JP4832001B2 - Paint tank changer - Google Patents

Abstract

A coating material tank replacement device (1) enables extremely simple and quick replacement in a tight space of the coating material tank (3) which is attached to and detached from a coating machine (2) by laterally sliding the tank (3). The coating material tank replacement device (1) has a stocker (10), a tank installation device (20), and a tank recovery device (30). In the stocker (10), vertically movable magazines (12) are arranged around the outer periphery of a horizontally rotating frame (13), and each magazine (12) has a required number of vertically arranged tank holders (11) each contain one coating material tank (3). The tank installation device (20) pulls out a coating material tank (3) from a tank holder (11) positioned at a preset tank take-out position (TP) and pushes out the tank (3) into the coating machine (2). The tank recovery device (30) returns a used coating material tank (3used), sent out from the coating machine (2) when the tank (3) is slid and pushed in, to a tank holder (11) positioned at a tank recovery position (RP) of the stocker (10).

Description

  In the present invention, the paint tank is slid in a direction perpendicular to a mounting axis assumed to penetrate the paint machine and the paint tank in a state where the paint tank is attached to the rear end side of the paint machine. The present invention relates to a paint tank exchange device that removes a used paint tank from a paint machine that attaches / detaches a paint tank, and at the same time attaches a new paint tank to replace the paint tank.

  In automobile body painting, paints using organic solvents are the mainstream, but from the viewpoint of environmental protection and pollution prevention, it is required to reduce volatile organic solvents generated in large quantities in the painting process. As a result, painting with water-based paint has attracted attention.

  In order to use water-based paint without waste, it is preferable to apply with an electrostatic coating machine with high coating efficiency. However, water-based paint has low electrical resistance, and the electrostatic coating machine has a low electrical resistance. Since the rotary atomizing head and the ground side are easy to conduct, it is necessary to take insulation measures for the entire paint supply system to prevent leakage of a high voltage of −60 to 90 kV applied to the rotary atomizing head.

For this reason, the paint supply system is conventionally shut off by filling the paint tank, which is detachably attached to the coating machine, and applying the paint out of the paint tank. Even if a high voltage is applied to the machine, it does not leak.
JP 2000-317354 A

  By the way, the paint tank is usually filled only with the amount of paint necessary for painting one automobile body, and therefore, after the painting of the preceding automobile body transported on the painting line is finished, the succeeding automobile The tank must be changed within a short time before the body arrives, so that the replacement work is automated.

  For example, when replacing the tank of a coating machine with a paint tank mounting part formed on the back of the machine with the paint atomizing head formed on the front, it is conventionally positioned at the tank replacement position with the mounting part facing upward. Move the tank of the tank replacement robot to the above-mentioned coating machine, grab the used paint tank, pull it upward, retract it to a predetermined position and store it, then grab the new paint tank It is installed by moving it directly above the painting machine, moving it downward and pushing it into the painting machine.

  That is, the arm of the replacement robot removes at least the used paint tank attached to the paint machine, pushes in a new paint tank for insertion and removal, and retracts the used paint tank removed from the paint machine. When moving a new paint tank directly above the painting machine, it has to move in different directions, so there was a problem that the exchange robot became larger and a large exchange space had to be secured along the painting line .

On the other hand, automobile bodies with different paint colors are mixed and conveyed on the painting line, so the paint machine must be color-washed each time the paint tank is replaced, further reducing the replacement time. Is required.
However, the new paint tank can only be installed after storing the removed used paint tank, so it takes time to replace it, and if you try to do this in a short time, An exchange robot provided with a separate robot arm for mounting is required, which not only increases the size of the robot itself but also increases the cost.

  In view of this, the present invention has a technical problem to enable a paint tank to be replaced in a narrow space very easily and quickly.

In order to solve this problem, the paint tank changing device according to the present invention is orthogonal to the mounting axis assumed in the direction penetrating the paint machine and the paint tank with the paint tank attached to the rear end side of the paint machine. A paint tank exchange device that removes the used paint tank and replaces the paint tank by installing a new paint tank at the same time as the paint machine that slides the paint tank in the direction to remove the paint tank. ,
A stocker comprising a required number of tank holders for storing paint tanks one by one, and a tank mounting device for pulling out the paint tank from the tank holder positioned at a preset tank take-out position and pushing it into the coating machine. A tank recovery device for returning the used paint tank pushed out by the paint tank attached to the coating machine to the tank holder positioned at the tank recovery position set in advance.
The tank mounting device and the tank recovery device are respectively arranged on both sides of a tank replacement position for tank replacement with respect to the coating machine, and the tank mounting device has a drawing direction in which the paint tank is drawn out from the tank removal position. The drawn-out paint tank is formed so as to be able to rotate in the push-in direction in which the paint tank is pushed in a direction perpendicular to the mounting axis of the coating machine, and the tank recovery device receives the used paint tank sent out in the opposite direction to the push-in direction. It is formed to be rotatable in a receiving direction and a collecting direction in which the used paint tank is pushed into a tank holder positioned at the tank collecting position .

According to the paint tank exchange device of the present invention, an arbitrary tank holder of the stocker is positioned at the tank take-out position, a new paint tank is taken out by the tank attachment device, and the painter mounting shaft set at the tank exchange position It is pushed in the orthogonal direction.
At the same time, the used paint tank mounted on the coating machine is pushed to the opposite side orthogonal to the mounting shaft and sent out to the tank recovery device.
Therefore, the used paint tank can be removed and the paint tank can be easily and quickly replaced simply by pushing a new paint tank with the tank mounting device.

  Also, while the tank replacement is complete and painting, the used paint tank is washed and returned to the stocker, and the desired paint tank is pulled out of the stocker to the tank mounting device and filled with the next color paint. Since the paint tank can be replaced at the same time as the coating machine arrives at the tank replacement position after the completion of painting, the time required for the replacement can be remarkably shortened.

  In this example, the purpose of exchanging the paint tank in a narrow space very easily and quickly is to install the new paint tank from the left and right sides of the painting machine set at the tank exchange position. This was achieved by changing the used paint tank to the opposite side.

FIG. 1 is an external view showing an example of a paint tank changing apparatus according to the present invention, FIG.
3 is a front view thereof, and FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing the operation thereof.

The paint tank changer 1 shown in FIG. 1 is arranged with respect to a mounting axis X assumed in a direction penetrating the paint machine 2 and the paint tank 3 with the paint tank 3 attached to the rear end side of the paint machine 2. The used paint tank 3 is sent out by sliding a new paint tank 3 in a direction orthogonal to the paint tank 3, and the paint tank 3 is replaced.
The mounting portion 4 of the coating machine 2 is mounted by sliding the paint tank 3 with the engaging portion 5 facing downward when the mounting shaft X is set in the vertical direction with this facing upward, and vice versa. It can be removed by sliding it to the side.

  The paint tank replacement device 1 includes a stocker 10 that accommodates a large number of paint tanks 3, a tank mounting device 20 that takes out the arbitrary paint tank 3 and mounts it on the coating machine, and a used paint removed from the coating machine. And a tank recovery device 30 for returning the tank 3used to the stocker 10.

The stocker 10 includes a magazine 12 in which a required number of tank holders 11 are vertically arranged in a vertical direction with the engaging portions 5 to the coating machine 2 formed on the front end side of the paint tank 3 facing downward. It arrange | positions so that raising / lowering is possible along the vertical rail 14 ... provided in the outer periphery of the rotating frame 13 which forward / reversely rotates to a direction.
When the rotary frame 13 is rotated and the predetermined magazine 12 is positioned at the tank take-out position TP and the tank collection position RP set in advance, the magazine 12 is moved up and down by the elevator devices 15 and 16, and an arbitrary tank holder 11 is moved. Can be positioned.

The tank mounting device 20 is for pulling out the coating tank 3 from the tank holder 11 positioned at the tank take-out position TP and mounting it on the coating machine 2, and on one side of the tank replacement position CP for replacing the tank with the coating machine 2. It is arranged.
The tank mounting device 20 includes a piston cylinder having a tip 23 formed with a chuck 23 for gripping the paint tank 3 on a turntable 22 formed with a guide 21 for guiding the paint tank 3 drawn back and forth in a state where the paint tank 3 pulled out from the stocker 10 is upright. The linear actuator 24 is provided.
The turntable 22 has a take-out direction TD for drawing out the paint tank 3 stored in the tank holder 11 positioned at the tank take-out position TP, and a direction in which the drawn paint tank 3 is perpendicular to the mounting axis X of the coating machine 2. It is formed so as to be rotatable between the mounting direction SD to be pushed in.
Under the turntable 22, after the paint tank 3 is pulled out to the turntable 22, the paint tank 3 is filled with a paint of a desired color before being attached to the coating machine 2. Is arranged.

  As a result, the paint tank 3 of the tank holder 11 positioned at the tank take-out position TP is gripped by the chuck 23 of the linear actuator 24 in a state where the turn table 22 is oriented in the take-out direction TD, and the paint tank 3 is taken out and turned. After the paint is filled with the paint filling device 25, the turntable 22 is rotated and the linear actuator 24 is extended in the state in the mounting direction SD, so that the coating machine 2 set at the tank replacement position CP is applied. The filled paint tank 3 can be installed.

The tank recovery device 30 returns the used paint tank 3used removed from the coating machine 2 to the tank holder 11 positioned at a preset tank recovery position RP. The tank mounting device 20 sandwiches the tank replacement position CP. It is arranged on the other side.
In this tank recovery device 30, a turntable 32 having a guide 31 for guiding back and forth in a state where the used paint tank 3 used sent out from the coating machine 2 is raised is sent out from the coating machine 2 onto an extension line in the mounting direction SD. The receiving direction GD for receiving the used paint tank 3used and the collection direction RD for returning the paint tank 3 to the stocker 10 are formed to be rotatable.
A linear actuator 34 such as a piston cylinder formed with a chuck 33 for gripping the paint tank 3 is arranged so as to be lifted and lowered by the lifting cylinder 35 so as not to obstruct the rotating turntable 32, and the turntable 32 is recovered. Raised when positioned in the direction RD, the used paint tank 3used is pushed into the tank holder 11 with respect to the turntable 32.
Also, under the turntable 32, after the used paint tank 3used is drawn out to the turntable 32 and before being returned to the stocker 10, the paint adhering to the engaging portion 5 of the used paint tank 3used is removed by washing. A cleaning device 36 is disposed.

  Thus, when the paint tank 3 is mounted on the coating machine 2 by the tank mounting device 20 with the turntable 32 facing the receiving direction GD, the used paint tank 3used is pushed out from the coating machine 2 in the receiving direction GD. After the paint attached to the engaging portion 5 of the used paint tank 3used is washed and removed by the washing device 36 in a state where the turntable 32 is rotated and turned in the collecting direction RD, the turntable 32 is rotated. By holding the used paint tank 3used with the chuck 33 and extending the linear actuator 34, the used paint tank 3used can be returned to the tank holder 11 located at the collection position RP.

  The tank replacement position CP is provided with a cleaning port (not shown) for cleaning the paint remaining in the coating machine 2 by docking with the coating machine 2 positioned to replace the paint tank 3. Yes.

The above is one configuration example of the present invention, and the operation thereof will be described next.
For example, while painting the automobile body conveyed by the conveyor with the coating machine 2 to which the paint tank 3 is attached, the rotation frame 13 is rotated, and the desired magazine 12 is moved up and down, thereby succeeding. The tank holder 11 in which the paint tank 3 for the next color paint, which is the paint color of the automobile body, is accommodated is positioned at the tank removal position TP (FIG. 4A).
Next, the turntable 22 is rotated in the take-out direction TD, the linear actuator 24 is extended, the paint tank 3 is gripped by the chuck 23, transferred onto the turntable 22, and the next color is filled by the paint filling device 25. The paint is filled (FIG. 4B).
Then, the turntable 22 is rotated in the mounting direction SD, and waits until the painting is completed and the coating machine 2 returns.
At this time, the turntable 32 of the tank recovery device 30 is rotated and directed in the receiving direction GD.

When painting is completed, the coating machine 2 is returned to the tank replacement position CP with its mounting axis X vertical, and is docked with a cleaning port (not shown) to wash the paint remaining in the coating machine 2 (see FIG. 4 (c)).
Then, when the linear actuator 24 of the tank mounting device 20 is extended, the filled paint tank 3 advances along the guide 21 while sliding in the mounting direction SD perpendicular to the mounting axis X, and reaches the mounting portion 4 of the coating machine 2. The used paint tank 3used that has been mounted is moved to the mounting portion 4 while being moved, and the engaging portion 5 and the mounting portion 4 of the coating machine 2 are engaged (FIGS. 4D and 4E).
At this time, the used paint tank 3used is pushed and moved by the filled paint tank 3, and is sent out on the turntable 32 of the tank collection device 30 while sliding in the extending direction of the mounting direction SD perpendicular to the mounting axis X.

  In this way, the installation of the filled paint tank 3 and the removal of the used paint tank 3used can be performed simultaneously in one operation, and it is only necessary to clean the coating machine 2 at the time of tank replacement. In addition, the paint tank 3 can be replaced, and the preparation of the next color paint for painting the subsequent automobile body can be quickly performed even in a painting line with a short conveying interval.

  Then, when the subsequent automobile body arrives, painting is performed by the coating machine 2 equipped with the paint tank 3 filled with the next color paint, and at the same time, the used paint tank 3used is washed and stored, The paint filling of the paint tank 3 for the next color paint which is the paint color of the subsequent automobile body is performed.

That is, when the turntable 32 on which the used paint tank 3used removed from the coating machine 2 is rotated and directed in the tank recovery direction RD, the engaging portion 5 of the used paint tank 3used is cleaned by the cleaning device 36. (FIG. 4F).
In this case, if the color of the paint to be filled in the paint tank 3 is determined, the color will not be mixed in the tank. Therefore, after the paint is removed from the coating machine 2, the paint adhering to the engaging portion 5 is dried. In order to prevent this, it is sufficient to clean and remove only that portion, and it is not necessary to clean the inside of the tank, so the amount of cleaning liquid and cleaning air used can be reduced.

  During this time, the magazine 12 is moved up and down, and the rotating frame 13 is rotated, so that the tank holder 11 storing the paint tank 3 for the next color paint, which is the paint color of the subsequent automobile body, is moved to the tank removal position. The TP is positioned and taken out by the tank mounting device 20, and the next color paint is filled by the paint filling device 25 (FIGS. 4A and 4B).

In addition, after the paint tank 3 for the next color paint is taken out from the tank holder 11, the rotary frame 13 is rotated again and the magazine 12 is moved up and down to store the used paint tank 3 used. Is positioned at the tank recovery position RP.
When cleaning of the used paint tank 3used is completed, the used paint tank 3used is returned to the predetermined tank holder 11 by grasping the used paint tank 3used with the chuck 33 and extending the linear actuator 34 ( FIG. 4 (g)).

Thus, according to this example, while painting with the next color paint, cleaning of the used paint tank 3used and preparation of the paint tank 3 for the next color paint can be performed simultaneously in parallel. By the end of coating, the preparation of the paint tank 3 filled with the secondary color paint is completed, and the paint tank 3 can be put on standby in the mounting direction SD.
Accordingly, when the coating machine 2 finishes painting and returns to the tank replacement position CP, the paint tank 3 can be immediately replaced, and the tact time required for tank replacement can be shortened. Even a short coating line can be used without becoming a bottleneck, and productivity can be improved.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be applied to an application for automating the tank replacement of a coating machine that is used with a paint tank.

The external view which shows an example of the coating material tank replacement | exchange apparatus which concerns on this invention. The plan view. The front view. Explanatory drawing which shows the operation | movement.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Paint tank replacement apparatus 2 Coating machine 3 Paint tank 3used Used paint tank X Mounting shaft 10 Stocker 11 Tank holder 12 Magazine 13 Rotating frame 20 Tank mounting apparatus 30 Tank recovery apparatus TP Tank extraction position RP Tank recovery position CP Tank replacement position TD Extraction direction SD Mounting direction GD Receiving direction RD Collection direction

Claims (4)

With a paint tank attached to the rear end of the paint machine, the paint tank can be attached and detached by sliding the paint tank in a direction perpendicular to the installation axis assumed to penetrate the paint machine and the paint tank. On the other hand, it is a paint tank exchange device that removes the used paint tank and replaces the paint tank by installing a new paint tank,
A stocker with a required number of tank holders for storing paint tanks one by one;
A tank mounting device for pulling out a paint tank from a tank holder positioned at a preset tank take-out position and pushing it into a coating machine;
A tank recovery device that returns a used paint tank that has been pushed by a paint tank mounted on the coating machine and sent out from the coating machine to a tank holder positioned at a preset tank recovery position ;
The tank mounting device and the tank recovery device are respectively arranged on both sides of a tank replacement position for replacing the tank with respect to the coating machine,
The tank mounting device is formed so as to be rotatable in a pulling-out direction for pulling out the paint tank from the tank take-out position and a pushing direction for pushing the drawn-out paint tank in a direction perpendicular to the mounting axis of the coating machine,
The tank recovery device can be rotated in a receiving direction for receiving a used paint tank sent to the opposite side of the pushing direction, and in a collecting direction for pushing the used paint tank into a tank holder positioned at the tank recovery position. A paint tank changer characterized by being formed in 2. The paint tank according to claim 1, wherein the stocker is provided with a plurality of elevating and lowering magazines each having a predetermined number of tank holders for storing one by one in a state where the paint tank is set up on a rotating frame that rotates horizontally. Exchange equipment. The paint tank replacement apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a paint filling apparatus that fills a paint tank drawn out by the tank mounting apparatus with a desired paint. The paint tank replacement device according to claim 1, further comprising a cleaning device for cleaning the used paint tank sent to the tank recovery device before returning it to the stocker.

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