JP6747884B2 - Solid lubricant supply device - Google Patents

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a solid lubricant supply device, and more particularly to a solid lubricant supply device including a solid lubricant transfer pipe that transfers a solid lubricant into an injection sleeve of a die casting machine.

BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, there is known a solid lubricant supply device including a solid lubricant transfer pipe that transfers a solid lubricant into an injection sleeve of a die casting machine (for example, refer to Patent Document 1).

In the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, a pellet weighing unit that measures a predetermined amount of pellets (solid lubricant) stored in a hopper in a bulk state and a predetermined amount of pellets that are connected to the pellet measuring unit (solid lubricant). Disclosed is a pellet supply device (solid lubricant supply device) including a pellet transfer pipe (solid lubricant transfer pipe) for transferring an agent) to an injection sleeve of a die-cast molding machine by using a transfer force of carrier air. .. The pellet transfer pipe in this pellet supply device has a pellet discharge port (discharging port) arranged above the injection sleeve (pouring port). Then, the pellet, which is measured in a predetermined amount in the pellet measuring unit, is conveyed to the pellet discharge port through the pellet transfer pipe together with the carrier air, and is supplied (dropped) from the pellet discharge port into the lower injection sleeve. Is configured.

JP, 2012-110924, A

However, in Patent Document 1 described above, a predetermined amount is measured in the pellet measuring unit when the pellet is supplied to the injection sleeve, and the pellet having the predetermined amount is conveyed along with the carrier air through the pellet transfer pipe to the pellet discharge port. Since it is transported to the (discharge port), it is considered that it takes some time before the pellet actually reaches the injection sleeve. The need for a certain amount of time to supply the pellets (solid lubricant) leads to an increase in one molding cycle (tact time) of the die-cast product (molded product) in the die-cast molding machine. Therefore, it is desired to further shorten the molding cycle of die cast products.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to supply a solid lubricant to an injection sleeve more quickly so that a molded product in a die casting machine can be manufactured. An object of the present invention is to provide a solid lubricant supply device capable of shortening a molding cycle.

In order to achieve the above object, a solid lubricant supply device according to the present invention comprises a solid lubricant transport pipe for transporting the solid lubricant together with transport air, and a discharge port for discharging the solid lubricant to an injection sleeve of a die casting machine. An opening/closing mechanism for opening and closing the discharge port, the discharge port being provided in the solid lubricant transport pipe, the opening/closing mechanism being provided near the discharge port , and the opening/closing mechanism being such that the solid lubricant does not pass through the discharge port In this state, there is an opening/closing part that closes so as to store the solid lubricant in the vicinity of the discharge port, and the opening/closing part is provided so as to store the solid lubricant in a state of being inclined downward . The "solid lubricant" in the present invention means not only a lubricant containing only a lubricant component for obtaining the slidability of the plunger tip reciprocating in the injection sleeve of the die casting machine, but also this lubricant component. In addition to the above, a broad concept including a component containing a release agent that is previously attached to the inner surface of the mold in order to facilitate the mold release when releasing the die cast product from the mold after injecting the molten metal Is.

In this solid lubricant supply device, as described above, the opening/closing mechanism that is arranged in the vicinity of the discharge port of the solid lubricant transport pipe and that can open and close the discharge port is provided. As a result, the discharge port can be temporarily closed by the opening/closing mechanism, so that the solid lubricant should be transported in advance to the vicinity of the discharge port and stored in a predetermined amount inside the temporarily closed discharge port. You can Therefore, the solid lubricant stored inside the discharge port can be quickly supplied to the injection sleeve only by the operation of opening the opening/closing mechanism when supplying the solid lubricant to the injection sleeve. As a result, the molding cycle of the molded product in the die-cast molding machine can be shortened. Further, even when the discharge port of the solid lubricant transfer pipe and the injection sleeve are separated, the solid lubricant stored in advance in the vicinity of the discharge port of the solid lubricant transfer pipe by the opening/closing mechanism is It can be discharged from the discharge port and supplied to the supply port of the injection sleeve. Therefore, unlike the case where the solid lubricant is supplied to the supply port of the injection sleeve by the carrier air, it is possible to prevent the solid lubricant from scattering outside the injection sleeve and prevent the solid lubricant from spilling. Can be supplied to the injection sleeve. Further, since the solid lubricant is stored near the discharge port by the opening/closing part, the solid lubricant can be immediately discharged and supplied to the supply port of the injection sleeve by opening the opening/closing part.
In the above solid lubricant supply device, preferably, the opening/closing portion is configured to be opened/closed by sliding along an inclined direction in which the tip end is lowered.

In the above solid lubricant supply device, preferably, open closed part is provided to be moved in the solid lubricant conveying pipe. According to this structure, since the opening/closing portion can be advanced to close the discharge port, even when the solid lubricant is previously transported to the vicinity of the discharge port together with the transport air and stored inside the discharge port. It is possible to prevent the solid lubricant from dropping downward from the gap of the discharge port.

In the configuration in which the opening/closing mechanism has the opening/closing portion, preferably, the opening/closing portion is provided in a state in which the tip is inclined downward and stores the solid lubricant near the tip when the discharge port is closed. According to this structure, as compared with the case where the opening/closing part is provided in a horizontal state, the tip end region of the opening/closing part and its vicinity and a very limited part (space) between the inner surface of the solid lubricant transfer pipe, Since the solid lubricant can be locally stored in a dense state, the dense solid lubricant can be rapidly discharged (dropped) downward from the discharge port by opening the opening/closing portion. With this, the solid lubricant can be made less likely to spill out of the injection sleeve, so that the solid lubricant can be more reliably supplied to the injection sleeve.

In the above-mentioned solid lubricant supply device, preferably, the solid lubricant transport pipe has an air bleeding portion that discharges transport air that transports the solid lubricant to the outside of the solid lubricant transport pipe. According to this structure, even when the discharge port is closed by the opening/closing part, the solid lubricant is easily transported to the inside of the discharge port while bleeding the carrier air from the air bleeding part. It can be reliably stored in the inner part.

In this case, preferably, the air bleeding portion has a bent portion, and the discharge port and the opening/closing portion are provided on the downstream side of the bent portion. According to this structure, the carrier air is evacuated from the air bleeder arranged in the bent portion, and the solid lubricant conveyed to the air bleeder is collided with the bent portion and allowed to freely fall downstream (downward). It can be stored inside the outlet.

In the configuration in which the solid lubricant transfer pipe has an air vent, it is preferable that the solid lubricant transfer pipe supplies cleaning air for cleaning the air vent, and opens and closes so that the cleaning air does not escape from the outlet. The air vent is cleaned by closing the outlet with a mechanism. According to this structure, the cleaning air can prevent the solid lubricant from clogging the air vent portion. Also, since the cleaning air is supplied to the air bleeder with the opening closed by the opening/closing mechanism, the cleaning air can be efficiently discharged from the air bleeder without leaking the cleaning air from the outlet. it can. As a result, the air bleeding portion can be reliably cleaned.

In the configuration in which the opening/closing mechanism has the opening/closing portion, the opening/closing mechanism is preferably formed in a flat plate shape. According to this structure, it is possible to prevent the solid lubricant from being caught by the opening/closing mechanism when the opening/closing mechanism is retracted. Therefore, when the opening/closing mechanism with the discharge port closed is retracted from the discharge port, the solid lubricant stored can be surely dropped.

In the above-mentioned solid lubricant supply device, preferably, the solid lubricant transport pipe and the opening/closing mechanism arrange the discharge port of the solid lubricant transport pipe above and in the vicinity of the solid lubricant supply port provided in the injection sleeve. It is configured to be movable between a first position and a second position where the discharge port of the solid lubricant transport pipe is arranged at a position separated from the supply port. According to this structure, the solid lubricant transport pipe is moved from the first position to the second position while the molding cycle of the molded product in the die-cast molding machine is shortened by the opening/closing mechanism, thereby pouring the molten metal such as a ladle. Then, it is possible to prevent the solid lubricant transport pipe and the opening/closing mechanism from interfering with each other.

In this case, preferably, the discharge port of the solid lubricant transport pipe is closed by the opening/closing mechanism after the solid lubricant transport pipe starts moving from the first position to the second position and then moves to the first position again. In this state, the solid lubricant is conveyed to the discharge port together with the conveying air. According to this structure, the solid lubricant can be stored by the opening/closing mechanism while the solid lubricant transport pipe is retracted from the supply port of the injection sleeve. The solid lubricant can be immediately ready to be supplied when it is moved to. As a result, the molding cycle of the molded product in the die casting molding machine can be further shortened.

In the configuration in which the solid lubricant is conveyed to the discharge port together with the carrier air in a state where the discharge port is closed by the opening/closing mechanism, the opening/closing mechanism preferably injects the solid lubricant by opening the discharge port at the first position. It is configured to feed the sleeve. According to this structure, since the discharge port is opened with the opening/closing mechanism positioned at the first position, the solid lubricant can be reliably supplied into the injection sleeve from above the solid lubricant supply port.

In the configuration in which the opening/closing mechanism has the opening/closing section, preferably, the opening/closing mechanism includes an air driving section that drives the opening/closing section by the pressure of the air by receiving supply of air from an air supply source common to the carrier air. According to this structure, the air supplied to the air driving unit for driving the opening/closing unit and the air source for the carrier air can be made common, so that an increase in the number of parts of the die casting machine can be suppressed. .. Moreover, the structure of the die-cast molding machine in which the solid lubricant supply device is installed can be simplified.

According to the present invention, as described above, a solid lubricant supply device capable of shortening the molding cycle of a molded product in a die casting molding machine by supplying the solid lubricant to the injection sleeve more quickly is provided. be able to.

1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a die cast molding machine according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 is a cutaway view showing a configuration of a pellet supply device installed in the die casting machine according to the embodiment. It is the figure which showed the structure of the pellet supply apparatus from the direction along the 200-200 line of FIG. It is the figure which showed the structure of the pellet supply apparatus from the direction along the 300-300 line of FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating supply of the solid lubricant in a 2nd position. It is a figure for demonstrating movement from a 2nd position of a pellet conveyance pipe to a 1st position. It is a figure for explaining supply of solid lubricant by opening a shutter part.

Embodiments embodying the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First, a configuration of a die casting machine 100 according to an embodiment and a pellet supply device 90 mounted therein will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7. In FIG. 1, the moving direction of the plunger 26 is the X axis direction, the direction orthogonal to the X axis direction in the horizontal plane is the Y axis direction, and the vertical direction of the die casting machine 100 is the Z axis direction. The pellet supply device 90 is an example of the "solid lubricant supply device" in the claims.

(Schematic configuration of die casting machine)
As shown in FIG. 1, the cold chamber type die casting machine 100 according to the present embodiment includes a fixed die plate 10, a moving die plate 11, and four tie bars 12 and 13 (two of four tie bars) extending in parallel with each other. A book), a die plate drive mechanism 14, a melt supply device 15, a release agent supply device 16, a pellet supply device 90 described later, and a control unit 17.

The fixed die 20 is attached to the fixed die plate 10. Further, the movable die 21 is attached to the movable die plate 11 on the movable side (moving side). The die plate drive mechanism 14 has a function of reciprocating the movable die plate 11 in the horizontal direction (X-axis direction) along the tie bars 12 and 13. A cavity for molding a die-cast product (molded product) between the inner surface 20a of the fixed mold 20 and the inner surface 21a of the movable mold 21 when the movable mold 21 is brought close to the fixed mold 20 and clamped. (Cavity part) 22 is formed. In addition, a spout 23, which serves as a passage for the molten metal (molten metal), communicates with the cavity 22 on the injection sleeve 25 side.

The molten metal supply device 15 includes an injection sleeve 25, a plunger 26, and a drive unit 27 that moves the plunger 26 in the arrow X1 direction. Here, the drive unit 27 is, for example, a hydraulic cylinder driven by the hydraulic circuit 27a. Further, the injection sleeve 25 communicates with the cavity 22 via the sprue 23. A pouring port 24 is formed on a part of the upper surface (Z1 side) of the injection sleeve 25. The pouring port 24 is an example of the "supply port" in the claims.

A plunger tip 28 is provided at the tip of the plunger 26 on the X1 side. The plunger tip 28 is inserted into the injection sleeve 25 having a thick structure and a cylindrical shape, and is moved together with the plunger 26 in the arrow X1 direction. Further, a ladle 29 having a ladle shape for supplying the molten metal is arranged near the pouring port 24 of the injection sleeve 25 (a region on the Z1 side). The ladle 29 is attached to the shaft member 29a, and is moved to the position shown in FIG. 1 when pouring the molten metal into the pouring port 24, and the molten metal is poured into the pouring port 24 as the shaft member 29a rotates. It is configured to In the molding process of the die cast product, the molten metal is supplied from the ladle 29 to the pouring port 24 while the movable mold 21 is closed with respect to the fixed mold 20 and the plunger tip 28 is retracted in the direction of arrow X2. Then, the plunger tip 28 is moved forward in the direction of the arrow X1 so that the molten metal is supplied to the cavity 22 through the gate 23. The die-cast molding machine 100 prevents the pellet supply device 90 from interfering with the ladle 29 or the molten metal poured from the ladle 29 into the pouring port 24 when the molten metal is poured into the pouring port 24. It is configured to move the pellet supply device 90 to the second position P2 (see FIG. 5) which is a position retracted (separated) from the pouring port 24.

Further, the operation of each part of the die casting machine 100 is controlled by the control unit 17 which functions as a control means. That is, the control unit 17 has a function of controlling the die plate drive mechanism 14, the melt supply device 15, the release agent supply device 16, the pellet supply device 90, and the like. Further, the control unit 17 incorporates a computer program and a memory for controlling a mold opening/closing operation, a molding operation, a spraying operation of the release agent 2, a supply operation of the pellet-like solid lubricant 1 and the like which will be described below. Has been.

The release agent supply device 16 includes a robot mechanism 30, a nozzle unit 32 attached to an arm 31 of the robot mechanism 30, and a release agent supply mechanism 33 that supplies the release agent 2 to the nozzle unit 32. .. Further, a release agent supply source 34 and an air supply source 35 are connected to the release agent supply mechanism 33. The release agent supply mechanism 33 has a function of pressure-feeding the air containing the release agent 2 to the nozzle unit 32 via the release agent supply pipe 36 based on a command from the control unit 17. .. The release agent 2 flows in the release agent supply pipe 36 in the direction of arrow A. The nozzle unit 32 has a function of spraying the release agent 2 toward the fixed mold 20 and the moving mold 21.

(Structure of pellet feeder)
Next, the pellet supply device 90 will be described. In the die-cast molding machine 100, solid lubrication that is preliminarily processed into pellets (particles) for each molding cycle for lubrication between the inner peripheral surface 25a of the injection sleeve 25 and the outer peripheral surface 28a of the plunger tip 28. The agent 1 is configured to be supplied into the injection sleeve 25. Here, examples of the solid lubricant 1 include a granulated mixture of wax and graphite. It should be noted that, in the solid lubricant 1, when the die casting product is released from the fixed mold 20 and the moving mold 21 after the molten metal is injected in addition to the lubricating component, the fixed mold 20 and the moving mold 21 are preliminarily prepared. Also included are multifunctional composite pellets containing the components of the release agent 2 to be attached to the inner surfaces 20a and 21a. Also, each solid lubricant 1 has a particle size of about 1 mm.

Then, the pellet supply device 90 uses a carrier air supplied from an air supply source 35 that generates compressed air to supply a solid amount (for example, about 15 particles) of the solid lubricant 1 to the injection sleeve via the pellet carrier pipe 50. 25 has a role to supply. Further, the solid lubricant 1 supplied into the injection sleeve 25 has a property of melting at about 90° C. or more and about 100° C. or less. Further, the vaporized solid lubricant 1 adheres to the inner peripheral surface 25a of the injection sleeve 25 so that slidability between the injection sleeve 25 and the plunger tip 28 can be obtained. The pellet transfer pipe 50 is an example of the "solid lubricant transfer pipe" in the claims.

As shown in FIG. 1, the pellet supply device 90 includes a pellet measuring unit 40, a pellet conveying pipe 50, a sequencer (not shown) that is a control unit that controls the operation of the pellet measuring unit 40, and a shutter mechanism (opening/closing mechanism). ) 60 and an air cylinder 70. The sequencer may be incorporated in the control unit 17. Further, the shutter mechanism 60 is configured to be able to open and close the discharge port 52a for discharging the solid lubricant 1 from the pellet supply device 90. The shutter mechanism 60 is an example of the "opening/closing mechanism" in the claims.

The pellet weighing unit 40 has a weighing mechanism 42 for weighing the solid lubricant 1 contained in the hopper 41. The solid lubricant 1 measured by the measuring mechanism 42 is pressure-fed (conveyed) from the pellet conveying pipe 50 to the air bleeding portion 56 by the air supplied from the air supply source 35. Here, the upstream end 51 a of the pellet transport pipe 50 (an upstream transport pipe 51 described later) is connected to the weighing mechanism 42. Then, the solid lubricant 1 is conveyed in the pellet conveying pipe 50. Further, the pellet measuring unit 40 has a built-in pressure adjusting valve (not shown) that adjusts the pressure of the air sent to the pellet conveying pipe 50.

As shown in FIG. 2, the pellet transfer pipe 50 includes an upstream transfer pipe 51 and a downstream transfer pipe 52 having an outlet 52 a for the solid lubricant 1. The pellet transfer pipe 50 (the upstream transfer pipe 51 and the downstream transfer pipe 52) is configured to transfer the solid lubricant 1 together with the transfer air to the discharge port 52a. That is, the solid lubricant 1 is conveyed in the arrow B direction. Further, the pellet conveying pipe 50 is configured to supply cleaning air for cleaning the air bleeding portion 56 to the air bleeding portion 56, which will be described later, in a state where the outlet 52a is closed by the shutter mechanism 60. Specifically, after the supply process of the solid lubricant 1 is completed, cleaning air is supplied to the air bleeding portion 56 from the pellet conveying pipe 50 for a certain period (for example, about 5 seconds to about 10 seconds). The cleaning air is the air supplied from the pellet weighing unit 40, like the carrier air. By performing the cleaning, in the pellet supply device 90, the clogging of the air vent portion 56 with the solid lubricant 1 is suppressed. The pellet measuring unit 40 is configured to adjust the pressures of the cleaning air and the carrier air with a pressure adjusting valve (not shown) so that the cleaning air has a higher pressure than the carrier air. Further, in FIG. 1, the upstream side transport pipe 51 is schematically illustrated so as to extend in the arrow X direction so that the configuration of the pellet transport pipe 50 can be understood, but in reality, as shown in FIG. The upstream side transport pipe 51 is arranged with respect to the injection sleeve 25 so as to extend in a direction (arrow Y direction) orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the injection sleeve 25 (arrow X direction).

The upstream end 51a of the upstream side transport pipe 51 is connected to the weighing mechanism 42 as shown in FIG. Further, the downstream end 51 b of the upstream side transport pipe 51 is connected to the downstream side transport pipe 52.

As shown in FIG. 2, the downstream side transport pipe 52 is connected to the upstream side transport pipe 51, and has a pipe portion 53 having a circular hole portion (not shown) for transporting the solid lubricant 1 inside. And a tip portion 54 which is connected to the downstream side of the pipe portion 53 and has a rectangular hole portion 54a for conveying the solid lubricant 1 inside. The most downstream portion of the hole 54a serves as the discharge port 52a for the solid lubricant 1. Therefore, the outlet 52a has a rectangular shape as shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4, the downstream transfer pipe 52 has a bent portion 55 and an air bleeding portion 56 arranged in the bent portion 55. The air bleeding portion 56 is configured to discharge the carrier air for carrying the solid lubricant 1 to the outside of the pellet carrier pipe 50.

As shown in FIG. 5, the downstream transfer pipe 52 (pellet transfer pipe 50) and the shutter mechanism 60 are moved by the air cylinder 70 to a first position P1 (shown by a chain double-dashed line) and a second position P2 (shown by a solid line). It is configured such that it can be moved alternately between and along the direction D.

The first position P1 is a position where the discharge port 52a of the downstream side transport pipe 52 (pellet transport pipe 50) is arranged above and near the pouring port 24 for the solid lubricant 1 provided in the injection sleeve 25. The first position P1 is the position of the downstream transfer pipe 52 (pellet transfer pipe 50) and the shutter mechanism 60 when the solid lubricant 1 is supplied to the pouring port 24. That is, in FIG. 5, the first position P1 indicated by the chain double-dashed line means that the downstream side transport pipe 52 (pellet transport pipe 50) and the shutter mechanism 60 have moved from the second position P2 indicated by the solid line in the D2 direction. Is the position.

The second position P2 is a position where the discharge port 52a of the pellet conveying pipe 50 is arranged at a position separated from the pouring port 24. The second position P2 is the position of the downstream transfer pipe 52 (pellet transfer pipe 50) and the shutter mechanism 60 when pouring the molten metal into the pouring port 24. That is, in FIG. 5, the second position P2 indicated by the solid line means that the downstream transfer pipe 52 (pellet transfer pipe 50) and the shutter mechanism 60 have moved in the D1 direction from the first position P1 indicated by the two-dot chain line. This is the rear position.

The downstream side transfer pipe 52 (pellet transfer pipe 50) is discharged by the shutter mechanism 60 from the start of the movement from the first position P1 to the second position P2 until it is moved to the first position P1 again. The solid lubricant 1 is configured to be transported to the discharge port 52a together with the transport air in the state in which 52a is closed. That is, the downstream side transfer pipe 52 (pellet transfer pipe 50) cannot supply the solid lubricant 1 to the pouring port 24 due to the pouring operation of the molten metal into the pouring port 24 by the ladle 29 (see FIG. 1). The solid lubricant 1 is conveyed to the discharge port 52a together with the conveying air within the time interval of.

As shown in FIG. 2, the bent portion 55 is a portion where the transport direction of the solid lubricant 1 changes from the lateral direction to the downward direction (arrow Z2 direction). The discharge port 52a is arranged on the downstream side of the bent portion 55 and on the lower side (arrow Z2 direction) side.

The air bleeding portion 56 is arranged in the bent portion 55. Specifically, the air bleeding portion 56 has an L shape in a side view (as viewed from the arrow X direction shown in FIG. 2 ), and the surface of the bent portion 55 on the arrow Z1 side and the surface on the arrow Y2 side. It is arranged to straddle.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the air bleeding portion 56 has a large number of slit-shaped ventilation holes 56a (a ventilation hole group) for aerating (discharging) air (conveyance air and cleaning air described later). .. The air bleeding portion 56 is a punching metal in which a large number of slit-shaped holes are formed by pressing a thin metal plate made of stainless steel or the like. In addition to the punching metal, for example, a mesh member such as a wire mesh or an extremely thin porous plate formed by photoetching may be used as the air bleeding portion 56. A plurality of slit-shaped vent holes 56a are arranged in the arrow X2 direction on the surface of the bent portion 55 on the arrow Y2 side. Each of the ventilation holes 56a is formed so as to extend in the vertical direction (direction of arrow Z), and is provided in a plurality of stages in the vertical direction. In addition, a plurality of slit-shaped vent holes 56a are arranged in the arrow X1 direction on the surface of the bent portion 55 on the arrow Z1 side. Each of the ventilation holes 56a is formed so as to extend in the arrow Y direction. In addition, the slit-shaped vent hole 56a located on the bent portion 55 is formed so as to extend over both surfaces of the bent portion 55 on the arrow Z1 side and the arrow Y2 side. The vent hole 56a has an opening size (opening diameter) smaller than the particle diameter of the solid lubricant 1 (about 1 mm). Therefore, the air bleeding portion 56 is configured so that the solid lubricant 1 does not pass through the ventilation hole 56a together with the transport air.

As a result, in the pellet supply device 90, the solid lubricant 1 is transported along with the transport air in the pellet transport pipe 50, and the solid lubricant 1 collides with the air vent portion 56. The carrier air is removed from the vent hole 56a to remove the momentum, and the solid lubricant 1 is separated from the carrier air to freely fall in the downstream carrier pipe 52 in the arrow Z2 direction. ing. The air bleeding portion 56 is fixed to the main body portion (casing portion) of the downstream side transport pipe 52 by a fixing member (not shown) such as a screw.

As shown in FIG. 2, the air bleeding portion 56 is in a state where the discharge port 52a is closed by the shutter mechanism 60 (a shutter portion (opening/closing portion) 61 described later) when the solid lubricant 1 is conveyed together with the conveying air. , Is configured to bleed the carrier air. That is, the air bleeding portion 56 discharges the carrier air to the outside of the pellet carrier pipe 50 in the vicinity of the discharge port 52a so that the solid lubricant 1 flows together with the carrier air in the pellet carrier pipe 50 toward the discharge port 52a side. doing. The shutter unit 61 is an example of the "opening/closing unit" in the claims.

The shutter mechanism 60, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, includes a shutter portion 61 and an air cylinder 62. The air cylinder 62 is an example of the "air drive unit" in the claims.

The shutter portion 61 is formed in a flat plate shape. Further, the shutter portion 61 is provided in a state of being inclined obliquely downward (downward from the tip) toward the tip 61a side with respect to the horizontal, and is configured to close the discharge port 52a in a substantially sealed state. That is, the shutter portion 61 is configured to be closed in a state where the solid lubricant 1 does not pass through the discharge port 52a. Thereby, the shutter portion 61 is configured to store the solid lubricant 1 near the discharge port 52a. Specifically, the shutter portion 61 is arranged so as to extend in the direction of arrow C that is inclined with respect to the horizontal. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the sealing portion 61b (the portion surrounded by the chain double-dashed line), which is the portion that closes the outlet 52a of the shutter 61, is the outlet when viewed from below (in the direction of arrow Z1). It has a rectangular shape corresponding to the rectangular shape of 52a. Therefore, the shutter portion 61 can close the discharge port 52a in a substantially sealed state. Further, a seal member (not shown) made of rubber or the like is provided at an edge portion of the shutter portion 61 that contacts the inner surface 52b of the downstream side transport pipe 52. The shutter portion 61 is configured to close the discharge port 52a in a substantially sealed state by bringing the sealing member into close contact with the inner surface 52b of the downstream side transport pipe 52. Further, the shutter portion 61 is disposed below the downstream side transport pipe 52 (in the direction of arrow Z2) while being in contact with the discharge port 52a. Further, the shutter portion 61 is arranged in the pellet conveying pipe 50 (downstream conveying pipe 52) so as to be able to move back and forth in the arrow C direction, and moves (retracts) upward in the arrow C direction to discharge the outlet 52a. Is configured to open. In addition, the discharge port 52a is closed by moving (advancing) downward in the direction of arrow C. In this closed state, the shutter portion 61 stores the solid lubricant 1 between the region near the tip 61a of the shutter portion 61 and the inner surface 52b of the pellet conveying pipe 50 (downstream conveying pipe 52).

As shown in FIG. 5, the shutter portion 61 (discharge port 52a) is arranged on the downstream side of the bent portion 55 and on the lower side (arrow Z2 direction) side. Further, the shutter portion 61 (shutter mechanism 60) is configured to supply the solid lubricant 1 to the injection sleeve 25 by opening the outlet 52a at the first position P1. In short, the shutter unit 61 (shutter mechanism 60) is operated at the predetermined time interval (from when the pellet transport pipe 50 starts moving from the first position P1 to the second position P2 until it moves to the first position P1 again). The solid lubricant 1 is supplied to the injection sleeve 25 after the period (between).

As shown in FIG. 2, the air cylinder 62 is provided with a fixed member 62a and a movable portion 62b which is moved by the air cylinder 62 so as to be movable back and forth in the arrow C direction. As shown in FIG. 3, the air cylinder 62 is attached to the side surface of the downstream side transfer pipe 52 by a fixing member 62a. The movable portion 62b is connected to the shutter portion 61. As shown in FIG. 2, the air cylinder 62 is configured to drive (reciprocate) the shutter portion 61 together with the movable portion 62b so as to be able to move forward and backward in the direction of arrow C by the pressure of air. Further, the air cylinder 62 is connected to the air supply source 35 by an air supply pipe 62c as shown in FIG. The air cylinder 62 is configured to receive the supply of air from the air supply source 35 that is common to the carrier air sent to the pellet carrier pipe 50 through the air supply pipe 62c.

As shown in FIG. 2, the air cylinder 70 is provided at a connection point between the upstream transfer pipe 51 and the downstream transfer pipe 52 of the pellet transfer pipe 50. Further, the air cylinder 70 is provided with a movable portion 70a that is movable by the air cylinder 70 so as to be able to move back and forth in the direction of arrow D, and a connecting portion 70b that connects the movable portion 70a and the downstream side transport pipe 52. The air cylinder 70 is configured to drive (reciprocate) the downstream side transfer pipe 52 along with the movable portion 70a and the connection portion 70b so as to be able to advance and retreat in the direction of arrow D by the pressure of air. In this way, the downstream side transfer pipe 52 is alternately moved to the first position P1 (see FIG. 5) and the second position P2 (see FIG. 5) by the air cylinder 70. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the air cylinder 62 is connected to the air supply source 35 by an air supply pipe 70c. The air cylinder 70 is configured to receive air supply from the air supply source 35 that is common to the carrier air sent to the pellet carrier pipe 50 via the air supply pipe 70c.

[Molding operation of die casting machine]
Next, with reference to FIG. 1 and FIGS. 5 to 7, the molding process of the die cast product, the supply process of the mold release agent 2 and the solid lubricant 1, and the like will be described.

The control unit 17 executes the molding process of the die cast product based on the computer program stored in the memory. In addition, a coating process of the release agent 2 and a supply process of the solid lubricant 1 described below are performed for each cycle of the molding process. The release agent 2 is applied with the movable die 21 opened with respect to the fixed die 20, as shown in FIG. Further, the supply of the solid lubricant 1 is performed with the movable die 21 closed with respect to the fixed die 20.

As shown in FIG. 1, the nozzle unit 32 is inserted between the fixed mold 20 and the movable mold 21 by operating the arm 31 of the robot mechanism 30. Then, the mold release agent 2 is sprayed from the nozzle unit 32 toward the inner surface 20a of the fixed mold 20 and the inner surface 21a of the movable mold 21 in accordance with the types of the fixed mold 20 and the movable mold 21 and molding conditions. Or blow out air. By blowing air onto the fixed mold 20 and the moving mold 21, the flash and the like are removed and the inner surfaces 20a and 21a are cleaned. Further, the mold release agent 2 applied to the inner surfaces 20a and 21a prevents the molded die cast product from sticking to the fixed mold 20 and the moving mold 21.

(Supply operation of pellet feeder)
Here, the pellet conveying pipe 50 is located at the second position P2, as shown in FIG. Then, after the operation of spraying the release agent 2 and the like, a predetermined amount of the solid lubricant 1 weighed by the pellet weighing unit 40 (see FIG. 1) is fed from the air supply source 35 (see FIG. 1). The air moves in the pellet transfer pipe 50 and is stored between the region near the tip 61a of the shutter portion 61 of the air bleeder 56 and the inner surface 52b of the pellet transfer pipe 50. Since the shutter portion 61 is inclined, the stored solid lubricant 1 is stored in a state of being densely packed on the lower side (arrow Z2 direction).

Then, as shown in FIG. 6, the pellet conveying pipe 50 is moved from the second position P2 to the first position P1 by the air cylinder 70 in order to supply the solid lubricant 1 to the injection sleeve 25. Then, as shown in FIG. 7, the discharge portion 52a is opened by moving (retracting) the shutter portion 61 upward (direction of arrow Z1). As a result, the solid lubricant 1 is supplied to the injection sleeve 25 from the pouring port 24 in a state where the solid lubricant 1 is densely gathered by free fall.

The solid lubricant 1 supplied into the injection sleeve 25 is vaporized by the heat of the injection sleeve 25, and a lubricant component adheres to the inner peripheral surface 25a of the injection sleeve 25, so that the inner peripheral surface 25a of the injection sleeve 25 becomes Sliding property with the outer peripheral surface 28a of the plunger tip 28 can be obtained.

After the solid lubricant 1 supply process is completed and the solid lubricant 1 supplied into the injection sleeve 25 is melted, as shown in FIG. 1, as a part of the molding cycle of the die casting machine 100, in the pouring process. The molten metal is supplied from the pouring port 24 into the injection sleeve 25 by the ladle 29. Further, the drive unit 27 moves the plunger 26 forward (in the direction of arrow X1), whereby the molten metal in the injection sleeve 25 is supplied to the cavity 22 via the gate 23. The molten metal injected into the cavity 22 is solidified by being cooled while maintaining the pressure (internal pressure) after injection, and becomes a die cast product (molded product) having a shape corresponding to the cavity 22. Furthermore, after the molten metal in the injection sleeve 25 is supplied to the cavity 22 via the gate 23, the cleaning operation of the pellet conveying pipe 50 is executed. That is, the cleaning air is supplied to the pellet conveying pipe 50 to clean the ventilation hole 56a of the air bleeding portion 56.

(Effect of this embodiment)
Next, the effect of this embodiment will be described.

In the present embodiment, as described above, the shutter mechanism 60 that is arranged in the vicinity of the discharge port 52a of the pellet conveying pipe 50 and that can open and close the discharge port 52a is provided. Thereby, the discharge port 52a can be temporarily closed by the shutter mechanism 60, so that the solid lubricant 1 is previously conveyed to the vicinity of the discharge port 52a and a predetermined amount is placed inside the temporarily closed discharge port 52a. Can be stored. Therefore, the solid lubricant 1 stored inside the discharge port 52a can be quickly supplied to the injection sleeve 25 only by the operation of opening the shutter mechanism 60 when the solid lubricant 1 is supplied to the injection sleeve 25. .. As a result, the molding cycle of the molded product in the die cast molding machine 100 can be shortened. Further, even when the discharge port 52a of the pellet transfer pipe 50 and the injection sleeve 25 are separated from each other, the solid lubricant 1 stored in a unit in advance in the vicinity of the discharge port 52a of the pellet transfer pipe 50 by the shutter mechanism 60, It can be discharged from the discharge port 52a as a unit and supplied to the pouring port 24 of the injection sleeve 25. Therefore, unlike the case where the solid lubricant 1 is supplied to the pouring port 24 of the injection sleeve 25 by the carrier air, it is possible to suppress the solid lubricant 1 from scattering outside the injection sleeve 25 and prevent it from spilling. The solid lubricant 1 can be reliably supplied to the injection sleeve 25.

Further, in the present embodiment, as described above, the shutter mechanism 60 is provided with the shutter portion 61 that closes the discharge port 52a in a state in which the solid lubricant 1 does not pass, and the shutter portion 61 can be moved back and forth into the pellet conveying pipe 50. To configure. As a result, the shutter portion 61 can be advanced to close the discharge port 52a, so that the solid lubricant 1 is preliminarily conveyed to the vicinity of the discharge port 52a together with the carrier air and stored inside the discharge port 52a. Also, it is possible to prevent the solid lubricant 1 from dropping downward from the gap of the discharge port 52a.

Further, in the present embodiment, as described above, the shutter portion 61 closes the discharge port 52a so that the solid lubricant 1 is stored near the discharge port 52a. As a result, the solid lubricant 1 is stored near the discharge port 52a by the shutter portion 61, so that the solid lubricant 1 is immediately discharged by opening the shutter portion 61 and supplied to the pouring port 24 of the injection sleeve 25. be able to.

Further, in the present embodiment, as described above, the shutter portion 61 is provided in a state of being inclined downwardly of the tip 61a, and the solid lubricant 1 is stored near the tip 61a when the discharge port 52a is closed. .. As a result, as compared with the case where the shutter portion 61 is provided in a horizontal state, in a very limited portion (space) between the region of the tip 61a of the shutter portion 61 and its vicinity and the inner surface 52b of the pellet conveying pipe 50, Since the solid lubricant 1 can be locally stored in a dense state, the solid lubricant 1 in the dense state can be quickly discharged (dropped) downward from the discharge port 52a by opening the shutter portion 61. You can As a result, the solid lubricant 1 can be made less likely to spill out of the injection sleeve 25, so that the solid lubricant 1 can be more reliably supplied to the injection sleeve 25.

Further, in the present embodiment, as described above, the pellet transfer pipe 50 is provided with the air vent portion 56 that discharges the transfer air for transferring the solid lubricant 1 to the outside of the pellet transfer pipe 50. As a result, even when the outlet 52a is closed by the shutter 61, the solid lubricant 1 is easily conveyed to the inside of the outlet 52a while the carrier air is being evacuated from the air bleeder 56. It can be surely stored in the inner part of 52a.

Further, in the present embodiment, as described above, the air bleeding portion 56 is provided with the bent portion 55, and the discharge port 52a and the shutter portion 61 are provided on the downstream side of the bent portion 55. As a result, the carrier air is discharged from the air bleeding portion 56 arranged in the bent portion 55, and the solid lubricant 1 conveyed to the air bleed portion 56 is collided with the bent portion 55 and is allowed to freely fall downstream (downward). Can be stored inside the discharge port 52a.

Further, in the present embodiment, as described above, the cleaning air for cleaning the air bleeding portion 56 is supplied, and the shutter mechanism 60 closes the discharge port 52a so that the cleaning air does not escape from the discharge port 52a. The pellet transfer pipe 50 is configured so that the removal portion 56 is cleaned. As a result, the cleaning air can prevent the solid lubricant 1 from clogging the air vent portion 56. Further, since the cleaning air is supplied to the air bleeding portion 56 with the shutter mechanism 60 closing the outlet 52a, the cleaning air can be efficiently discharged without leaking the cleaning air from the outlet 52a. Can be discharged from. As a result, the air bleeding portion 56 can be reliably cleaned.

In addition, in the present embodiment, as described above, the shutter portion 61 is formed in a flat plate shape. As a result, it is possible to prevent the solid lubricant 1 from being caught by the shutter portion 61 when the shutter portion 61 is retracted. Therefore, when the shutter 61 with the discharge outlet 52a closed is retracted from the discharge outlet 52a, the solid lubricant 1 stored therein can be surely dropped.

In addition, in the present embodiment, as described above, the pellet transfer pipe 50 and the shutter mechanism 60 are provided above and near the pouring port 24 for the solid lubricant 1 provided in the injection sleeve 25 and the discharge port 52a of the pellet transfer pipe 50. Is arranged so as to be movable between a first position P1 where P is arranged and a second position P2 where a discharge port 52a of the pellet conveying pipe 50 is arranged at a position separated from the pouring port 24. Thereby, while the molding cycle of the molded product in the die casting machine 100 is shortened by the shutter mechanism 60, the pellet transport pipe 50 is moved from the first position P1 to the second position P2, whereby the molten metal such as the ladle 29 is poured. Then, it is possible to prevent the pellet transfer tube 50 and the shutter mechanism 60 from interfering with each other.

Further, in the present embodiment, as described above, the shutter is provided between the time when the pellet transfer pipe 50 starts moving from the first position P1 to the second position P2 and the time when it moves to the first position P1 again. The mechanism 60 is configured to convey the solid lubricant 1 together with the carrier air to the discharge port 52a in a state where the discharge port 52a is closed. As a result, the solid lubricant 1 can be stored by the shutter mechanism 60 while the pellet transfer pipe 50 is retracted from the pouring port 24 of the injection sleeve 25, so that the pellet transfer pipe 50 is again moved to the first position P1. The solid lubricant 1 can be immediately ready to be supplied when the solid lubricant 1 is moved to. As a result, the molding cycle of the molded product in the die cast molding machine 100 can be further shortened.

Further, in the present embodiment, as described above, the shutter mechanism 60 is configured to supply the solid lubricant 1 to the injection sleeve 25 by opening the discharge port 52a at the first position P1. As a result, the discharge port 52a is opened with the shutter mechanism 60 positioned at the first position P1, so that the solid lubricant 1 can be reliably supplied into the injection sleeve 25 from above the pouring port 24 for the solid lubricant 1. You can

Further, in the present embodiment, as described above, the shutter mechanism 60 is provided with the air cylinder 62 that drives the shutter portion 61 by the pressure of the air by receiving the supply of the air from the air supply source 35 that is common to the carrier air. .. As a result, the air source for the air supplied to the air cylinder 62 that drives the shutter portion 61 and the air source for conveyance can be made common, and it is possible to suppress an increase in the number of parts of the die casting machine 100. Further, the configuration of the die casting machine 100 in which the pellet supply device 90 is installed can be simplified.

[Modification]
It should be understood that the embodiments disclosed this time are exemplifications in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is shown not by the above description of the embodiments but by the scope of claims for patent, and further includes meanings equivalent to the scope of claims for patent and all modifications (modifications) within the scope.

For example, in the above embodiment, the solid lubricant transport pipe and the shutter mechanism are configured to be movable with respect to the injection sleeve, but the present invention is not limited to this. The solid lubricant transport pipe and the shutter mechanism do not have to be movable with respect to the injection sleeve. In this case, the solid lubricant transport pipe and the shutter mechanism may be arranged at predetermined positions so that the configuration for supplying the molten metal such as a ladle does not interfere with the solid lubricant transport pipe and the shutter mechanism.

Further, in the above embodiment, the shutter portion is formed in a flat plate shape, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the shutter portion may have a shape other than a flat plate shape such as a curved shape protruding upward.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, both the carrier air and the cleaning air are configured to be sent from the pellet measuring unit to the solid lubricant carrier pipe, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, an air supply pipe whose one end is connected to the air supply source and the other end is connected to the solid lubricant transfer pipe may be provided, and the cleaning air may be sent from a route different from the transfer air.

Further, in the above embodiment, the solid lubricant transport pipe is configured to be separated from the injection sleeve, but the present invention is not limited to this. The solid lubricant carrier tube may be directly connected to the injection sleeve.

Further, in the above embodiment, the shutter portion is moved by the air drive source, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the shutter unit may be moved by a drive source other than the air drive source such as a solenoid.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the discharge port of the solid lubricant transport pipe is formed in a rectangular shape, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the discharge port of the solid lubricant carrier pipe may have a shape other than a rectangular shape such as a circular shape.

Further, in the above embodiment, the air bleeding portion is made of punching metal, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the air bleeding portion may be formed by using a mesh member such as a wire mesh or an extremely thin porous plate formed by photoetching.

1 solid lubricant 24 pouring port (supply port)
25 Injection Sleeve 35 Air Supply Source 50 Pellet Transport Pipe (Solid Lubricant Transport Pipe)
52a Discharge port 52b Inner surface 55 Bent portion 56 Air bleeding portion 60 Shutter mechanism (opening/closing mechanism)
61 Shutter part (opening/closing part)
61a Tip 62 Air cylinder (air drive unit)
90 Pellet feeder (solid lubricant feeder)
100 Die casting machine P1 1st position P2 2nd position

Claims (12)

A solid lubricant carrier pipe for carrying the solid lubricant together with carrier air,
A discharge port for discharging the solid lubricant to the injection sleeve of the die casting machine,
An opening and closing mechanism for opening and closing the discharge port,
The discharge port is provided in the solid lubricant transfer pipe,
The opening/closing mechanism is provided near the discharge port ,
The opening/closing mechanism has an opening/closing unit that closes the solid lubricant in the vicinity of the discharge port in a state where the solid lubricant does not pass through the discharge port,
The solid lubricant supply device , wherein the opening/closing section is provided so as to store the solid lubricant in a state of being inclined downward . The solid lubricant supply device according to claim 1, wherein the opening/closing section is configured to open/close by sliding along an inclined direction in which the tip is lowered. Before SL closing part is provided to be retractable in the solid lubricant conveying tube, solid lubricant supply apparatus according to claim 1 or 2. The solid lubricant according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the opening/closing portion is provided in a state in which the tip is inclined downward and stores the solid lubricant near the tip when the discharge port is closed. Supply device. The solid lubricant transport pipe according to claim 1, wherein the solid lubricant transport pipe has an air bleeding portion that discharges the transport air that transports the solid lubricant to the outside of the solid lubricant transport pipe. Agent supply device. The air bleeding portion has a bent portion,
The solid lubricant supply device according to claim 5, wherein the discharge port and the opening/closing portion are provided on the downstream side of the bent portion. The solid lubricant transfer pipe supplies cleaning air for cleaning the air bleeding portion,
7. The solid lubricant supply device according to claim 5, wherein the air vent is cleaned by closing the outlet with the opening/closing mechanism so that the cleaning air does not escape from the outlet. The opening and closing mechanism is formed in a plate shape, the solid lubricant supply device according to any one of claims 1-7. The solid lubricant transfer pipe and the opening/closing mechanism include a first position for disposing the discharge port of the solid lubricant transfer pipe above and in the vicinity of the supply port of the solid lubricant provided in the injection sleeve; The solid lubrication according to any one of claims 1 to 8, which is configured to be movable between a second position where the discharge port of the solid lubricant transport pipe is arranged at a position separated from a supply port. Agent supply device. The discharge port is closed by the opening/closing mechanism after the solid lubricant transfer pipe starts moving from the first position to the second position and then moves to the first position again. The solid lubricant supply device according to claim 9, wherein in the state, the solid lubricant is configured to be transported to the discharge port together with the transport air. The solid lubricant supply device according to claim 10, wherein the opening/closing mechanism is configured to supply the solid lubricant to the injection sleeve by opening the discharge port at the first position. The opening and closing mechanism, by receiving a supply of air from the transport air to a common air supply source comprises an air drive unit for the closing unit is driven by the pressure of the air, in any one of claims 1 to 10 The solid lubricant supply device described.

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