JP7261141B2 - Diluent replenisher - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a diluent replenishing device and a diluent replenishing method for replenishing a storage tank with a diluent obtained by diluting a stock solution with water.

Machine tools use, for example, a diluted solution obtained by diluting a water-soluble undiluted solution with water for purposes such as cooling, lubrication, and cleaning of tools and workpieces. In order to prolong the life of the diluent in the storage tank, it is desirable to stabilize the storage amount and concentration of the diluent. By replenishing the diluent in the storage tank, the storage amount and concentration of the diluent are routinely managed. The following methods are known for replenishing the diluent.

For example, in the method described in Patent Document 1, a pump is used to suck up a stock solution from a stock solution container to a diluter, and a diluted solution is generated by mixing with water supplied to the dilution device at a predetermined concentration, and stored in a storage tank. to replenish. The diluter mixes the stock solution and water by, for example, an ejector effect due to the hydraulic pressure of water.

For example, in the method described in Patent Document 2, after supplying a weighed stock solution from a stock solution tank to a preparation tank, water corresponding to the weighed stock solution is supplied to the preparation tank, and the stock solution and water are stirred and mixed in the preparation tank. to generate a diluent. The mixing tank is connected to a plurality of storage tanks, and replenishes the diluent to the storage tanks when the water level has become low.

Further, for example, a method is known in which the frequency of managing the concentration and storage amount of the diluent stored in the storage tank is once or twice a day, and the storage tank is replenished with 100 L of diluent at a time.

Utility Model Registration No. 3216910 JP-A-6-47649

However, the conventional technology described above has the following problems. That is, for example, in the method described in Patent Document 1, the supply amount of the stock solution supplied to the diluting device fluctuates due to, for example, changes in the kinematic viscosity of the stock solution and the operation of the pump. Also, the ejector effect fluctuates depending on the ambient humidity, temperature, water pressure, and the like. Therefore, with the method described in Patent Document 1, the storage tank could not be replenished with a homogeneous and stable diluent. Therefore, in the storage tank, the concentration fluctuates and becomes unstable during replenishment of the diluent.

In this regard, the method described in Patent Document 2 supplies the diluted liquid produced by stirring and mixing the undiluted liquid and water to the storage tank, so that the storage tank can be replenished with a homogeneous and stable diluted liquid. However, according to the method described in Patent Document 2, a plurality of storage tanks are connected to one device, and the diluent is replenished to the storage tank whose water level has become low. The change tendency (characteristics) of the concentration and storage amount of the diluent stored in the storage tank differs from storage tank to storage tank depending on the amount of evaporation of water, the method of using the diluent, and the like. Therefore, with the technique described in Patent Document 2, it is difficult to replenish the diluent according to the characteristics of the storage tank. Therefore, in some storage tanks, the concentration fluctuates abruptly due to the replenishment of the diluent.

Furthermore, as described above, with the method of replenishing 100 L of diluent at a time, the concentration of the diluent stored in the storage tank may fluctuate greatly before and after replenishment.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and is a technique for replenishing a storage tank with a replenishing diluent obtained by diluting a stock solution with water. diluent can be refilled into the storage tank.

One aspect of the present invention is (1) a diluent replenishing device that dilutes a stock solution with water to generate a diluent for replenishment and replenishes a storage tank that stores the diluent used in a machine tool, wherein the storage tank and a stirring unit that stirs and mixes the stock solution and the water to generate the supplementary diluent, and a discharge unit that discharges the supplementary diluent from the stirring unit to the storage tank. , a liquid supply unit that supplies the liquid to the stirring unit; a water supply unit that supplies the water to the stirring unit; a control unit, a timing for replenishing the storage tank with the replenishment diluent, a replenishment amount of the replenishment diluent to be replenished in the storage tank when the timing comes, and when the timing comes a replenishment concentration indicating the concentration of the replenishment diluent to be replenished in the storage tank; The undiluted solution and the water are respectively supplied to the stirring unit using the undiluted solution supply unit and the water supply unit so as to satisfy the replenishment amount and the replenishment concentration that have been set, and the undiluted solution and the water are mixed using the stirring unit. A generation process for generating the replenishment diluent by stirring and mixing the water and the replenishment generated in the stirring unit using the discharge unit when the timing stored in the storage unit comes. and a replenishing process of discharging the diluent from the stirring unit to the storage tank and replenishing the storage tank.

Since the diluent replenishing device having the above configuration is individually installed in the storage tank, it is possible to store the timing, replenishment amount, and replenishment concentration reflecting the characteristics of the storage tank. The diluent replenishing device supplies the undiluted solution and water to the agitation unit according to the replenishment amount and replenishment concentration stored in the storage unit, and agitates and mixes them. A replenishment diluent can be generated. The diluent replenishing device replenishes the storage tank with a small amount of 20 L or less of the homogeneous and stable replenishing diluent generated by the stirring section at the timing stored in the memory. Therefore, in the storage tank, the concentration of the diluent does not fluctuate abruptly with the replenishment of the replenishing diluent, and is stabilized. Therefore, according to the above configuration, in the diluent replenishing device for replenishing the storage tank with the replenishing diluent obtained by diluting the stock solution with water, the replenishing diluent is supplied while suppressing the concentration fluctuation of the diluent stored in the storage tank. Storage tanks can be refilled.

(2) In the diluent replenishing device described in (1), it is preferable that the timing is set at a cycle time of 15 minutes or more and 720 minutes or less.

Since the diluent replenishing device having the above configuration replenishes the storage tank with a small amount at high frequency, it is possible to replenish the diluent for replenishment while suppressing fluctuations in the storage amount and concentration of the storage tank.

(3) The diluent replenishing device described in (1) or (2) has a detection unit that detects the water level of the diluent stored in the storage tank, and the control unit uses the detection unit. When the detected water level is equal to or higher than the limit water level at which the diluent for replenishment can be replenished while the diluent is circulating between the storage tank and the machine tool, the generation process or the replenishment process Preferably, do not perform at least one of

In the diluent replenishing device having the above configuration, the diluent circulates between the machine tool and the storage tank. When the detection unit detects that the water level of is equal to or higher than the critical water level, the diluent for replenishment is not generated or replenished. Therefore, the diluent replenishing device can suitably generate and replenish the diluent for replenishment.

(4) In the diluent replenishing device described in (3), it is preferable that the control unit issues an alarm when at least one of the generating process and the replenishing process is not executed.

The diluent replenishing device configured as described above generates an alarm if the replenishment diluent is not generated or replenished even when it is time to replenish the replenishment diluent. It is possible to make the user recognize that the replenishment amount was inappropriate.

(5) In the diluent replenishing device according to any one of (1) to (4), the stirring section includes a liquid drip prevention section for preventing dripping of the liquid concentrate supplied from the liquid feed section. and a water drip prevention part for preventing dripping of the water supplied from the water supply part.

In the diluent replenishing device having the above configuration, the undiluted solution is introduced into the agitating part while the water is agitated in the agitating part, and the undiluted solution and the water are agitated and mixed, so that a homogeneous and stable replenishing diluent can be produced. can.

(6) In the diluent replenishing device according to any one of (1) to (5), in the generation process, after the water is supplied from the water supply unit to the stirring unit, and supplying the undiluted solution to the stirring unit from the undiluted solution supplying unit in a state in which the water is stirred by the stirring unit, and the control unit causes the stirring unit to perform stirring and mixing until the replenishment process is completed. is preferred.

In the diluent replenishing device having the above configuration, the undiluted solution is put into the agitating part supplied with water, the undiluted solution and water are agitated and mixed, and the agitating part is further agitated and mixed until the replenishment of the diluent for replenishment is completed. Therefore, a homogeneous and stable replenishment diluent can be produced to replenish the storage tank.

(7) In the diluent replenishing device according to any one of (1) to (6), the diluent stored in the storage tank is concentration-controlled by the Brix concentration, and the replenishment concentration is the Brix concentration is preferably set by

The diluent replenishing device configured as described above manages the replenishment concentration by the Brix concentration in the same manner as the concentration management of the diluent stored in the storage tank. This eliminates the need for the user to calculate the supply amount of the stock solution and water each time, as in the case where, for example, the diluted solution in the storage tank is managed by the Brix concentration and the replenishment concentration is managed by the volume ratio of the stock solution and water. . Therefore, according to the diluent replenishing device configured as described above, the process of generating the replenishing diluent can be simplified.

(8) In the diluent replenishing device described in (7), the undiluted solution is a water-soluble undiluted solution, and has a concentration coefficient storage unit that stores a concentration coefficient specific to the undiluted solution, and the control unit comprises: In the generation process, causing the undiluted solution supply unit to supply the undiluted solution at the undiluted solution supply amount calculated using Equation 1, and causing the water supply unit to supply the water at the water supply amount calculated using Equation 2; is preferred.

Vc=Vol×Cb×Brx/100 (Formula 1)

Vw=Vol-Vc (Equation 2)

where Vol is the replenishment amount per time, Cb is the concentration coefficient, Brx is the replenishment concentration (Brix concentration %), Vc is the stock solution supply amount, and Vw is the water supply amount. is.

The diluent replenishing device configured as described above uses the concentration coefficient stored in the concentration coefficient storage unit, the replenishment amount stored in the storage unit, and the replenishment concentration (Brix concentration %) stored in the storage unit, Automatically calculates the amount of undiluted solution supplied and the amount of water supplied. Then, the calculated stock solution supply amount and water supply amount are used to supply the stock solution and water to the agitating unit to generate a replenishment diluent. Therefore, the diluent replenishing device can generate a replenishing diluent in consideration of the concentration coefficient of the stock solution with high accuracy using the Brix concentration index.

(9) In the diluent replenishing device according to any one of (1) to (8), the stirring unit includes a stirring tank for stirring and mixing the stock solution and the water, and the discharging unit includes a funnel. It is preferably shaped and arranged at the bottom of the stirring tank.

In the diluent replenishing device having the above configuration, since the discharging part arranged at the bottom of the stirring tank is funnel-shaped, the replenishing diluent is replenished in the storage tank so that the replenishing diluent does not remain in the stirring tank. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the residual fluid remaining in the stirring tank from deteriorating and affecting the properties of the newly generated replenishment diluent.

(10) The diluent replenishing device according to any one of (1) to (9) has an operation unit operated by a user, and the storage unit stores the timing input using the operation unit. , the replenishment amount, and the replenishment concentration.

In the diluent replenishing device having the above configuration, for example, a user who grasps the trend of change in the consumption and concentration of the diluent in the storage tank can freely input and set the timing, replenishment amount, and replenishment concentration using the operation unit. can do. The diluent replenishing device accurately generates and replenishes the replenishing diluent according to the set timing, replenishment amount, and replenishment concentration. Therefore, the diluent replenishing device can generate and replenish the replenishing diluent according to the characteristics of the storage tank.

(11) In the diluent replenishing device according to any one of (1) to (10), the undiluted solution supply unit includes an undiluted solution tank that stores the undiluted solution, and supplies the undiluted solution from the undiluted solution tank to the stirring unit. a stock solution supply pipe to be supplied, a stock solution return pipe branching from the stock solution supply pipe and returning the stock solution to the stock solution tank, a three-way valve arranged at a branch point where the stock solution return pipe branches from the stock solution supply pipe, a pump disposed between the three-way valve and the undiluted solution tank, and when the production process is executed, the control unit keeps the pump in the undiluted solution return pipe until the discharge amount of the pump stabilizes. and after the discharge amount of the pump is stabilized, the three-way valve is operated to connect the pump to the stirring unit.

In the diluent replenishing device having the above configuration, for example, when the discharge amount is unstable at the start of the pump, the undiluted liquid is not supplied to the stirring section, and the undiluted liquid is supplied to the stirring section after the discharge amount of the pump stabilizes. supply. As a result, the supply amount of the stock solution supplied to the stirring section is precisely adjusted, so that the diluent replenishing device can generate the replenishing diluent with an accurate replenishment concentration.

(12) The diluent replenishing device according to any one of (1) to (11), which accommodates an alarm unit, the stirring unit, the discharge unit, the undiluted solution supply unit, and the water supply unit. a stock solution tank provided inside the housing for storing the stock solution; a stock solution receiving port provided outside the housing for receiving the stock solution; the stock solution tank and the stock solution receiver; a connecting pipe connecting an inlet and a raw solution level detection unit for detecting the water level of the raw solution stored in the raw solution tank; , preferably causing the alarm unit to issue an alarm.

According to the diluent replenishing device having the above configuration, when the liquid level of the liquid concentrate reaches the upper limit when the liquid liquid is replenished in the liquid tank, the warning unit issues an alarm. With this alarm, even if the user cannot visually recognize the water level of the concentrate tank provided in the housing, the user can finish refilling the concentrate before the concentrate overflows from the concentrate tank.

(13) In the diluent replenishing device according to any one of (1) to (12), it is preferable that the water supply unit is connected to a water source shared by other diluent replenishing devices. .

The diluent replenishing device having the above configuration eliminates the need to provide a water source for each diluent replenishing device, thereby reducing equipment costs.

(14) In the diluent replenishing device according to any one of (1) to (13), the discharging section replenishes the replenishing diluent from the stirring section to the storage tank by free fall; is preferred.

The diluent replenishing device having the above configuration does not require an infusion means such as a pump, and can be reduced in size and cost.

Another aspect of the present invention is (15) a diluent replenishing method of diluting a stock solution with water to generate a diluent for replenishment and replenishing a storage tank for storing the diluent used in a machine tool, wherein The diluent replenishing device installed individually in the timing to replenish the replenishment diluent to the storage tank, and the replenishment amount of the replenishment diluent to be replenished to the storage tank when the timing comes, a replenishment concentration indicating the concentration of the replenishment diluent to be replenished in the storage tank when the timing comes, a storage step in which the replenishment amount is 20 L or less; a generation step of stirring and mixing the stock solution and the water so as to satisfy the replenishment amount and the replenishment concentration to generate the replenishment diluent; and a replenishment step of replenishing the storage tank with the replenishment diluent generated in the step.

A method for realizing the function of the diluent replenishing device having the above configuration is also novel and useful.

According to the invention having the above configuration, in the technique of replenishing the storage tank with the replenishing diluent obtained by diluting the stock solution with water, the replenishing diluent is supplied to the storage tank while suppressing the concentration fluctuation of the diluent stored in the storage tank. can be supplemented.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of a diluent replenishing device; FIG. 4 is an internal schematic configuration diagram of a diluent replenishing device; FIG. 3 is an electrical block diagram of the diluent replenishing device; 4 is a flow chart showing an example of a procedure of control processing; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of piping of a diluent replenishing device;

A diluent replenishing device and a diluent replenishing method according to embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

The diluent replenishing device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is, for example, a device that replenishes coolant to a coolant tank 202 that stores coolant used in a machine tool 201 (see FIG. 2). Hereinafter, the coolant replenished to the coolant tank 202 by the diluent replenishing device 1 is referred to as "replenishment coolant" in order to distinguish it from the coolant stored in the coolant tank 202. FIG. Note that the coolant tank 202 is an example of a "storage tank". The coolant stored in the coolant tank 202 is an example of "diluent stored in the storage tank." A make-up coolant is an example of a "make-up diluent." "

For the coolant tank 202, the target control concentration is set when the coolant is selected. When the coolant circulates between the coolant tank 202 and the machine tool 201, the coolant is supplied to the tools and workpieces to cool and lubricate the tools and workpieces. When the concentration of coolant (hereinafter referred to as "coolant concentration") is lower than the target control concentration, rot and rust occur, shortening the life of the coolant. Also, in the coolant tank 202, the coolant adheres to the tools and workpieces to reduce the amount of coolant stored therein, and moisture evaporates to increase the concentration (hereinafter referred to as "coolant concentration"). Therefore, the coolant in the coolant tank 202 is daily controlled in terms of storage amount and coolant concentration by replenishment with replenishment coolant.

The size (capacity, opening area) of the coolant tank 202 varies depending on the size, material, processing difficulty, production volume, etc. of the workpiece, and cannot be specified. Also, the amount of coolant consumed varies as well, depending on the amount carried out on the workpiece and the evaporation of moisture. Therefore, the timing of replenishing the coolant for replenishment from the diluent replenishing device 1 to the coolant tank 202, the replenishment amount of the replenishment coolant to be replenished to the coolant tank 202, and the concentration (hereinafter referred to as “replenishment concentration”) It is desirable that the value correspond to the consumption of coolant and the tendency (characteristics) of coolant concentration.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, the diluent replenishing device 1 of this embodiment is individually installed in the coolant tank 202 . The diluent replenishing device 1 accurately generates and replenishes the coolant for replenishment according to the timing, replenishment amount, and replenishment concentration input by the user who grasps the characteristics of the coolant tank 202 . The configuration of the diluent replenishing device will be described below.

As shown in the external perspective view of FIG. 1 , the diluent replenishing device 1 has a box-shaped housing 10 . The housing 10 is provided with an operation panel 17 , an operating state notification section 18 and a speaker 19 . The operation panel 17 includes a plurality of operation buttons 171 for accepting various settings and operations, and a liquid crystal panel 172 for displaying information. The speaker 19 is a device that outputs voice or alarm sound. The operation button 171 of the operation panel 17 is an example of the "operation unit". The driving state notification unit 18 and the speaker 19 are examples of the "notification unit".

The operating state notification unit 18 notifies the operating state of the diluent replenishing device 1 . The driving state notification unit 18 includes a first indicator lamp 181 , a second indicator lamp 182 and a third indicator lamp 183 . The first indicator lamp 181, the second indicator lamp 182, and the third indicator lamp 183 are distinguished by, for example, the first indicator lamp 181 emitting blue light, the second indicator lamp 182 emitting yellow light, and the third indicator lamp 183 emitting red light. Lights up when possible. For example, the first indicator lamp 181 is lit when the diluent is being generated and replenished, the second indicator lamp 182 is lit when the diluent replenishing device 1 is in the standby state, and the third indicator lamp is lit. 183 lights up when an abnormality occurs.

As shown in the schematic internal configuration diagram of FIG. 2, in the diluent replenishing device 1, a housing 10 accommodates a stirring section 2, a discharge section 3, a stock solution supply section 4, and a water supply section 6. . In addition, the diluent replenishing device 1 includes a controller 8 shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the stirring unit 2 has a function of stirring and mixing the undiluted coolant and water to generate supplementary coolant. The stirring section 2 includes a stirring tank 21 , a stirring device 22 , a first nozzle 23 and a second nozzle 24 .

The stirring tank 21 is constructed by attaching a tank cover 212 to a cup-shaped tank main body 211 . The stirring device 22 is arranged in the center of the tank cover 212 . The stirring device 22 has a motor 221 connected to a stirring blade 223 via a rotating shaft 222 , and the stirring blade 223 rotates according to the rotation of the motor 221 . In this embodiment, the stirring blades 223 are provided only at the tip of the rotating shaft 222, but a plurality of stirring blades 223 may be provided in the length direction of the rotating shaft 222, or may be spirally formed on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft 222. may be set to

The first nozzle 23 and the second nozzle 24 are arranged above the stirring tank 21 . The first nozzle 23 is connected to the stock solution supply section 4 and discharges the stock solution to the stirring tank 21 . The second nozzle 24 is connected to the water supply section 6 and discharges water to the stirring tank 21 . The first nozzle 23 has a J shape and is fixed to the tank cover 212 in such a manner that the discharge port 23a faces upward. The second nozzle 24 also has a J shape and is fixed to the tank cover 212 in such a manner that the discharge port 24a faces upward. The first nozzle 23 is an example of the "dripping prevention part for undiluted solution", and the second nozzle 24 is an example of the "dripping prevention part for water".

The discharge part 3 has a funnel shape and is arranged at the bottom of the stirring tank 21 . The discharge part 3 has a function of discharging supplementary coolant from the stirring part 2 to the coolant tank 202 . The discharge part 3 includes a funnel member 31 , a discharge solenoid valve 33 , and a replenishment pipe 203 .

The funnel member 31 has a conical surface 31b formed on a surface located on the side of the tank cover 212 (surface located on the upper side in FIG. 2) in a conical shape recessed in the direction opposite to the tank cover 212 (downward in FIG. 2). there is The funnel member 31 extends downward with a discharge portion 31a opening at the apex portion of the conical surface 31b. The funnel member 31 is fitted into the stirring tank 21 so as to pass through the insertion hole 211a of the stirring tank 21 and the discharge portion 31a, and is disposed at the bottom of the stirring tank 21 . A seal member 36 seals between the stirring tank 21 and the funnel member 31 . The agitating part 2 and the discharging part 3 are fixed to the housing 10 using the fixing screws 11 with the discharge part 31a passing through the insertion hole 10b formed in the housing 10. As shown in FIG.

One end of the replenishment pipe 203 is connected to the discharge portion 31a and the other end is exposed to the outside of the housing 10 at a position lower than the one end in order to drop the replenishment coolant from the stirring tank 21 into the coolant tank 202 by its own weight. there is The discharge electromagnetic valve 33 is an ON-OFF control valve, and is arranged in the replenishment pipe 203 to control replenishment of the coolant to the coolant tank 202 .

The concentrate supply part 4 has a function of supplying the concentrate to the stirring part 2 . The concentrate supply unit 4 includes a concentrate tank 40, a hose 41, a concentrate inlet 42, a lid 43, a concentrate sensor 44, a concentrate supply pipe 51, a pump 52, a concentrate electromagnetic valve 53, and a stock solution return pipe 54 . The hose 41 is an example of a "connection tube". The undiluted liquid level sensor 44 is an example of the "undiluted liquid level detector".

The undiluted solution tank 40 is a tank for storing the undiluted solution of coolant, and is arranged inside the housing 10 via the drain pan 12 . The undiluted solution tank 40 has a first opening 40a and a second opening 40b. Note that the number of openings in the undiluted solution tank 40 may be one or three or more. One end of the hose 41 is arranged in the stock solution tank 40 through the second opening 40b and connected to the stock solution receiving port 42 . The undiluted solution receiving port 42 is provided outside the housing 10 and covered with a lid 43 . The undiluted solution level sensor 44 is provided in the undiluted solution tank 40 and detects the water level of the undiluted solution.

One end of the concentrate supply pipe 51 is arranged inside the concentrate tank 40 via the first opening 40 a , and the other end is connected to the first nozzle 23 of the stirring section 2 . A pump 52 and a concentrate solenoid valve 53 are arranged in order from the concentrate tank 40 side of the concentrate supply pipe 51 . The pump 52 is a constant flow type pump, and pumps out the stock solution from the stock solution tank 40 to the stirring section 2 side. The undiluted solution return pipe 54 branches off from the undiluted solution supply pipe 51 on the secondary side (stirring unit 2 side) of the pump 52, and the undiluted solution electromagnetic valve 53 is arranged at the branch point. The undiluted solution electromagnetic valve 53 is a three-way valve that can be switched between a first state in which the pump 52 is connected to the stirring unit 2 and a second state in which the pump 52 is connected to the undiluted solution return pipe 54 .

The water supply section 6 has a function of supplying water to the stirring section 2 . The water supply unit 6 includes a water supply pipe 61 , a stop valve 62 , a flow control valve 63 , a flow sensor 64 and a water electromagnetic valve 65 .

The water supply pipe 61 is connected to the water source 205 and the other end is connected to the second nozzle 24 of the stirring section 2 . The water supply pipe 61 is provided with a stop valve 62, a flow control valve 63, a flow sensor 64, and a water electromagnetic valve 65 in this order from the water source 205 side. The stop valve 62 is a manually operated valve, and is provided outside the housing 10 as shown in FIG. A stop valve 62 controls the supply of water to the diluent replenisher 1 .

The flow rate control valve 63 is a manual throttle valve, and controls the flow rate so that the flow rate measurement range of the flow rate sensor 64 is not exceeded. The flow rate sensor 64 outputs a pulse each time a predetermined amount (for example, 0.01 L) of water passes. The water solenoid valve 65 is an ON-OFF type open/close valve, and controls the supply of water to the stirring section 2 .

As shown in the electrical block diagram of FIG. CPU81 is an example of a "control part." The controller 8 includes an operation panel 17, an operating state notification unit 18, a speaker 19, a liquid level sensor 44 for liquid concentrate, a pump 52, an electromagnetic valve 53 for liquid concentrate, a flow rate adjustment valve 63, a flow rate sensor 64, an electromagnetic valve 65 for water, It is also electrically connected to the motor 221 and the discharge electromagnetic valve 33 . The controller 8 is also connected to a communication interface (hereinafter referred to as “communication IF”) 91 .

The communication IF 91 has a function of controlling communication with an external device. The communication method may be a wireless method or a wired method. Communication IF 91 is connected to replenishment limit level switch 102 provided in coolant tank 202 . The replenishment limit level switch 102 is an example of a "detector". When the coolant is circulated between the coolant tank 202 and the machine tool 201, the replenishment limit level switch 102 outputs an OFF signal when the water level is equal to or higher than the limit water level at which replenishment coolant can be replenished. This switch outputs an ON signal when the water level is not equal to or higher than the limit water level.

Memory 82 stores a control program 86 . The control program 86 is a program for causing the diluent replenishing device 1 to execute control processing for generating replenishment coolant and replenishing the coolant tank 202 with the generated replenishment coolant.

The memory 82 also includes, for example, a density coefficient storage unit 87 and a reception information storage unit 88, and stores various data. The reception information storage unit 88 is an example of a “storage unit”.

The concentration coefficient storage unit 87 stores concentration coefficients specific to the undiluted solution. Since the undiluted solution is not 100% active ingredient and also contains water, it has a unique value called a concentration factor. Therefore, the concentration coefficient of the stock solution used by the diluent replenishing device 1 is stored in the concentration coefficient storage unit 87 . The density coefficient is individually set by the user using the operation button 171, for example. A concentration coefficient management database for storing concentration coefficients for each type of stock solution is prepared in the memory 82 in advance. may be read out and stored in the density coefficient storage unit 87 . This saves the user the trouble of checking the density coefficient.

The received information storage unit 88 stores received information received by the controller 8 via the operation button 171 . The received information is, for example, information input by the user using the operation button 171 . The reception information includes the timing of replenishing the coolant tank 202 with the replenishment coolant, the replenishment amount of the replenishment coolant to be replenished to the coolant tank 202, and the replenishment concentration of the replenishment coolant to be replenished to the coolant tank 202. The reception information can be arbitrarily rewritten using the operation button 171, for example.

Next, the operation of the diluent replenishing device 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. After the power is turned on, the diluent replenishing device 1 is in a standby state until replenishment timing. In the standby state, the pump 52 and the motor 221 are stopped, and the discharge solenoid valve 33 and the water solenoid valve 65 are closed. The concentrate solenoid valve 53 is in the second state. The stop valve 62 is always kept open. The diluent replenishing apparatus 1 notifies the user that the first indicator lamp 181 and the third indicator lamp 183 are turned off and the second indicator lamp 182 is turned on, indicating that it is in a standby state.

A user who manages the coolant tank 202 knows the consumption amount of the coolant in the coolant tank 202, the change tendency (characteristics) of the coolant concentration, the size of the coolant tank 202, the storage amount, the target control concentration, and the like. Using the operation button 171, the user can determine the timing of refilling the coolant tank 202 with the replenishment coolant, the replenishment amount of the replenishment coolant to be replenished to the coolant tank 202 when the timing comes, and the coolant when the timing comes. The replenishment concentration of the replenishment coolant to be replenished in the tank 202 is input. The timing, replenishment amount and replenishment concentration are input according to the characteristics of the coolant tank 202 . The input timing, replenishment amount, and replenishment concentration are stored in the reception information storage unit 88 .

The timing may be set by the user inputting an arbitrary date and time, or by inputting a cycle time. It is desirable to set the cycle time in the range of 15 minutes or more and 720 minutes or less. If it is shorter than 15 minutes, the time for stirring and mixing the undiluted solution and water may be insufficient, and a homogeneous and stable replenishment coolant may not be produced. On the other hand, if it exceeds 720 minutes, the storage amount of the coolant tank 202 becomes small, which may affect the machining of the machining portion.

The replenishment amount is set to be more than 0L and 20L or less. This is for supplying the supplementary coolant to the coolant tank 202 little by little so as to suppress fluctuations in the coolant concentration. Further, by replenishing the replenishment coolant with high frequency, fluctuations in the storage amount of the coolant tank 202 are suppressed.

The replenishment density is set by the Brix density. The coolant concentration in the coolant tank 202 is generally controlled by the Brix concentration using a saccharimeter. Therefore, in order to facilitate management, the replenishment concentration is controlled by the Brix concentration used for controlling the coolant concentration.

In this embodiment, it is assumed that the storage amount of the coolant tank 202 is set to 200 L, the stock solution replenishment coefficient is set to "1.3", and the target control concentration is set to a Brix concentration of 0.1 to 9.9%. The replenishment concentration is set to a Brix concentration of 10% or less and the replenishment amount is 20 L or less so as to suppress the fluctuation of the coolant concentration within 1% when replenishing the replenishment coolant. In the following, it is assumed that the timing of the coolant tank 202 is set to "every 60 minutes", the replenishment amount is set to "8 L", and the replenishment concentration is set to "Brix concentration 3%".

In the diluent replenishing device 1, the CPU 81 reads out the control program 86 from the memory 82 and executes the replenishment control process shown in FIG.

First, the CPU 81 confirms the critical water level. That is, the CPU 81 determines whether or not the water level of the coolant tank 202 is equal to or higher than the limit water level (S1). When the ON signal is received from the replenishment limit level switch 102 using the communication IF 91, the CPU 81 determines that the water level of the coolant tank 202 is not equal to or higher than the limit water level (S1: NO), and notifies generation (S2). That is, the CPU 81 turns off the second indicator lamp 182 and continuously turns on the first indicator lamp 181 . Then, the CPU 81 generates supplementary coolant (S3). The process of S3 is an example of the "generation process". Note that the processing of S2 and S3 may be performed in reverse order.

The generation of replenishment coolant will be specifically described. The CPU 81 supplies the undiluted solution and the water to the stirring unit 2 using the undiluted solution supply unit 4 and the water supply unit 6, respectively, so as to satisfy the replenishment amount and the replenishment concentration stored in the reception information storage unit 88. Agitate the stock solution with water to form a replenishing diluent.

That is, the CPU 81 reads density coefficients from the density coefficient storage unit 87 . Based on the read concentration coefficient, the replenishment amount stored in the reception information storage unit 88, and the replenishment concentration stored in the reception information storage unit 88, the undiluted solution supply amount is calculated. That is, when the replenishment amount per time is Vol, the concentration coefficient is Cb, the replenishment concentration (Brix concentration %) is Brx, and the stock solution supply amount is Vc, the CPU 81 automatically calculates the stock solution supply amount using Equation 1. .

Vc=Vol×Cb×Brx/100 (Formula 1)

When the water supply amount is Vw, the CPU 81 automatically calculates the water supply amount using Equation 2.

Vw=Vol-Vc (Equation 2)

In this embodiment, the density coefficient (Cb) is set to "1.3", the replenishment amount (Vol) is set to "8L", and the replenishment density (Brx) is set to "Brix density 3%". By applying these values to Equation 1, the CPU 81 calculates the undiluted solution supply amount (Vc) as 0.312L. In addition, the water supply amount (Vw) is obtained by applying the replenishment amount (Vol) "8 L" and the stock solution supply amount (Vc) "0.312 L" calculated by Equation 1 to Equation 2. is calculated as 7.688L. After the CPU 81 automatically calculates the amount of the undiluted solution and the amount of water supplied, the undiluted solution and the water are supplied to the stirring tank 21 and stirred and mixed.

Specifically, the CPU 81 uses the water supply unit 6 to supply water to the stirring tank 21 at a water supply amount calculated using Equation (2). That is, the CPU 81 turns on (opens) the water solenoid valve 65 to supply water to the stirring tank 21 . At this time, the CPU 81 counts (integrates) the pulse signals output from the flow rate sensor 64 to measure the amount of water supplied to the stirring tank 21 (water volume). The CPU 81 turns OFF (closes) the electromagnetic valve 65 for water when the measured value of the amount of water reaches the amount of water supply obtained by Equation 2.

Water is discharged into the stirring tank 21 from the second nozzle 24 with the discharge port 24a facing upward. When the electromagnetic valve 65 for water is closed, the water in the discharge port 24a returns to the inside of the second nozzle 24 by its own weight and does not drip into the stirring tank 21.例文帳に追加Therefore, the amount of water supplied to the stirring tank 21 does not fluctuate due to the opening/closing operation of the electromagnetic valve 65 for water.

The CPU 81 drives the motor 221 to stir the water before the stock solution is put into the stirring tank 21 . The motor 221 may be driven before water is supplied (when the generation notification is given in S2), may be driven at the same time as the water electromagnetic valve 65 is opened, or may be driven when the water electromagnetic valve 65 is closed. It may be driven after

Then, the CPU 81 drives the pump 52 . When the pump 52 is started, its operation is unstable and the discharge flow rate varies. Therefore, the CPU 81 starts the pump 52 while keeping the undiluted solution solenoid valve 53 in the second state. As a result, the undiluted solution assembled from the undiluted solution tank 40 when the pump 52 is activated is not supplied to the stirring tank 21 but is returned to the undiluted solution tank 40 via the undiluted solution return pipe 54 .

The CPU 81 switches the undiluted solution electromagnetic valve 53 from the second state to the first state when a predetermined time has passed since the pump 52 was activated and the discharge flow rate of the pump 52 has stabilized. As a result, the undiluted solution sent out from the pump 52 stops flowing to the undiluted solution return pipe 54 side and begins to be supplied to the stirring tank 21 . After a predetermined period of time, the CPU 81 switches the undiluted solution solenoid valve 53 from the first state to the second state to stop the undiluted solution supply.

After switching the undiluted solution electromagnetic valve 53 to the second state, the CPU 81 stops the pump 52 . When the pump 52 is stopped, the discharge flow rate becomes unstable. However, since the concentrated solution solenoid valve 53 has already been switched to the second state, the concentrated solution is not supplied to the stirring tank 21 when the pump is stopped. Thus, the stirring tank 21 is supplied with the stock solution when the discharge flow rate of the pump 52 is stable.

Further, the undiluted solution is discharged into the stirring tank 21 from the first nozzle 23 with the discharge port 23a facing upward. When the undiluted solution electromagnetic valve 53 is closed, the undiluted solution at the discharge port 23a is returned into the first nozzle 23 by its own weight, and does not drip into the stirring tank 21. Therefore, in the stirring tank 21, the opening and closing operation of the concentrated solution electromagnetic valve 53 does not vary the supply amount of the concentrated solution.

The undiluted coolant may not be diluted uniformly if water is added to the undiluted solution. However, the stirring unit 2 is driven by the motor 221 before supplying the concentrate, and the concentrate is supplied little by little while the water is being stirred. Therefore, the stock solution is uniformly diluted during stirring. Further, even when the specific gravity of the stock solution is 1 or more, the stirring unit 2 stirs the stock solution while the stock solution is supplied. Therefore, the undiluted solution that is put in does not sink in the water and disperses.

The CPU 81 drives the motor 221 to sufficiently stir and mix the concentrate and water until the discharge is completed even after the supply of the concentrate is completed.

The stock solution of the coolant is, for example, a water-soluble stock solution containing only a few percent of the active ingredient. Since the stirring blades 223 of the stirring section 2 are arranged inside the conical surface 31b of the discharge section 3, the undiluted solution and the water are pushed out to the conical surface 31b side by the stirring blades 223, then guided to the conical surface 31b and reversed. It is sent out to the conical surface side. Also, since the apex of the conical surface 31b is displaced from the rotating shaft 222, it is difficult for water or the undiluted solution to accumulate near the apex of the conical surface 31b. Therefore, the stock solution and water are stirred and mixed without remaining at the bottom of the stirring tank 21, and the active ingredient of the stock solution spreads uniformly throughout the water. If the stock solution is an emulsion type stock solution, a stable emulsion is prepared in the stirring unit 2, and problems such as poor separation and emulsification can be avoided.

After sufficiently stirring and mixing the water and the stock solution, the CPU 81 notifies of replenishment (S4). That is, the CPU 81 changes the first indicator lamp 181 from the continuous lighting state to the blinking lighting state. After that, the CPU 81 starts to replenish the coolant tank 202 with the generated replenishment coolant (S5). Note that the processing of S4 and S5 may be performed in reverse order.

That is, the CPU 81 turns on (opens) the ejection electromagnetic valve 33 of the ejection section 3 . Then, the replenishment coolant of the stirring tank 21 is dropped from the replenishment pipe 203 into the coolant tank 202 by its own weight. The CPU 81 also drives the motor 221 when replenishing the coolant for replenishment. As a result, the diluent replenishing device 1 replenishes the coolant tank 202 while stirring and mixing the replenishment coolant. From the start of replenishment, the replenishment coolant accurately adjusted to the replenishment concentration "Brix concentration 3%" is supplied. The coolant tank 202 can continue to be refilled.

The CPU 81 that has started replenishment determines whether or not the water level of the coolant tank 202 is equal to or higher than the limit water level (S6). When the ON signal is received from the replenishment limit level switch 102 using the communication IF 91, the CPU 81 determines that the water level is below the limit water level (S6: NO). In this case, the CPU 81 determines whether or not replenishment has been completed (S7). For example, when the discharge electromagnetic valve 33 is ON (open), the CPU 81 determines that replenishment is not completed (S7: NO). In this case, the diluent replenishing device 1 returns to the process of S6.

On the other hand, when the water level of the coolant tank 202 is not equal to or higher than the limit water level (S6: NO), the CPU 81 closes the discharge solenoid valve 33 when the time corresponding to the replenishment amount has elapsed since the discharge solenoid valve 33 was opened. Turn off (close). When the discharge electromagnetic valve 33 is closed in this manner, the CPU 81 determines that the replenishment is completed (S7: YES), and issues a standby notification (S8). The standby notification is performed, for example, by turning off the first indicator lamp 181 and turning on the second indicator lamp 182 . After that, the CPU 81 terminates the replenishment control process shown in FIG. It should be noted that the processing of S4 to S7 is an example of "replenishment processing".

When 60 minutes have passed since the previous replenishment, the diluent replenishing device 1 repeats the above-described processing, and replenishes the replenishment coolant accurately adjusted to the replenishment concentration "Brix concentration 3%" as in the previous replenishment. The coolant tank 202 is refilled with an amount of "8 L".

In this manner, the diluent replenishing device 1 replenishes the coolant tank 202 with 8 L of replenishment coolant adjusted to a Brix concentration of 3% every hour. Therefore, the diluent replenishing device 1 replenishes the coolant tank 202 with a small amount of replenishment coolant more frequently than when replenishment coolant is replenished by 100 L each once or twice a day. Fluctuations in volume and coolant concentration are small. Further, since the diluent replenishing device 1 replenishes the coolant tank 202 with homogeneous and stable replenishment coolant little by little from the start of replenishment to the end of replenishment, the coolant concentration gradually increases due to the replenishment of the replenishment coolant. Do not fall below the target control concentration. Therefore, the coolant tank 202 is resistant to putrefaction and rusting of the coolant and maintains the amount of coolant stored therein. can.

In response to the above, after starting the control program 86, the CPU 81 uses the communication IF 91 to determine that the water level is above the limit water level when an OFF signal is received from the replenishment limit level switch 102 (S1: YES). For example, the diluent replenishing device 1 frequently supplies 20 L or less of coolant for replenishment to the coolant tank 202, so the coolant in the coolant tank 202 may not decrease so much. In such a case, the CPU 81 receives an OFF signal from the replenishment limit level switch 102 while replenishing the coolant for replenishment.

Upon receiving the OFF signal, the CPU 81 stops the generation process (S9). That is, the CPU 81 turns off the electromagnetic valve 65 for water and the electromagnetic valve 53 for undiluted solution, and does not drive the motor 221 and the pump 52 . Then, the CPU 81 issues an alarm from the speaker 19 (S10), returns to the process of S1, and confirms the water level of the coolant tank 202.

When the signal received from the replenishment limit level switch 102 using the communication IF 91 changes from the OFF signal to the ON signal, the CPU 81 determines that the water level of the coolant tank 202 is not equal to or higher than the limit water level (S1: NO), and executes the processes after S2. conduct. That is, the diluent replenishing device 1 generates replenishing coolant when the water level of the coolant tank 202 is below the limit water level. Since the process after S2 was mentioned above, description is omitted.

When the CPU 81 receives an OFF signal from the replenishment limit level switch 102 after opening the discharge solenoid valve 33 and starting replenishment of the replenishment coolant, the CPU 81 determines that the water level of the coolant tank 202 has reached or exceeded the limit water level (S6: YES). In this case, the CPU 81 closes the discharge electromagnetic valve 33 to stop replenishment of the replenishment coolant even if replenishment coolant remains in the stirring tank 21 (S11). Note that the CPU 81 continues to drive the motor 221 even after the discharge electromagnetic valve 33 is closed. As a result, even during the emergency stop, the stirring unit 2 continues to stir and mix the replenishment coolant remaining in the stirring tank 21, and the homogeneity and stability of the replenishment coolant can be maintained.

The CPU 81 that has stopped replenishment issues an alarm (S12). For example, the CPU 81 turns off the first indicator lamp 181 and turns on the third indicator lamp 183 . In addition, the CPU 81 outputs a sound for notifying an abnormality or an alarm sound from the speaker 19 . As a result, the user can recognize that the coolant may overflow from the coolant tank 202 and reconsider the timing and amount of replenishment with the replenishment coolant.

The CPU 81 that generated the alarm returns to the process of S6. When the signal received from the replenishment limit level switch 102 changes from the OFF signal to the ON signal using the communication IF 91, the CPU 81 determines that the water level is not above the limit water level (S6: NO), and opens the discharge solenoid valve 33 to replenish the water. resume. That is, the diluent replenishing device 1 replenishes the coolant tank 202 with the remaining replenishing coolant without newly generating replenishing coolant. At this time, the CPU 81 drives the motor 221 to replenish the coolant tank 202 with the remaining replenishment coolant while stirring and mixing. Note that the CPU 81 that has restarted the replenishment turns off the third indicator lamp 183 and blinks the first indicator lamp 181 to make a replenishment notification (S7: NO, S4, S5).

Since the remaining replenishment coolant is continuously stirred and mixed even while replenishment is stopped, the replenishment concentration is adjusted to "Brix concentration 3%", and the coolant is replenished in the same state as the previous replenishment. The tank 202 is refilled. Further, the diluent replenishing device 1 replenishes the coolant tank 202 with a replenishment coolant at a small amount of 8 L per time, and replenishes the coolant tank 202 with a high frequency. Therefore, even if the replenishment amount is less than the set value of "8 L" about once, the coolant tank 202 does not run out of coolant. After that, the CPU 81 proceeds to S6. Since the processing after S6 has been described above, the description thereof will be omitted.

Therefore, the diluent replenishing device 1 can generate and replenish the homogeneous and stable replenishing coolant by placing top priority on preventing the coolant from overflowing from the coolant tank 202 .

By the way, the diluent replenishing device 1 needs to be replenished with the stock solution as appropriate. The user removes the lid 43 from the undiluted solution receiving port 42 externally provided on the housing 10 and replenishes the undiluted solution tank 40 with the undiluted solution. Since the concentrate tank 40 is accommodated in the housing 10, the user cannot replenish the concentrate while directly checking the level of the concentrate. Therefore, the CPU 81 monitors the water level of the undiluted solution tank 40 using the undiluted solution level sensor 44 . When the CPU 81 detects that the water level of the undiluted solution tank 40 has exceeded the upper limit value using the undiluted solution level sensor 44, the CPU 81 issues an alarm for a certain period of time. For example, the CPU 81 lights the third indicator lamp 183 of the driving state notification unit 18 to notify the abnormality. The CPU 81 may use the speaker 19 to audibly output the warning. The alarm allows the user to finish replenishing the concentrate before the concentrate tank 40 overflows.

As described above, since the diluent replenishing device 1 of the present embodiment is individually installed in the coolant tank 202, it is possible to store the timing, replenishment amount, and replenishment concentration reflecting the characteristics of the coolant tank 202. can. In other words, the user who manages the coolant tank 202 inputs the timing, the replenishment amount, and the replenishment concentration reflecting the characteristics of the coolant tank 202 to the diluent replenishing device 1 via the operation button 171, and stores them in the reception information storage unit 88. be able to.

The diluent replenishing device 1 supplies the undiluted solution and water to the stirring unit 2 according to the replenishment amount and replenishment concentration stored in the reception information storage unit 88, and stirs and mixes them. As a result, the molecules of the undiluted solution are uniformly dispersed in the water, so that the diluent replenishing device 1 can generate replenishing coolant accurately adjusted to the replenishment amount and replenishment concentration stored in the reception information storage part 88. - 特許庁

At the timing stored in the reception information storage unit 88, the diluent replenishing device 1 replenishes the coolant tank 202 with 20 L or less of homogeneous and stable replenishment coolant generated by the stirring unit 2. For example, when the capacity of the coolant tank 202 is set to 200 L, the coolant tank 202 is replenished with a small amount of replenishment coolant that is 1/10 or less of the storage amount. Therefore, in the coolant tank 202, the coolant concentration does not fluctuate abruptly as the replenishment coolant is replenished, and is stabilized.

Therefore, according to the present embodiment, in the diluted solution replenishing device 1 that replenishes the coolant tank 202 with the replenishing coolant obtained by diluting the undiluted solution with water, the replenishing coolant is supplied while suppressing the concentration fluctuation of the coolant stored in the coolant tank 202. The coolant tank 202 can be refilled.

Further, the diluent replenishing device 1 of the present embodiment replenishes the coolant tank 202 with a small amount at high frequency, for example, when storing the timing with a cycle time of 15 minutes or more and 720 minutes or less. For example, when the capacity of the coolant tank 202 is 200 L, the user determines the replenishment timing every 60 minutes, the replenishment amount to 8 L, and the replenishment concentration to Brix concentration 3 based on the change tendency of the storage amount of the coolant tank 202 and the coolant concentration. set to %. In this case, the diluent replenishing device 1 stirs and mixes the undiluted solution and water to generate 8 L of replenishment coolant having a Brix concentration of 3% and replenishes the coolant tank 202 with the replenishment coolant every 60 minutes. When the diluent replenishing device 1 operates for 24 hours, the coolant tank 202 is replenished 24 times a day with 8 L of replenishing coolant at a constant replenishment concentration.

Therefore, for example, rather than a method of replenishing the coolant for replenishment when the water level of the coolant tank 202 becomes low, or a method of replenishing the coolant for replenishment to the coolant tank 202 once or twice a day, The replenishment device 1 can replenish the coolant tank 202 with replenishment coolant at a high frequency. Since the coolant tank 202 is frequently replenished with replenishment coolant having a constant concentration, the coolant concentration and storage amount are stabilized.

Therefore, the diluent replenishing device 1 can replenish the replenishing coolant while suppressing fluctuations in the amount of coolant stored and the coolant concentration. In addition, by managing the timing by the cycle time, it is possible to reduce the user's trouble of inputting the timing. Since the diluent replenishing device 1 has a replenishment amount of 20 L or less, the amount of replenishment coolant generated can be small. Therefore, the capacities of the undiluted solution tank 40 and the stirring tank 21 can be reduced, and the entire device can be made compact. In addition, by using commercially available general-purpose products such as using a commercially available polyethylene tank with a capacity of 10 L for the stock solution tank 40 and using a 14 L capacity pan for the tank body 211 of the stirring tank 21, the equipment cost can be reduced. can be reduced.

Further, the diluent replenishing device 1 of the present embodiment replenishes a small amount of replenishing coolant of 20 L or less at high frequency. Therefore, the diluent replenishing device 1 may replenish the coolant tank 202 with replenishment coolant even when the coolant is circulating between the coolant tank 202 and the machine tool 201 . The water level in the coolant tank 202 drops below the steady water level during coolant circulation. Even in such a case, the diluent replenishing device 1 does not generate or replenish the coolant for replenishment when the replenishment limit level switch 102 detects that the water level of the coolant tank 202 is equal to or higher than the water limit level. Therefore, the diluent replenishing device 1 can suitably generate and replenish the coolant for replenishment.

Further, the diluent replenishing device 1 of the present embodiment issues an alarm if the replenishment coolant is not generated or replenished even when the replenishment coolant is replenished. It is possible to make the user recognize that the replenishment amount was inappropriate.

Further, in the diluent replenishing device 1 of the present embodiment, the discharge ports 23a and 24a of the J-shaped first nozzle 23 and second nozzle 24 are arranged upward. Therefore, the concentrate or water does not drip from the first nozzle 23 or the second nozzle 24 after the concentrate solenoid valve 53 or the water solenoid valve 65 is closed. Therefore, the diluent replenishing device 1 can produce a replenishing coolant with an accurate replenishment concentration without variations in the supply amounts of the stock solution and water supplied to the stirring unit 2 due to dripping.

Further, in the diluent replenishing device 1 of the present embodiment, while stirring water in the stirring unit 2, the undiluted solution is introduced into the stirring unit 2, the undiluted solution and water are stirred and mixed, and further, replenishment of the replenishing coolant is completed. Since the stirring unit 2 is caused to stir and mix until the coolant is mixed, homogeneous and stable replenishment coolant can be generated and the coolant tank 202 can be replenished.

Further, the diluent replenishing device 1 of the present embodiment manages the replenishment concentration with the Brix concentration, similar to the concentration management of the coolant stored in the coolant tank 202 . As a result, for example, the diluent in the coolant tank 202 is managed by the Brix concentration, and the replenishment concentration is managed by the volume ratio of the undiluted solution and water. Gone. Therefore, according to the diluent replenishing device 1 of this embodiment, the process of generating the replenishing coolant can be simplified.

Further, the diluent replenishing device 1 of the present embodiment has the concentration coefficient stored in the concentration coefficient storage unit 87, the replenishment amount stored in the reception information storage unit 88, and the replenishment amount stored in the reception information storage unit 88. Concentration (Brix concentration %) is used to automatically calculate the undiluted solution supply amount and the water supply amount. Then, the undiluted solution and water are supplied to the stirring unit 2 at the calculated undiluted solution supply amount and water supply amount to generate supplementary coolant. Therefore, the diluent replenishing device 1 can highly accurately generate the replenishing coolant in consideration of the concentration coefficient of the stock solution with the Brix concentration index.

In addition, in the diluent replenishing device 1 of the present embodiment, the funnel member 31 of the discharge section 3 arranged at the bottom of the stirring tank 21 has a funnel shape. is replenished to Therefore, it is possible to prevent the residual fluid remaining in the stirring tank 21 from deteriorating and affecting the properties of the newly generated supplementary coolant.

Further, in the diluent replenishing device 1 of the present embodiment, for example, a user who grasps the change tendency of the diluent consumption amount and the coolant concentration in the coolant tank 202 can set the timing, the replenishment amount, and the replenishment concentration using the operation buttons 171. Can be freely entered and set. The diluent replenishing device 1 accurately generates and replenishes replenishment coolant according to the set timing, replenishment amount, and replenishment concentration. Therefore, the diluent replenishing device 1 can generate and replenish the replenishing coolant according to the characteristics of the coolant tank 202 .

Further, in the diluent replenishing device 1 of the present embodiment, for example, when the discharge amount of the pump 52 is unstable when the pump 52 is started, the undiluted liquid is not supplied to the stirring unit 2, and the liquid is not supplied to the stirring unit 2 until the discharge amount of the pump 52 is stabilized. , the undiluted solution is supplied to the stirring unit 2 . As a result, the supply amount of the undiluted solution supplied to the stirring unit 2 is precisely adjusted, so that the diluent replenishing device 1 can generate replenishing coolant with an accurate replenishing concentration.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and can be applied in various ways. For example, the diluent replenishing device and diluent replenishing method of the above embodiments may be applied to dilution and mixing of detergents, rust preventives, and surfactants in addition to coolants.

The processing of S10 and S12 in FIG. 4 may be omitted. Also, the replenishment limit level switch 102 shown in FIG. 3 and the processes of S9, S10, S11 and S12 in FIG. 4 may be omitted.

The replenishment limit level switch 102 may simply detect the water level of the coolant tank 202, and the CPU 81 may determine whether the water level detected by the replenishment limit level switch 102 is equal to or higher than the limit water level.

The first nozzle 23 and the second nozzle 24 may be omitted. Alternatively, for example, instead of the first nozzle 23 and the second nozzle 24, an I-shaped nozzle may be used, and a check valve may be provided at the tip of the nozzle to prevent the stock solution or water from dripping. .

The stock solution and water may be supplied to the stirring section 2 at the same time, or the stock solution may be supplied to the stirring section 2 and then the water may be supplied to the stirring section 2 .

The replenishment concentration may be managed in units other than the Brix concentration. The density coefficient storage unit 87 may be omitted. The undiluted solution supply amount and the water supply amount may be controlled by the flow rate ratio.

The discharge part 3 does not have to be funnel-shaped. That is, for example, the funnel member 31 does not have to have the conical surface 31b. Further, for example, the discharge section may be configured by integrally providing a discharge pipe at the bottom of the stirring tank 21 and arranging the discharge electromagnetic valve 33 in the discharge pipe. The undiluted liquid solenoid valve 53 may be a two-way valve. The undiluted liquid level sensor 44 may be omitted. The undiluted solution solenoid valve 53, the water solenoid valve 65, and the discharge solenoid valve 33 may be proportional valves. However, by using ON-OFF type solenoid valves for the undiluted solution solenoid valve 53, the water solenoid valve 65, and the discharge solenoid valve 33, the device cost is lower than when proportional valves are used.

The reception information storage unit 88 may store the timing, replenishment amount, and replenishment concentration input from an external device using the communication IF 91, for example. In other words, the reception information storage unit 88 may store the timing, replenishment amount, and replenishment concentration acquired by means other than the operation button 171 .

Since the diluent replenishing device 1 has a small replenishment amount of the replenishing coolant of 20 L or less, less water is used to generate the replenishing coolant. Therefore, the diluent replenishing device 1 may be connected to the water source 205 shared with other diluent replenishing devices 1 . For example, as shown in the piping example of FIG. 5, the coolant tanks 202A and 202B of the machine tools 201A and 201B may be connected one-to-one to the diluent replenishing devices 1A and 1B through replenishing pipes 203A and 203B. Then, branch hoses 207A and 207B are connected to one water source 205, and the branch hoses 207A and 207B are connected to diluent replenishing devices 1A and 1B. This eliminates the need to provide the water source 205 for each of the diluent replenishing devices 1A and 1B, thereby reducing equipment costs.

The order of each process shown in FIG. 4 may be changed as long as there is no contradiction. An infusion means such as a pump may be provided in the discharge part 3 . However, by replenishing the coolant for replenishment from the agitation tank 21 to the coolant tank 202 by free fall as in the discharge unit 3 of the above embodiment, the infusion means becomes unnecessary, and the diluent replenishment device 1 can be made smaller and less expensive. can be achieved.

1 Diluent replenishing device 2 Stirring unit 3 Discharging unit 4 Undiluted solution supply unit 6 Water supply unit 81 CPU
88 reception information storage unit 202 coolant tank

Claims (13)

In a diluent replenishing device that dilutes a stock solution with water to generate a diluent for replenishment and replenishes a storage tank that stores the diluent used in a machine tool,
separately installed in said storage tank,
a stirring unit for stirring and mixing the stock solution and the water to generate the supplementary diluent;
a discharge unit for discharging the supplementary diluent from the stirring unit to the storage tank;
a stock solution supply unit that supplies the stock solution to the stirring unit;
a water supply unit that supplies the water to the stirring unit;
a control unit that controls operations of the stirring unit, the discharge unit, the undiluted solution supply unit, and the water supply unit;
Timing for replenishing the replenishment diluent to the storage tank, replenishment amount of the replenishment diluent to be replenished to the storage tank when the timing comes, and replenishment to the storage tank when the timing comes a storage unit that stores a replenishment concentration indicating the concentration of the replenishment diluent to be used;
has
The replenishment amount is 20 L or less,
The control unit
The undiluted solution and the water are respectively supplied to the stirring unit using the undiluted solution supply unit and the water supply unit so as to satisfy the replenishment amount and the replenishment concentration stored in the storage unit, and the stirring unit is operated. a production process for producing the replenishment diluent by stirring and mixing the stock solution and the water using
When the timing stored in the storage unit comes, the discharge unit is used to discharge the supplementary diluent generated in the stirring unit from the stirring unit to the storage tank, and the storage tank a replenishment process to replenish;
to run
The stirring unit includes a stirring tank for stirring and mixing the stock solution and the water, a rotating shaft arranged along the vertical direction in the stirring tank, and a stirring blade provided on the rotating shaft,
The discharge part has a funnel shape with a downwardly concave conical surface formed in a conical shape, and is arranged at the bottom of the stirring tank,
the apex of the conical surface is displaced from a downward extension of the axis of rotation;
A diluent replenishing device characterized by: In a diluent replenishing device that dilutes a stock solution with water to generate a diluent for replenishment and replenishes a storage tank that stores the diluent used in a machine tool,
separately installed in said storage tank,
a stirring unit for stirring and mixing the stock solution and the water to generate the supplementary diluent;
a discharge unit for discharging the supplementary diluent from the stirring unit to the storage tank;
a stock solution supply unit that supplies the stock solution to the stirring unit;
a water supply unit that supplies the water to the stirring unit;
a control unit that controls operations of the stirring unit, the discharge unit, the undiluted solution supply unit, and the water supply unit;
Timing for replenishing the replenishment diluent to the storage tank, replenishment amount of the replenishment diluent to be replenished to the storage tank when the timing comes, and replenishment to the storage tank when the timing comes a storage unit that stores a replenishment concentration indicating the concentration of the replenishment diluent to be used;
has
The replenishment amount is 20 L or less,
The control unit
The undiluted solution and the water are respectively supplied to the stirring unit using the undiluted solution supply unit and the water supply unit so as to satisfy the replenishment amount and the replenishment concentration stored in the storage unit, and the stirring unit is operated. a production process for producing the replenishment diluent by stirring and mixing the stock solution and the water using
When the timing stored in the storage unit comes, the discharge unit is used to discharge the supplementary diluent generated in the stirring unit from the stirring unit to the storage tank, and the storage tank a replenishment process to replenish;
to run
The stirring section includes a first nozzle connected to the liquid supply section and a second nozzle connected to the water supply section, and the liquid of the liquid is supplied from the liquid supply section to the first nozzle. Having a stock solution dripping prevention part for preventing dripping, wherein the second nozzle has a water dripping prevention part for preventing the water supplied from the water supply part from dripping;
A diluent replenishing device characterized by: In a diluent replenishing device that dilutes a stock solution with water to generate a diluent for replenishment and replenishes a storage tank that stores the diluent used in a machine tool,
separately installed in said storage tank,
a stirring unit for stirring and mixing the stock solution and the water to generate the supplementary diluent;
a discharge unit for discharging the supplementary diluent from the stirring unit to the storage tank;
a stock solution supply unit that supplies the stock solution to the stirring unit;
a water supply unit that supplies the water to the stirring unit;
a control unit that controls operations of the stirring unit, the discharge unit, the undiluted solution supply unit, and the water supply unit;
Timing for replenishing the replenishment diluent to the storage tank, replenishment amount of the replenishment diluent to be replenished to the storage tank when the timing comes, and replenishment to the storage tank when the timing comes a storage unit that stores a replenishment concentration indicating the concentration of the replenishment diluent to be used;
has
The replenishment amount is 20 L or less,
The control unit
The undiluted solution and the water are respectively supplied to the stirring unit using the undiluted solution supply unit and the water supply unit so as to satisfy the replenishment amount and the replenishment concentration stored in the storage unit, and the stirring unit is operated. a production process for producing the replenishment diluent by stirring and mixing the stock solution and the water using
When the timing stored in the storage unit comes, the discharge unit is used to discharge the supplementary diluent generated in the stirring unit from the stirring unit to the storage tank, and the storage tank a replenishment process to replenish;
to run
a reporting unit;
a housing that accommodates the stirring unit, the discharge unit, the undiluted solution supply unit, and the water supply unit;
The undiluted solution supply unit
a stock solution tank provided inside the housing for storing the stock solution;
a stock solution receiving port provided outside the housing for receiving the stock solution;
a connecting pipe that connects the undiluted solution tank and the undiluted solution receiving port;
a stock solution level detection unit that detects the water level of the stock solution stored in the stock solution tank;
has
The control unit causes the alarm unit to issue an alarm when the undiluted solution level detection unit detects the upper limit value;
A diluent replenishing device characterized by: In the diluent replenishing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 ,
The timing is set at a cycle time of 15 minutes or more and 720 minutes or less;
A diluent replenishing device characterized by: In the diluent replenishing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 ,
Having a detection unit that detects the water level of the diluent stored in the storage tank,
The control unit
If the water level detected by the detection unit is equal to or higher than the limit water level at which the replenishment diluent can be replenished while the diluent is circulated between the storage tank and the machine tool, not executing at least one of the generation process and the replenishment process;
A diluent replenishing device characterized by: In the diluent replenishing device according to claim 5 ,
wherein the control unit issues an alarm when at least one of the generation process and the replenishment process is not executed;
A diluent replenishing device characterized by: In the diluent replenishing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 ,
In the generation process, the control unit supplies the water from the water supply unit to the stirring unit, and then supplies the undiluted solution from the undiluted solution supply unit to the stirring unit while stirring the water in the stirring unit. to supply
The control unit causes the stirring unit to perform stirring and mixing until the replenishment process is completed;
A diluent replenishing device characterized by: In the diluent replenishing device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 ,
The diluent stored in the storage tank is concentration-controlled by the Brix concentration,
The replenishment concentration is set by the Brix concentration;
A diluent replenishing device characterized by: In the diluent replenishing device according to claim 8 ,
The stock solution is a water-soluble stock solution,
Having a concentration coefficient storage unit that stores a concentration coefficient unique to the stock solution,
The control unit, in the generation process,
causing the undiluted solution supply unit to supply the undiluted solution at the undiluted solution supply amount calculated using Equation 1, and causing the water supply unit to supply the water at the water supply amount calculated using Equation 2;
A diluent replenishing device characterized by:
Vc=Vol×Cb×Brx/100 (Formula 1)
Vw=Vol-Vc (Equation 2)
where Vol is the replenishment amount per time, Cb is the concentration coefficient, Brx is the replenishment concentration (Brix concentration %), Vc is the stock solution supply amount, and Vw is the water supply amount. is. In the diluent replenishing device according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
Having an operation unit operated by a user,
The storage unit stores the timing, the replenishment amount, and the replenishment concentration input using the operation unit;
A diluent replenishing device characterized by: In the diluent replenishing device according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
The undiluted solution supply unit
a stock solution tank for storing the stock solution;
a stock solution supply pipe for supplying the stock solution from the stock solution tank to the stirring unit;
a concentrate return pipe branching from the concentrate supply pipe and returning the concentrate to the concentrate tank;
a three-way valve arranged at a branch point where the raw solution return pipe branches from the raw solution supply pipe;
a pump arranged between the three-way valve and the undiluted solution tank;
When the control unit executes the generation process,
The three-way valve is operated so as to connect the pump to the raw solution return pipe until the discharge amount of the pump stabilizes, and after the discharge amount of the pump stabilizes, the pump is connected to the stirring unit. operating the three-way valve;
A diluent replenishing device characterized by: In the diluent replenishing device according to any one of claims 1 to 11 ,
The water supply unit is connected to a water source shared with other diluent replenishing devices;
A diluent replenishing device characterized by: In the diluent replenishing device according to any one of claims 1 to 12 ,
The discharge unit replenishes the replenishment diluent from the stirring unit to the storage tank by free fall;
A diluent replenisher, characterized by:

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