JP2944435B2 - Molding apparatus with cleaning function and molding method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a molding apparatus having a washing function capable of molding a resin molded article and having a washing function capable of washing after molding without using a solvent. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, 1.1.1 trichloroethane is used for cleaning a resin molding plant. By the 1.1.1 trichloroethane, the resin composition containing the curing agent adhering to the wall surface of the plant is effectively melt-cleaned before curing.

[0003]

However, this 1.1.1 trichloroethane is a harmful solvent subject to the regulations for the prevention of organic solvent poisoning under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and destruction of the ozone layer, which has recently become a problem. This is one of the substances collectively called so-called chlorofluorocarbon, and its use cannot be continued. Therefore, it is desired to develop a solvent which is low in harmfulness and which can effectively wash the resin composition adhering to the wall surface of the plant and which is convenient for handling. However, such a solvent has not been found.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a molding apparatus having a cleaning function which has a function of performing cleaning without using a solvent which is harmful to the human body or the environment and causes a problem in use. It is intended for.

[0005]

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention for achieving the above-mentioned object is firstly provided with a washing function for obtaining a molded article from a resin composition obtained by adding a filler and a curing agent to a base resin. A molding apparatus, a resin melting tank capable of melting a solid main resin, a hardener addition tank for adding and mixing a hardener after a filler is added to the molten main resin,
It is provided with a casting tank for obtaining a molded product by pouring the resin composition obtained in the curing agent addition tank into a mold, and a melting storage tank for storing the main resin in a molten state. A mechanism for feeding the molten base resin stored in the molten base resin to at least the curing agent addition tank to wash the curing agent addition tank with the molten base resin, and performing the melting from the cleaning resin mixture obtained after washing the curing agent addition tank. The present invention relates to a molding apparatus with a washing function, comprising a mechanism for filtering a main resin and returning the resin to a molten storage tank again.

The present invention also provides, secondly, a molding method for obtaining a molded article using the molding apparatus having a washing function, wherein a solid main resin is charged into the resin melting tank and the resin is melted. And the molten main resin is fed from the molten storage tank to the resin melting tank, and the filler and curing agent are added to and mixed with the molten main resin combined, and then poured into a casting tank mold. The present invention also relates to a molding method characterized by obtaining a molded article.

Further, the present invention is, thirdly, a molding method for obtaining a molded article using the molding apparatus with a washing function, wherein a molten main resin is fed from the molten storage tank to the resin melting tank. The present invention also relates to a molding method characterized in that a filler and a curing agent are added and mixed only to the fed molten main resin, and then poured into a mold of a casting tank to obtain a molded product.

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the curing agent addition tank is washed with a molten main resin in which the same main resin as that used for molding is melted. Filler is on the wall of the hardener addition tank.
The resin composition to which the curing agent has been added adheres, and is cured if left unattended. The resin composition containing the curing agent is washed with the molten base resin and is discharged from the curing agent addition tank. After washing, the molten base resin adheres to the wall surface of the curing agent addition tank and remains, but does not contain a curing agent and does not cure. Also, since the molten main resin is the same resin used for molding, the curing agent is used. Even if it remains on the wall surface of the addition tank and is mixed with the resin composition for molding at the next molding, no substantial problem occurs.

Further, the cleaning resin mixture discharged from the curing agent addition tank after this cleaning is a mixture of the base resin and a filler, etc. The filler is removed from the cleaning resin mixture by filtration to remove the base resin. It is filtered and returned to the molten storage tank again. Thus, the apparatus of the present invention is economical because the base resin used for cleaning can be reused without being discarded. Preferably, the molten storage tank is provided with a mechanism for maintaining the main resin at a temperature higher than the melting temperature and lower than the decomposition temperature so that the main resin is maintained in a good molten state for washing.

According to the molding method of the second and third aspects of the present invention, since the molten main resin in the molten storage tank used for washing is used as the material of the molded article, the amount of the solid virgin resin used can be reduced. The material cost can be saved because it can be reduced or not used, and the energy required for dissolving the solid virgin resin is small or unnecessary, so that it is energetically economical.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, a molding apparatus with a cleaning function and a molding method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an overall view of a molding apparatus 1 having a cleaning function according to an embodiment of the present invention. As described above, the apparatus 1 includes the resin melting tank 2, the primary mixing tank 3, the secondary mixing tank 4, the casting tank 5, and the melting storage tank 6.

In the molding apparatus 1 having a cleaning function, a molding operation for molding a resin molded article and a cleaning operation for cleaning the molded apparatus are performed. In FIG. 1, the flow of only the molding operation is indicated by a two-dot chain line, and the flow of the cleaning operation is indicated by a solid line. First, the molding apparatus 1 with a cleaning function will be described based on the molding operation.

The resin melting tank 2 has a melting chamber 8 disposed in a heating chamber 7, and a heater 9 and a fan 10 for raising the temperature in the heating chamber 7 are provided above the heating chamber 7. I have. A thermosetting resin (for example, a normal temperature epoxy resin CT-200: manufactured by Ciba Geigy) is charged into the melter 8 and is melted by increasing the ambient temperature in the heating chamber 7. The ambient temperature and the temperature of the molten resin in the melter 8 are measured by temperature sensors 11 and 12, respectively. In the case of CT-200, the temperature of the molten resin is slightly lower than 130 ° C. so that the CT-200 does not decompose and can be melted, for example, 110 to 120 ° C.
Is adjusted to

The molten resin thus melted is sent to the primary mixing tank 3 through a conduit indicated by a two-dot chain line A. In the primary mixing tank, for example, quartz powder,
A filler such as alumina is added and mixed.

The resin mixture obtained in the primary mixing tank 3 is sent to a secondary mixing tank 4 through a conduit indicated by a two-dot chain line B,
Then, a curing agent such as phthalic anhydride is added and mixed to prepare a resin composition.

The resin composition obtained in the secondary mixing tank 4 is sent to a casting tank 5 through a conduit C. The casting tank 5 is a casting chamber 13
Is provided with a mold 14. This mold 14
The resin composition is injected into the resin to perform molding.

Next, the molding apparatus 1 with a cleaning function will be described based on the cleaning operation. The same resin as that used for the molding, that is, CT-200, is stored in a molten state in the molten storage tank 6. The molten resin temperature at this time was also CT-2.
C. is maintained at 130.degree. C. or less so that 00 does not decompose. The following control is performed to make the temperature of the molten resin uniform in the molten storage tank 6.

That is, heaters 15, 16 and 17 are provided near the lower side wall, substantially at the center, and near the upper side wall of the molten storage tank 6.
Are provided, and temperature sensors 15 ′, 16 ′, 17 ′ are provided in the immediate vicinity of these heaters 15, 16, 17, respectively. And their temperature sensors 15 ', 1
When it is detected that any one of 6 ′ and 17 ′ exceeds 130 ° C., all the heaters 15, 16 and 17 are turned off and the molten resin is cooled. When cooled to a temperature lower than 130 ° C., all the heaters 15, 16, 17 are turned on again,
The heating is continued until one of the temperature sensors senses that the temperature exceeds 130 ° C. By repeating such an operation, the temperature of the molten resin in the molten storage tank 6 is kept substantially constant. Note that the positions and numbers of these heaters and temperature sensors can be changed as appropriate.

The CT-200 melted in the melting storage tank 6 is first sent to the resin melting tank 2 through the conduit D by the pump 18 for washing the secondary mixing tank 4. During the molding operation, the molten CT-200 was sent to the primary mixing tank 3 through the conduit A, but during the cleaning operation, the switching of the switching means 19 caused the CT-200 to pass through the conduit E. And sent directly to the secondary mixing tank 4.

A resin composition containing a curing agent prepared at the time of molding is attached to the inner wall surface of the secondary mixing tank 4.
If left as it is, it cures to form a film, but before curing, the adhering resin composition is washed away by the molten CT-200 sent through the conduit E as described above.

The cleaning resin mixture formed by this cleaning is discharged from the secondary mixing tank 4 through the conduit C, but this time the mold 1 is switched by switching of the switching means 21 in the casting tank 5.
4 and is sent to the molten storage tank 6 through the conduit F. During the feeding, the filler is filtered off from the washing resin mixture by the filter 23, and the filtered C
The molten resin mainly composed of T-200 is stored in the molten storage tank 6
Is returned to. In the molten resin returned to the molten storage tank 6, a curing agent such as the phthalic anhydride contained in a small amount in the resin composition adhered to the inner wall surface of the secondary mixing tank 4 remains. Is very small and can be ignored. In addition, it is necessary to increase the amount of the molten CT-200 supplied for cleaning the secondary mixing tank 4 to a certain amount or more so that the content of the curing agent is negligibly small. It is becoming.

Washing resin mixture after washing and CT-20
The inside of the molten storage tank 6 is evacuated by the vacuum pump 24 so that the molten resin mainly containing 0 is sent to the molten storage tank 6 through the conduit F. Due to this reduced pressure, the flow rate of the molten resin increases, and the effect of cleaning each tank and each conduit is improved. The degree of the pressure reduction is measured by the pressure gauge 25, and the adjustment of the degree of the pressure reduction and the release of the pressure reduction are performed by opening and closing the valve 26.

The molten resin containing CT-200 as a main component sent back to the molten storage tank 6 as described above is again pumped into the resin molten tank 2 by the pump 18 in order to clean the secondary mixing tank 4 as described above. Before being sent, it is filtered beforehand to further increase the purity of CT-200. When impurities that cannot be removed by filtration are accumulated, the drain is discharged by opening the valve 28.

In the molding operation, the solid CT-200 was melted in the resin melting tank 2 and used as a molding material for obtaining a molded product. A molten resin as a main component may be used as a molding material. As described above, this molten resin contains a curing agent, but it is considered to have no problem as a molding material since it is very small. This molten resin may be used alone or as a solid virgin resin (CT-2).
00) is used as a molding material.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the molten resin mainly containing CT-200 in the molten storage tank 6 is sent to the resin melting tank 2 at the time of washing. The molten resin for washing the secondary mixing tank 4 is sent directly to the secondary mixing tank 4 via the conduit G so that the washed resin mixture after washing does not enter the inside of the casting tank 5 through the conduit H. It may be circulated through the molten storage tank 6 through it. When molding is performed in this embodiment, the molten storage tank 6
Of the molten resin containing CT-200 as a main component in the switching means 2
9 may be sent to the resin melting tank 2 as a molding material through a conduit I indicated by a two-dot chain line. Further, at the time of molding, the resin composition from the secondary mixing tank 4 is switched by the switching means 30.
Is poured into the mold 14 in the casting tank 5. Note that the flow during molding only is indicated by a two-dot chain line, and the flow during cleaning is indicated by a solid line.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3, the flow during molding and the flow during cleaning may be the same path except that the switching is performed by the switching means 21 in the casting tank 5. In this embodiment, not only the secondary mixing tank 4 but also the primary mixing tank 3 is cleaned at the time of cleaning. This embodiment has the advantage that fewer conduits and switching means are required.

In the above embodiment, a primary mixing tank and a secondary mixing tank are provided, and the primary mixing tank is a filler adding tank,
Although the secondary mixing tank plays the role of the hardener addition tank, the addition of the filler and the addition of the hardener may be performed in one hardener addition tank.

[0029]

According to the molding apparatus with a cleaning function of the first invention, at least the curing agent addition tank is cleaned with the molten base resin, so that it has a bad influence on the human body and the environment like cleaning using a solvent. Absent. Further, the base resin used for cleaning is reused without being discarded, which is economical.

According to the molding method of the second and third aspects of the present invention, the molten base resin in the circulating molten storage tank is used as the material of the molded product, so that it is economically economical and has a solid Because the amount of heat required to dissolve the virgin resin is not required or is small, it is economical in terms of energy.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall view of a molding apparatus with a cleaning function according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an overall view of a molding apparatus with a cleaning function according to another embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an overall view of a molding apparatus with a cleaning function according to still another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Molding apparatus with a washing function 2 Resin melting tank 3 Primary mixing tank 4 Secondary mixing tank 5 Casting tank 6 Melt storage tank 14 Mold 15, 16, 17 Heater 15 ', 16', 17 'Temperature sensor 19, 21 Switching means 23, 27 filters

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-61-5908 (JP, A) JP-A-8-117707 (JP, A) JP-A-58-179610 (JP, A) 74917 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model Showa 57-95904 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) B29C 37/00 B29C 33/72 B29C 39/22

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A molding apparatus with a washing function for obtaining a molded product from a resin composition obtained by adding a filler and a curing agent to a main resin, wherein the resin melting tank is capable of melting a solid main resin. A curing agent addition tank for adding and mixing a curing agent after a filler is added to the molten main resin, a casting tank for pouring a resin composition obtained in the curing agent addition tank into a mold to obtain a molded product, And a molten storage tank for storing the main resin in a molten state, in order to wash the hardener addition tank with the molten main resin stored in the molten storage tank at the time of cleaning. A washing mechanism comprising at least a mechanism for feeding the curing agent addition tank and a mechanism for filtering the molten base resin from the washing resin mixture obtained after washing the curing agent addition tank and returning the molten main resin to the molten storage tank again. Molding equipment with functions. 2. The molding with a washing function according to claim 1, wherein the molten storage tank is provided with a mechanism for maintaining the main resin at a temperature higher than the melting temperature of the main resin and lower than the decomposition temperature. apparatus. 3. A molding method for obtaining a molded article using the molding apparatus with a washing function according to claim 1 or 2,
The solid base resin is put into the resin melting tank to melt the base resin, and the molten base resin is fed from the melting storage tank to the resin melting tank so that the combined base resin is filled and cured. A molding method characterized by adding and mixing an agent and then pouring the mixture into a mold of a casting tank to obtain a molded product. 4. A molding method for obtaining a molded article using the molding apparatus with a washing function according to claim 1 or 2,
A filler and a curing agent are added and mixed only to the fed molten resin from the molten storage tank to the resin melting tank, and then poured into a mold of a casting tank to form a molded article. A molding method characterized by obtaining.