JP4005721B2 - Automatic supply method of resin raw material to resin molding machine - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention automatically fills a moving tank with a resin raw material without human intervention, conveys the moving tank filled with the resin raw material using an automatic guided vehicle, and uses a resin such as an injection molding machine or an extrusion molding machine. The present invention relates to a method for automatically supplying a resin raw material to a hopper of a molding machine.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, as a method of supplying resin raw materials to a resin molding machine in a molding factory, a container filled with resin raw materials is transported using an automatic guided vehicle, and the resin raw materials are automatically supplied to the hopper of the resin molding machine. Is known (see Japanese Patent Application No. 4-354048).
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional method, the operation of filling the container with the resin raw material is that the operator manually opens the lower supply port of the packaging bag containing the resin raw material every few hours and fills the container with the resin raw material. The work required a lot of time and effort. In particular, if the number of molding machines increases and the capacity of the molding machines improves, there may be a situation where raw materials cannot be supplied in a manual operation.
In order to avoid such a situation, it is necessary to arrange at least three containers filled with resin raw materials in the container supply station, and a form in which a container filled with resin raw materials and an empty container are exchanged at the raw material supply station As a result, the number of containers has increased and the laying area of facilities has become excessive.
Furthermore, since the operator manually opens the lower supply port of the packaging bag containing the resin raw material and fills the container with the resin raw material, the opportunity for the resin raw material to come into contact with the outside air is increased, and dust, dust, etc. are likely to be mixed. In addition, there is also a problem that a wrong type of resin raw material is frequently filled, resulting in a high incidence of defective products.
[0004]
The present invention has been made in order to solve such conventional problems. The object of the present invention is to reduce the time and labor required for the resin raw material filling operation, and the installation area of the equipment is excessive. It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for automatically supplying a resin raw material to a resin molding machine that does not mix dust, dust, etc. into the resin raw material and can greatly reduce the defective product generation rate.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the method for automatically supplying a resin raw material to a resin molding machine according to the present invention includes a moving tank mounted on a moving tank support frame of a raw material supply station for supplying a resin raw material to a hopper of the resin molding machine. Detects that the resin material is empty, sends a raw material filling request signal to the automatic guided vehicle control device, and can hold the moving tank waiting for an initial position of the mobile tank transfer command from the automatic guided vehicle control device. And it sends it to the automatic guided vehicle which has an arm which can be extended and retracted in the front-rear direction. The automatic guided vehicle travels to the raw material supply station which sent the raw material filling request signal, and the empty mobile tank is unattended from the mobile tank support frame of the raw material supply station. The unmanned transport vehicle that is held on the arm of the car and that holds the empty moving tank is the raw material filling station that corresponds to the raw material supply station that sent the raw material filling request signal. The empty transfer tank is placed at a predetermined position of the raw material filling station, the resin raw material in the raw material storage hopper is filled into the mobile tank, and the automatic guided vehicle is again driven to the raw material filling station to obtain the raw material. The mobile tank filled from a predetermined position of the filling station is held on the arm of the automatic guided vehicle, and the automatic guided vehicle is run to the raw material supply station that has transmitted the raw material filling request signal, and the mobile tank support frame of the raw material supply station is filled. A series of steps of placing the moving tank, causing the automatic guided vehicle to travel to the initial position, and waiting until the next moving tank transfer command is received are repeated.
[0006]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
First, the automatic raw material supply equipment 1 for carrying out the automatic raw material supply method of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0007]
The raw material automatic supply equipment 1 is installed on the upper floor from the resin molding machine 2. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the resin molding machine 2 is on the first floor and the raw material automatic supply equipment 1 is on the second floor. Install on the surface.
The automatic material supply equipment 1 includes a large number of raw material supply stations 4 arranged in the raw material supply area 3, a large number of raw material filling stations 6 arranged in the raw material filling area 5, and one or more unmanned conveyances for conveying the moving tank 7. The vehicle 8 and the automatic guided vehicle control device 9 are configured.
[0008]
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the raw material supply station 4 is installed on a movable tank support base 11 having a raw material supply port 10, a raw material supply shutter opening / closing device 12, the raw material supply port 10 and the first floor surface. It comprises a raw material supply pipe 15 for connecting the raw material inlet 14 of the hopper 13 of the resin molding machine 2 and a raw material supply station controller 16.
[0009]
As shown in FIG. 4, the raw material supply shutter opening / closing device 12 includes a pair of air cylinders 17 a and 17 b disposed on both sides of the upper surface of the movable tank support frame 11.
As shown in FIG. 4, a moving tank guide member 18 for guiding the leg portion 43 of the moving tank 7 is provided on the upper surface of the moving tank support base 11.
A raw material detection sensor 19 is attached to the raw material supply port 10 so that a detection signal is output when the resin raw material in the moving tank 7 becomes empty.
[0010]
The raw material supply station control device 16 recognizes that the resin raw material in the moving tank 7 is empty via the raw material detection sensor 19, transmits a raw material filling request signal to the automatic guided vehicle control device 9, and supplies the raw material. The shutter opening / closing device 12 is operated to supply the resin raw material from the moving tank 7 to the molding machine 2.
[0011]
As shown in FIG. 5, the raw material filling station 6 includes a raw material filling device 20, a raw material weighing device 21, and a raw material filling station control device 22.
[0012]
The raw material filling device 20 includes a raw material storage hopper 23 that can store a resin raw material of 1 ton or more, a raw material discharge device 24 that can discharge a predetermined amount of resin raw material from the raw material storage hopper 23, and a raw material that supports the raw material storage hopper 23. A storage hopper support frame 25;
[0013]
As shown in FIG. 7, the raw material discharge device 24 is connected to the lower end of the raw material storage hopper 23, and includes a discharge valve 26, a discharge valve drive device 27 including a rotary solenoid, a connection nozzle 28, a lift nozzle 29, and an air cylinder. The elevating nozzle driving device 30, the dustproof curtain 31, the connecting member 32, etc.
[0014]
The discharge valve 26 is provided with a material passage hole 26a, and the discharge valve drive device 27 rotates the discharge valve 26 so that the phase of the material passage hole 26a can be displaced every 90 °.
[0015]
A connection nozzle 28 and a lift nozzle 29 are disposed below the discharge valve 26, and the lift nozzle 29 can be moved up and down along the connection nozzle 28 by a lift nozzle driving device 30.
In addition, a dustproof curtain 31 that is extendable from the upper end of the connection nozzle 28 to the lower end of the lift nozzle 29 is installed and covered so that outside dirty air does not enter through the gap between the connection nozzle 28 and the lift nozzle 29. .
[0016]
A connecting member 32 is fixed to the lower end of the elevating nozzle 29. A raw material discharge port 32a is formed in the central portion of the connecting member 32, a covering groove portion 32b is formed in the peripheral portion, and a sealing material 33 is formed in the covering groove portion 32b. Is inserted.
[0017]
As shown in FIG. 6, the raw material metering device 21 includes a cone-shaped moving tank guide member 34 for guiding and positioning the moving tank 7, and a raw material injection shutter opening / closing device 35 that opens and closes the raw material injection shutter 46 of the moving tank 7. And a weight measuring device 36 that can accurately measure the filling amount of the raw material, and a raw material measuring device support frame 37 that fixes and supports these members and devices.
[0018]
The raw material injection shutter opening / closing device 35 includes a pair of air cylinders 38 a and 38 b disposed on both sides of the upper surface of the raw material weighing device support frame 37.
[0019]
A stock detection sensor 39 is attached to the weight measuring device 36, and a detection signal is output when the movable tank 7 is placed on the weight measuring device 36.
In addition, a conveyance vehicle detection sensor 40 is attached to the raw material weighing device support frame 37 so that a detection signal is output when the automatic guided vehicle 8 arrives.
[0020]
The raw material filling station control device 22 recognizes that the automatic guided vehicle 8 has arrived and the moving tank 7 has been placed via the transport vehicle detection sensor 40 and the stock detection sensor 39, and the raw material discharge device 24, the raw material injection shutter. After the opening / closing device 35 and the weight measuring device 36 are operated to fill the moving tank 7 with a predetermined amount of resin raw material, a transfer command for the moving tank 7 filled in the automatic guided vehicle 8 is transmitted.
[0021]
As shown in FIG. 8, the movable tank 7 is provided with a main body 41 having a lower half portion of a quadrangular pyramid and an arm portion 42 and a leg portion 43. Is fixed.
A raw material injection pipe portion 45 is formed at the upper end of the main body 41, and a raw material injection shutter 46 having a through hole 46a provided in the middle is slidable in the right and left directions.
A raw material supply pipe portion 47 is formed at the lower end portion of the main body 41, and a raw material supply shutter 48 having a through hole 48a provided in the middle is slidably provided to the left and right.
[0022]
As shown in FIG. 9, the automatic guided vehicle 8 has a fork device 51 installed on a traveling device 50 having wheels 49, 49,.
The fork device 51 is provided with an arm 53 that can be expanded and contracted in the front-rear direction on an upper part of a body 52 that can be moved up and down, and moving tank guide members 54 and 54 are fixed to the upper surface of the arm 53 to move the moving tank 7. Can be placed at a predetermined position.
[0023]
As shown in FIG. 1, a traveling path 55 with magnetic tape attached is formed on the second floor where the automatic raw material supply facility 1 is installed, and the automatic guided vehicle 8 travels on the traveling path 55. In an appropriate region of the raw material supply area 3 and the raw material filling area 5, an automatic guided vehicle rotation area 56 is provided.
[0024]
Next, the resin raw material automatic supply method of the present invention using the raw material automatic supply equipment 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
[0025]
At normal time, as shown in FIG. 1, the automatic guided vehicle 8 stands by at an initial position HP (Home Position) which is an initial standby position.
[0026]
When the raw material detection sensor 19 of the raw material supply station 4 detects that the resin raw material in the moving tank 7 has been emptied, a raw material filling request signal is transmitted from the raw material supply station control device 16 to the automatic guided vehicle control device 9 and unmanned. A transfer tank conveyance command is transmitted from the conveyance vehicle control device 9 to the automatic guided vehicle 8.
[0027]
The automatic guided vehicle 8 that has received the moving tank transport command travels from the initial position HP on the travel path 55 into the raw material supply area 3, travels to the raw material supply station 4 that has transmitted the raw material filling request signal, and stops. To do.
[0028]
In this raw material supply station 4, the automatic guided vehicle 8 operates the fork device 51 to extend the arm 53, and moves the arm portion 42 of the empty moving tank 7 placed on the moving tank support frame 11 to the arm 53. It is placed on top and holds an empty transfer tank 7.
[0029]
The automatic guided vehicle 8 holding the empty moving tank 7 travels into the raw material filling area 5, travels to the raw material filling station 6 corresponding to the raw material supply station 4 that has transmitted the raw material filling request signal, and stops. .
[0030]
In this raw material filling station 6, the automatic guided vehicle 8 operates the fork device 51 to extend the arm 53, and places the arm portion 42 of the empty moving tank 7 at a predetermined position of the raw material measuring device 21.
[0031]
When the material filling station control device 22 recognizes that the automatic guided vehicle 8 has arrived and the moving tank 7 has been placed via the transport vehicle detection sensor 40 and the stock detection sensor 39, the raw material injection shutter opening / closing device 35 is activated. The raw material injection shutter 46 of the empty moving tank 7 is slid to open the through hole 46a.
Next, the lifting nozzle driving device 30 is operated to lower the lifting nozzle 29, the discharge valve driving device 27 is operated to rotate the discharge valve 26 by 90 °, and the material passage hole 26a is opened.
Thereby, the resin raw material in the raw material storage hopper 23 falls through the discharge valve 26, the connection nozzle 268, and the lift nozzle 29 and is filled in the moving tank 7.
[0032]
After confirming that a predetermined amount of resin raw material has been filled by the weight measuring device 36, the discharge valve drive device 27 is operated to rotate the discharge valve 26 again by 90 ° to close the raw material passage hole 26a, and the lift nozzle drive device. 30 is operated to raise the elevating nozzle 29.
Next, the raw material injection shutter opening / closing device 35 is operated, and the raw material injection shutter 46 of the moving tank 7 is slid to close the through hole 46a.
[0033]
When the filling of the resin raw material into the moving tank 7 is completed, the raw material filling station control device 22 transmits a moving tank transfer command to the automatic guided vehicle control device 9, and the automatic transfer of the moving tank from the automatic guided vehicle control device 9 to the automatic guided vehicle 8 is performed. A command is sent.
[0034]
The automatic guided vehicle 8 that has received the moving tank transport command travels on the travel path 55 from the initial position HP to the raw material filling area 5, travels to the raw material filling station 6, and stops.
In this raw material filling station 6, the automatic guided vehicle 8 operates the fork device 51 to extend the arm 53, and the arm portion 42 of the moving tank 7 placed at a predetermined position of the raw material measuring device 21 is moved to the arm 53. The loaded moving tank 7 is received and held.
[0035]
Then, the vehicle travels on the traveling path 55 into the raw material supply area 3, travels to the raw material supply station 4 that has transmitted the raw material filling request signal, and stops.
At this raw material supply station 4, the automatic guided vehicle 8 operates the fork device 51 to extend the arm 53, and places the moving tank 7 filled on the moving tank support frame 11.
[0036]
When the operation completion signal is received from the automatic guided vehicle 8, the material supply station control device 16 operates the material supply shutter opening / closing device 12 to slide the material supply shutter 48 of the filled moving tank 7 to open the through hole 48 a. Let
Thereby, the resin raw material in the moving tank 7 falls through the raw material supply pipe portion 47, the raw material supply port 10, and the raw material supply pipe 15 and is supplied to the hopper 13 of the resin molding machine 2.
[0037]
Thereafter, the automatic guided vehicle 8 travels to the initial position HP, stops, and waits until the next command signal is received.
[0038]
【The invention's effect】
The resin raw material automatic supply method of the present invention is to supply a resin raw material by circulating one moving tank by an automatic guided vehicle to a corresponding raw material supply station between a raw material supply station and a raw material filling station. In addition, since the operator does not manually fill the moving tank with the resin raw material, the time and labor required for the resin raw material filling operation can be greatly reduced.
Moreover, since the resin raw material is automatically filled in the moving tank, the chance of the resin raw material coming into contact with the outside air is reduced, so that the resin raw material is not filled with dust, dust, etc., and another type of resin raw material is erroneously filled. Without a problem, the defective product occurrence rate can be greatly reduced. Furthermore, since there is no need for a mobile tank supply station for storing three or more mobile tanks filled with resin raw materials in advance, the number of mobile tanks does not increase, and the installation area of equipment can be greatly reduced.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an installation view of an automatic raw material supply facility.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a positional relationship between a raw material supply station and a resin molding machine.
3A is a front view and FIG. 3B is a side view of a raw material supply station.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a raw material supply station.
FIG. 5 is a front view of a raw material filling station.
FIG. 6 is a front view of the vicinity of a raw material metering device of a raw material filling station.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a raw material discharge device portion of a raw material filling station.
8A is a front view and FIG. 8B is a side view of a moving tank.
9A is a front view and FIG. 9B is a side view of the automatic guided vehicle.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the automatic supply method of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
2 Resin molding machine 4 Raw material supply station 6 Raw material filling station 7 Moving tank 8 Automatic guided vehicle 9 Automatic guided vehicle controller 11 Moving tank support frame 13 Hopper 23 Raw material storage hopper 53 Arm

Claims (1)

Detects that the resin raw material in the moving tank placed on the moving tank support frame of the raw material supply station that supplies the resin raw material to the hopper of the resin molding machine is empty,
An automatic guided vehicle having an arm that can hold a moving tank waiting for an initial position of a moving tank conveyance command from the automatic guided vehicle control device by transmitting a raw material filling request signal to the automatic guided vehicle control device and can be moved up and down and retracted in the front-rear direction. To
Drive the automatic guided vehicle to the raw material supply station that sent the raw material filling request signal, hold the empty mobile tank on the arm of the automatic guided vehicle from the mobile tank support frame of the raw material supply station,
An automated guided vehicle holding an empty moving tank travels to a raw material supply station that corresponds to the raw material supply station that sent the raw material filling request signal, and an empty moving tank is placed at a predetermined position of the raw material filling station, and a raw material storage hopper Fill the transfer tank with the resin material inside,
Again, run the automatic guided vehicle to the raw material filling station, hold the moving tank filled from the predetermined position of the raw material filling station on the arm of the automatic guided vehicle,
Drive the automatic guided vehicle to the raw material supply station that sent the raw material filling request signal, place the mobile tank filled in the mobile tank support frame of the raw material supply station,
Drive the automatic guided vehicle to the initial position and wait until the next moving tank transfer command is received.
A method of automatically supplying a resin raw material to a resin molding machine, characterized by repeating a series of steps.

Images