapes of the syringe 2 and the needle nozzle 3 are not limited to the shapes shown in FIG. Further, unlike FIG. 1, a form in which the syringe 2 and the needle nozzle 3 are formed integrally, or a form in which the syringe 2 and the nozzle excluding the needle part 3d are formed integrally, and the needle part 3d is inserted into the nozzle tip. Etc. Even in such a case, the “discharge port” at the tip of the nozzle means the discharge port at the tip of the needle portion 3d. Moreover, the form by which an adapter etc. are inserted between the syringe 2 and the needle nozzle 3 may be sufficient.

  In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a mesh material 4 including a large number of openings 4 a serving as shear flow path portions is disposed at the boundary position between the support portion 2 c and the cylindrical portion 2 d of the internal space 2 a of the syringe 2.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the mesh material 4 is formed with a plurality of openings 4a (only one opening 4a is labeled in FIG. 3), and the opening area of each opening 4a is larger than that of the discharge port 3e. Largely formed.

  The opening ratio (OPA) of the opening 4a in the mesh material 4 is about 30% to 60%, preferably about 40% to 50%. In addition, the dimension in the X direction and the dimension in the Y direction of each opening 4a are about several hundreds μm, and the dimension in the X direction and the dimension in the Y direction of the opening 4a so as to be larger than the discharge port 3e. The dimensions are adjusted.

  Moreover, although the material of the mesh material 4 shown in FIG. 3 is not limited, it is suitable that it is excellent in mechanical strength, corrosion resistance, etc. Since the mesh material 4 is exposed to the liquid 5 described below and also receives the pressure from the liquid 5 pushed by the air pressure A, it is preferable that the mesh material 4 be made of a material that is not easily damaged and does not change with time or change in shape. For example, the mesh material 4 is formed of a metal mesh.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the liquid 5 is filled in the internal space 2 a of the syringe 2. The liquid agent 5 contains a filler and has a highly viscous property. In particular, the discharge device 1 of the present embodiment is suitable for using a thixotropic liquid agent 5. Note that the “liquid agent” in the present embodiment refers to a liquid having a fluidity that can be discharged from the discharge port 3e under pressure.

Although the material of the thixotropic liquid agent 5 is not particularly limited, for example, silicone grease can be used. The silicone grease has, for example, polyorganosilicone oil, silica powder, a lubricating auxiliary additive, a rust inhibitor, and an antioxidant. Polyorganosilicone oil accounts for about 80% to 98% of the total, silica powder accounts for about 1 to 20%, and lubricating auxiliary additives, rust preventives, and antioxidants together make up about 0 to 10%. Occupy. The polyorganosilicone oil has a composition formula of R ³ _a SiO _{(4-a) / 2} , where R ³ is an alkyl having 1 to 30 carbon atoms such as a methyl group, an ethyl group, a propyl group, or a butyl group. The group etc. can be presented. The polyorganosilicone oil preferably has a viscosity of 10 to 500 cSt (temperature 25 ° C.).

  Silica powder is a thickener. Examples of the silica powder include fumed silica, precipitated silica, silica airgel, and the like. The particle size (major axis) of the silica powder is about several nm to several μm. Therefore, as will be described later, when the liquid 5 is divided and distributed through each opening 4a of the mesh material 4, it is possible to appropriately pass silica powder through each opening 4a having a vertical and horizontal dimension of about several hundred μm. .

  Mineral oil, fluorine oil, etc. can be presented as a lubricating auxiliary additive. As the rust inhibitor / antioxidant, a phenol-based one can be used.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the liquid 5 is filled in the syringe 2, and an air hose 6 connected to the controller unit of the dispenser is installed on the filling port 2 b side of the syringe 2. To provide air pressure A in the direction of the discharge port.

  The liquid 5 having received the air pressure A is discharged to the outside from the discharge port 3e of the needle portion 3d provided at the tip of the needle nozzle 3.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the liquid 5 passes through the mesh material 4 while the air pressure A is applied and the liquid 5 filled in the syringe is discharged from the discharge port 3 e. At this time, the liquid 5 is divided into each opening 4a of the mesh material 4 as shown by an arrow B and flows in the direction of the discharge port 3e.

  FIG. 5A schematically shows the tissue structure of the thixotropic liquid 5 in a stationary state. As shown to Fig.5 (a), the filler 7 (thickening agent. Silica powder in the above-mentioned silicone grease) which is solid in the thixotropic liquid agent 5 aggregates, and forms network structure. With such a tissue structure, the thixotropic liquid agent 5 is in a semi-solid gel state. In FIGS. 5A and 5B, only one filler 7 is denoted by reference numeral 7.

  Now, even if the thixotropic liquid agent 5 has a network structure as shown in FIG. 5 (a) and is in a highly viscous state, the liquid agent 5 is filled in the syringe and air pressure A is applied. 5 can be divided at each opening 4 a of the mesh material 4, and shear stress can be generated in the liquid agent 5. For this reason, as shown in FIG.5 (b), the aggregation state and network structure of the filler 7 are destroyed, and the liquid agent 5 becomes a sol state and can improve fluidity (viscosity falls).

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, the liquid agent 5 can be discharged from the discharge port to the outside in a state where the fluidity of the liquid agent 5 is enhanced.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, it is possible to suppress the retention of the liquid agent 5 in the nozzles, syringes, and the like as compared with the conventional case, and to stably discharge a small amount of the liquid agent 5 in a stable manner. Further, the highly viscous thixotropic liquid agent 5 is easy to entrain air bubbles, but by increasing the fluidity by passing the liquid agent 5 through the mesh material 4 as in this embodiment, defoaming can be promoted, and the air pressure A is applied to the entire liquid agent 5. Thus, it is possible to stably dispense a small amount of the liquid 5 stably even when intermittently discharging, as well as when discharging continuously.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, since retention of the liquid agent 5 inside a nozzle, a syringe, etc. can be suppressed compared with the past, compared with the past, the frequency which performs the cleaning operation inside the syringe and nozzle accompanying retention of the liquid agent 5 can be reduced. , Work efficiency can be improved effectively. And in this embodiment, when the liquid agent 5 in the syringe 2 decreases or disappears, the discharge process of the liquid agent 5 is continued by adding the liquid agent 5 from the filling port 2b without performing a cleaning operation or the like. It is possible.

  In FIG. 2, the liquid 5 discharged to the outside from the discharge port 3 e is applied as a lubricant 8 on a predetermined position of the electronic component 9, for example. In this embodiment, since the deviation of the discharge timing of the liquid agent 5 can be suppressed as compared with the conventional case, and the liquid agent 5 can be discharged in small amounts little by little, the lubricant 8 having a high viscosity thixotropy at a predetermined position of the electronic component 9 is dispenser. This makes it possible to apply a small amount at a time. For this reason, it is possible to reduce variations in characteristics such as the operating force of the electronic component 9. In the lubricant 8 having thixotropy, the filler 7 is oriented from the state in which the network structure shown in FIG. 5B is broken, and again, the network structure shown in FIG. It becomes a gel state.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the mesh material 4 (shear flow path portion) is provided at the boundary position between the support portion 2 c and the cylindrical portion 2 d close to the needle nozzle 3 even inside the syringe. Alternatively, it can be installed inside the nozzle or at the communication port between the syringe 2 and the needle nozzle 3. In this way, the mesh material 4 is provided on the side near the discharge port 3e at the tip of the nozzle, and the liquid agent 5 in which the fluidity is enhanced by the mesh material 4 before returning to the highly viscous semi-solid gel again, It is preferable that the liquid agent 5 can be discharged from the discharge port 3e as quickly as possible (without taking time).

  In the present embodiment, the size (opening area) of each opening 4a of the mesh material 4 is formed larger than that of the discharge port 3e. Thereby, even if it does not apply higher pressure with respect to the liquid agent 5, the liquid agent 5 can be divided | segmented into each opening part 4a of the mesh material 4, and can be distribute | circulated appropriately, and the appropriate distribution | circulation property of the liquid agent 5 can be ensured. . Moreover, the increase in the load to the mesh material 4 when the air pressure A is applied to the liquid agent 5 can be suppressed, and the deformation and the occurrence of damage of the mesh material 4 can be appropriately suppressed. Thus, by providing the mesh material 4 formed so that the size of each opening 4a is larger than that of the discharge port 3e at a position close to the discharge port 3e at the tip of the nozzle, it is appropriately (with a low pressure) The liquid agent 5 can be divided by the mesh material 4 and can be distributed. Therefore, the liquid agent 5 in a state in which high fluidity is maintained can be appropriately discharged from the discharge port 3e, and it is possible to more effectively realize a stable quantitative discharge of the liquid agent 5.

  As other divided flow path portions other than the mesh material 4 shown in FIG. 3, as shown in FIG. 4 (a), a plurality of through holes 10 (in FIG. 4 (a), only one through hole is given a reference numeral). ) And a through-hole 12 (in FIG. 4A, only one through-hole is given a sign) is long, unlike FIG. 4A, as shown in FIG. 4B. As shown in FIG. 4 (c), the plate 13 can be divided into a plurality of spaces 15a to 15d by a single plate 14 or a combination of a plurality of plates. For example, in FIG. 4A, each through hole 10 may be connected. In the present embodiment, the shape of the shear channel is not limited as long as the liquid agent 5 is sheared when passing through the shear channel. However, it is preferable to use the shear flow path section having a plurality of openings as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 because the liquid agent 5 can be reliably sheared.

  3 and 4 may be formed integrally with the syringe 2 or the inner wall of the nozzle.

  In addition, although the discharge apparatus 1 of this embodiment can be applied to all the liquid agents in which the aggregation of fillers and the like easily occur, it can be preferably applied to a liquid agent that is said to have thixotropic properties.

  The shear flow path part shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 can be provided in one or more places from the inside of the syringe to the inside of the nozzle. That is, it is also possible to provide a plurality of stages of shear channel portions. However, considering maintenance, production costs, etc., it is preferable to have about 3 stages at most.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the dispensing device 1 can be applied to a small amount of liquid agent 5 as a lubricant (grease) and a constant amount of discharge as an adhesive or ink.

A Air pressure 1 Discharge device 2 Syringe 2a, 3a Internal space 3 Needle nozzle 3d Needle part 3e Discharge port 4 Mesh material 4a Opening part 5 Liquid agent 7 Filler 8 Lubricant 9 Electronic component 10, 12 Through hole 13, 14 Plate material 15a-15d Space

Claims (8)

A syringe that can be filled with a liquid agent, and a nozzle that is supported in communication with the syringe and has a discharge port at the tip;
A shear flow path section capable of shearing the liquid agent is applied from the inside of the syringe to the nozzle until pressure is applied to the liquid agent containing the filler filled in the syringe and the liquid agent is discharged from the discharge port. A discharge device characterized by being provided at one or more locations extending to the inside.   2. The discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the shear flow path portion is provided in one or more locations in a nozzle, a nozzle-side region in the syringe, or a communication port between the syringe and the nozzle.   The discharge device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of openings are formed in the shear flow path so as to divide the flow of the liquid into a plurality.   The discharge device according to claim 3, wherein the size of each opening formed in the shear channel is larger than that of the discharge port.   The discharge device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the liquid agent has thixotropic properties. A discharge method using a discharge device having a syringe that can be filled with a liquid agent and a nozzle that is supported in communication with the syringe and has a discharge port at the tip,
Pressure is applied to the liquid agent containing the filler filled in the syringe, and the liquid agent is sheared at one or more shearing channel portions provided in one or more locations from the inside of the syringe to the inside of the nozzle. A discharge method comprising discharging from the discharge port.   The shear channel section is provided in one or more locations in the nozzle, in the nozzle side region in the syringe, or in the communication port between the syringe and the nozzle, immediately before the liquid agent is discharged from the discharge port. The discharge method according to claim 6, wherein the liquid agent is sheared.   The liquid agent has thixotropy, and the liquid agent is discharged from the discharge port in a state where the liquid agent is sheared in the shear flow path portion to increase the fluidity of the liquid agent. Discharge method.

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