JP6638457B2 - Transfer device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a transport device that transports a member having an internal passage.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various inspections and processing have been performed on members that are transported on a transport rail in a transport device. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a joint block provided on a pallet that conveys a hollow member and having a communication path that can communicate with the inside of the member, and an inspection unit that can be connected to the joint block. A transfer device that connects a joint block and an inspection unit after connecting a member and a joint block when checking airtightness is described.

JP-A-6-298141

  The inspection unit included in the transfer device described in Patent Literature 1 includes a pump capable of pressurizing or depressurizing the inside of a member, and a pipe connecting the pump and a joint block. However, when the pump is relatively heavy, it is necessary to make the piping for connecting the pump and the joint block on the transfer rail a flexible tube. Due to the configuration of the device, the longer the distance between the pump and the joint block, the longer the length of the piping. When the pipe is used repeatedly when the length of the pipe is long, the pipe is likely to be deteriorated, and the airtightness of the pipe may be reduced. In addition, when the pipe is fixed to improve the accuracy of the airtight inspection, the inspection requires time since the member must be once removed from the transport rail for the inspection.

  Further, in the case where the inside of the member moving on the transport rail is subjected to surface treatment, a predetermined fluid is introduced into the inside of the member while maintaining the airtightness, and the temperature of the member can be controlled to a temperature suitable for the surface treatment. The members need to be accommodated. However, for example, the inspection unit and the chamber provided in the transfer device described in Patent Literature 1, which can introduce a fluid into the inside of the member, are provided at positions sandwiching the transfer rail due to the configuration of the device. When the member is accommodated in the chamber using the lifting device, it is necessary to further increase the length of the flexible pipe of the inspection unit. Further, when the chamber is moved up and down to control the temperature of the members on the transfer rail, the configuration of the transfer device becomes complicated.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a transfer device capable of reliably introducing a predetermined fluid into an internal space of a member while maintaining the airtightness of the internal space of the member being transferred. To provide.

The present invention relates to a transfer device capable of introducing a predetermined fluid into an internal space while maintaining the airtightness of an internal space of a member being transferred, and includes a transfer rail capable of transferring the member, a storage chamber forming member, and a first relay. It includes a pipe section, a fluid supply section, a connection pipe section, a first drive section, and a second drive section.
The storage chamber forming member has a storage chamber fixed to the transport rail and capable of storing the member.
The first relay pipe portion is provided on the opposite side of the transfer rail from the storage chamber forming member so as to be relatively movable with respect to the storage chamber forming member. The first relay pipe section is formed on the member side on the transport rail and is a connection opening that can communicate with the internal space, and is a movement direction in which the member being transported on the transport rail is moved when housed in the housing chamber. A relay opening that opens in a direction crossing the direction; and a first relay passage that communicates the connection opening and the relay opening.
The fluid supply unit can supply a predetermined fluid to the internal space via the first relay passage.
The connection pipe section is provided between the first relay pipe section and the fluid supply section, is formed to be expandable and contractable, and has a connection passage capable of communicating the first relay passage with the inside of the fluid supply section.
The first driving section generates a driving force capable of extending the connection pipe section.
The second driving unit generates a driving force capable of relatively moving the first relay pipe unit with respect to the storage chamber forming member.
In the transfer device of the present invention, when the internal space communicates with the connection opening, the connection pipe portion extends in a direction intersecting the moving direction so that the relay opening and the inside of the fluid supply unit communicate with each other.

In the transfer device of the present invention, the first relay pipe portion has a relay opening that opens in a direction that intersects the moving direction of the member.
When introducing a predetermined fluid into the internal space of the member while maintaining the airtightness of the internal space of the member, the member is introduced into the accommodation chamber forming member fixed to one side of the transport rail. At this time, the first relay pipe is moved in the direction of the accommodation chamber forming member so that the connection opening of the first relay pipe and the internal space communicate with each other. When the first relay pipe section moves in the direction of the housing chamber forming member and the internal space of the member in the housing chamber forming member communicates with the connection opening, the connection pipe section extends in the direction intersecting the moving direction of the member, and The opening communicates with the inside of the fluid supply unit. Accordingly, the internal space of the member and the inside of the fluid supply unit communicate with each other, and the fluid supply unit can supply a predetermined fluid to the internal space.
As described above, in the transfer device of the present invention, the connection pipe portion formed to be extendable and contractable can extend so as to communicate with the relay opening that opens in the direction intersecting the moving direction of the member. Thereby, the length of expansion and contraction can be made relatively short as compared with the case where the connection pipe portion is provided so as to extend more than the moving distance of the member, so that deterioration of the connection pipe portion due to expansion and contraction can be prevented. it can. Therefore, the transfer device of the present invention can reliably introduce the predetermined fluid into the internal space of the member while maintaining the airtightness of the internal space of the member being transferred.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a transport device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a view taken in the direction of arrow II in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a view as viewed in the direction of the arrow III in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the transport device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, which is a schematic diagram different from FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a view on arrow V in FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the transport device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, which is a schematic diagram different from FIGS. FIG. 7 is a view on arrow VII in FIG. 6. It is a schematic diagram of a transport device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a view on arrow IX in FIG. 8. It is a schematic diagram of a transport device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. It is the XI arrow line view of FIG.

Hereinafter, a plurality of embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
(First embodiment)
A transport device 1 according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. The transport device 1 is a device capable of surface-treating the inner wall of an internal passage 91 as an “internal space” of the member 90 while transporting the member 90 by the transport rail 10. The transfer device 1 includes a transfer rail 10, a chamber 15 as a "storage chamber forming member", a pallet 20, a first relay pipe 25, connection pipes 31, 32, second relay pipes 36, 37, and a "first drive". Flexible drive units 41 and 42 as “units”, lifters 43 and fluid supply units 45 as “second drive units”, and the like. In FIGS. 1, 2, 4 to 7, the upper side of the paper is described as the “top” side, and the lower side of the paper is described as the “ground” side.

  First, the member 90 transported by the transport device 1 will be described. The member 90 has an internal passage 91. The internal passage 91 communicates with the outside of the member 90 through two openings. The member 90 shown in FIG. 1 has two openings, a first opening 911 as “one opening” and a second opening 912 as “other opening”. The first opening 911 and the second opening 912 are formed at positions that can communicate with the pallet 20 described later. In the present embodiment, it is formed on the ground side of the member 90. In the transfer device 1, a predetermined fluid capable of surface-treating the inner wall of the member 90 can be introduced while keeping the internal passage 91 airtight.

  Next, the configuration of the transport device 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 show a movement axis D1 indicating a movement direction in which the member 90 can move. In FIG. 2, the second relay pipes 36 and 37 and the fluid supply unit 45 located on the near side in FIG. 2 are omitted because the drawing is complicated. Further, in FIG. 3, since the drawing becomes complicated, the shapes of the pallet 20 and the first relay pipe portion 25 located on the back side of the paper of FIG. 3 are simplified.

  The transport rail 10 is formed from two rails 101 and 102. Each of the rails 101 and 102 is formed to extend in the horizontal direction, and the rail 101 and the rail 102 are provided substantially in parallel.

  The chamber 15 is a member fixed to the top side of the transport rail 10. The chamber 15 has a storage chamber 150 having an opening 16 on the ground side. The accommodation chamber 150 is formed to have a size capable of accommodating the member 90. The chamber 15 can heat the member 90 so that the temperature of the member 90 reaches a temperature suitable for a predetermined fluid supplied by the fluid supply unit 45 described below to surface-treat the inner wall of the member 90.

  The pallet 20 has a base 21, ground side flanges 22 and 23, and a top side flange 24. The pallet 20 is provided so as to be able to move the top surfaces 111 and 112 of the two rails 101 and 102 while supporting the member 90.

  The base 21 is formed to be longer than the distance between the rail 101 and the rail 102, and has, for example, a rotatable roller (not shown). The rollers abut the top surfaces 111 and 112 of the two rails 101 and 102, and enable the pallet 20 to move smoothly on the rails 101 and 102. A contact member 212 made of, for example, an elastic material is provided on a peripheral portion of the top surface 211 of the base 21. When the pallet 20 moves in the top direction, the contact member 212 contacts the chamber 15 to prevent the chamber 15 and the base 21 from being damaged by the movement of the pallet 20.

  The ground side flanges 22 and 23 are provided on the ground side surface 213 of the base 21. The ground side flanges 22 and 23 have openings 221 and 231 that open in the ground direction, respectively.

  The top side flange 24 is provided on the top side of the base 21. A member 90 can be placed on the top side of the top side flange 24. Thereby, the pallet 20 can move on the transport rail 10 while supporting the member 90. The top flange 24 has openings 241 and 242 that open in the top direction. The opening 241 is formed to be able to communicate with the first opening 911 of the member 90. The opening 242 is formed so as to be able to communicate with the second opening 912 of the member 90.

  The opening 221 and the opening 241 communicate with each other via a communication path 201 of the pallet 20. The opening 231 and the opening 242 communicate with each other via a communication path 202 of the pallet 20.

  The first relay pipe 25 has a main body 26 and first relay pipes 27 and 28.

  The main body 26 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped member and is formed to support the first relay pipes 27 and 28 at predetermined positions. The main body 26 is connected to the lifter 43 on the ground side surface 261.

  The first relay pipes 27 and 28 are cylindrical members formed in a substantially L shape. As shown in FIG. 2, the first relay pipe 27 and the first relay pipe 28 are provided on the main body 26 so as to be adjacent to each other in the horizontal direction.

The first relay pipe 27 includes a member-side flange 271, a vertical portion 272, a horizontal portion 273, and a supply-side flange 274.
The member-side flange 271 is provided at the top end of the first relay pipe 27. The member side flange 271 has a connection opening 275 as “one connection opening” that opens to the pallet 20 side. The connection opening 275 is formed so as to be able to communicate with the opening 221 of the pallet 20.
The vertical portion 272 is formed to extend from the member-side flange 271 in the ground direction.
The horizontal portion 273 is formed so as to extend in a horizontal direction from an end of the vertical portion 272 on the ground side.
The supply-side flange 274 is provided at an end of the horizontal portion 273 opposite to the side connected to the vertical portion 272. The supply side flange 274 has a relay opening 276 as “one relay opening” that opens in a direction intersecting with the movement axis D1 of the member 90. In the present embodiment, the relay opening 276 opens in a direction perpendicular to the movement axis D1 of the member 90, that is, in a horizontal direction.
The first relay pipe 27 has a first relay passage 270 as “one first relay passage” that connects the connection opening 275 and the relay opening 276.

The first relay pipe 28 includes a member-side flange 281, a vertical portion 282, a horizontal portion 283, and a supply-side flange 284.
The member side flange 281 is provided at the top end of the first relay pipe 28. The member-side flange 281 has a connection opening 285 as “another connection opening” that opens on the pallet 20 side. The connection opening 285 is formed so as to be able to communicate with the opening 231 of the pallet 20.
The vertical portion 282 is formed to extend from the member-side flange 281 in the ground direction.
The horizontal portion 283 is formed so as to extend in the horizontal direction from the ground-side end of the vertical portion 282.
The supply side flange 284 is provided at an end of the horizontal portion 273 opposite to the side connected to the vertical portion 282. The supply-side flange 284 has a relay opening 286 as “another relay opening” that opens in a direction intersecting the movement axis D1 of the member 90. In the present embodiment, the relay opening 286 is opened in a direction perpendicular to the movement axis D1 of the member 90, that is, in a horizontal direction.
The first relay pipe 28 has a first relay passage 280 as “another first relay passage” that connects the connection opening 285 and the relay opening 286.

  The connection piping portions 31 and 32 are provided at predetermined positions outside a region where the pallet 20 and the first relay piping portion 25 can move (a region between two two-dot chain lines VL1 shown in FIG. 1). . In the present embodiment, two connection piping portions 31 and 32 are provided.

The connection pipe part 31 is formed of two flanges 311 and 312 and a flexible hose 313. The flanges 311, 312 and the flexible hose 313 have a connection passage 310 as “one connection passage”.
The flange 311 is provided on the movable axis D1 side of the flexible hose 313. The opening of the connection passage 310 provided in the flange 311 is formed so as to be able to communicate with the relay opening 276 of the first relay pipe 25.
The flange 312 is provided on the opposite side of the flexible hose 313 from the moving axis D1. The flange 312 is connected to the second relay piping section 36.
The flexible hose 313 is provided between the two flanges 311 and 312. The flexible hose 313 is formed so as to be able to expand and contract in the horizontal direction.

The connection pipe part 32 is formed from two flanges 321 and 322 and a flexible hose 323. The flanges 321 and 322 and the flexible hose 323 have a connection passage 320 as “another connection passage”.
The flange 321 is provided on the movable axis D1 side of the flexible hose 323. The opening of the connection passage 320 included in the flange 311 is formed so as to be able to communicate with the relay opening 286 of the first relay pipe 25.
The flange 322 is provided on the opposite side of the flexible hose 323 from the movement axis D1. The flange 322 is connected to the second relay piping section 37.
The flexible hose 323 is provided between the two flanges 321 and 322. The flexible hose 323 is formed so as to be able to expand and contract in the horizontal direction.

The second relay piping portions 36 and 37 are formed to extend in the vertical direction (see the second relay piping portion 36 in FIG. 1).
The connection pipe part 31 is provided at the top end of the second relay pipe part 36. Specifically, the second relay pipe portion 36 supports the connection pipe portion 31 at a position where the relay opening 276 and the connection passage 310 can communicate with each other when the connection pipe portion 31 extends in the horizontal direction. The second relay passage 360 of the second relay pipe 36 communicates with the connection passage 310.
The connection pipe part 32 is provided at the top end of the second relay pipe part 37. Specifically, the second relay pipe part 37 is used for relaying when the connection pipe part 32 extends in the horizontal direction. The connection pipe portion 32 supports the opening 286 and the connection passage 310 at a position where they can communicate with each other. The second relay passage 370 of the second relay pipe 37 communicates with the connection passage 320.

  The fluid supply unit 45 is provided at a ground-side end of the second relay piping units 36 and 37. The fluid supply unit 45 is connected to the internal passage 91 via the second relay passage 360, the connection passage 310, the relay opening 276, the first relay passage 270, the connection opening 275, the opening 221, the communication passage 201, and the opening 241. It is possible to supply a predetermined fluid. In addition, the fluid supply unit 45 has an internal passage through the opening 242, the communication passage 202, the opening 231, the connection opening 285, the first relay passage 280, the relay opening 286, the connection passage 320, and the second relay passage 370. It is possible to aspirate 91 gases.

  The flexible drive unit 41 has a cylinder 411 and a piston 412. The flexible drive unit 41 is formed to be able to move the piston 412 in the horizontal direction by, for example, injecting a fluid into the cylinder 411 under pressure. The piston 412 is connected to a contact member 315 that is in contact with the end surface 314 of the flange 311 on the flexible hose 313 side. The flexible drive unit 41 generates a driving force capable of extending the flexible hose 313 in the horizontal direction.

  The flexible drive unit 42 has a cylinder 421 and a piston 422. The flexible drive unit 42 is formed to be able to move the piston 422 in the horizontal direction by, for example, injecting a fluid into the cylinder 421 under pressure. The piston 422 is connected to a contact member 325 that is in contact with the end surface 324 of the flange 321 on the flexible hose 323 side. The flexible driving section 42 generates a driving force capable of extending the flexible hose 323 in the horizontal direction.

  The lifter 43 has a cylinder 431 and a piston 432. The lifter 43 is formed so that the piston 432 can move in the horizontal direction by, for example, injecting gas into the cylinder 431 under pressure. The piston 432 is connected to a ground-side surface 261 of the main body 26. The lifter 43 generates a driving force capable of moving the first relay pipe 25 in the upward direction.

Next, the operation of the transport device 1 will be described with reference to FIGS.
When the pallet 20 supporting the member 90 comes to the ground direction of the chamber 15, the lifter 43 moves the first relay pipe part 25 in the top direction. The top surface 262 of the main body 26 of the first relay pipe portion 25 that moves in the top direction abuts the ground surface 213 of the pallet 20. At this time, the opening 221 of the pallet 20 communicates with the connection opening 275 of the first relay pipe 25, and the opening 231 of the pallet 20 communicates with the connection opening 285 of the first relay pipe 25. When the first relay pipe section 25 is further moved in the top direction by the lifter 43, the pallet 20 moves in the top direction together with the first relay pipe section 25, and separates from the rails 101 and 102.

  When the pallet 20 moves in the top direction together with the first relay piping section 25, the member 90 is stored in the storage chamber 150 of the chamber 15. When the contact member 212 of the pallet 20 contacts the chamber 15 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the pallet 20 and the first relay pipe 25 stop moving in the top direction. At this time, the relay opening 276 of the first relay pipe 25 is located at the same position as the connection passage 310 of the connection pipe 31 in the vertical direction. In addition, the relay opening 286 of the first relay pipe 25 is located at the same position as the connection passage 320 of the connection pipe 32 in the vertical direction.

  After the movement of the pallet 20 and the first relay pipe section 25 in the top direction is stopped, the flexible hoses 313 and 323 of the connection pipe sections 31 and 32 extend toward the first relay pipe section 25 by the flexible driving sections 41 and 42. . The flanges 311 and 321 provided on the extended flexible hoses 313 and 323 come into contact with the supply-side flanges 274 and 284, as shown in FIGS. Thereby, the connection passage 310 and the first relay passage 270 communicate with each other, and the connection passage 320 and the first relay passage 280 communicate with each other. Therefore, the second relay passage 360 communicates with the internal passage 91 via the connection passage 310 and the communication passage 201. The second relay passage 370 communicates with the internal passage 91 via the connection passage 320 and the communication passage 202.

  When the second relay passages 360 and 370 communicate with the internal passage 91, the fluid supply unit 45 supplies a predetermined fluid from the connection passage 310 to the internal passage 91 while sucking the gas in the internal passage 98 from the connection passage 320. I do. At this time, the chamber 15 heats the member 90 so that the temperature of the member 90 becomes a temperature suitable for the surface treatment of the inner wall of the member 90. Thereby, the inner wall of the internal passage 91 is surface-treated.

When the surface treatment of the inner wall of the internal passage 91 is completed, the fluid supply unit 45 fills the internal passage 91 with air to an atmospheric pressure level, and then drives the pistons 412 and 422 of the flexible driving units 41 and 42 to connect the connection piping unit 31. , 32 from the first relay piping section 25.
After the connection piping portions 31 and 32 are disconnected from the first relay piping portion 25, the piston 432 of the lifter 43 is driven to move the first relay piping portion 25 and the pallet 20 in the ground direction. The pallet 20 moving in the ground direction comes into contact with the rails 101 and 102 and is returned on the rails 101 and 102. The first relay piping section 25 further moves in the ground direction, and assumes the state shown in FIGS.
The pallet 20 returned to the rails 101 and 102 moves on the rails 101 and 102 for the next step while supporting the member 90.

(A) In the transport device 1, the first relay piping section 25 has relay openings 276 and 286 so as to open in a direction intersecting the movement axis D <b> 1 of the member 90.
When the inner wall of the member 90 is surface-treated, the member 90 moves in the top direction together with the pallet 20 so as to be introduced into the chamber 15 fixed to one side of the transport rail 10. At this time, the first relay pipe section 25 moves toward the chamber 15 so that the connection openings 275 and 285 of the first relay pipe section 25 and the internal passage 91 communicate with each other. When the first relay pipe section 25 moves toward the chamber 15 and the internal passage 91 of the member 90 in the chamber 15 communicates with the connection openings 275 and 285, the connection pipe sections 31 and 32 move in the direction intersecting the movement axis D1. To communicate with the first relay passages 270 and 280 and the inside of the fluid supply unit 45. Accordingly, the internal passage 91 of the member 90 communicates with the inside of the fluid supply unit 45, and the fluid supply unit 45 can supply a predetermined fluid to the internal passage 91.
As described above, in the transport device 1, the connection pipe sections 31 and 32 formed to be extendable and contractable communicate with the relay openings 276 and 286 in which the connection passages 310 and 320 are opened in a direction intersecting the movement axis D1 of the member 90. The length of expansion and contraction can be made relatively short. Thereby, deterioration of the connection piping sections 31 and 32 due to expansion and contraction can be prevented. Therefore, the transport device 1 can introduce a predetermined fluid while maintaining the airtightness of the internal passage 91 of the member 90 being transported.

  (B) Further, since the length of expansion and contraction of the connection piping portions 31 and 32 can be relatively short, the connection piping portions 31 and 32 can be configured by the standard flexible hoses 313 and 323. Accordingly, it is not necessary to prepare a special flexible hose to keep the internal passage of the member conveyed by the conveyance rail 10 airtight. Therefore, the equipment cost of the transport device 1 can be reduced.

  (C) In the transfer apparatus 1, the chamber 15 for heating the member 90 is fixed to the top of the transfer rail 10 so that the temperature of the member 90 becomes a temperature suitable for surface treatment. This fixes the wiring of the heater and the flow path through which the cooling fluid of the chamber 15 is fixed, so that the configuration of the chamber 15 can be relatively simplified. Therefore, the configuration of the transport device 1 can be relatively simplified.

  (D) The transfer device 1 has two combinations of passages that connect the fluid supply unit 45 and the internal passage 91 of the member 90, on the connection passage 310 side and the connection passage 320 side. When performing surface treatment on the inner wall of the internal passage 91 of the member 90, a predetermined fluid is supplied from the connection passage 310 side to the internal passage 91 while the gas in the internal passage 98 is sucked from the connection passage 320 side. Thus, the internal passage 91 can be filled with the predetermined fluid in a relatively short time, so that the time required for the surface treatment can be shortened. Therefore, the time required for manufacturing the member 90 can be shortened.

  (E) In the transport device 1, the relay openings 276 and 286 to which the connection piping sections 31 and 32 connect are open in a direction perpendicular to the movement axis D1 of the member 90. Thereby, when the connection piping parts 31 and 32 and the supply side flanges 274 and 284 are connected, the length that the connection piping parts 31 and 32 need to extend can be further reduced. Therefore, it is possible to further prevent deterioration of the connection piping portions 31 and 32 due to expansion and contraction.

  (F) In the transport device 1, the connection piping portions 31 and 32 are provided outside the region sandwiched by the two-dot chain line VL1 shown in FIG. Thus, when the pallet 20 moves, the distance between the connecting pipe portions 31, 32 can be relatively shortened while preventing interference between the connecting pipe portions 31, 32 and the pallet 20. Therefore, it is possible to further prevent deterioration of the connection piping portions 31 and 32 due to expansion and contraction.

  (G) In the transport device 1, the pallet 20 is provided so as to be movable in the top direction together with the first relay piping unit 25 by the lifter 43 capable of moving the first relay piping unit 25 in the upward direction. This eliminates the need for a drive unit for introducing the member 90 supported by the pallet 20 into the chamber 15. Therefore, the equipment cost of the transport device 1 can be further reduced.

(Second embodiment)
Next, a transport device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the number of first relay passages, connection passages, and second relay passages. In addition, the same reference numerals are given to substantially the same portions as those in the first embodiment, and description thereof will be omitted.

  The transport device 2 according to the second embodiment is a device that can inspect the airtightness of an internal passage 96 as an “internal space” of the member 95 while transporting the member 95 being transported by the transport rail 10. The transfer device 2 includes a transfer rail 10, a chamber 15 as a “storage chamber forming member”, a pallet 20, a first relay pipe 65, a connection pipe 31, a second relay pipe 36, a flexible drive unit 41, a lifter 43, A pump 47 as a "pressure increasing / decreasing unit" and a pressure sensor 48 as a "pressure detecting means" are provided. 8 and 9, the upper side of the paper is referred to as the “top” side, and the lower side of the paper is referred to as the “ground” side.

  The member 95 is a member that can maintain airtightness by an elastic member such as rubber. The member 95 has an internal passage 96 inside. The internal passage 96 communicates with the outside of the member 90 via one opening 961. In the member 95, the opening 961 is formed so as to communicate with the opening 241 of the top flange 24 of the pallet 20. In the transfer device 2, it is possible to inspect the airtightness of the internal passage 96.

  The chamber 15 is a member fixed to the top side of the transport rail 10. The chamber 15 has a storage room 170 having an opening 18 on the ground side. The accommodation room 170 is formed to have a size capable of accommodating the member 95. The chamber 15 can heat the member 95 so that the temperature of the member 95 becomes a predetermined temperature when checking the airtightness inside the member 95.

  The first relay piping section 65 has a main body 66 and a first relay pipe 67.

  The main body 66 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped member, and is formed to support the first relay pipe 67 at a predetermined position. The main body 66 is connected to the lifter 43 at a surface 661 on the ground side.

The first relay pipe 67 is a cylindrical member formed in a substantially L shape. The first relay pipe 67 includes a member-side flange 671, a vertical portion 672, a horizontal portion 673, and an inspection-side flange 674.
The member side flange 671 is provided at the top end of the first relay pipe 67. The member-side flange 671 has a connection opening 675 that opens to the pallet 20 side. The connection opening 675 is formed so as to be able to communicate with the opening 221 of the pallet 20.
The vertical portion 672 is formed to extend from the member-side flange 671 in the ground direction.
The horizontal portion 673 is formed so as to extend in a horizontal direction from an end of the vertical portion 672 on the ground side.
The inspection-side flange 674 is provided at the end of the horizontal portion 673 opposite to the side connected to the vertical portion 672. The inspection-side flange 674 has a relay opening 676 that opens in a direction crossing the moving direction of the member 95. In the present embodiment, the relay opening 676 is opened in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the member 95, that is, in a horizontal direction.
The first relay pipe 67 has a first relay passage 670 that connects the connection opening 675 and the relay opening 676.

The transfer device 2 includes one connection piping unit 31. That is, the transport device 2 has one extendable connection passage 310. The connection pipe section 31 of the transfer device 2 is supported by the second relay pipe section 36. The connection piping section 31 can be extended in the horizontal direction by the flexible driving section 41.
The second relay piping section 36 has a second relay passage 360 communicating with the connection passage 310.

The pump 47 is provided at an end on the ground side of the second relay piping section 36. The pump 47 pumps the gas in the internal passage 96 through the second relay passage 360, the connection passage 310, the relay opening 676, the first relay passage 670, the connection opening 675, the opening 221, the communication passage 201, and the opening 241. It is possible to aspirate.
The pressure sensor 48 is provided in the pump 47 and can detect the pressure in the internal passage 96.

  In the transfer device 2, the member 95 moving on the transfer rail 10 can be heated to a predetermined temperature, and a change in airtightness due to deterioration of the elastic member can be inspected. At this time, since the connection pipe portion 31 extends so as to communicate with the relay opening 676 that opens in a direction intersecting with the moving direction of the member 95, the length of expansion and contraction can be made relatively short. Accordingly, the transport device 2 can achieve the effects (b), (c), and (e) to (g) of the first embodiment, and can accurately perform the airtight inspection of the member 95.

(Third embodiment)
Next, a transport device according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The third embodiment is different from the first embodiment in the location where the connection piping section is provided. In addition, the same reference numerals are given to substantially the same portions as those in the first embodiment, and description thereof will be omitted.

  The transport device 3 according to the third embodiment includes a transport rail 10, a chamber 15, a pallet 20, a first relay piping unit 25, connection piping units 51 and 52, second relay piping units 36 and 37, flexible driving units 56 and 57, A lifter 43, a fluid supply unit 45, and the like are provided. In FIG. 10, the upper side of the paper is referred to as “top” and the lower side of the paper is referred to as “ground”.

  The connection piping portions 51 and 52 are provided in a region between the rail 101 and the rail 102 (a region sandwiched between two-dot chain lines VL3 shown in FIG. 10). In the present embodiment, two connection piping sections 51 and 52 are provided.

  The connection piping section 51 is formed from a flange 512 and a flexible hose 513. The connection piping part 51 is provided on the second relay piping part 36 of the first relay piping part 25. The flexible hose 513 and the flange 512 have a connection passage 510 as “one connection passage”. The connection passage 510 communicates with the relay opening 276.

  The flange 512 is provided on the opposite side of the flexible hose 513 from the movement axis D1. The flange 512 is formed so as to be able to communicate with the second relay passage 360 of the second relay pipe part 36.

  The flexible hose 513 is provided between the supply side flange 274 and the flange 512. The flexible hose 513 is formed so as to be able to expand and contract in the horizontal direction.

  The connection piping section 52 is formed from a flange 522 and a flexible hose 523. The connection pipe section 52 is provided on the second relay pipe section 37 of the first relay pipe section 25. A connection passage 520 is formed between the flexible hose 523 and the flange 522 as “another connection passage”. The connection passage 520 communicates with the relay opening 286.

  The flange 522 is provided on the opposite side of the flexible hose 523 from the movement axis D1. The flange 522 is formed so as to be able to communicate with the second relay passage 370 of the second relay pipe part 37.

  The flexible hose 523 is provided between the supply side flange 284 and the flange 522. The flexible hose 523 is formed so as to be able to expand and contract in the horizontal direction.

  The flexible drive unit 56 has a cylinder 561 and a piston 562. In the present embodiment, the flexible drive section 56 is provided on the ground side of the first relay pipe section 25. The flexible drive unit 56 is formed so that the piston 562 can be moved in the horizontal direction by, for example, injecting a fluid into the cylinder 561 under pressure. The piston 562 is connected to a contact member 515 that is in contact with the end surface 514 of the flange 512 on the flexible hose 513 side. The flexible driving section 56 generates a driving force capable of extending the flexible hose 513 in the horizontal direction.

  The flexible drive unit 57 has a cylinder 571 and a piston 572. In the present embodiment, the flexible drive section 57 is provided on the ground side of the first relay pipe section 25. The flexible drive unit 57 is formed so that the piston 572 can move in the horizontal direction by, for example, injecting a fluid into the cylinder 571 under pressure. The piston 572 is connected to a contact member 525 that is in contact with the end surface 524 of the flange 522 on the flexible hose 523 side. The flexible driving section 57 generates a driving force capable of extending the flexible hose 523 in the horizontal direction.

  In the transport device 3, the two connection pipe sections 51 and 52 are provided in the first relay pipe section 25. When the surface treatment is performed on the inner wall of the member 90, the connection piping portions 51 and 52 extend so as to communicate with the relay openings 276 and 286 that open in the direction in which the connection passages 510 and 520 intersect with the movement axis D1 of the member 90. The length of expansion and contraction can be made relatively short. Thereby, the transport device 3 has the same effect as the first embodiment.

(Other embodiments)
In the first embodiment, the member has two openings. However, as in the second embodiment, it is possible to apply a surface treatment to a member having only one opening. In addition, even if the member has three or more openings, the first relay passage, the connection passage, and the surface treatment can be performed by having the same number of combinations of the second relay passages as the number of openings that the member has. It is possible.

  In the above-described embodiment, the direction in which the relay opening is opened is perpendicular to the moving direction of the member. However, they do not have to cross vertically. The direction in which the relay opening opens may intersect the moving direction of the member.

  In the above-described embodiment, the transport device includes the second relay piping unit. However, the second relay piping section may not be provided. The connection piping section may be directly connected to the fluid supply section or the pump.

  In the above-described embodiment, the member is configured to move the first relay pipe portion together with the pallet in the top direction by the lifter capable of moving in the top direction. However, a drive unit for moving the member in the upward direction may be separately provided.

  In the above-described embodiment, the transport device includes the pallet that supports the member. A pallet is not required. If the member is provided so as to be movable from the transport rail to the top side, the connection opening of the first relay pipe may be directly communicated with the opening of the member.

  In the first embodiment, the fluid supply unit 45 supplies a predetermined fluid from the connection passage 310 side to the internal passage 91 while sucking the gas in the internal passage 98 from the connection passage 320 side. However, a predetermined fluid may be supplied from the connection passage 320 side to the internal passage 91 while the gas in the internal passage 98 is sucked from the connection passage 310 side.

  In the second embodiment, the transport device can inspect the airtightness of a member whose airtightness can be maintained by the elastic member. However, it is possible to inspect the airtightness of a member having no elastic member.

  In the second embodiment, the connection pipe section may be provided in the first relay pipe section as in the third embodiment.

  In the second embodiment, the pump sucks the inside of the member. However, the airtightness may be checked by applying pressure.

  In the first and third embodiments, the transfer device performs the surface treatment on the inside of the member. In the second embodiment, the transport device performs an airtight inspection of the members. However, the steps that can be performed by the transport device are not limited to this. It may be a step of introducing a predetermined fluid into the internal passage while maintaining the airtightness of the internal passage of the member being conveyed, or increasing or decreasing the pressure of the internal passage.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be implemented in various forms without departing from the spirit of the invention.

1, 2, 3 ... conveying device 90 ... member 91 ... internal passage (internal space)
10: transport rail 15: chamber (accommodation chamber forming member)
25: first relay pipe part 270, 280 ... first relay passage 31, 32, 51, 52 ... connection pipe part 310, 320, 510, 520 ... connection passage 41, 42, 56, 57 Flexible drive unit (first drive unit)
43 ··· Lifter (second drive unit)

Claims (8)

A transfer device capable of introducing a predetermined fluid into the internal space (91) of the member (90) being transported while keeping the internal space (91) airtight,
A transport rail (10) capable of transporting the member,
An accommodation room forming member (15) fixed to the transport rail and having an accommodation room (150) capable of accommodating the member;
A connection opening provided on the side of the transfer rail opposite to the storage chamber forming member so as to be relatively movable with respect to the storage chamber formation member, formed on the member side of the transfer rail and communicateable with the internal space. (275, 285), a relay opening (276, 286) that opens in a direction that intersects a moving direction that is a direction in which the member conveyed on the conveyance rail is moved when the member is housed in the housing chamber; A first relay pipe portion (25) having a first relay passage (270, 280) communicating the connection opening and the relay opening;
A fluid supply unit (45) capable of supplying a predetermined fluid to the internal space via the first relay passage;
Connection passages (310, 320, 510, 520) that are provided between the first relay pipe portion and the fluid supply portion, are formed to be extendable and contractable, and can communicate the first relay passage and the inside of the fluid supply portion. A connection piping section (31, 32, 51, 52) having
A first drive unit (41, 42, 56, 57) for generating a drive force capable of extending the connection pipe unit;
A second driving unit (43) for generating a driving force capable of relatively moving the first relay piping unit with respect to the storage chamber forming member;
With
The transfer device, wherein the connection pipe portion extends in a direction intersecting the moving direction such that the relay opening and the inside of the fluid supply portion communicate with each other when the internal space communicates with the connection opening. The member has one opening (911) for communicating the internal space and the outside, and another opening (912) for communicating the internal space and the outside separately from the one opening,
The first relay pipe section includes one connection opening (275) as the connection opening that can communicate with the one opening, and one first connection passage as the first relay passage that communicates with the one connection opening. One relay passage (270), one relay opening (276) as the relay opening communicating with the one first relay passage, and another connection as the connection opening communicable with the other opening An opening (285), another first relay passage (280) as the first relay passage communicating with the other connection opening, and another of the relay opening communicating with the other first relay passage. A relay opening (286),
The connection piping section has one connection passage (310, 510) that can communicate with the one relay opening, and another connection passage (320, 520) that can communicate with the other relay opening. ,
The fluid supply unit suctions the gas in the internal space through the other connection passage, the other relay opening, the other first relay passage, and the other connection opening, and The transfer device according to claim 1, wherein a predetermined fluid can be supplied to the internal space through the connection opening, the one first relay passage, the one relay opening, and the one connection passage. A second relay pipe section (36, 37) having a second relay path (360, 370) capable of communicating the first relay path and the inside of the fluid supply section via the connection path;
3. The transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the connection pipe section is provided in the second relay pipe section so as to be connectable to the first relay pipe section. 4. It said connecting pipe portion (51, 52), the transport apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 is provided in the first relay pipe section. A transport device capable of pressurizing or depressurizing the internal space while maintaining the airtightness of an internal space (96) of a member (95) being transported,
A transport rail (10) capable of transporting the member,
An accommodation room forming member (17) fixed to the transport rail and having an accommodation room (170) capable of accommodating the member;
A connection opening provided on the side of the transfer rail opposite to the storage chamber forming member so as to be relatively movable with respect to the storage chamber formation member, formed on the member side of the transfer rail and communicateable with the internal space. (675) a relay opening (676) that opens in a direction intersecting a movement direction that is a direction in which the member conveyed on the conveyance rail is moved when the member is housed in the housing chamber; A first relay pipe portion (65) having a first relay passage (670) communicating the opening and the relay opening;
A pressurizing and depressurizing unit (47) capable of pressurizing or depressurizing the internal space via the first relay passage;
Pressure detecting means (48) capable of detecting the pressure of the internal space;
A connection pipe part (310) that is provided between the first relay pipe part and the compression / decompression unit and that is formed to be extendable and contractable, and that has a connection passage (310) that can communicate the first relay passage and the inside of the compression / decompression unit. 31),
A first drive unit (41) that generates a drive force capable of extending the connection pipe unit,
A second driving unit (43) for generating a driving force capable of relatively moving the first relay piping unit with respect to the storage chamber forming member;
With
The transfer device, wherein the connection pipe portion extends in a direction intersecting with the moving direction such that the relay opening and the inside of the pressurizing / depressurizing portion communicate with each other when the internal space and the connection opening communicate with each other. A second relay pipe section (36) having a second relay path (360) that can communicate the first relay path and the inside of the pressure increasing / decreasing section via the connection path;
The transfer device according to claim 5 , wherein the connection piping unit is provided in the second relay piping unit so as to be connectable to the first relay piping unit. A pallet (20) movably provided on the transport rail while supporting the member, and relatively movable with respect to the storage chamber forming member;
The connecting pipe section, the conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, 5 or 6 wherein the pallet is provided outside the movable area.
  The transfer device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the second drive unit is capable of moving the member together with the first relay piping unit relative to the storage chamber forming member.

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