JP6759688B2 - Material transfer device and material transfer device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a material transfer device to be transported and a material transfer device to be transported.

Conventionally, a prepreg device and a method capable of separating and transporting a prepreg are known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
Patent Document 1 discloses the following prepreg supply device and prepreg supply method. That is, in the same document, the end portion which is the suction portion of the first prepreg stacked by the suction pad rotated by a cylinder or the like is sucked and lifted (upward rotation), and then sucked up and down by another cylinder. The pad sucks and lifts the end of the second prepreg. Next, the two prepregs required by moving both suction pads horizontally, for example, by about 50 mm, are separated and conveyed.

However, the technique described in Patent Document 1 has a problem that the prepreg cannot be easily separated according to the width size of the prepreg.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and provides a material transfer device that can easily separate a material to be transported according to the width size of the material to be transported including a circuit board sheet, a prepreg, and the like. The main purpose is to do.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has a plurality of air ejection means for ejecting air to the laminated material to be transported to float the material to be transported, and a plurality of holding means for holding the floated material to be transported. When, a conveyed material separating device having a suction portion for sucking the conveyed material has emerged in the direction of the flying direction opposite, the conveyed material in the width direction perpendicular to the floating direction of the conveyed material depending on the size, Ri can der change in the position of the holding means, the suction unit is conveyed, characterized in that it is disposed between the plurality of air blowing means in the width direction It is in the material separator.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a material separating device to be transported, which can easily separate the material to be transported according to the width size of the material to be transported.

It is a perspective view which shows typically the appearance of the transferred material transporting apparatus provided with the transferred material separating apparatus which concerns on embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the appearance of the transfer material transfer apparatus of FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows the separation state of the material to be transported in the material transport device to be transported of FIG. It is a top view of the material transporting apparatus to be transported of FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the main process executed by the transfer material transfer apparatus of an Example. (A), (b), and (c) are diagrams showing the operation transition state of the material to be transported device according to the embodiment. (A) and (b) are diagrams showing the operation transition state of the material transfer device to be transported following FIG. 6 (c). It is a perspective view which shows typically the transfer | transfer material transfer apparatus provided with the transfer material separation apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a schematic plan view which shows the specific example of each unit arrangement shown in Table 1 which concerns on Example 1 of this invention. It is a schematic plan view which shows the specific example of each unit arrangement shown in Table 1 which concerns on Example 1 of this invention. It is a schematic plan view which shows the specific example of each unit arrangement shown in Table 1 which concerns on Example 1 of this invention. It is a schematic plan view which shows the specific example of each unit arrangement shown in Table 1 which concerns on Example 1 of this invention. It is a schematic plan view which shows the specific example of each unit arrangement shown in Table 1 which concerns on Example 1 of this invention. It is a schematic plan view which shows the specific example of each unit arrangement shown in Table 1 which concerns on Example 1 of this invention. It is a partial cross-sectional side view of the holding and transporting unit of Embodiment 1. FIG. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the holding and transporting unit of the first embodiment as viewed from diagonally lower right. It is a perspective view explaining the flow of the suction air of the holding and transporting unit of Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a perspective view of the main part explaining the belt holding area of the plurality of transport belts of the holding transport unit of Embodiment 1. It is a simplified rear view which shows the arrangement state of the return nozzle unit of Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the main process executed by the transfer material transfer apparatus of Embodiment 1. FIG. 5 is a front view showing a state in which the material to be transported is separated by the material separating device to be transported in the first embodiment, and a state in which the material to be transported is adsorbed and held by one of a plurality of holding and transporting units. .. (A) and (b) are schematic views explaining the action of the return air of Embodiment 1. It is a schematic front view of the transfer material transfer device provided with the transfer material separation device which concerns on another embodiment. It is a schematic plan view of the material transport device to be transported of FIG. (A) to (c) are schematic views showing the operation transition state of the material transfer apparatus to be transported. (A) to (c) are schematic views showing the operation transition state of the material transfer apparatus to be transported following FIG. 19 (c).

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention including an example of the embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as an embodiment) and an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Components (members and components) and the like having the same function and shape, etc., are described by giving the same reference numerals after being described once unless there is a risk of confusion. Is omitted.

First, the transported material transporting device 130 provided with the transported material separating device according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing the appearance of a material transfer device to be transported, which is provided with the material transfer device to be transported according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the material transfer device to be transported of FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a separated state of the material to be transported in the same material transporting device to be transported. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the material transfer device to be conveyed in FIG. Arrows such as white outlines appropriately shown in each figure indicate the direction in which air enters and exits each device.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the material to be transported 1 is a bundle of a plurality of materials to be transported in a laminated state. In the material transfer device 130 to be transported, the material bundle 1 to be transported is loaded and arranged in a laminated state on a loading platform 136 which is a bottom plate.
The material to be transported, which is the object to be separated / transported according to the present invention, includes a thin plate-shaped or sheet-shaped member that can be separated and transported by the material to be separated / transported device according to the present invention, such as resin, protective paper on the front and back surfaces, and copper foil. It may include a metal foil of the above, an electronic circuit board material subjected to plating treatment, paper, a special film, a plastic film, a sheet for an electronic circuit board such as a prepreg, and the like. The prepreg is impregnated with a thermosetting resin or the like in which a fibrous reinforcing material such as carbon fiber or glass cloth is mixed with additives such as a curing agent and a coloring agent, and heated or dried to be in a semi-cured state. Includes sheet-shaped reinforced plastic molding material.

As the width size of the material to be transported, for example, a material having a width of about 100 mm to 700 mm is used. Further, the thickness used is about 0.02 mm to 0.2 mm.
The size and size of the material to be transported that can be used in the embodiment is, for example, about 210 mm in the width direction Y of the material to be transported and about 297 mm in the length in the transport direction X, which are relatively small. It has a structure that can separate and transport the material to be transported of the size.
The width size and thickness of the material to be conveyed are merely examples, and it goes without saying that width sizes and thicknesses outside the above range are used.
Here, the transport direction X corresponds to the transport direction of the material to be transported. The vertical direction Z corresponds to the laminating direction of the material to be conveyed. The width direction Y of the material to be transported corresponds to a direction orthogonal to the transport direction X of the material to be transported and the vertical direction Z which is the stacking direction of the material to be transported.

The loading platform 136, also called a feeding platform, functions as a preparatory means for preparing the material to be transported in a laminated state. The loading platform 136 can be moved in the vertical direction Z by an elevating mechanism that is a means for driving the material to be transported. The transported material transporting device 130 controls the drive of the elevating mechanism and the detection sensor 20 shown in FIG. 3, which functions as a transported material detecting means for detecting the upper surface position of the transported material bundle 1. A means for controlling the position of the material to be conveyed is provided to control the position of the upper surface. As a result, when the upper surface of the material bundle 1 to be transported on the loading platform 136 occupies a predetermined height position detected by the detection sensor 20, the uppermost material to be transported 1A is separated through an operation described later. Be transported.

The material to be transported device 130 is provided with a pair of side fences 137, front end guide plates 138, and end fences 139, which are a pair of members for restricting the positions of the materials to be transported. The side fences 137 are arranged on both sides of the loading platform 136 in the width direction Y of the material to be transported, and perform positioning in the width direction Y of the material to be transported that intersects (orthogonally) the transport direction X of the arranged bundle of materials 1 to be transported. The front end guide plate 138 positions the front end in the length direction corresponding to the transport direction X of the bundle 1 to be transported. Further, the end fence 139 also positions the rear end in the length direction. The side fence 137 is configured to be movable in the width direction Y of the material to be transported according to the width size of the bundle 1 of the material to be transported. Further, the end fence 139 is configured to be movable in the transport direction X of the transport material bundle 1 according to the length size of the transport material bundle 1.

The side air nozzle 370 shown by the alternate long and short dash line on one of the side fences 137 in FIG. 2 (on the far left side in the figure) is for sabaki that ejects / blows side air Ac (see FIG. It functions as a second air blowing member which is a blowing means / air blowing means. As shown in FIG. 4, side air nozzles 370 are provided on both side fences 137 and are connected to side air generating means or side blower 380 which is a side air blowing means for generating side air Ac. As the side blower 380, for example, a sirocco fan which is a centrifugal blower is used, but an axial flow type blower may also be used.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the floating holding and conveying device 160 constituting the conveyed material conveying device 130 includes a driving roller 162, a driven roller 163, a conveying belt 161 and a negative pressure air chamber 310, and a suction blower. It is equipped with 390. As shown in FIG. 2, the drive roller 162 is rotationally driven in the direction of the arrow in the drawing by the drive shaft 162s connected to the drive motor as the belt transport means. The driven roller 163 is integrally configured with a driven shaft that is rotatably supported, and rotates in the direction of an arrow in the drawing along with a transport belt 161 that is rotated by the drive of the drive roller 162. The conveyor belt 161 is an endless belt member having a large number of suction holes communicating with the negative pressure air chamber 310. The negative pressure air chamber 310 is connected to a suction blower 390 via a suction duct described later, is sucked by air from an external suction blower 390 to maintain a negative pressure state, and is covered by the suction hole of the transport belt 161 at the highest level. The transport material 1A is sucked and adsorbed.

The suction blower 390 has a function as a suction air generation means for generating suction air Ad. As the suction blower 390, for example, a sirocco fan which is a centrifugal blower is used, but an axial flow type blower may also be used. A centrifugal blower (sirocco fan) equipped with a multi-blade fan is small and inexpensive, and has an advantage that it is easy to increase the pressure in one stage and there is less noise than an axial flow blower.
As described above, the transport belt 161 of the floating holding and transporting device 160 is a holding means / holding member that attracts and holds and separates the floated material to be transported by negative pressure due to air suction, and transports the held material to be transported. It has a function as a means.
The levitation holding and conveying device 160 may increase the size of the levitation holding and conveying device 160 according to the size of the material to be conveyed.

An air injection nozzle device 300, which is also an air blowing means, is arranged at a position facing the front end of the loaded material bundle 1 to be transported. The air injection nozzle device 300 is provided with an air chamber 320 in which air (hereinafter, also referred to as air), which is a pressurized gas, is sent and stored from an external floating blower. Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the air chamber 320 is provided with two levitation nozzles 322. The floating blower functions as a floating air blowing means or a floating air generating means for generating floating air. For example, a sirocco fan which is a centrifugal blower is used, but an axial flow blower may also be used.

As described above, the air injection nozzle device 300 functions as an air ejection means for floating the end portion of the conveyed material to be conveyed and prepared on the loading platform 136.
Air, which is a gas, also includes statically eliminated air and other gases used for floating the material to be transported and separating them one by one. In particular, in the material to be transported containing carbon fibers, the materials to be transported in the laminated state are in close contact with each other due to the action of static electricity and are difficult to separate easily. It is valid.

As shown in FIG. 3, the levitation nozzle 322 blows levitation air Aa toward the front end portion (hereinafter, also referred to as the front end portion) of the material bundle 1 to be transported, and lifts the material to be transported from the bundle 1 to be transported. Let me. The levitation nozzle 322 also functions as a first air ejection member that floats and separates the conveyed material by ejecting air into the loaded bundle of the conveyed material in the direction opposite to the conveying direction X. If the air to be blown out is warm air, a dehumidifying effect on the material to be transported is added, and the material to be transported can be separated and removed more effectively.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a main process executed by the material to be transported device of the embodiment. 6 and 7 are diagrams for explaining the operation transition of the material to be conveyed.
First, with reference to FIG. 6A, the configuration and operation of the above-described material transporting device 130 to be transported will be supplemented. As shown in FIG. 6A, the material to be transported device 130 blows the levitation air Aa from the levitation nozzle 322 of the air chamber 320 toward the front end surface of the material bundle 1 to be transported loaded on the loading platform 136. This wind causes the transport belt 161 (retaining material to be transported) to rise to the height of the transport belt 161.

Then, by operating the suction blower 390, the material to be transported 1A, which is one of the uppermost surfaces of the bundle of materials to be transported 1, is held by the transport belt 161. The uppermost material to be transported 1A held by the transport belt 161 is not limited to only one, and the materials to be transported may be held in close contact with each other. Therefore, side air is blown by the side air nozzle 370, which is a blowing means for sabaki provided on the side fence 137, and the material to be transported 1A held by the transport belt 161 is separated into one piece. Sabaki is to assist the separation by reducing the adhesive force between the materials to be transported by ejecting air from the side air.
After that, the material to be transported 1A is transported to the target transport destination by the transport of the transport belt 161, and then the necessary processing is performed.

A damming member 177 for the material to be transported is arranged between the air chamber 320 and the bundle 1 of the material to be transported loaded on the uppermost portion, and the material to be transported other than the uppermost material to be transported 1A is transported. Is prevented. Further, in order to keep the distance h between the uppermost surface position of the material to be transported and the transport belt 161, which is reduced by the material to be transported, constant, a detection sensor 20 for detecting the height of the material to be transported is provided. There is. The detection sensor 20 is a reflective photo sensor. Based on the signal of the detection sensor 20, the loading platform 136 is raised and adjusted by the conveyed material loading unit driving means (elevating mechanism).

The material bundle 1 to be transported is aligned with the front end surface as a reference surface so as to match the size of the material to be transported on the loading platform 136. Further, a feed sensor 179 for detecting the arrival of the material to be transported is provided downstream of the transport direction X in the floating holding and transport device 160.

Next, the operation / process of the material transfer device 130 to be conveyed will be described step by step.
(1) The preparatory step (step S1 in FIG. 5) of preparing the material to be transported in a laminated state is performed, for example, as follows. Specifically, the bundle 1 to be transported is loaded on the loading platform 136 by the operator, and its front end surface is abutted against the front end guide plate 138 to be set as a reference surface in order to set according to the size of the material to be transported. Aligned. Further, by operating the side fence 137 and the end fence 139, the side end faces and the rear end faces of the material bundle 1 to be conveyed are aligned. In the preparatory step, for example, instead of the manual operation of an operator or the like, a robot or a dedicated device may be used to load the bundle 1 to be transported and adjust the size of the material to be transported as described above.

When a command to feed the material to be transported comes from the control unit of the material to be transported device 130 of FIG. 1, as shown in FIG. 6B, for sabaki including the air chamber 320 and the side air nozzle 370 of the air injection nozzle device 300. The ventilation means is activated. Then, a levitation step as a first step of blowing air to each end of the material to be conveyed is started (step S2 in FIG. 5). By operating the floating blower of the air chamber 320 and the side blower 380 of the side air nozzle 370, the floating air Aa from the floating nozzle 322 of the air chamber 320 is blown, and the side air Ac is blown from the side air nozzle 370. As a result, the contact area between the uppermost conveyed materials 1A, 1B, and 1C can be changed by floating the uppermost conveyed materials 1A, 1B, and 1C on the prepared loading platform 136.

At the same time, a holding step (step S3 in FIG. 5) as a second step of holding the floating material to be transported is started, and air suction by the transport belt 161 is started. As a result, the uppermost material to be transported 1A floats, and as shown in FIG. 6B, the uppermost material to be transported 1A is adsorbed and held on the transport belt 161.
In FIG. 6B, the reference numerals of the air chamber 320 and the transport belt 161 in parentheses (AD) indicate that the air chamber 320 is in the spray drive state and the transport belt 161 is in the suction drive state. There is. Further, (ST) in parentheses attached to the code of the transport belt 161 indicates that the transport belt 161 is in the stopped state.

The “sabaki step” in step S4 of FIG. 5 is a step of handling the material to be transported held by the transport belt 161 and is performed by a blower for sabaki including a side air nozzle 370.

(2) Next, as shown in FIG. 6C, the driving of the transport belt 161 is started, and the transport step as the third step of transporting the material to be transported 1A held by the transport belt 161 is performed ( Step S5 in FIG. 5).
In FIG. 6 (c) and FIG. 7 (a) described later, the reference numerals (DR) of the transport belt 161 in parentheses indicate that the transport belt 161 is in the rotary transport drive state.

(3) Next, as shown in FIG. 7A, after the material to be transported 1A reaches the feed sensor 179, and after a predetermined time has elapsed, the material to be transported 1A has pulled out of the transport belt 161. The rotary transport drive of the transport belt 161 is stopped.
(4) Immediately after the material to be transported 1A has passed through the holding region of the transport belt 161, the next material to be transported 1A floats by air blowing and is held by the transport belt 161 as shown in FIG. 7B.

(5) The drive of the transport belt 161 is restarted according to the set feed interval of the material to be transported, and the material to be transported 1A is fed.
After (6), the material to be transported is sequentially conveyed by repeating the above-mentioned FIGS. 6 (b) to 7 (b).

When the air volume is fixed at a certain value, the floating amount and the sabaki state of the transported material differ depending on the thickness, weight, and size of the loaded material.
For example, if the amount of the material to be transported is small, it will result in non-supply (non-feeding), and conversely, if the material to be transported is in a state of being excessively floated, the material to be transported will be in close contact with each other. It will be sent. Further, if the force of the suction blower 390 is small, the material to be conveyed cannot be conveyed well, which also results in non-supply.

Therefore, in order to properly feed the material to be transported, the air volume according to the loaded material to be transported is determined in advance, and when the user or operator selects the material to be transported, the material to be transported is automatically supplied. I try to get that air volume. And the air volume is adjusted by the duty value of the blower.

When a circuit board sheet is used as a material to be transported, a circuit board or the like manufactured by using a scratched circuit board sheet has a defect in electrical characteristics (resistance value). Therefore, there is a problem that the separation of the circuit board sheet must be performed so that the electrical characteristics (resistance value) of the separated circuit board sheet do not become defective.
The following effects are achieved by the following technical configuration of the embodiment.

In the embodiment, a preparation step such as step S1 for preparing a circuit board sheet such as a bundle of materials 1 to be conveyed made of a circuit board sheet in a laminated state, and an air injection nozzle device 300 or the like for the laminated circuit board sheet. Air ejection means-For circuit boards that have floated after the first step, which is a levitation step such as step S2, in which the end of the circuit board sheet is levitated by air ejection from the air ejection member. The technical configuration was related to a method for separating a material to be transported, which includes a second step, which is a holding step such as step S3, in which the sheet is held by a holding member such as a transport belt 161 and separated.
According to the embodiment of the first technical configuration, it is possible to provide a method for separating the material to be conveyed, which can easily separate the sheet for the circuit board without impairing the quality of the sheet for the circuit board. It works. A circuit board or the like manufactured by using a scratched circuit board sheet has a problem in characteristics such as resistance value. However, according to the above-described embodiment, it is possible to provide a method for separating the material to be conveyed, which can easily separate the sheet for the circuit board without impairing the quality of the sheet for the circuit board. Can be prevented.

In the embodiment, as the air ejection means, an air ejection means such as an air injection nozzle device 300 that ejects air in a direction opposite to the conveying direction such as the conveying direction X of the material to be conveyed, and a first air ejection member. It was a technical configuration related to a method for separating a material to be transported, which uses a second air ejection member such as a side air nozzle 370 that ejects air in a width direction such as a width direction Y orthogonal to the transport direction.

Further, in the embodiment, the holding step (second step) is a method for separating the material to be transported, which includes a sabaki step such as step S4 in which the second air ejection member handles the material to be transported.
Further, in the embodiment, the technical configuration is related to the method for separating the material to be conveyed, which stops the air ejection from the air ejection member after the holding step (second step) is completed.

Further, in the embodiment, the holding member such as the transport belt 161 is a method of separating the transported material by sucking and holding the floated material to be transported by a negative pressure by air suction.
Further, in the embodiment, the upper surface position of the material to be transported, which is loaded on the material to be transported and can be raised and lowered in the stacking direction of the material to be transported, is always a constant position. It was a technical configuration related to a method for separating materials to be transported, in which the loading platform is controlled to move up and down.
According to such an embodiment, it is possible to provide an effect of providing a method for separating the material to be transported, which can easily and surely separate the material to be transported without impairing the quality of the material to be transported.

Further, in the embodiment, the method of transporting the material to be transported using the material transporting device to be transported is a technical configuration including a third step which is a transporting step such as step S5 for transporting the held material to be transported. It was.
According to such an embodiment, it is possible to provide an effect of providing a method for conveying a material to be conveyed, which can reliably convey the separated sheet for a circuit board.

Further, in the embodiment, the preparation means such as the loading platform 136 that prepares the material to be transported such as the bundle 1 of the material to be transported in a laminated state, and the end portion of the material to be transported by ejecting air to the prefabricated material to be transported. An air ejection means such as an air injection nozzle device 300 that floats the surface, and a holding means / holding member such as a transport belt 161 that holds and separates the surfaced material to be transported. It was a technical configuration related to the material separation device.

Further, in the embodiment, a technique relating to a material transporting device to be transported, which includes a material separating device to be transported according to any one of the above-mentioned technical configurations and has a transporting means such as a transport belt 161 for transporting the held material to be transported. It was a composition.
According to such an embodiment, it is possible to provide an effect of being able to provide a material transfer device capable of reliably transporting the separated material to be transported.

However, in order to increase the supply speed of the material to be transported, air must be blown before the transportation of the first material to be transported 1A is completed, and excessive levitation and disorder of behavior during spraying come into contact. It causes double feeding.
Further, there is a problem that it is difficult to separate the material to be conveyed when the width of the material to be conveyed is large. Therefore, in the embodiment described below, a material transfer device that can easily separate the material to be transported according to the size of the material to be transported including the width size of the material to be transported, and a material transfer device provided with the separation device to be transported are provided. I created it.

(Embodiment 1)
The material transporting device to be transported including the material separating device to be transported according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described focusing on the differences from the material transporting device 130 to be transported in the embodiment. FIG. 8A is a perspective view including a portion schematically showing a transported material transporting device including the transported material separating device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
The solid arrows shown as appropriate in each figure indicate the air flow direction. In FIG. 8A, the holding and transporting units 3A to 3F, the suction units 6A to 6C, the double feed detection sensor 5, the ionizer 7, the laser feed monitor 8 and the like are schematically shown. Further, in FIG. 8A, by intentionally showing the material to be transported 1 in a transparent state, the front nozzle units 2A, 2B, 2C, suction units 6A to 6C, and return nozzles located below the material to be transported 1 are being transported. Units 9A and 9b are easy to understand.

In the first embodiment, as compared with the examples of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 7, the transfer material transport device 130 shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, and the like is replaced with FIG. The main difference is that the material to be transported device 100 shown in 8A is used. The configuration other than this difference is the same as that of the embodiment (note that such an expression is the same in the embodiment described later, and thus is omitted below). Compared with the material transporting device 130, the material transporting device 100 has the following configuration capable of separating and transporting the material to be transported according to the size of the material to be transported, including the width size of the material to be transported. The main difference is that.
Here, the size of the material to be transported (horizontal size x vertical size) will be described. The large size is approximately 700 mm in horizontal size x 700 mm in vertical size, and the medium size is approximately 420 mm in horizontal size x 594 mm in vertical size, which is small. The size is approximately 210 mm in width x 297 mm in length.

First, the material transport device 100 to be transported is a plurality of (three in the first embodiment) front nozzle units that are common as air ejection means and levitation means instead of the single air injection nozzle device 300. 2A, 2B and 2C are used. The front nozzle units 2A, 2B, and 2C are configured to be removable from the front end guide plate 138 according to the width size of the material to be transported.

Secondly, the material transporting device 100 to be transported uses a plurality of (six in the first embodiment) holding and transporting units 3A to 3F that are common as holding means, instead of the single floating holding and transporting device 160. .. The holding and transporting units 3A to 3F are configured to be detachable from the upper main body frame 101b according to the width size of the material to be transported. Further, the holding and transporting units 3A to 3F have a unique configuration capable of adsorbing and holding the material to be transported as compared with the floating holding and transporting device 160, and the details will be described later.

Thirdly, the material to be transported device 100 serves as a suction unit that sucks the floating material to be transported in the direction opposite to the floating direction after the material to be transported is sucked and held by the holding and transporting units 3A to 3C. (2 in the first embodiment) of the return nozzle units 9A and 9b are used. The details of the return nozzle units 9A and 9b will be described later.

Fourth, the material transporting device 100 to be transported is different in that the two side fences 137 shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and the like are added to a total of four, two on the upstream side and two on the downstream side in the transport direction X. To do. That is, in the material transfer device 100 to be transported, a plurality of common (two in the first embodiment) sides are used instead of the pair of side air nozzles 370 provided on the pair of left and right side fences 137 of FIGS. 2 and 4. Nozzle units 11A and 11B are used. The side nozzle units 11A and 11B are configured to be detachable from the side fence 137, for example, via screws as fastening means or attachment / detachment means, depending on the size of the material to be conveyed. The side nozzle units 11A and 11B function as a second air ejection member which is a blowing means / air ejecting means for sabaki that ejects / blows side air to the side end portion of the material bundle 1 to be transported. The side nozzle units 11A and 11B are composed of the same side air nozzles 370 and side blowers 380 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7. The side nozzle unit 11A can be attached to and detached from the left and right side fences 137 on the upstream side in the conveying direction X in FIG. 8A, and the side nozzle unit 11B can be attached to and detached from the left and right side fences 137 on the downstream side in the conveying direction X in FIG. 8A. It is provided.
The configuration of the side nozzle units 11A and 11B is not limited to this, and may be as follows. For example, only the side air nozzle 370 is detachably attached to the side fence 137, and the side blower 380 is fixed to the main body frame 101 outside the moving range of the side fence 137 in the width direction Y of the material to be conveyed. Then, the side air nozzle 370 and the side blower 380 may be communicated with each other by a telescopic / flexible duct.

The difference other than the above is that the suction units 6A to 6C are newly installed. Another difference is that the double feed detection sensor 5, the ionizer 7, and the laser feed monitor 8 are newly installed.
The double feed detection sensor 5 is a double feed detection means for detecting the presence or absence of double feed of the conveyed material, and for example, a known ultrasonic sensor using ultrasonic waves is used.

The suction units 6A to 6C are arranged on the lower side of the transported material to be transported, and have a configuration such that the material holding portion of the floating holding and transporting device 160 shown in FIG. 1 faces the upper surface. It has a configuration similar to that of the device 160. The suction units 6A to 6C transport the material to be transported by the holding and transporting units 3A to 3F further downstream while being sucked and held by the air suction force.

The reasons for adopting the suction units 6A to 6C are as follows. By suction-transporting by suction units 6A, 6B, 6C installed on the downstream side of the holding and transporting units 3A, 3B, and 3C, pressing marks and scratches on the prepreg are compared to when the prepreg is pressed and transported by a roller or the like. It never sticks. Therefore, it is possible to solve the problem of transporting the material sheet used for the electronic circuit board material. In addition, when the material to be transported contains glass fibers or the like, the glass fibers or the like may become powdery and separate or scatter from each end (front-rear end and side end) of the material to be transported. .. In order to convey the material to be conveyed of such a grade, for example, when a conveying roller member or the like which is conveyed by a friction rotation method is provided on the downstream side of the holding and conveying units 3A to 3F, the powdery material such as glass fiber is produced. This is to prevent the roller surface from being damaged and deteriorated by adhering to the transport roller member. It is also to prevent the material to be transported to be transported from being damaged by powdery substances such as glass fibers adhering to and remaining on the surface of the roller.
The ionizer 7 is a unit / device that removes static electricity from the transported material. The laser feed monitor 8 is a unit / apparatus for measuring skew / skew of the conveyed material to be conveyed.

The configurations of the front nozzle units 2A, 2B, and 2C are the same as those of the air injection nozzle device 300 of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. The front nozzle units 2A, 2B, and 2C are standardized in terms of shape, mounting dimensions, internal components, blowers, and other specifications. The front nozzle units 2A, 2B, and 2C are configured to be detachable from the front end guide plate 138 via, for example, screws 102 as fastening means or attaching / detaching means, depending on the width size of the material to be conveyed.
The front end guide plate 138 is fixed to the main body frame 101 by fastening means such as screws. The front end guide plate 138 is formed with a plurality of screw holes 103 as attachment / detachment means for attaching the front nozzle units 2A, 2B, and 2C according to the width size of the material to be conveyed. In order to simplify the figure, the front nozzle unit 2C is illustrated to illustrate the content of tightening into one screw hole 103 using one screw 102. It goes without saying that the front nozzle units 2A, 2B, and 2C are screwed at a plurality of locations in order to securely fix them to the front end guide plate 138. The fastening means / fastening member is not limited to the screw 102, and may be a clamp member or the like that can be fastened and released with one touch.

The six holding and transporting units 3A to 3F are standardized in terms of shape, mounting dimensions, internal components, blowers, and other specifications. The six holding and transporting units 3A to 3F are configured to be detachable via screws 102 with respect to the upper main body frame 101b fixedly arranged on the upper part of the main body frame 101 according to the width size of the material to be transported. There is. The upper main body frame 101b is formed with a plurality of screw holes 103 for attaching the holding and transporting units 3A to 3F according to the width size of the material to be transported. In order to simplify the figure, the holding and transporting unit 3A is illustrated to illustrate the content of tightening into one screw hole 103 using one screw 102. It goes without saying that the holding and transporting units 3A to 3F are screwed at a plurality of places in order to securely fix them to the upper body frame 101b. The fastening means / fastening member is not limited to the screw 102, and may be a clamp member or the like that can be fastened and released with one touch.

Here, the main body frame 101 functions as the main body of the material to be conveyed separation device which is a structure. A pair of main body side plates, which are structures, are fixed to both sides in the transport direction X with two side fences 137 provided on the left and right sides sandwiched on the main body frame 101. Further, an upper main body frame 101b, which is a structure, is fixed on the main body side plate. FIG. 8A shows a state in which the pair of side plates are removed. For example, the size of the upper body frame 101b differs depending on the number of holding and transporting units 3A to 3F that are detachably attached to the upper body frame 101b. In addition to this, various combinations of holding and transporting units can be attached by changing the fixing position of the main body side plate fixed to the main body frame 101.
The attachment of the holding and conveying units 3A to 3F to the upper main body frame 101b is not limited to the above, and screw holes and the like that can be commonly used in the upper main body frame 101b are provided corresponding to the positions where the holding and conveying units 3A to 3F are selectively attached. A large number may be formed and attached.

With the detachable configuration of the front nozzle units 2A, 2B, 2C and the holding and transporting units 3A to 3F, specifically, in FIG. 8A, they can be arranged and used for driving. For example, when using a small-sized material to be transported, only the front nozzle unit 2B and the holding transport unit 3B arranged in the center of the material to be transported are attached, and the other front nozzle unit and the holding transport unit are removed. To use. When a large-sized material to be transported is used, as shown in FIG. 8A, the three front nozzle units 2A, 2B, 2C and the six holding and transporting units 3A to 3F are all attached. Further, when a medium-sized material to be conveyed is used, two adjacent front nozzle units 2A and 2B, or two adjacent front nozzle units 2B and 2C, and corresponding adjacent holding and conveying units 3A and 3B are used. , 3D, 3E, or the holding and transporting unit 3B, 3C, 3E, 3F are attached and used at an appropriate position in the width direction Y of the transported material of the medium size transported material.
As described above, in the material transfer device 100, at least one holding means and a plurality of holding means are provided according to the width size of the material to be transported in the width direction Y of the material to be transported, which is orthogonal to the floating direction of the material to be transported. The positions of the holding and transporting units 3A to 3F can be changed.
The side nozzle units 11A and 11B also have the same technical concept as the front nozzle units 2A, 2B, 2C and the holding and transporting units 3A to 3F due to the detachable configuration, as in the following embodiment 1. Can be placed and driven for use.

(Example 1)
Table 1 below shows the correspondence relationship in which the holding and transporting units 3A to 3F, the side nozzle units 11A and 11B, and the front nozzle units 2A, 2B and 2C are arranged according to the size of the material to be transported. .. 8B to 8G are schematic plan views showing specific examples of the unit arrangement shown in Table 1 in the first embodiment.
In Table 1, the length L of the material to be transported represents the length (vertical size) of the material to be transported in the transport direction X. The material to be transported W represents the width (horizontal size) in the width direction Y of the material to be transported. As shown in Table 1, information for identifying the number and arrangement of each unit (each unit arrangement) is associated with each combination of the range of the material to be transported L and the range of the width W of the material to be transported, and specifically. Are associated as shown in FIGS. 8B-8G shown in parentheses.

In Table 1, for example, the material to be transported having a length L of the material to be transported L of 300 [mm] and a width W of the material to be transported W is associated with the case where the unit arrangement is UA (FIG. 8B). That is, in the unit arrangement UA, the numbers of the holding and transporting unit, the side nozzle unit, and the front nozzle unit are 1, 2, and 1, respectively.

8B-8G are examples of arrangements corresponding to the unit arrangements UA, UB, UC, UD, UE and UF shown in Table 1, respectively. As shown in each figure, the number and arrangement of the units are changed according to the size of the material to be transported (length L of material to be transported: vertical size, width W of material to be transported: horizontal size). The shaded and dotted units in each figure indicate the units to be operated. In FIG. 8B, the holding and transporting units 3A, 3C, 3D, 3E, 3F shown by the broken lines and in FIG. Is shown. In the other FIGS. 8D, 8E, and 8F, the holding and transporting unit removed from the upper main body frame 101b is omitted because it becomes confusing.
The unit arrangement UA (FIG. 8B) to UF (FIG. 8G), such as the length L of the material to be transported, the range of the width W of the material to be transported, the number of units, and the arrangement of each unit, are merely examples. , Not limited to this.

The holding and transporting units 3A to 3F will be described focusing on the differences from the floating holding and transporting device 160 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 and the like. Since the holding and transporting units 3A to 3F have a common configuration, the holding and transporting units 3A will be described as a representative.
FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional side view of the holding and transporting unit used in the first embodiment, and FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the holding and transporting unit as viewed from diagonally lower right. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the flow of suction air of the holding and conveying unit as viewed from diagonally lower right. FIG. 12 is a perspective view illustrating a holding area of the transport belt of the holding transport unit.

As shown in FIGS. 9 to 11, the holding transport unit 3A is divided into three parts having the same circumference and common transport belts 161a, 161b, 161c instead of the transport belt 161 as compared with the floating holding transport device 160. The main difference is that the holding unit 165 is used.
The transport belts 161a and the transport belts 161b constituting the holding and transport unit 3A are arranged on both outer sides in the width direction Y of the material to be transported with the central transport belt 161c sandwiched between them. The transport belt 161c is hung between a free roller 162c having a diameter smaller than that of the drive roller 162a and the drive roller 162b, a driven roller 163c having the same diameter as the driven roller 163a and the driven roller 163b, and a tension roller 167. .. The tension roller 167 is arranged further above the upper surfaces of the transport belts 161a and 161b at positions closer to the downstream side in the transport direction X, and is rotatably supported by the unit frame via the shaft 167s. The transport belt 161a is hung between the driving roller 162a and the driven roller 163a. The transport belt 161b is hung between the drive roller 162b and the driven roller 163b.

The drive rollers 162a and 162b and the free rollers 162c are respectively arranged on the same drive shaft 162s, but only the free rollers 162c are guided and supported so as to be freely rotatable with a predetermined gap with respect to the drive shaft 162s. .. The drive rollers 162a and 162b are integrally formed with the drive shaft 162s, respectively. Each of the driven rollers 163a, 163b, and 163c is integrally formed with the same driven shaft 163s, and is arranged on the driven shaft 163s. The drive shaft 162s and the driven shaft 163s are rotatably supported by a unit frame 169, which is a unit body of the holding and transporting unit 3A, via bearings.
As described above, as shown in FIGS. 9 to 11, the transport belt 161c located at the center in the width direction Y of the material to be transported, and the transport belts 161a and the transport belts 161b arranged on both outer sides of the transport belt 161c. A step is formed on each belt holding surface in the vertical direction Z.

The drive shaft 162s is connected to the drive motor 168, which is a transport belt drive means, via a toothed pulley and a toothed belt, which are rotation transmission means. The drive motor 168 is fixed to the unit frame 169 via a motor mounting member fixed to the unit frame 169, and the transport belt 161a and the transport belt 161b are rotationally driven by the drive motor 168 via the drive rollers 162a and 162b. Will be done. The transport belt 161c is rotationally driven by the driven rotational force of the driven roller 163c, which rotates driven as the transport belt 161a and the transport belt 161b are rotationally driven. As a result, the transport belts 161a, 161b, and 161c travel and rotate at the same peripheral speed in the same rotation direction indicated by the arrows in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 10 to 12, a large number of suction holes 164 are formed in the transport belts 161a, 161b, and 161c so that the material to be transported can be held. In addition, in FIGS. 10 to 12, the suction holes 164 are drawn so as to be formed in a part of the lower side in the drawings of the transport belts 161a, 161b and 161c, but all of the transport belts 161a, 161b and 161c. It goes without saying that it is formed over the circumference.

As shown in FIG. 11, the suction blower 390 is driven to generate a flow of suction air Ad, and the suction duct 311 connected to the suction blower 390 and the negative pressure air chamber 310 connected to the suction duct 311 have negative pressure. become. As a result, the suction air Ad is sucked from the suction holes 164 of the transport belts 161a, 161b, 161c, so that the material to be transported is sucked and held on the belt holding surfaces of the transport belts 161a, 161b, 161c.
As shown in FIG. 12, in the width direction Y of the material to be transported of the holding and transporting unit 3A, a transparent holding area 166 in which the material to be transported is held is formed. The holding area 166 is an area in which a large number of suction holes 164 are formed in the transport belts 161a, 161b, and 161c.

Next, the return nozzle units 9A and 9B will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 13 is a simplified rear view showing the arrangement state of the return nozzle unit. In FIG. 13, reference numeral 330 indicates a levitation blower, and the levitation air Aa generated by the levitation blower 330 is stored in the air chamber 320 and ejected from the two levitation nozzles 322.
Since the return nozzle units 9A and 9B are standardized, the return nozzle unit 9A will be described as a representative. The return nozzle unit 9A has a return nozzle 9b having an opening 9a for sucking the return air Ar, and a return air suction blower 9c connected to the return nozzle 9b. For the return air suction blower 9c, for example, a sirocco fan or the like is used.
As shown in FIGS. 8A and 13, the return nozzle units 9A and 9B are between the front nozzle units 2A, 2B and 2C adjacent to each other, and between the holding and transporting units 3A and 3B in the width direction Y of the material to be transported. , Installed between the holding and transporting units 3B and 3C.

The operation of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 8A and 14 to 16. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a main process executed by the material transfer device to be conveyed according to the first embodiment, and is a flowchart for explaining drive-on timing of various types of air. FIG. 15 is a front view showing a state in which the material to be transported is separated by the material separating device to be transported, and a state in which the material to be transported is adsorbed and held by one of a plurality of holding and transporting units, FIG. Is a schematic diagram illustrating the action of the return air of the first embodiment.
In the holding step described later, as shown in FIG. 16, the suction blowers 390 of the holding and transporting units 3A to 3F at all six locations operate, but in FIG. 15, the suction and holding of the material to be transported 1A by the holding and transporting unit 3A is performed. The condition is shown on behalf of it.

Next, the operation and process of the material transfer device 100 to be transported will be described step by step, but the same contents as those of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 will be omitted as much as possible. The size of the material to be transported shall be large.
(1) The preparation step (step S10 of FIG. 14) for preparing the material to be transported in a laminated state is the same as step S1 of the embodiment of FIG.
(2) When a command to feed the material to be transported comes from the control unit provided in the material transfer device 100 to be transported in FIG. 8A, the sabaki including the floating blowers 330 and the side blowers 380 of the front nozzle units 2A, 2B and 2C. The ventilation means is activated. As a result, the levitation step of blowing air to each end of the material to be conveyed is started (step S11 in FIG. 14). At the same time that the floating air Aa from the floating nozzle 322 of the air chamber 320 is blown, the side air Ac is blown from the four side air nozzles 370, so that the uppermost material to be transported 1A on the prepared loading platform 136, 1B and 1C are surfaced. As a result, the contact area between the uppermost materials 1A, 1B, and 1C to be transported can be changed (see the state in which the return air Ar is not sprayed in FIG. 16A).

(3) At the same time, a holding step (step S12 in FIG. 14) for holding the floating material to be transported is started, and the suction blowers 390 in the holding and transporting units 3A to 3F at all six locations are operated to suck air. Ad is generated. As a result, air suction by the transport belts 161a, 161b, 161c (hereinafter, also simply referred to as transport belts 161) of the holding and transport units 3A to 3F starts. As a result, the uppermost material to be transported 1A floats, and as shown in FIG. 16A, the uppermost material to be transported 1A is attracted and held by the transport belt 161 in a state where the return air Ar is not sprayed.
At this time, the transport belts 161 of the holding and transporting units 3D to 3F arranged on the upstream side of the transporting direction X surely suck and hold the rear end portion of the material to be transported 1A, so that they are sucked and held by the transport belt 161. The contact area and contact time with the second material to be transported 1B in which the rear end portion of the first material to be transported 1A is raised is minimized. As a result, even if the glass fibers or the like become powdery and separate or scatter from each end (front-rear end and side end) of the material 1 to be transported as described above, the first piece to be transported is transported. Since contact between the rear end portion of the material 1A and the second material to be transported 1B is avoided as much as possible, damage between the materials 1A and 1B to be transported can be prevented.

As described above, in the first embodiment, the levitation air Aa from the levitation nozzle 322 and the side air Ac from the side air nozzle 370 are simultaneously injected, and the wind pressure is uniformly applied to the material bundle 1 to be transported to cause overfloating and behavior. It suppresses the disturbance of the spray and prevents double feeding at the beginning of spraying.

(4) Subsequently, the return air suction blowers 9c of the return nozzle units 9A and 9B operate after the first material to be transported 1A is continuously sucked and held by the transport belts 161 of the holding transport units 3A to 3F. As a result, return air Ar is generated. By this return air Ar, the second and subsequent sheets 1B and 1C to be transported that are floating at the downstream end in the transport direction X are sucked in the direction opposite to the floating direction, so that the two floating sheets are floating. The space between the conveyed materials 1B and 1C after the eyes is opened (see the broken line box in FIG. 16B)). At this time, the second and subsequent materials to be transported 1B are floated and adsorbed in the space of the materials to be transported 1B and 1C formed by opening the space between the second and subsequent materials to be transported 1B and 1C. The next levitation air Aa, which is blown for holding, can easily enter. Therefore, the return air Ar of the return nozzle units 9A and 9B can significantly improve the separation performance of the second and subsequent materials to be conveyed 1B and 1C. Further, as shown in FIG. 16A, the return air Ar includes (sucks) surrounding stagnant air and the like, so that the influence of air turbulence can be reduced.

At the same time, by operating the side blowers 380 at four locations, the side air acs are floating from the side air nozzles 370 at the four locations, and the second and subsequent sheets to be conveyed are sprayed on the side ends of the materials 1B and 1C. The step is performed (step S13 in FIG. 14). As a result, the first material to be transported 1A held by the transport belt 161 and the second and subsequent materials to be transported 1B and 1C that are floating are surely separated, resulting in problems such as double feeding and non-supply. Can be easily and surely separated of the material to be transported without causing the above.

(5) Next, in FIG. 8A, the transfer belt 161 and the suction units 6A to 6C are started to be driven, and the transfer step of transporting the material to be transported 1A held by the transfer belt 161 is performed (step S14 in FIG. 14). .. After the material to be transported 1A reaches the feed sensor 179, the rotary transport drive of the transport belt 161 is stopped. Hereinafter, substantially the same operation as in the embodiment is performed, and the material to be transported is sequentially conveyed.

Here, the levitation step to the holding step described in the above (1) to (2) will be supplemented. When the floating air Aa is blown from the floating nozzles 322 of the front nozzle units 2A, 2B and 2C of FIG. 13 and the side air is blown from the side air nozzles omitted in FIG. 8A as described above, the material to be conveyed 1A, 1B and 1C are levitated and separated as shown in FIG.
At the same time that the materials 1A, 1B, and 1C to be transported float and separate, the above-mentioned holding process is started, and the suction blowers 390 in the holding and transporting units 3A to 3F at all six locations are operated to transport the holding and transporting units 3A to 3F. Air suction by the belts 161a, 161b, 161c starts. At this time, the suction / suction holding state of the material to be transported 1A will be described on behalf of the holding / transporting unit 3A as follows. That is, as shown in FIG. 15, the suction air Ad from the belt holding surface of the transport belt 161c of the divided central step portion causes the tip central portion 1Ac of the material to be transported 1A to have an upwardly convex shape (inverted U shape). ) Is curved and deformed.

The central both sides 1Aa and 1Ab of the material to be transported 1A corresponding to the transport belts 161a and 161b on both sides are held by the belt holding surface within the formation range of the belt holding surface by the suction air Ad from the belt holding surface. Then, 1Aaa and 1Abb on both sides of the tip portion of the portion away from the belt holding surface (in FIG. 15, the right side of the material to be transported 1A is shown in a broken / omitted state) are sagging toward the end of the material to be transported 1A. It becomes a shape.

On the other hand, the first material to be transported 1A has no holding surface by the holding and transporting unit 3A toward the rear end of the material to be transported 1A, so that the material to be transported 1A is substantially horizontal to the belt holding surface. .. Further, the material to be transported 1A faces the rear end of the material to be transported, and by maintaining the floating form due to the inflow of side air, the central portion of the material to be transported 1A swells, and when viewed from the rear end of the material to be transported 1A, It changes to an upwardly convex arch shape (semicircular shape).

As shown in FIG. 15, the second and subsequent materials to be transported 1B and 1C are curved in an upwardly convex shape (inverted U shape) by the floating air and side air, and the tip is curved. As it becomes both sides of the part, it rises so as to hang down under its own weight. The floating separation state shown in FIG. 15 is merely an example in which the thickness of the material to be transported of a certain grade is within 0.02 mm to 0.2 mm. That is, although it depends on the grade, the degree of the curvature increases as the thickness approaches 0.02 mm and becomes thinner, and the degree of the curvature decreases as the thickness approaches 0.2 mm and becomes thicker so that the surface rises in a substantially horizontal state. Become. Then, when the side air does not act, the conveyed materials 1B and 1C cannot float, and are held in the same state as in the initial loading state.

In the above levitation step, holding step, and sabaki step, a shape difference occurs between the first material to be transported 1A and the second material to be transported 1B as a separated state, and the material to be transported is in the belt holding direction. Is deformed so that the materials to be transported are surely separated from each other. Therefore, double feeding of the material to be transported can be reliably prevented.

On the other hand, when the first material to be transported 1A is transported, the holding shape of the first material to be transported 1A is maintained by the belt holding force, and the transport shape of the first material to be transported 1A is changed. It changes from moment to moment, and by constantly applying stress to the first material to be transported 1A, it becomes easy to separate the material to be transported. The material to be transported after being floated by the levitation step had a shape in a direction in which the end portion was separated from the material to be transported held by the holding step and the material to be transported in a laminated state.

As described above, the following effects are obtained by the following technical configuration of the first embodiment. In the first embodiment, air is ejected to the material to be transported such as the laminated material bundle 1 to be transported, and the air ejection means such as the front nozzle units 2A, 2B, and 2C for floating the end portion of the material to be transported and the floating material. A material separating device having at least one holding means such as a holding and transporting unit 3A, 3B, 3C, etc., which holds and separates the transported material, and has a width of the transported material orthogonal to the floating direction of the transported material. It was the first technical configuration for the material to be transported separating device capable of changing the position of at least one holding means according to the width size of the material to be transported in the width direction such as the direction Y.
According to the first embodiment, according to the first technical configuration, the material to be transported can be easily separated according to the width size of the material to be transported without causing problems such as double feeding and non-supply. Equipment can be provided.

Further, in the first embodiment, in the first technical configuration, at least one holding means is a second technical configuration that can be attached to and detached from the main body of the material to be conveyed separation device such as the main body frame 101.
Further, in the first embodiment, in the first or second technical configuration, at least one holding means such as the holding and transporting units 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 3E, and 3F is provided, and the plurality of holding means are covered. It was a third technical configuration that constitutes a common unit that can be attached to and detached from the main body of the transport material separation device.
With this third technical configuration, it is possible to reduce the number of parts constituting the unit and reduce the cost.

Further, in the first embodiment, in the third technical configuration, the plurality of units have a central portion in the width direction on the downstream side in the transport direction of the material to be transported and both sides in the width direction on the downstream side in the transport direction of the material to be transported. It was the fourth technical configuration arranged in three places with the part.
Further, in the first embodiment, in the fourth technical configuration, the plurality of units further have a central portion in the width direction on the upstream side in the transport direction of the material to be transported and a width direction on the upstream side in the transport direction of the material to be transported. It was a fifth technical configuration arranged at three locations on both sides of the.
According to the fifth technical configuration, it is possible to provide a material to be transported material separating device capable of easily separating the material to be transported according to the width size (horizontal size) and the length (vertical size) of the material to be transported. , The rear end portion of the material to be transported, which is held by a plurality of units arranged on the upstream side in the transport direction, can be prevented from coming into contact with the floating material to be transported and being damaged.

Further, in the first embodiment, in the fourth or fifth technical configuration, the return nozzle that sucks the floating material to be transported in the direction opposite to the floating direction after the material to be transported is held by the plurality of units. It has suction portions such as units 9A and 9B, and a plurality of levitation means are arranged corresponding to a plurality of units, and the suction portions are installed between adjacent levitation means in the width direction. It was a technical configuration of 6.
With this sixth technical configuration, the influence of air turbulence can be reduced, and the material to be transported can be easily and reliably separated.

In the first embodiment, it is also possible to configure as follows. That is, the four side fences 137 shown in FIG. 8A are provided with a material size detecting means for being transported, which can automatically detect the width size of the material to be transported when each side end surface of the material to be transported is positioned. There is. The control unit provided in the material to be transported 100 notifies as follows based on the size data of the material to be transported obtained as a result of the four side fences 137 positioning the material to be transported in the lateral direction. You may let me. For example, the LCD display screen or the like provided in the input means such as the operation panel provided in the material transporting device 100 to be transported is notified and displayed as follows. That is, "Since the size of the material to be transported does not match the device configuration, attach / detach the front nozzle units 2A, 2B, 2C, holding / conveying units 3A to 3F, and return nozzle units 9A, 9B in FIG. 8A." Etc. may be displayed / warned.
Further, instead of attaching / detaching the front nozzle units 2A, 2B, 2C, the holding / conveying units 3A to 3F, and the return nozzle units 9A, 9B of FIG. 8A, the service person or the user is configured to automatically move them. What to do is only within the scope conceived from the present invention.

(Modification 1 of Embodiment 1)
This modification 1 is different from the above-described first embodiment in the following points. That is, in the modified example 1, as shown in FIG. 8A, the front nozzle units 2A, 2B, 2C and the six holding and transporting units 3A to 3F can all be mounted and used in the transported material transporting device 100. It is configured so that the largest size material to be transported can be separated and transported. The front nozzle units 2A, 2B, 2C and the six holding and transporting units 3A to 3F are selectively driven and used according to the size of the material to be transported.

In the first modification, for example, when a small-sized material to be transported is used, only the front nozzle unit 2B arranged in the center of the material to be transported is driven, and when a large-sized material to be transported is used, 3 It drives all of the two front nozzle units 2A, 2B and 2C. Furthermore, when a medium-sized material to be transported is used, two adjacent front nozzle units 2A and 2B, or two adjacent front nozzle units 2B and 2C are driven.
In addition to the above, when a small size material to be transported is used, only the holding and transporting unit 3A arranged in the center of the material to be transported is driven, and when a large size material to be transported is used, six holdings are performed. Drives all of the transport units 3A to 3F. Further, when a medium-sized material to be transported is used, the adjacent holding and transporting units 3A, 3B, 3D and 3E, or the holding and transporting units 3B, 3C, 3E and 3F are driven.
When a medium-sized material to be transported is used, the adjacent holding and transporting units 3A, 3B, 3D, 3E, or the holding and transporting units 3B, 3C, 3E, and 3F are positioned at appropriate positions in the width direction Y of the material to be transported. It will be placed in.

In the above-mentioned configuration example of the first embodiment and the first modification, the front nozzle units 2A, 2B, 2C and the six holding and transporting units 3A to 3F are shared, but the present invention is not limited to this. It does not have to be.

According to the first modification, the effect of the first embodiment can be obtained by a simpler configuration.

(Embodiment 2)
The material transfer device to be transported according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described focusing on the differences from the material transfer device 100 of the embodiment of the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, in the material transporting device 100 to be transported in FIG. 8A, the three front nozzle units 2A, 2B, 2C and the six holding and transporting units 3A to 3F are not detachable, but are configured as follows. is there. That is, in the second embodiment, the maximum size of the material to be transported that can be used in the material to be transported is separated and transported, and the front nozzle units 2A and 2B, depending on the size of the material to be transported, 2C and 6 holding and transporting units 3A to 3F are selectively driven and used.

Explaining with reference to FIG. 8A, for example, with all three front nozzle units 2A, 2B, and 2C attached, the front nozzle units 2A, 2B, and 2C are selectively driven according to the size of the material to be conveyed. You may use it. For example, when a small size material to be transported is used, only the front nozzle unit 2B arranged in the center of the material to be transported is driven, and when a large size material to be transported is used, three front nozzle units 2A are used. Drives all of 2, 2B and 2C. Furthermore, when a medium-sized material to be transported is used, two adjacent front nozzle units 2A and 2B, or two adjacent front nozzle units 2B and 2C are driven.
When a medium-sized material to be transported is used, the two front nozzle units 2A and 2B or the two front nozzle units 2B and 2C must be arranged at appropriate positions in the width direction Y of the material to be transported. Is a prerequisite.

In addition to the above, the holding and transporting units 3A to 3F may be all attached and selectively driven and used according to the size of the material to be transported. For example, when a small size material to be transported is used, only the holding and transporting unit 3A arranged in the center of the material to be transported is driven, and when a large size material to be transported is used, six holding and transporting units 3A are used. Drives all of ~ 3F. Further, when a medium-sized material to be transported is used, the adjacent holding and transporting units 3A, 3B, 3D and 3E, or the holding and transporting units 3B, 3C, 3E and 3F are driven.
When a medium-sized material to be transported is used, the adjacent holding and transporting units 3A, 3B, 3D and 3E, or the holding and transporting units 3B, 3C, 3E and 3F are positioned at appropriate positions in the width direction Y of the material to be transported. It is assumed that it is located in.

In the above configuration example of the second embodiment, the front nozzle units 2A, 2B, 2C and the six holding and transporting units 3A to 3F are shared, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the unit may not be shared. Good.

According to the second embodiment, the effect of the first embodiment can be obtained by a simpler configuration.

An embodiment different from the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 7 will be described with reference to FIGS. 17 to 20. FIG. 17 is a schematic front view of a material transfer device 230 provided with a levitation holding and transport device 260 as a material separation device according to another embodiment of the present invention. 18 is a schematic plan view of the material transporting device 230 to be transported, and FIGS. 19A to 19C are schematic views showing an operation transition state of the material transporting device 230 to be transported, FIG. 20A. )-FIG. 20 (c) are schematic views showing the operation transition state of the material transport device 230 to be transported following FIG. 19 (c).

Another embodiment shown in FIGS. 17 and 18 transports the material to be transported in place of the material transporting device 130 to be transported, as compared with the material transporting device 130 of the embodiment of FIGS. The difference is that the device 230 is used.
The material to be transported 230 is the same as the material to be transported 130 in FIGS. 1 to 4, and the material to be transported is controlled to drive the detection sensor 20 and the elevating mechanism to control the upper surface position of the bundle of materials to be transported 1. The position control means and the front end guide plate 138 are provided, but the illustration is omitted in FIG. 17 and the like. Further, the material transport device 230 to be transported includes a pair of side fences 137, an end fence 139, a side air nozzle 370, a side blower 380, and the like similar to the material transport device 130 to be transported. It is omitted. Similarly, the material transfer device 230 to be transported includes an air injection nozzle device 300 having an air chamber 320 and a floating nozzle 322 similar to the material transfer device 130 to be transported, but the illustration is omitted in FIGS. 17 and the like. There is.

Compared with the material transporting device 130, the material transporting device 230 shown in FIGS. 17 and 18 uses the floating holding and transporting device 260 instead of the floating holding and transporting device 160 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. Is different. The levitation holding and conveying device 260 is mainly different from the levitation holding and conveying device 160 of FIGS. 1 to 4 in that the suction roller 261 shown in FIGS. 17 and 18 is used instead of the conveying belt 161. Hereinafter, the detailed configuration of the levitation holding / conveying device 260, which is different from the levitation holding / conveying device 160, will be described.

As shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, the floating holding and transporting device 260 includes a suction roller 261, a negative pressure air chamber 263, a shutter 270, an air pipe 235 which is a suction duct, and a suction air generating means for generating suction air. The suction fan 280 and the like are provided. The suction fan 280 is not limited to this, and may be a suction air generating means such as an air compressor.
The suction roller 261 has a shaft 261s rotatably supported by the main body frame. The shaft 261s is connected to a drive motor 268 as a drive means, and the suction roller 261 rotates in a direction of feeding and transporting the material to be transported by the rotational drive of the drive motor 268.
The shutter 270 is a valve member that controls on / off of the suction air generated by driving the suction fan 280 to flow from the negative pressure air chamber 263 and the suction roller 261 on the downstream side.

The suction roller 261 is a roller-shaped suction rotating member in which a large number of suction holes 264 are formed on the outer peripheral portion. A negative pressure air chamber 263 is provided inside the suction roller 261. The negative pressure air chamber 263 is communicated with the shutter 270 by the air pipe 235, and is communicated and connected to the suction fan 280 by the air pipe 235. The suction roller 261 is arranged at an upper position where the suction holes 264 face the front end portion of the material bundle 1 to be transported, which is loaded on the loading platform 136 in a laminated state. In this way, the suction roller 261 communicates with the shutter 270 and is connected to the suction fan 280 via the air pipe 235 connected to the negative pressure air chamber 263. In the suction roller 261, the negative pressure air chamber 263 is sucked by air from the external suction fan 280 to maintain the negative pressure state, so that the suction hole 264 of the suction roller 261 sucks and sucks the uppermost material to be transported 1A.

As described above, the suction roller 261 of the floating holding and transporting device 260 is a holding means / holding member that sucks and holds and separates the floated material to be transported by a negative pressure by air suction, and transports the held material to be transported. It has a function as a means.
The levitation holding and conveying device 260 may increase the size of the levitation holding and conveying device 260 according to the size of the material to be conveyed.

The operation of the material transport device 230 to be transported including the levitation holding transport device 260 will be described with reference to FIGS. 19 and 20.
When a command to feed the material to be transported comes from the control unit provided in the material transport device 230 to be transported in FIG. 19, the loading platform 136 rises as shown by a thick arrow in FIG. 19A, and at a predetermined position. Stop. This predetermined position is a position where the material to be transported 1A on the uppermost surface of the bundle of materials to be transported 1 loaded on the loading platform 136 floats and can be sucked by the suction roller 261 as described later. At this time, the shutter 270 is closed.
Next, as shown in FIG. 19B, with the shutter 270 kept closed, the floating air Aa is blown from the floating nozzle of the air chamber toward the front end surface of the material bundle 1 to be transported loaded on the loading platform 136. At the same time as blowing, side air is blown with the side air nozzle. By this wind, the materials to be transported 1A, 1B, and 1C on the upper part of the loading platform 136 are floated, and the material to be transported 1A on the uppermost surface of the bundle of materials to be transported 1 is placed near the height of the suction roller 261 (holding material to be transported). Ascend to. By levitating the uppermost conveyed materials 1A, 1B and 1C on the prepared loading platform 136, the contact area between the uppermost conveyed materials 1A, 1B and 1C can be changed (floating step).

Then, with the shutter 270 closed, the suction fan 280 is started and operated to generate suction air to generate a negative pressure. Next, as shown in FIG. 19C, by opening the shutter 270, the suction roller 261 is brought into a negative pressure state, and the suction roller 261 sucks and holds the material to be transported 1A on the uppermost surface (holding step).
At this time, the uppermost material to be transported 1A held by the suction roller 261 is not limited to only one, and the materials to be transported may be held in close contact with each other. Therefore, side air is blown by a side air nozzle, which is a blowing means for sabaki provided on the side fence, and the material to be conveyed 1A held by the suction roller 261 is separated into one sheet (sabaki process).

After that, as shown in FIG. 20A, the suction roller 261 is rotationally driven in the direction of the arrow in the drawing, so that the material 1A to be transported, which is sucked and held and separated, is the target destination on the downstream side of the transport direction X. (Transport process).
When it is determined that the material to be transported 1A has reached the target destination by the feed sensor provided downstream of the transport direction X of the material to be transported 230 to detect the arrival of the material to be transported, FIG. As shown in (b), the shutter 270 is closed to bring the inside of the negative pressure air chamber 263 to atmospheric pressure.
After the material 1A to be transported has passed through the suction roller 261 after a lapse of a predetermined time, the rotary transport drive of the suction roller 261 is stopped (FIG. 20 (c)). When the material to be transported is continuously transported, the operation shown in FIG. 20A is continuous.

When the air volume is fixed at a certain value, the floating amount and the sabaki state of the transported material differ depending on the thickness, weight, and size of the loaded material. For example, if the amount of the material to be transported is small, it will result in non-supply (non-feeding), and conversely, if the material to be transported is in a state of being excessively floated, the material to be transported will be in close contact with each other. It will be sent. Further, if the force of the suction fan 280 is small, the material to be conveyed cannot be conveyed well, which also results in non-supply.

Therefore, in order to properly feed the material to be transported, the air volume according to the loaded material to be transported is determined in advance, and the user or operator automatically selects the material to be transported when the material to be transported is selected. I try to get that air volume. And the air volume is adjusted by the duty value of the blower.

As described above, the transported material transfer device 230 according to another embodiment using the suction roller 261 or the like can also solve the same problems as those in the embodiment and obtain the same effect. ..

Further, in the material transporting device 230 to be transported, similarly to the first and second embodiments, the floating holding transporting device 260 is arranged as a plurality of units in the width direction or the transporting direction according to the size of the material to be transported. Then, by making it possible to change the position or making it removable, it is possible to obtain the same effect as in the first and second embodiments. In addition, a plurality of units of the apparatus may be selectively driven and used according to the size of the material to be conveyed, or the above-described configurations may be appropriately combined.

Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to such a specific embodiment, and unless otherwise specified in the above description, the present invention described in the claims. Various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the above. For example, the technical items described in the above-described embodiments and modifications may be appropriately combined.
The present invention is not limited to the case where the material to be conveyed is a circuit board sheet containing a prepreg or an electronic circuit board material, but also a special paper such as a paper containing an extra large size (for example, a width size of about 700 mm) or a coated paper. Or, it can be applied to the technical field of a sheet separating device and a sheet transporting device for separating OHP films and the like.

The holding and conveying units 3A to 3F of the first embodiment are not limited to this, and instead of the conveying belts 161a, 161b and 161c that form a step peculiar to the central portion, a plurality of common (or common) ones that do not form a step are used. It may be composed of a transport belt (not provided). For example, a plurality (for example, three) of the same transport belts 161 of the floating holding and transporting device 160 used in the above embodiment may be arranged side by side in the width direction of the material to be transported.

The effects appropriately described in the embodiments of the present invention merely list the most preferable effects arising from the present invention, and the effects according to the present invention are limited to those described in the embodiments of the present invention. It's not a thing.

1 Bundle of material to be transported 1A, 1B, 1C Material to be transported 2A, 2B, 2C Front nozzle unit (air ejection means / levitation means, example of first air ejection member)
3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 3E, 3F Holding and transporting unit (an example of a common unit)
6A, 6B, 6C suction unit (example of transport means)
9A, 9B return nozzle unit (an example of suction unit)
11A, 11B side nozzle unit (blower means for sabaki, air blowing means, second air blowing member)
20 Detection sensor (conveyed material detection means)
100 Transport material to be transported 101 Main body frame (an example of the main body of the material to be transported separation device)
101a Main body side plate (an example of the main body of the material separator to be transported)
101b Upper body frame (an example of the body of the material separating device to be transported)
102 screws (attachment / detachment means)
103 Screw holes (attachment / detachment means)
136 loading platform (an example of preparation means)
137 Side fence 138 Front end guide plate 139 End fence 160 Floating holding transport device 161, 161a, 161b, 161c Transport belt (example of holding means / holding member, transport means)
162 Drive roller 163 Driven roller 164 Suction hole 165 Holding unit 166 Holding area 169 Unit frame 310 Negative pressure air chamber 320 Air chamber 322 Floating nozzle (air ejection means, first air ejection member)
330 Floating blower (floating air blowing means)
370 Side air nozzle (air blowing means for Sabaki, air blowing means, second air blowing member)
380 side blower (side air generating means)
390 Suction blower (suction air generation means)
Aa Floating air Ac Side air Ad Suction air Ar Return air X Transport direction (an example of transport direction of the material to be transported)
Y Width direction of the material to be transported (an example of a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the material to be transported and the stacking direction of the material to be transported)
Z Vertical direction (an example of the stacking direction of the material to be transported)

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-31769

Claims (9)

A plurality of air ejection means for ejecting air to the laminated material to be conveyed and floating the material to be conveyed,
A plurality of holding means for holding the surfaced material to be transported, and
A suction part that sucks the floating material to be transported in the direction opposite to the floating direction,
It is a material separating device to be transported, and has
Depending on the size of the conveyed material in the width direction perpendicular to the floating direction of the conveyed material, Ri can der change in the position of the holding means,
The suction unit is a device for separating materials to be conveyed, which is installed between the plurality of air ejection means in the width direction . The material separating device to be transported according to claim 1, wherein the holding means is removable from the main body of the material separating device to be transported. At least one of the previous SL plurality of holding means, the conveying of the claims 1 or 2, wherein the constituting a common been unit detachably attached to the main body of the conveyed material separating apparatus Material separator. The plurality of units are arranged at three locations, a central portion in the width direction on the downstream side in the transport direction of the material to be transported, and both side portions in the width direction on the downstream side in the transport direction of the material to be transported. The material to be transported separation device according to claim 3, wherein the material to be transported is separated. The plurality of units are further arranged at three locations, a central portion in the width direction on the upstream side in the transport direction of the material to be transported, and both side portions in the width direction on the upstream side in the transport direction of the material to be transported. The material to be transported separation device according to claim 4, wherein the material to be transported is separated. The plurality of holding means are provided at positions capable of holding the maximum size of the material to be transported used in the material separating device to be transported.
The material separating device to be transported according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of holding means are selectively driven and used according to the size of the material to be transported . An air ejection means that ejects air to the laminated material to be conveyed and floats the material to be conveyed.
A plurality of holding means for holding the surfaced material to be transported, and
A suction part that sucks the floating material to be transported in the direction opposite to the floating direction,
It is a material separating device to be transported, and has
The plurality of holding means are provided at positions capable of holding the maximum size of the material to be transported used in the material separating device to be transported.
The plurality of holding means are selectively driven according to the size of the material to be conveyed .
The suction unit is installed between the plurality of air ejection means in a width direction orthogonal to the floating direction of the material to be transported. The material to be transported separation device according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of holding means constitute a common unit. The device for separating materials to be transported according to any one of claims 1 to 8 is provided.
A material transporting device to be transported, which comprises a transporting means for transporting the held material to be transported .

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