JPH0236924A - Vacuum laminating device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make vacuum action possible in a short period of time by using a small-sized vacuum pump by a method wherein a reserve tank is interrupted from a vacuum system and the inside of an airtight chamber is sucked directly by a vacuum generating source. CONSTITUTION:The inside of a reserve tank RT is kept established at a fixed degree of vacuum beforehand and a space S and the reserve tank RT is made to communicate by actuating one side pipe line directional control valve 29. When decompression is started, the space S arrives at the fixed degree of vacuum in a short period of time, a heated and softened sheet material 21 is clad to a base material 1 and molded. Vacuum force of the reserve tank RT is lowered according to its capacity. The reserve tank RT is interrupted by actuating the pipe line directional control valves 29, 30, a vacuum pump VP is made to communicate with the inside of a molding work table 2 and the inside of the molding work table 2 is sucked directly. Since the reserve tank RT is separated from the vacuum system, even the vacuum pump VP of small capacity can consume the whole evacuation capacity for restoration of established vacuum force.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a vacuum laminating apparatus for attaching a decorative sheet made of synthetic resin or the like to a base material of a product original shape using vacuum reduction.

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a vacuum laminating apparatus has been used to attach and mold a sheet material made of synthetic resin or the like onto a base material in order to decorate the base material of the original product.

In the conventional vacuum laminating apparatus shown in FIG. 9, a synthetic resin sheet A and a base material B are placed facing each other in a vacuum container V, and the synthetic resin sheet A is placed inside the vacuum container V which is airtightly divided. The pressure on the side gap of base material B is reduced using a vacuum pump P, and the sheet is heated to convert the softened synthetic resin sheet) A into base material B.
It is designed to be attached to the surface of the

In another conventional vacuum laminating apparatus shown in FIG. 10, the base material B is conveyed by a belt conveyor COV having a large number of small holes H in the bell T, and the base material B is coated with the synthetic resin sheet A at the molding position. At the same time as covering the base material B, the base material B is surrounded by a vacuum container V from above and below the belt T, and the synthetic resin sheet A is heated and softened, and at the same time, the synthetic resin sheet A is sucked downward with a vacuum pump P to cover the base material B with the synthetic resin sheet A. It was covered.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, with the conventional apparatus shown in Fig. 9, the molded product must be taken out each time the molding process is completed in order to set the base material B to be processed next in the vacuum container. There was a problem in that it was difficult to automate the process and improve the efficiency of molding work.

In addition, in the other conventional apparatus shown in FIG. 10, a belt conveyor COV is installed as a conveyance means so that the molding work can be performed continuously.
Since the molding and cooling operations are performed in parallel on the same bell, there is a problem that loss time occurs in each process and production efficiency is not necessarily high.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and provides a vacuum laminating apparatus that can automate work in each process and perform efficient production with little loss time under stable production conditions. The purpose is to

[Means for solving problems]

Therefore, in order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises:
The main structure is as follows.

That is, in a vacuum laminating apparatus that adheres and molds a sheet material made of synthetic resin or the like onto a base material by vacuum suction, a placement station for setting the base material is provided, and a press means using a vacuum device is provided next to the placement station. A molding station is provided, and next to the molding station is a cooling stage removal station for cooling the molded product covered with the sheet material and removing it from the apparatus. Accordingly, a plurality of molding workbenches on which the base material is placed are provided, and the molding workbenches are cyclically transferred by a transfer means between the placement station, the molding station, and the cooling takeout station. .

[Effect]

In the arrangement described above, after the substrate is placed on the molding workbench at the placement station, the molding workbench is transferred to the molding station by the transport means.

At the molding station, a molding operation is performed using a vacuum press means, and at the same time, a second molding workbench is provided at the placement station, and a new base material is set thereon.

When the molding work at the molding station is completed,
The first molding workbench on which the molded product is placed is transferred to the cooling stage unloading station by a transfer means, and the second molding workbench is transferred from the placement station to the molding station by the transfer means.

When the molded product placed on the first molding workbench is cooled and extracted, the first molding workbench is transferred to the placement station by the transfer means and input into the next molding cycle. However, since each molding workbench from the second molding workbench is transferred through the above-mentioned work processes in a similar manner to the first molding workbench, the molding work of the base material is carried out efficiently. It turns out.

〔Example〕

The present invention will be explained below with reference to embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 8.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the base material 1 is placed on a molding workbench 2 and is transferred between each process by a transfer means described later. As shown in FIG. 2, the molding workbench 2 of the king dai is configured to be circulated and transferred. The molding workbench 2 is a flat box with an opening at the top, and a gasket 3 for airtightness is provided around the periphery of the opening.
is provided. A pair of retaining members 4.4 having grooves 4a, 4a formed along the direction of transfer of the molding workbench 2 are fixed on both sides of the back surface, respectively. Furthermore, a plurality of L-shaped brackets 5.5 are fixedly installed inside the engaging members 4, 4 with their tips facing inward, and the tips of the brackets 5, 5 are Wheels 6, 6 are each rotatably provided. The brackets 5, 5 and wheels 6, 6 are
A contact rail 8° 8 formed of a conductive material is connected to a heating heater 7 buried in the bottom of the molding workbench 2, and is in contact with the wheel 6.6 as described later. The molding workbench 2 itself and the base material 1 can be heated by receiving power supply.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of vacuum valves 9 are provided on the bottom plate 2a of the molding workbench 2. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the vacuum valve 9 includes a tube that is longer than the cylindrical member 10 and whose outer diameter is smaller than the inner diameter of the cylindrical member 10, at the bottom 10a of a cylindrical member 10 that is open on one side. A body 11 is fixedly installed, a pressure member 12 is provided inside the cylindrical member 10 so as to fit the tubular body 11 outside, and the inner circumference 1 of the cylindrical member 10 is
A tubular valve body 13 is provided vertically slidably between the tube body 11 and the outer peripheral portion 11b of the tube body 11, and the valve body 13 is configured to be pressed by the elastic member 12. A conduit 14 is opened at the end surface 11a of the tubular body 11 on the side of the cylindrical member 10, and communicates with the inside of the molding workbench 2 at the bottom surface 2b of the molding workbench 2 through a number of small holes 2c.

The pipe line 14 is bored downward and communicates with an opening 14a provided in the lower side surface of the pipe body 11. Also, the tube body 11
A flange 15 is provided protruding from the lower end of the flange 15, and a seal member 15a is provided on the upper surface of the flange 15.

A seven flange 16 having a rim portion 16b projects from the lower end of the valve body 13, and a seal member 16c is provided on the lower end surface of the rim portion 16b. However, valve body 1
A sealing member 16a is provided on the lower end surface 13a of 3 at a position opposite to the sealing member 15a provided on the flange 15 of the pipe body 11, and the valve body 13 is lowered to open the opening 14.
The valve body 13 is configured to airtightly fit into the flange 15 of the pipe body 11 when the valve a is shut off.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, a vacuum valve 9 having the same structure as the vacuum valve 9 is provided on the side surface of the molding workbench 2.
a is provided, and the inside of the molding workbench 2 and the small hole 2 are
They are configured to communicate via C.

Next, as shown in FIG. 1, a placement station 17 for setting the base material 1 on the molding workbench 2 is installed at the starting position of the molding operation by the vacuum laminating apparatus of the embodiment. The arrangement station 17 has an approximately box-shaped machine frame 18 with an open upper surface as a main body, and a lift frame 18a provided in the machine frame 18 so as to be able to rise and fall freely has a drive body 19A as a means for transporting the molding workbench 2. A pair of left and right conveying long bodies 20A, 2. OA is provided.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, the pair of conveying long bodies 2OA
, 20A, a pair of contact rails 8, 8, each having a cross-section having a cross-section, are fixed in parallel to the direction of transport by the conveying elongated bodies 20A, 2OA, with the flanges 8a, 8a facing outward. The flantz portions 8a, 8m of the contact rails 8, 8 have their tips bent downward and have a conductive contact member 8b on the lower surface.
, 8b are provided, and the wheels 6 of the molding workbench 2,
6 are configured to engage and make stable contact.

The lower ends of the contact rails 8, 8 are connected to the negative power source E. The conveyor elongated bodies 20A, 20A and the contact rails 8, 8 are guided by guide mechanisms 18b, 18b in the machine frame 18 so as to be able to move up and down within a predetermined range, as shown in imaginary lines in FIG. It is configured.

Next, the conveyor elongated bodies 20A, 2 of the arrangement station 17
A forming station 22 for adhering and forming the sheet material 21 onto the base material 1 by suction by the vacuum pump ■P is installed in the transfer direction membrane section by 0A. Inside the main machine frame 23 of the molding station 22, there are a drive body 19B and a conveyor body 20B provided in the arrangement station 17 as means for transporting the molding workbench 2, and a conveyor body 20B located at the upper and lower sides. are fixedly installed in each. The positions of the conveyor elongated bodies 20B, 20B provided on both the upper and lower parts are as follows:
This corresponds to the raised position and lowered position of A, respectively. Further, the transport direction of the upper long transport body 20BH is the same as the transport direction of the transport long body 20A provided in the placement station 17 at the raised position, and the transport direction of the lower long transport body 20BL is the same as the transport direction of the upper long transport body 20BH. The molding workbench 2 on which the base material 1 is placed and the empty molding workbench 2 are configured to be transported in a continuous horizontal direction, as will be described later. There is.

Further, the contact rails 8.8 having the same structure as the power supply contact rails 8, 8 provided in the arrangement station 17 are connected to the upper conveying bodies 20BH, 20B of the molding station 22.
H and lower conveyor long body 20BL.

It is provided between 20 BLOs.

A hydraulic cylinder 24 is fixedly installed above the center of the main machine frame 23, which is the molding work position of the molding station 22, as a pressing means. Compressed air box 2 as half part
5 is provided so that it can be raised and lowered by the operation of the hydraulic cylinder 24. The compressed air box 25 is a box with an open bottom, and the shape of the opening matches the shape of the top opening of the molding workbench 2. Further, an airtight viewing window 25a is provided on the side surface of the compressed air box 25, and a heater 25b for heating and softening the sheet material 21 is provided on the inner top surface.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, the molding station 22 is equipped with a vacuum device composed of a vacuum pump vP, etc., and an air pipe 26 connected to the vacuum bonder vP is installed at the molding station 22. , into the molding station 22 via the reserve tank RT. The air pipe 26
As shown in FIGS. 5 to 5, the molding station 22 is branched into a plurality of parts and opened upward at the molding work position, and a joint member 27 having a sealing member 27a is provided at the opening end. There is. The joint member 27 is arranged to correspond to the position of the vacuum valve 9 provided on the bottom plate 2a of the molding workbench 2, and when the molding workbench 2 is transferred to the molding work position, the pressure box 25 When the molding workbench 2 is lowered and the molding workbench 2 is lowered, the vacuum pulp 9 and the joint member 27 are fitted into communication with each other. The air pipe 26 is also connected to a preheated air supply device (not shown) and is configured to blow preheated air into the molding workbench in order to warm the sheet material 21 before vacuum forming.

f. As shown in FIG. 7, the air pipes 26 and 28 connected to the reserve tank RT are connected to the reserve tank R.
A three-way valve 29.30 is provided on both sides of the T,
The three-way valves 29 and 30 are configured to communicate with each other through a bypass pipe 31. The three-way valves 29 and 30 are, for example, electromagnetic valves, and are connected together with the vacuum pump vP so as to be operated appropriately according to the working process of the apparatus.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, a flexible air pipe 32 is connected to the vacuum pump (2) and the reserve tank RT. A joint member 32a is provided at the tip of the air pipe 32 and is configured to be removably fitted to the vacuum pulp 9a attached to the side surface of the molding workbench 2. The structure is such that the sheet material 21 attached to the base material 1 can be maintained in a vacuum state even while it is being transferred from the molding station 22 to a cooling take-out station 33, which will be described later. Further, the air pipe 32 and the joint member 32a are connected to the vacuum valve 9 after the cooling process of the molded product is completed.
It has an attachment/detachment and movement mechanism (not shown) for detaching from a and returning to the original position.

In addition, in this embodiment, the sheet material 21 is the release paper 21
1. As shown in FIG.

- the roll 34, its unwinding device 35 and the peeled off release paper 2;
A winding device 36 of 1a is provided.

Further, the sheet material 21 is placed at the end of the upper conveying elongated body 20BH of the molding station 22 in the conveying direction according to the working mode.
A cutting device 37 for cutting is provided.

Next, the upper conveying body 20B of the molding station 22
A cooling take-out station 33 for cooling the molded base material 1 and taking it out to the outside of the apparatus is installed in the transfer direction membrane portion of H. Cooling extraction station 33
The machine is composed of a substantially box-shaped machine frame 38 with an open upper surface and a cooling extractor 39 provided on the upper part of the machine frame 38. Inside the machine frame 38, conveyor elongated bodies 20C, 20 (E, etc.) serving as a conveyance means are provided which are movable up and down, and which are arranged between the conveyor and the conveyor installed at the placement station 17. The take-out device 39 has a plurality of blowers 40 for cooling the molded product, and is equipped with a suction cup 41 that sucks the cooled molded product by vacuum force as a take-out means. The ejected molded product is transported to the outside of the apparatus by a conveying means 42.

Next, in the vicinity of the cooling extraction station 33,
A product stock elevator 43 is provided on which the molded product 1a taken out from the cooling number v calculation station 33 and transported by the transport means 42 is placed.

The operation of the configuration described above will first be described in accordance with the order in which the negative molding workbench 2 is circulated through each process and transferred.

First, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the conveyor elongated bodies 2OA and 2OA of the placement station 17 are set to the raised position, and the molding workbench 2 is placed in the grooves 4a and 4a of the engaging members 4 and 4. Long body 20A.

20A. However, molding workbench 2
The base material 1 in the original shape of the product is set on the bottom surface 2b of the molding machine 2, and the molding workbench 2 is transferred to the next process.

At this time, the heating heater 7 of the molding workbench 2 is heated primarily through the contact rails 8.8 and the wheels 6, 6 that are rolled in contact with the contact members 8b, 8b of the contact rails 8, 8. Since power is supplied from the side power supply E, the molding workbench 2 itself and the base material 1
is subjected to a preheating effect.

Next, the molding workbench 2 transferred from the placement station 17 is transferred to the upper conveying body 2 of the molding station 22.
It is transferred to 0BH and set at the molding work position. As the unwinding device 35 unwinds the sheet material 21 from the roll 34, the winding device 36 also unwinds the release paper 2La of the sheet material 21.
The sheet material 21 is automatically wound up and the sheet material 21 with the adhesive side facing down covers the opening of the molding workbench 2 at the molding work position. However, the hydraulic cylinder 24 is activated and the pressure box 25 is lowered, and the lower end surface of the opening of the pressure box 25 is crimped to the metal material 3 of the molding workbench 2 via the sheet material 21, and the vacuum molding operation is completed. A vacuum vessel is formed for this purpose.

At this time, the molding workbench 2 is pushed downward, so that the vacuum pulp 9 of the molding workbench 2 is fitted into a joint member 27 fixedly installed within the molding station 22.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the vacuum pulp 9 fixed to the bottom plate 2a of the molding workbench 2 is lowered as a whole, and the 7 flange 16 of the valve body 13 is moved to the flange portion 2 of the joint member 27.
7b. As it further descends to the molding workbench 2, the cylindrical member 10 and the tube body 11 descend against the elastic force of the elastic member 12, and the valve body 13 slides upward relative to the tube body 11. It turns out. Therefore, the vacuum valve 9 and the joint member 27 are airtightly connected by the sealing materials 16c and 27a, and the opening 14a of the tube body 11 is opened, so that the space S is divided into multiple parts by the molding workbench 2 and the sheet material 21. is communicated with a vacuum device such as the vacuum bonder VP and the preheated air supply device.

The heater 25b in the compressed air box 25 acts to heat the sheet material 21, and hot air is blown into the molding workbench 2 from the preheated air supply device via the vacuum pulp 9, further heating it. Electric power is supplied to the heater 7 from the contact rails 8, 8 via the wheels 6, 6.
5b, the preheated air supply device, and the warming heater 7 are appropriately controlled to set the inside of the molding workbench 2 to appropriate molding conditions.

Then, the preheated air supply device stops blowing hot air, the vacuum pump (P) and the reserve tank RT start vacuum suction, and compressed air is introduced into the compressed air box 25.

To explain the operation sequence and function of vacuum devices such as vacuum bonder vP and reservoir tank RT in vacuum forming work with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, first, as shown by ■ in FIG. A predetermined degree of vacuum (for example, 7 CI
OrtaH? The three-way valve 29 is operated to connect the air pipe 2 between the space S and the reserve tank RT.
6, and the air in the space S is sucked. When depressurization is started at point (2), the space S will drop below a predetermined value within a short period of time (for example, about 2 seconds) as shown in (2).
The heated and softened sheet material 21 is adhered to the base material 1 and molded.

Therefore, the vacuum force of the reserve tank RT decreases to, for example, 400 tracts depending on its volume.

(See Figure 8 ■) Here, the three-way valves 29 and 30 are operated to cut off the reserve tank RT whose vacuum power has decreased from the vacuum system of the vacuum device, and to connect the vacuum pump ■P to the bypass pipe 31 and the air pipe 26. 28, and the inside of the molding workbench 2 is directly suctioned by vacuum bonder (2). As shown in Figure 8 (■), the vacuum force of the vacuum device recovers to the predetermined set vacuum force, but during this recovery period, the reserve tank RT is disconnected from the vacuum system, so the vacuum capacity is relatively small. Even in Bonde vP, the entire pumping capacity can be spent on restoring the set vacuum power, and therefore in a relatively short period of time (
- by way of example from 6 seconds to 15 seconds) the predetermined set vacuum force will be restored. Further, when the vacuum pump VP is not involved in the vacuum forming operation, the three-way valve 29 is closed and the three-way valve 30 is opened to communicate the vacuum bonder P and the reserve tank RT. It is evacuated by the vacuum pump ■P and set to a predetermined vacuum force in preparation for the next molding operation. 1. In addition, the vacuum time and timing settings for each device's operation during vacuum forming work are programmed for automatic operation, so it is possible to flexibly respond to changes in molding conditions and product specifications.

When the vacuum forming work is completed, the hydraulic cylinder 24
operates to raise the pressure box 25, so the molding workbench 2 is released from the pressing force of the hydraulic cylinder 24 and rises, and the vacuum pulp 9 and the joint member 27 are separated. As shown in FIG. 4, the valve body 13 of the vacuum pulp 9 hangs down due to its own weight and is pushed downward by the elastic force of the elastic member 12 to engage with the flange 15 of the tube body 11. The opening 14a of the pipe body 11 is closed by the valve body 13, and the valve body 13 and the pipe body 11 are in close contact with each other through the sealing materials 16a and 15a, so that the vacuum system inside the molding workbench 2 communicating with the pipe line 14 is closed. will be sealed from the outside.

Next, the molding workbench 2 is transferred to the cooling take-out station 33 by the upper conveying body 20BH, and the sheet material 21 is cut by the cutting device 37. The molding workbench 2 has a flexible air pipe 32 fitted to the vacuum pulp 9a on the side surface before the molding work, and receives suction from the vacuum bonder vP during transfer and cooling work to be described later. . Therefore, during this time, the degree of vacuum between the sheet material 21 and the molding workbench 2 is maintained, and molding defects such as bulge υ of the sheet material 21 do not occur after molding.

Next, the molding workbench 2 is engaged with and placed on the conveying body 20C of the cooling take-out station 33 in the raised position, and is transferred to the cooling take-out position.

Then, the blower 40 of the cooling take-out device 39 is activated, and the sheet material 21 after the sheet molding is cooled by blowing air and fixed to the surface of the base material 1. After that, the cooling take-out device 39 descends, the suction cup 41 attracts the molded product 1a by vacuum force, and the conveying means 42 is driven to transport the molded product 1a to the product stock elevator 43 and place it there. let

Therefore, the conveying long body 2 of the cooling take-out station 33
．． The OC descends with the empty molding workbench 2 engaged thereon. In the lowered position, the conveyor body 20C transports the molding workbench 2 to the molding station 22. The molding workbench 2 sent to the molding station 22 is engaged with and placed on the lower conveying body 20BL, and is transported toward the placement station 17, and the contact rail 8,
Electric power is supplied from 8 through wheels 6, 6, and is preheated by a heating heater 7. The molding workbench 2 is then fed into the conveying body 20A set at the lowered position of the placement station 17, and while being preheated by the heating heater 7, the molding workbench 2 is moved upward by the conveying body 20A. The process returns to the base material 1 setting position, which is the starting point.

Each molding workbench 2 is circulated through each process in the order explained above, but to explain the mutual positional relationship between the two molding workbenches, first, the first molding workbench on which the base material 1 is set. is transferred to the molding station 22, the second molding workbench that was waiting on the lower conveying body 2OBL of the molding station 22 is transferred to the lowered placement station 1.
The base material 1 is continuously transferred to the conveying body 2OA of No. 7 and receives the set of the base material 1.

When the molding work is finished, the first molding workbench is transferred to the cooling and take-out station 33, and the second molding workbench on which the base material 1 is set is subsequently transferred to the molding station 22. The third molding workbench, which has been waiting on the conveying long body 2OBL, is transferred to the placement station 17 and receives the base material 1 set thereon.

After cooling and taking out the molded product 1 at the cooling take-out station 33, the first molding workbench is transferred to the lower part of the molding station 22 and waits to be input into the next molding cycle. It turns out.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, each process of setting the base material, vacuum forming, and cooling take-out in the vacuum packaging molding operation is performed at the placement station, the molding station, and the cooling take-out station, respectively, and the base material At the same time, a plurality of molding workbenches that constitute the vacuum container during vacuum molding are provided, and the transfer means circulates between the stations, thereby automating the work in each process and achieving stable production. The effect is that efficient production with less loss time can be carried out under certain conditions.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, a partially sectional side view, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a placement station in the embodiment, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the vacuum pulp and the joint member, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the vacuum valve and the joint member in a fitted state, and FIG. ,
FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view of the embodiment, showing the vacuum force maintenance mechanism when the molding workbench moves. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the vacuum device in the embodiment. FIG. A graph showing the state in which the vacuum force of the vacuum device fluctuates. Fig. 9 is a partially longitudinal side view showing a conventional vacuum laminating device. Fig. 10 is a partially longitudinal side view showing another conventional vacuum laminating device. It is a diagram. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Base material, 2... Molding workbench, 17... Placement station, 2OA, 20C... Conveyance long body as transfer means, 20BH... Upper conveyance long body as transfer means, 20BL ...lower conveying long body as a conveying means, 21
... Sheet material, 22 ... Molding station, 33.
...Cooling extraction station, ■P...Vacuum pump, RT...Reservation tank. Patent Applicant CI Kasei Co., Ltd. Agent/Patent Attorney Norihiro Nishimura Written Amendment to Optical Proceedings

Claims (1)

[Claims] A vacuum laminating apparatus for adhering and molding a sheet material made of synthetic resin or the like onto a base material by vacuum suction, comprising a placement station for setting the base material, and a press means provided adjacent to the placement station and using a vacuum device. a molding station, a cooling take-out station for molded products adjacent to the molding station, and a plurality of base materials on which substrates are placed and circulated and transferred between the placing station, the molding station, and the cooling take-out station. A vacuum laminating apparatus comprising a molding workbench and a transfer means for transporting the molding workbench.