JPH01184060A - Viscous material painting apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To surely paint a viscous material by a prescribed amount, by comparing a signal from reference distance data storing means and a practical distance signal obtained by a sensor and correcting the distance between a painting nozzle and the surface to be painted of a panel. CONSTITUTION:A painting gun main body 23 united with a sensor 10 to detect a distance between the surface to be painted and a painting nozzle 26 is attached in an arm 21 being set to move freely in almost perpendicular direction to the surface of a panel P2. Also, a gun distance controlling motor 13 to transfer the main body 23 is equipped in the arm 21. Further, by a comparing means 11, the painting distance obtained by a sensor 10 is compared with the distance information from a reference distance data storing means 12. When the distance obtained by the sensor 10 is different from the reference distance, it is stored in a distance correcting data storing means 15 and in the case of the presence of the difference, a motor controlling means 14 sends a controlling signal to the motor 13 after received a signal from the means 15.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a viscous material application device that automatically applies a viscous material such as a sealer to a predetermined position on a panel using an industrial robot.

(Conventional technology) Door panels, hood panels, and
For panel materials composed of an inner panel and an outer panel, such as trunk lid panels, etc., after the inner panel and outer panel are butted together, the end of the outer panel is connected to the end of the inner panel. Both panels are assembled together by folding them toward the outer surface.

A structural adhesive made of a viscous material, generally called a sealer, is applied to the contact surfaces of the ends of both panels to maintain the adhesive strength between the two panels at a predetermined value. .

In recent years, there has been a desire to improve the rust prevention quality of automobiles, and by preventing moisture from entering the cavity called the bag-shaped part formed between the inner panel and the outer panel, it is possible to improve the rust prevention quality of automobiles. In order to prevent rust from corrosion and the like, the structural adhesive is commonly used as a sealing material for the purpose of rust prevention and is applied.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the procedure for assembling the panel material consisting of the inner panel P1 and the outer panel P2 as described above. As shown in FIG. After bending at right angles to form the flange portion F, a sealer material S is applied to the inner surface of the outer panel P2 at a predetermined distance from the outer surface of the seven flange portions F. Fig. 6(B) Outer panel P2 is shown as a roughly rectangular shape among a panel material consisting of an inner panel P1 and an outer panel P2, such as a door panel, and shows a state in which a sealer material S is applied to the inner surface of this outer panel P2.

After the inner panel P1 is butted against the inner surface of the outer panel P2 coated with the sealer material S, the flange portion F is bent, that is, hemmed, as shown in FIG. 6(C). As a result, the sealer material S is brought into close contact with the contact surface between the outer panel P2 and the inner panel P1, ensuring a predetermined adhesive strength between both panels, and allowing both panels to form a shape.

Water can be prevented from entering into the formed bag-shaped portion G.

Conventionally, a viscous material applicator as shown in FIG. 7 has been used to apply the sealer material S for this purpose to a predetermined position on the panel P2.

As shown in FIG. 7, a coating gun main body 3 having a coating nozzle 2 is attached to the arm 1 of the industrial robot, which has been taught a predetermined distance ML from the outer surface of the flange portion F. The main body 3 is movable in the direction shown by the arrow, and is biased by a spring member 4 with a resilient force directed upward in the figure. When applying the viscous material to the panel material P2 from the application nozzle, the application nozzle 2 moves on the trajectory of the teaching position while always coming into contact with the panel material P2. Therefore, panel P2
By setting the distance between the coating surface of panel P2 and the coating nozzle to zero, it is possible to apply a predetermined amount of sealer material to panel P2, regardless of the unevenness in the vertical direction.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in such a conventional viscous material application device, the sealant is applied while the panel and the application nozzle are in contact with each other, so friction between the panel and the application nozzle may occur. There was a fear that the speed of application of the sealer material would not be constant due to the paper grooves, resulting in variations in the amount of sealer material applied to the panel, which would eventually lead to deterioration of the rust prevention quality of the automobile.

On the other hand, if the device is used for a long period of time, the applicator nozzle will wear out and the applicator nozzle will no longer make accurate contact with the panel, making it unable to absorb unevenness on the panel surface, which will cause the amount of sealant applied to become inconsistent. There were also points.

Furthermore, when the coating nozzle wears out in this way, the number of man-hours required for maintenance such as replacement of the coating nozzle is large.

The reason why the coating gun main body 3 can be moved in this way is that the movement locus of the coating nozzle 2 is taught in advance in the control device of the industrial robot, but if there is a machining error in the panel material P2, This is because even if the application nozzle 2 is moved as taught, the viscous material cannot be applied to a predetermined position.

The present invention has been made in view of the problems of the prior art described above, and it is an object of the present invention to make it possible to reliably apply a predetermined amount of viscous material to a predetermined position on a panel.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention for achieving the above-mentioned object has the following features: from a coating nozzle attached to an arm of an industrial robot, to a panel, the coating surface of the panel surface and the coating nozzle are connected to each other. In a viscous material application device that applies a viscous material while maintaining a predetermined distance between the application surface and the application nozzle, the application gun body, which is integrated with a sensor that detects the distance between the application surface and the application nozzle, is attached to the head arm. On the other hand, a gun distance control motor is attached to the surface of the panel so as to be movable in a substantially perpendicular direction, and the arm is provided with a gun distance control motor for moving the coating gun body, and the coating distance obtained from the sensor and the reference distance data storage means are provided. a comparison means for comparing the distance information obtained from the sensor, ? - distance correction data storage means for storing the distance when the coating distance deviates from the reference distance;
The viscous material application device has a motor control means for receiving a signal from the distance correction data storage means and sending a control signal to the gun distance control motor when the deviation exists.

(Function) The distance between the coating nozzle and the coating surface of the panel surface is determined by a sensor, and whether or not that distance is a predetermined distance is determined based on the signal from the reference distance data storage means and the actual distance determined by the sensor. The distance signal is calculated by the comparison means.

Based on this calculation result, the distance between the coating nozzle and the coating surface of the panel surface for the next panel is corrected, and the distance between the coating nozzle and the coating surface of the panel surface is corrected without having to perform teaching again to set the robot's operating position. It becomes possible to apply the viscous material at an accurate distance from the application surface.

- (Example) FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the basic concept of a viscous material coating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a sensor 10 for detecting the distance between a coating nozzle and a coating surface of a panel surface is connected to a comparison means 11. The comparison means 11 is connected to a signal from a reference distance data storage means 12 consisting of storage means such as ROM or RAM. The reference distance data storage means 12 stores the distance between the coating surface of the panel surface and the coating nozzle at each position along the edge of the panel P2, and uses the signal from the sensor 10 to determine the actual coating pressure. The error from the distance is calculated.

A coating gun body having a coating nozzle for coating a viscous material can be moved in a direction perpendicular to the panel surface by a gun distance control motor 13, and these motors 1 and 3 are driven by a motor control means 14. is now under control. A control signal is sent to the motor control means 14 from the comparison means 11 via the distance correction data storage means 15. This distance correction data storage means 15 is composed of storage means such as RAM,
If the distance between the actual coating nozzle and the coating surface of the panel surface deviates from the reference distance, a signal is sent from the distance correction data storage means 15 to the motor control means 14 to correct the amount of deviation. It will be sent.

FIG. 2 (A>(B) is a diagram showing a specific example of a viscous material coating device according to a part/male side of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows a part of an industrial robot 20. , this robot 20
A guide rail 22 is attached to an arm 21 provided on the arm 21, and a coating gun main body 23
is movably installed. This coating gun body 23
The direction of movement is the vertical direction in FIG. 2 (A>), and this direction is approximately perpendicular to the surface of the panel 22. A distance control motor 13 is installed on the rail 22.
A ball screw 25 is connected to the shaft of the motor 13, which is screwed to a sliding body 24 that is integrated with the coating gun body 23.

A coating nozzle 26 for coating a sealer material S as a viscous material is provided at the tip of the coating gun body 23. A coating control motor 27 is attached to the coating gun body 23 in order to start and stop coating the sealant S applied from the coating nozzle 26 and to control the amount of coating at the tip of the coating nozzle.

FIG. 2(B) shows a state in which the sealer material S is being applied to the tip of the application nozzle 26. In order to detect the distance between the application surface of the panel 22 and the application nozzle, the light source is powered by a battery. A laser sensor 1 that uses a ruby laser and includes a photomultiplier tube for picking up the reflected beam from the target and an optical telescope for directing the laser beam to the target.
0 is attached to the coating gun body 23.

FIG. 3 (A> is a diagram showing an example of the sensor 10 described above, in which a laser beam is projected from a laser generator 30 onto the panel P2 at a predetermined incident angle α with respect to the panel, and this laser The reflected light from the panel P2 of the beam is detected by a light receiving section 31 having the photomultiplier tube.

The light reception signal waveform of the panel P2 obtained using such a sensor 10 is shown in FIG. 3(B), and the position where the peak value of this light reception signal waveform appears and the projection position of the laser beam are By distance [1, [2...Ln,
Distance between the coating surface on the panel 22 surface and the coating nozzle, H2
,...Hn is the following formula, Hn = t,, n / (2ta
n a ).

Application nozzle 26 attached to arm 21 of robot 20
The distance from which the sealant S is applied to the panel P2 from the application gun is controlled by a signal from the robot controller 40. The movement locus of the coating nozzle 26 is taught in the robot control unit 40 according to the shape of the panel P2, and the coating nozzle 26 is moved along a predetermined trajectory based on a signal from there.

However, if the shape of the panel P2 to which the sealer material S is applied changes due to a lot change, etc., the application nozzle 26
Even if it moves along the prescribed trajectory as taught,
The distance of the application nozzle to the panel P2 is shifted, and as a result, a certain amount of the sealer material S is not applied. Therefore, a sensor control section 43 is provided in the viscous material application control section 41 to receive the signal from the sensor 10 and calculate the above-mentioned Hn dimension, and the signal from here passes through the input/output port 43. and is sent to the calculation section 44. This calculation section 4
4 is provided with comparison means 11 for comparing the signal from the reference distance data storage means 12 and the distance signal between the actual coating nozzle and the coating surface of the panel surface.

If the distance between the actual coating nozzle and the coating surface of the panel surface deviates from the standard distance fJIH,
The amount of deviation is stored in the distance correction data storage means 15. Depending on the amount of deviation, a signal from the calculation unit 44 is sent to the gun distance control motor 13 via the motor control means 14.

On the other hand, a control signal is sent from the calculation unit 44 to the application control motor 27 for controlling the amount of sealant S applied from the application nozzle 26 via the application control unit 45. 44, signals are also sent from the robot control section 40 via the input/output port 46.

Furthermore, the coating gun main body 23 is provided with a coating confirmation sensor 32 for detecting the coating state of the applied sealer material to confirm whether or not the sealer material has been applied. This coating confirmation sensor 32 is called a one-dimensional sensor or line sensor, and a signal from this sensor 32 is sent to a coating confirmation sensor control section 33 in a viscous material coating control section 41 and passed through an input/output port 43. It is connected to the arithmetic unit 44 .

Here, if the sealer material is not applied even partially, the application confirmation sensor 32 detects it, and the application confirmation sensor control section 33 and the input/output port 43 cause the calculation section 44 to calculate the re-application. is now being done.

In the above embodiment, a laser beam is used for the sensor lO, but ultrasound may also be used for this, and in this case, the time from transmitting the ultrasound to receiving the reflected wave is measured. By doing so, the distance between the coating surface of the panel surface and the coating nozzle can be determined.

Next, the procedure of the coating operation using the viscous material coating apparatus of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

The panel P2 to which the sealer material S is applied is placed on a jig or the like by a predetermined conveyance device. This panel P2 is the first panel of a certain lot, and with this panel placed on a jig etc., the robot 20 is started and the arm 21 is placed in the robot control unit 40 in advance. Move based on taught data. And arm 21
When the coating nozzle 26 has moved to a predetermined position on the panel P2, which is the object to be coated, the input/output port 47 in the robot controller 40 and the input/output port 47 in the viscous material coating controller 41 are Control unit 4 via input/output port 46
4, a coating start command 7 signal is sent.

As a result, a coating start instruction is issued, the timer is reset, and a command voltage is output to the coating control motor 13.

Since this panel P2 is the first panel of a certain lot, the arm 21, that is, the application nozzle 26 moves to the reference position taught in the robot control section 40.

The sealer material S is applied from the application nozzle 26 to the panel P.
When the sensor 10 detects the distance between 2 and the coating nozzle 26, the value of the normal dimension of H and the actual dimension is compared, and if there is a difference between these values, the deviation amount Δ is this difference.
The value of h is determined.

Based on this value, the coating nozzle 26 is
The value of the amount of movement ΔX is calculated, and this value ΔX is stored in the distance correction data storage means 15. At the same time,
The application confirmation sensor 32 checks whether the sealer S has been completely applied, and if it has not been applied partially or partially, the place where the application has broken is memorized and the panel Without changing P2, the coating nozzle 26 is moved to the location where the coating has run out, and the sealer material S is applied again only to that location.

When the time set by the timer has passed, the first panel P
The coating work for 2 is completed. Next, the work of applying the sealer material S to the second panel P2 is started after receiving the application start command from the robot control unit 41. In this case, the coating is performed in a process that is almost the same as that for the first panel P2, but
The gun, that is, the coating nozzle 26 is moved based on the gun movement distance data from the distance correction data storage means 15. ' In this way, the sealer material S for one panel P2
While performing the coating work, the distance between the panel and the coating nozzle is detected by the sensor 10, and the error Δh in the dimension of H is detected.
is calculated, and the deviation correction amount is fed back for the coating work on the next panel P2.

Therefore, even if the shape of the panels in one lot gradually changes slightly, the viscous material such as the sealer material S can be applied accurately with a predetermined gun distance. Furthermore, even if the shape of the panel changes slightly due to lot changes, accurate coating can be achieved with a predetermined gun distance.

However, if the gun distance when the sealer material S was applied exceeds a predetermined error, the application nozzle 26 should be moved to that location and the application work should be performed again, as in the case where the application is finished. Make it.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, while applying a viscous material to a panel, it is possible to determine whether or not the distance between the coating surface of the panel surface and the coating nozzle is the reference distance or not. Since the nozzle position is fed back to calculate the amount of deviation from the distance and correct the coating distance for the next panel, the nozzle position can be left as is without re-teaching for robot control. By moving the position of the application gun body, the viscous material can be applied with a precise gun distance.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the basic structure of a viscous material coating device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2(A) is a structural diagram according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. A> is a structural diagram showing the coating state of the coating gun main body, FIG. 5 are flowcharts showing the control process of the viscous material coating device of the present invention, FIGS. 6(A) to 5(C) are schematic diagrams showing an example of a panel to which a viscous material is applied, and FIG. It is a front view showing a material application device. 10... Sensor, 11... Comparison means, 12...
Reference distance data storage means, 13... Gun distance control motor, 14... Motor control means, 15... Distance correction data storage means, 20... Robot, 21... Arm, 23... Coating gun body, 26... coating nozzle. Patent applicant Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. agent Patent attorney 8 1) Mikio (one idiot) Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 (a) (A) Figure 6 (A) (B)

Claims (1)

[Claims] From a coating nozzle attached to the arm of an industrial robot,
In a viscous material coating device that applies a viscous material to a panel while maintaining a predetermined distance between the coating surface on the panel surface and the coating nozzle, the distance between the coating surface and the coating nozzle is detected. A coating gun body with which a sensor is integrated is attached to the arm so as to be movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the panel; a gun distance control motor for moving the coating gun body is provided on the arm; comparison means for comparing the coating distance obtained from the sensor with distance information from the reference distance data storage means; and distance correction for storing the distance when the coating distance obtained from the sensor deviates from the reference distance. A viscous material application device comprising data storage means, and motor control means that receives a signal from the distance correction data storage means and sends a control signal to the gun distance control motor when the deviation exists.