JP2024084565A - Fluid supply device, fluid application device, and fluid filling device - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a fluid supply device capable of switching between a non-blocking state in which a high-viscosity fluid with a viscosity of 10 Pa·sec or more is discharged and a blocking state in which the discharge is stopped without using a valve. [Solution] A fluid supply device 10 including a fluid storage tank 11 in which high-viscosity fluid M is stored, a fluid pumping means 12 for pumping the high-viscosity fluid M, a discharge nozzle 13 for discharging the high-viscosity fluid M, a fluid blocking means 14 for blocking the flow of the high-viscosity fluid M from the fluid storage tank 11 to the discharge nozzle 13, and a switching control means 15 for controlling the switching of the fluid blocking means 14. A gear pump 20 with side clearances CS1, CS2 set to 30 μm or less is used as the fluid blocking means 14, and the blocking state is realized by stopping the driving of the gear pump 20, and the non-blocking state is realized by driving the gear pump 20. [Selected Figure] Figure 4

Description

The present invention relates to a fluid supply device that intermittently supplies a high-viscosity fluid, and a fluid application device and a fluid filling device that use the same.

As shown in FIG. 1, a fluid application device for applying a high-viscosity fluid such as an adhesive to a workpiece is known. The high-viscosity fluid M (adhesive) stored in a fluid storage tank 11 is compressed by a fluid compression means 12 and discharged from a discharge nozzle 13 to apply the adhesive to a workpiece W. A valve 17 is provided in a flow path 16 connecting the fluid storage tank 11 and the discharge nozzle 13. The valve 17 is opened and closed by a valve control means 18 to switch between a state in which the high-viscosity fluid M is discharged from the discharge nozzle 13 (non-blocking state) and a state in which the discharge of the high-viscosity fluid M from the discharge nozzle 13 is stopped (blocking state). In order to stabilize the amount of high-viscosity fluid M discharged from the discharge nozzle 13, a gear pump 19 may be provided in the flow path 16. An adhesive application device having such a structure is also disclosed in FIG. 8 of Patent Document 1.

JP 2006-346646 A

However, since a high-viscosity fluid M such as an adhesive is prone to clogging, it is desirable to avoid having components such as a valve 17 in the flow path 16 that transports it. However, if the valve 17 is removed, the high-viscosity fluid M will be continuously discharged from the discharge nozzle 13 without interruption. For this reason, it becomes impossible to switch the workpiece W to which the high-viscosity fluid M is to be applied, or to apply the high-viscosity fluid M to separate locations β ₁ and β ₂ (FIG. 1) of the same workpiece W.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and provides a fluid supply device that can switch between an unblocked state in which a high-viscosity fluid is discharged from a discharge nozzle and a blocked state in which the discharge of the high-viscosity fluid from the discharge nozzle is stopped without using a valve. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a fluid application device or a fluid filling device that utilizes this fluid supply device.

The above issues are:
a fluid storage tank in which a high-viscosity fluid having a viscosity of 10 Pa·sec or more is stored;
A fluid pumping means for pumping a high viscosity fluid from a fluid storage tank;
a discharge nozzle that discharges the high-viscosity fluid pumped from the fluid storage tank to a target location;
a fluid blocking means interposed between the fluid storage tank and the discharge nozzle for blocking the flow of the high-viscosity fluid from the fluid storage tank to the discharge nozzle;
A fluid supply device comprising: a switching control means for controlling switching of a fluid blocking means such that a blocking state in which the flow of a high-viscosity fluid is blocked by the fluid blocking means and a non-blocking state in which the flow of the high-viscosity fluid is not blocked by the fluid blocking means are periodically switched between,
A gear pump with a side clearance set to 30 μm or less is used as the fluid blocking means,
This problem is solved by providing a fluid supply device characterized in that the blocked state is realized by stopping the operation of the gear pump, and the non-blocked state is realized by operating the gear pump.

Here, the term "gear pump" refers to a pump (a device for transferring a fluid) having a mechanism including a drive gear 21, a driven gear 22, and a casing 23, as shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the gear pump 20 cut along a plane perpendicular to the rotational center lines _L1 , _L2 of the drive gear 21 and the driven gear 22. A fluid introduction chamber _α0 , a drive gear accommodating chamber _α1 , a driven gear accommodating chamber _α2 , and a fluid discharge chamber _α3 are provided in the casing 23, and the drive gear ₂₁ is accommodated in the drive gear accommodating chamber α1, and the driven gear 22 is accommodated in the driven gear accommodating chamber _α2 . A fluid M to be transferred is introduced into the fluid introduction chamber _α0 from outside the casing 23, and the fluid M to be transferred is discharged from the fluid discharge chamber _α3 to the outside of the casing 23. Since the drive gear 21 and the driven gear 22 are in mesh, when the drive gear 21 is rotated in the direction of the arrow _A1 , the driven gear 22 is rotated in the direction of the arrow _A2 . At this time, the fluid in the fluid introduction chamber _α0 is held in the tooth grooves (between adjacent teeth; the same applies below) of the drive gear 21 and the tooth grooves of the driven gear 22, and is transferred to the fluid discharge chamber _α3 through the gap between the inner peripheral surface of the drive gear accommodating chamber _α1 and the outer peripheral surface of the drive gear 11 (see arrow _A3 in FIG. 2), and is also transferred to the fluid discharge chamber _α3 through the gap between the inner peripheral surface of the driven gear accommodating chamber _α2 and the outer peripheral surface of the driven gear 12 (see arrow _A4 in FIG. 2).

In this type of gear pump 20, a gap C _S1 (FIG. 3) exists between the side surface of the drive gear 21 and the inner wall surface of the casing 23, and a gap C _S2 (FIG. 3) exists between the side surface of the driven gear 21 and the inner wall surface of the casing 23. These gaps C _S1 and C _S2 in the gear pump 20 are called "side clearances."

In this type of gear pump 20, a gap C _T1 (FIG. 2) exists between the tip _P1 of the drive gear 21 and the inner circumferential surface of the casing 23, and a gap C _T2 (FIG. 2) exists between the tip _P2 of the driven gear 22 and the inner circumferential surface of the casing 23. These gaps C _T1 and C _T2 in the gear pump 20 are called "top clearances."

In the fluid supply device of the present invention, the gear pump 20, which is generally used for transporting a fluid M, is allowed to function as a valve by setting the side clearances C _S1 and C _S2 to 30 μm or less. In other words, the gear pump 20 is used as a fluid blocking means (means for blocking the flow of a fluid). That is, in the gear pump 20, even if the rotation of the drive gear 21 and the driven gear 22 is stopped, the fluid M may leak from the fluid introduction chamber α ₀ side to the fluid discharge chamber α ₃ side through the side clearances C _S1 and C _S2 (FIG. 3). However, by narrowing the side clearances C _S1 and C _S2 , it is possible to prevent leakage in the case of a high-viscosity fluid with a viscosity of 10 Pa·sec or more.

In the fluid supply device of the present invention, the blocked state in which the discharge of high-viscosity fluid from the discharge nozzle is stopped is achieved by stopping the drive of the gear pump (stopping the rotation of the drive gear), and the non-blocked state in which high-viscosity fluid is discharged from the discharge nozzle is achieved by driving the gear pump (rotating the drive gear).

In this way, in the fluid supply device of the present invention, the gear pump is given the function of a valve, so that it is possible to switch between an unblocked state in which high-viscosity fluid is discharged from the discharge nozzle and a blocked state in which discharge of high-viscosity fluid from the discharge nozzle is stopped without using a valve. This makes it possible to simplify the structure of the fluid supply device and to make it less susceptible to problems such as clogging of the high-viscosity fluid. It also makes it possible to reduce the introduction cost of the fluid supply device.

In the fluid supply device of the present invention, it is preferable to narrow not only the side clearances C _S1 and C _S2 but also the top clearances C _T1 and C _T2 . This is because, when the rotation of the drive gear and the driven gear is stopped, leakage from the fluid introduction chamber α ₀ side to the fluid discharge chamber α ₃ side can occur through the top clearances C _T1 and C _T2 , and by narrowing these top clearances C _T1 and C _T2 , it is possible to make such leakage less likely to occur. However, while the side clearances C _S1 and C _S2 are formed over a wide range in the drive gear and the driven gear, the top clearances C _T1 and C _T2 are formed only in a limited range at the tooth tips of the drive gear and the driven gear. Therefore, leakage through the top clearances C _T1 and C _T2 is more limited than leakage through the side clearances C _S1 and C _S2 . Therefore, the top clearances C _T1 and C _T2 can be formed to be wider than the above-mentioned values (30 μm or less) of the side clearances C _S1 and C _S2 . It is preferable to set the top clearances C _T1 and C _T2 to 60 μm or less.

In the fluid supply device of the present invention, the discharge nozzle may be stationary, but it can also be movable. For example, the fluid supply device of the present invention can further include a nozzle moving means for moving the discharge nozzle, and a flexible tube for transferring the high-viscosity fluid from the fluid storage tank to the discharge nozzle. This makes it possible to use the fluid supply device of the present invention in a variety of applications. In this case, the structure of the fluid supply device can be simplified by directly attaching a gear pump as a fluid blocking means to the discharge nozzle.

Incidentally, substances that wear out the gear pump (wear components) may be added to the high-viscosity fluid to be transported. For example, if the high-viscosity fluid to be transported is a conductive adhesive, a filler such as conductive particles is added to the binder resin. In such cases, even if the top clearance and side clearance of the gear pump are set narrow, the wear components may wear out the gear pump, causing the top clearance and side clearance to increase. In this regard, if the gear pump (gear pump as a fluid blocking means) is made of cemented carbide or high-speed tool steel, it is possible to prevent wear in the gear pump.

The fluid supply device of the present invention can be used in various applications where a high-viscosity fluid is intermittently supplied (supplied while switching between a blocked state and an unblocked state). Examples of such applications include a fluid application device that applies a high-viscosity fluid (such as adhesive or paint) to a target location on a workpiece, and a fluid filling device that fills multiple containers (such as bottles) with a high-viscosity fluid (such as adhesive or paint).

As described above, the present invention makes it possible to provide a fluid supply device that can switch between an unblocked state in which a high-viscosity fluid is discharged from the discharge nozzle and a blocked state in which the discharge of the high-viscosity fluid from the discharge nozzle is stopped without using a valve. It is also possible to provide a fluid application device or a fluid filling device that uses this fluid supply device.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a conventional fluid application device. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a gear pump cut along a plane perpendicular to rotation center lines _L1 and _L2 of a drive gear and a driven gear. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the gear pump taken along the X ₁ -X ₁ plane in FIG. 2. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example in which the fluid supplying device of the present invention is used in a fluid applying device. 1 is a diagram showing an example in which the fluid supply device of the present invention is used in a fluid filling device.

An embodiment of the fluid supply device of the present invention will be specifically described. However, the configuration described below is merely a preferred embodiment, and the technical scope of the fluid supply device of the present invention is not limited to the configuration described below. The fluid supply device of the present invention can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the invention.

1. Overview of the Fluid Supplying Apparatus The fluid supplying apparatus of the present invention can be used in various applications in which a high-viscosity fluid is intermittently supplied (supplied while switching between a blocked state and a non-blocking state). For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the fluid supplying apparatus 10 of the present invention can be used in a fluid application apparatus that applies a high-viscosity fluid M to target locations β ₁ and β ₂ of a workpiece W, or in a fluid filling apparatus that fills a plurality of containers 50 (bottles, etc.) with a high-viscosity fluid M, as shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 4 shows an example in which the fluid supplying apparatus 10 of the present invention is used in a fluid application apparatus, and FIG. 5 shows an example in which the fluid supplying apparatus 10 of the present invention is used in a fluid filling apparatus. The fluid supplying apparatus 10 of the present invention can also be used in an apparatus (molten resin supplying apparatus) that supplies a molten thermoplastic resin to a mold or the like.

4 and 5, a fluid supply device 10 of the present invention includes a fluid storage tank 11, a fluid pressure-feeding means 12, a discharge nozzle 13, a fluid cut-off means 14 (gear pump 20), and a switching control means 15. The fluid storage tank 11 and the discharge nozzle 13 are connected by a flow path 16.

2. Fluid storage tank The fluid storage tank 11 is for storing the high-viscosity fluid M. The high-viscosity fluid M is placed in advance in the fluid storage tank 11 through a hopper or the like (not shown). In the fluid application device (FIG. 4), adhesives, paints, and the like are assumed as the high-viscosity fluid M. On the other hand, in the fluid filling device (FIG. 5), not only adhesives and paints but also seasonings such as mayonnaise and ketchup, foods such as jam, cosmetics such as hand cream and hair styling products, detergents such as car wax, and the like are assumed as the high-viscosity fluid M. In addition, in the molten resin supply device (not shown), a thermoplastic resin such as polyester that has been heated and melted is assumed as the high-viscosity fluid M.

3. Fluid pressure-feeding means The fluid pressure-feeding means 12 is for pressure-feeding the high-viscosity fluid M stored in the fluid storage tank 11 to the outside of the fluid storage tank 11. In the example shown in Figures 4 and 5, a pump is used as the fluid pressure-feeding means 12. This pump (fluid pressure-feeding means 12) pressurizes the upper part of the fluid storage tank 11, thereby pressure-feeding the high-viscosity fluid M from the lower part of the fluid storage tank 11 to the flow path 16.

4. Discharge Nozzle The discharge nozzle 13 is for discharging the high-viscosity fluid M (the high-viscosity fluid M flowing through the flow path 16) pumped from the fluid storage tank 11 to a target location. In the example shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, a pipe-shaped discharge nozzle 13 is used, and the high-viscosity fluid M is discharged from the discharge nozzle 13 in a line or stripe shape. However, the shape of the discharge nozzle 13 can be appropriately changed depending on the application of the fluid supply device 10. For example, when a molten thermoplastic resin is molded into a sheet shape by the discharge nozzle 13 and discharged, the discharge nozzle 13 can be made into a T-die shape.

5. Fluid shutoff means (gear pump)
The fluid blocking means 14 is for blocking the flow of the high-viscosity fluid M from the fluid storage tank 11 to the discharge nozzle 13 (the flow of the high-viscosity fluid M in the flow path 16). This fluid blocking means 14 is interposed between the fluid storage tank 11 and the discharge nozzle 13. As described above, in the fluid supply device 10 of the present invention, the high-viscosity fluid M is intermittently supplied, and by blocking the flow path 16 with the fluid blocking means 14 at a predetermined cycle, it is possible to switch between a state in which the high-viscosity fluid M is not discharged from the discharge nozzle 13 (blocked state) and a state in which the blocking by the fluid blocking means 14 is released and the high-viscosity fluid M is discharged from the discharge nozzle 13 (unblocked state).

In this way, by intermittently discharging the high-viscosity fluid M from the discharge nozzle 13, the fluid application device shown in Fig. 4 can stop discharging the high-viscosity fluid M when switching the portion of the workpiece W to be coated with the high-viscosity fluid M from the region _β1 to the region _β2 , or when switching the workpiece W to be coated with the high-viscosity fluid M to another one. Also, the fluid filling device shown in Fig. 5 can stop discharging the high-viscosity fluid M from the time when filling a certain container 50 with the high-viscosity fluid M is completed until filling the next container 50 with the high-viscosity fluid M begins. In a general fluid supplying device, a valve (see the valve 17 in Fig. 1) is used as the fluid blocking means 14, but in the fluid supplying device 10 of the present invention, a gear pump 20 is used as the fluid supplying means 14.

The gear pump 20 will be described in more detail. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the gear pump 20 cut along a plane perpendicular to the rotation center lines _L1 , _L2 of the drive gear 21 and the driven gear 22. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the gear pump 20 cut along the _X1 - _X1 plane in Fig. 2. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the gear pump 20 includes the drive gear 21, the driven gear 22, and a casing 23.

As shown in Fig. 3, the casing 23 has a structure in which both sides of a plate-shaped intermediate portion 23a are sandwiched between a pair of plate-shaped cover portions 23b, 23c. As shown in Fig. 2, the intermediate portion 23a of the casing 13 is provided with a fluid introduction chamber _α0 , a driving gear accommodating chamber _α1 , a driven gear accommodating chamber _α2 , and a fluid outlet chamber _α1 , which are in communication with each other. The fluid introduction chamber _α0 is provided with a fluid introduction portion IN, and the fluid outlet chamber _α3 is provided with a fluid outlet portion OUT. The fluid introduction portion IN is connected to the fluid storage tank 11 (Figs. 4 and 5) via a flow path 16, and the high-viscosity fluid M in the fluid storage tank 11 is introduced into the fluid introduction chamber _α0 through the fluid introduction portion IN. On the other hand, the fluid outlet portion OUT is connected to the discharge nozzle 13 (FIGS. 4 and 5), and the high-viscosity fluid M in the fluid outlet chamber _α3 is delivered through this fluid outlet portion OUT to the discharge nozzle 13. The fluid introduction chamber _α0 and the fluid outlet chamber _α1 are disposed on opposite sides of the boundary portion (communicating portion) between the drive gear accommodating chamber _α1 and the driven gear accommodating chamber _α2 .

The driving gear 21 is accommodated in the driving gear accommodating chamber _α1 , and the driven gear 22 is accommodated in the driven gear accommodating chamber _α2 . The driving gear 21 and the driven gear 22 are provided with a plurality of teeth 21a, 22a on their outer peripheries, respectively. In this embodiment, spur gears (gears with a plurality of teeth provided in parallel on the outer periphery of a cylindrical member) are used as the driving gear 21 and the driven gear 22, but helical gears (gears with a shape of a twisted spur gear) can also be used. The driving gear 21 and the driven gear 22 are arranged in a state of circumscribing each other so that the teeth 21a and the teeth _22a mesh with each other. The driving gear accommodating chamber _α1 and the driven gear accommodating chamber _α2 are both circular in cross section, and the outer diameters of the driving gear 21 and the driven gear 22 are set to be slightly smaller than the diameters of the driving gear accommodating chamber α1 and the driven gear accommodating chamber _α2 , respectively.

Of the driving gear 21 and the driven gear 22, the driving gear 21 is fixed integrally to the outer periphery of a cylindrical shaft 24. The shaft 24 is rotatably supported by the casing 23, and a rotary drive means (not shown) such as an electric motor is connected to the shaft 24. On the other hand, the driven gear 22 is rotatably supported by the outer periphery of a cylindrical shaft 25. The shaft 25 is fixed immovably to the casing 23. Therefore, when the rotary drive means is driven, the rotary shaft 24 and the driving gear 21 rotate about the rotation center line _L1 (see arrow _A1 in FIG. 2), and the driven gear 22 rotates about the rotation center line _L2 (see arrow _A2 in FIG. 2) following the rotation of the driving gear 21. The rotation direction _A1 of the driving gear 21 and the rotation direction _A2 of the driven gear 22 are opposite to each other.

When the drive gear 21 and the driven gear 22 rotate in the directions of the arrows _A1 and _A2 , respectively, the high-viscosity fluid M in the fluid introduction chamber _α0 is held in the tooth grooves of the drive gear 21 and the tooth grooves of the driven gear 22, and is transferred to the fluid discharge chamber _α3 through the gap between the inner peripheral surface of the drive gear accommodating chamber _α1 and the outer peripheral surface of the drive gear 21 (see arrow _A3 in FIG. 2), and is transferred to the fluid discharge chamber _α3 through the gap between the inner peripheral surface of the driven gear accommodating chamber _α2 and the outer peripheral surface of the driven gear 22 (see arrow _A4 in FIG. 2). The high-viscosity fluid M that reaches the fluid discharge chamber _α3 is discharged from the fluid discharge portion OUT and discharged from the discharge nozzle 13.

As described above, the gear pump 20 has a function of transferring a fluid (high-viscosity fluid M), and in the fluid supply device 10 of the present invention, the gear pump 20 also functions as the fluid blocking means 14 that blocks the flow of the high-viscosity fluid M in the flow path 16. That is, when the drive gear 21 and the driven gear 22 are rotating (when the above-mentioned rotation drive means is driven), the high-viscosity fluid M is transferred from the fluid introduction chamber _α0 to the fluid discharge chamber _α3 (the above-mentioned non-blocking state occurs), whereas when the drive gear 21 and the driven gear 22 stop rotating (when the above-mentioned rotation drive means is stopped), the transfer of the high-viscosity fluid M from the fluid introduction chamber _α0 to the fluid discharge chamber _α3 is stopped (the above-mentioned blocking state occurs).

This makes it possible to switch between an unblocked state in which the high-viscosity fluid M is discharged from the discharge nozzle 13 and a blocked state in which the discharge of the high-viscosity fluid M from the discharge nozzle 13 is stopped without using a valve (see valve 17 in FIG. 1). This makes it possible to simplify the fluid circuit connecting the fluid storage tank 11 and the discharge nozzle 13, making it less likely that problems such as clogging of the high-viscosity fluid M will occur. It also makes it possible to reduce the introduction cost of the fluid supply device 10.

However, in the gear pump 20, gaps C _{S1 , C S2 ( FIG. 3 ) called "side clearances" exist between the side surface of the drive gear 21 and the inner wall surface of the casing 23 and between the side surface of the driven gear 22 and the inner wall surface of the casing 23. In addition, gaps C T1} , C _T2 ( FIG. 2 ) called "top clearances" also exist between the tips of the teeth of the drive gear 21 and the inner circumferential surface of the casing 23 and between _the tips of the teeth of the driven gear 22 and the inner circumferential surface of _the casing 23. If the side clearances C _S1 , C _S2 or the top clearances C _T1 , C _T2 are wide, even if the rotation of the drive gear 21 and the driven gear 22 is stopped, the high viscosity fluid M will leak from the fluid introduction chamber _α0 to the fluid discharge chamber _α3 through the side clearances C _S1 , C _S2 and the top clearances C _T1 , C _T2 , and the gear pump 20 will not be able to function as the fluid blocking means 14.

In this regard, in the fluid supply device 10 of this embodiment, the side clearances C _S1 and C _S2 of the gear pump 20 are set to 30 μm or less, and the top clearances C _T1 and C _T2 are set to 60 μm or less. This makes it possible to prevent the high-viscosity fluid M, with a viscosity of 10 Pa·sec or more, from moving through the side clearances C _S1 and C _S2 and the top clearances C _T1 and C _T2 when the rotation of the drive gear 21 and the driven gear 22 is stopped.

The side clearances C _S1 and C _S2 are preferably set to 20 μm or less, 10 μm or less, or even smaller, such as 5 μm. The top clearances C _T1 and C _T2 are also preferably set to 50 μm or less, or even smaller, such as 40 μm or less. The lower limits of the side clearances C _S1 and C _S2 and the top clearances C _T1 and C _T2 are not particularly limited, but considering the manufacture of the drive gear 11, the driven gear 12, and the casing 13, they are thought to be around 0.1 to 1 μm.

Furthermore, if the viscosity of the high-viscosity fluid M becomes even higher, such as 20 Pa·sec or more, 30 Pa·sec or more, 40 Pa·sec or more, or 50 Pa·sec or more, the gear pump 20 becomes more likely to block the flow of the high-viscosity fluid M when the rotation of the drive gear 21 and the driven gear 22 is stopped. However, if the viscosity of the high-viscosity fluid M is too high, the fluidity of the high-viscosity fluid M decreases, and even if the drive gear 21 and the driven gear 22 are rotated, the high-viscosity fluid M becomes less likely to flow through the gear pump 20. For this reason, the viscosity of the high-viscosity fluid M is limited to approximately 150 to 200 Pa·sec.

Although the gear pump 20 is usually made of metal, it is preferable to make it of cemented carbide or high-speed tool steel. This makes it possible to make the gear pump 20 less susceptible to wear even if a substance (wear component) that wears the gear pump 20 is added to the high-viscosity fluid M. This makes it possible to prevent the side clearances C _S1 and C _S2 and the top clearances C _T1 and C _T2 from expanding even if the gear pump 20 is used for a long period of time. An example of the cemented carbide is one in which cobalt is added as a binder to tungsten carbide and then sintered. On the other hand, an example of the high-speed tool steel is a molybdenum-based one such as SKH51, or a tungsten-based one such as SKH2.

The capacity of the gear pump 20 is appropriately determined depending on the application of the fluid supply device 10. The gear pump 20 may have a discharge flow rate of 1 cc/rev class (greater than 0.1 cc/rev and equal to or less than 1 cc/rev), a discharge flow rate of 10 cc/rev class (greater than 1 cc/rev and equal to or less than 10 cc/rev), or a discharge flow rate of 100 cc/rev class (greater than 10 cc/rev and equal to or less than 100 cc/rev).

6. Switching control means The switching control means 15 is for controlling the fluid cutoff means 14 (gear pump 20). Specifically, by controlling the rotation drive means of the gear pump 20, the switching control means 15 switches between a state in which the drive gear 21 and the driven gear 22 rotate (non-interrupted state) and a state in which the drive gear 21 and the driven gear 22 stop rotating (interrupted state). Examples of the switching control means 15 include a sequencer and a microcomputer. The cycle for switching between the non-interrupted state and the interrupted state, the time for which the non-interrupted state is continued, and the time for which the interrupted state is continued are appropriately determined depending on the application of the fluid supply device 10, the capacity of the gear pump 20, and the like.

7. Others In the fluid application device shown in FIG. 4, the nozzle moving means 30 is provided to move the discharge nozzle 13. Specifically, the discharge nozzle 13 is attached to a movable base 31, which is supported in a movable state relative to the support means 32. When a motor (not shown) is driven, the movable base 31 (discharge nozzle 13) moves in the directions of the arrows _A5 and _A6 relative to the support means 32. The flow path 16 is formed by a flexible tube so as not to hinder the movement of the discharge nozzle 13. This allows the discharge nozzle 13 to move in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the workpiece W (arrow _A7 in FIG. 4). This allows for more diverse application.

The nozzle moving means 30 is not limited to the above, and other mechanisms can be used. For example, if the discharge nozzle 13 is attached to the tip (movable end) of a robot arm, it becomes possible to move the discharge nozzle 13 three-dimensionally.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Fluid supply device 11 Fluid storage tank 12 Fluid pressure delivery means 13 Discharge nozzle 14 Fluid cutoff means 15 Switching control means 16 Flow path 17 Valve 18 Valve control means 19 Gear pump 20 Gear pump (fluid cutoff means)
21 Drive gear 21a Teeth 22 Driven gear 22a Teeth 23 Casing 23a Middle portion 23b Cover portion 23c Cover portion 24 Shaft 25 Shaft 26 Flange 30 Nozzle moving means 31 Movable base 32 Support means 50 Container A ₁ Rotation direction of drive gear A ₂ Rotation direction of driven gear A ₃ Direction of transport of raw material _M2 by drive gear A ₄ Direction of transport of raw material _M2 by driven gear A ₅ Movement direction of discharge nozzle A ₆ Movement direction of discharge nozzle A ₇ Direction of transport of workpiece C _T Top clearance C _T1 Top clearance between the tip of the tooth of the drive gear and the inner peripheral surface of the casing C _T2 Top clearance between the tip of the tooth of the driven gear and the inner peripheral surface of the casing C _S Side clearance C _S1 Side clearance between the side of the drive gear and the inner wall surface of the casing C _S2 Side clearance between the side of the driven gear and the inner wall surface of the casing L ₁ Rotational center line of the drive gear L ₂ Rotational center line of the driven gear M High viscosity fluid P ₁ Tooth tip of the drive gear P ₂ Tooth tip of the driven gear W Work IN Fluid inlet portion OUT Fluid outlet portion α ₀ Fluid inlet chamber α ₁ Drive gear accommodating chamber α ₂ Driven gear accommodating chamber α ₃ Fluid outlet chamber β ₁ Application area of high viscosity fluid β ₂ Application area of high viscosity fluid

Claims (6)

a fluid storage tank in which a high-viscosity fluid having a viscosity of 10 Pa·sec or more is stored;
A fluid pumping means for pumping a high viscosity fluid from a fluid storage tank;
a discharge nozzle that discharges the high-viscosity fluid pumped from the fluid storage tank to a target location;
a fluid blocking means interposed between the fluid storage tank and the discharge nozzle for blocking the flow of the high-viscosity fluid from the fluid storage tank to the discharge nozzle;
A fluid supply device comprising: a switching control means for controlling switching of a fluid blocking means such that a blocking state in which the flow of a high-viscosity fluid is blocked by the fluid blocking means and a non-blocking state in which the flow of the high-viscosity fluid is not blocked by the fluid blocking means are periodically switched between,
A gear pump with a side clearance set to 30 μm or less is used as the fluid blocking means,
A fluid supply device, characterized in that a blocked state is established by stopping the operation of a gear pump, and a non-blocked state is established by operating the gear pump.
2. The fluid supply device according to claim 1, wherein a top clearance of the gear pump is set to 60 [mu]m or less.
A nozzle moving means for moving the discharge nozzle;
and a flexible tube for transporting the high viscosity fluid from the fluid storage tank to the discharge nozzle.
3. The fluid supply device according to claim 2, wherein the gear pump is directly attached to the discharge nozzle.
4. The fluid supply device according to claim 3, wherein the gear pump is made of cemented carbide or high speed tool steel.
A fluid application device that applies a high viscosity fluid to a target location on a workpiece by using the fluid supplying device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.
A fluid filling device which uses the fluid supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 to fill a plurality of containers with a high viscosity fluid.

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