JPH0428428B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a color changing device for a painting robot that performs painting work while replacing a paint gun with a paint cup.

For example, in an automobile manufacturing line, when topcoating the bodies of automobiles transported by a conveyor, it is common for each body to be painted with a different paint. When trying to perform such topcoat painting using a single painting robot, a color change valve is installed to selectively supply multiple colors of paint to the paint gun, and the paint is applied to the preceding object to be painted first. After the completion of painting, and before starting the painting of the subsequent object to be coated, there is a difference in color between the previous color paint used on the preceding object and the next color paint to be used on the subsequent object. must be replaced. This color change work is done by flowing thinner and air into the paint supply line from the color change valve to the paint gun, completely cleaning and removing the previous color charge, and then supplying the next color paint to the paint supply line. It is something that is done.

Regarding the color change valve, the applicant has
No. 58-58167 improved the conventional technology in which a long paint supply hose was used to connect the color change valve installed on the side wall of a painting booth and the paint gun, and installed the color change valve on the arm of the robot. We have proposed a painting robot that can save paint and cleaning thinner and shorten color change work time by minimizing the number of paint supply hoses between the robot and the paint gun.

However, even with the painting robot proposed earlier, although the paint supply hose connected between the color change valve and the paint gun is arranged at the minimum length, it is still necessary to use the hose when changing colors. It is necessary to wash and remove the previous color paint by sequentially supplying thinner and air inside the tank, and it is impossible to completely eliminate the loss of paint, thinner, air, etc. In addition, since a bundle of paint supply hoses for supplying multiple colors of paint is connected between the color change valve attached to the arm and the painting booth, movable parts such as the robot's support and arm are connected to the bundle of hoses. This caused the problem that the robot's freedom of movement, which is desired as much as possible, was restricted. Furthermore, in order to ensure smooth and reliable movement of the robot, it is desirable to make the arm as light as possible, but attaching a color change valve to the arm increases the weight of the arm, making it difficult to meet the demand for weight reduction. There was a point where I didn't agree with it.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and its purpose is to attach and detach a paint gun with a paint cup filled with a desired paint to a painting robot body based on the teaching content of the robot itself. , there is no need to wash the previous color paint,
Not only can losses of paint, thinner, air, etc. be completely eliminated, and the weight burden on the robot arm can be minimized, but also the paint supply hose used to supply paint to the painting gun has been eliminated. To provide a color changing device for a painting robot which allows the robot to move freely and accurately.

The configuration adopted by the present invention in order to achieve this object includes a painting robot body, a bracket attached to the robot body and formed with a support surface, and a paint gun with a paint cup attached to the support surface of the bracket. a holder having an abutting surface that abuts;
a clamp mechanism provided on the robot body to detachably support the holder by bringing the support surface of the bracket into abutment with the abutment surface of the holder; and a clamp mechanism formed on the bracket and attached to the support surface. a ventilation passage having an opening that opens; and another ventilation passage formed in the holder for supplying gas to the coating gun and having an opening in the abutment surface that communicates with the opening of the ventilation passage. Become.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

In FIGS. 1 to 3, 1 includes a base 1A, a turntable 1B provided on the base 1A, a support 1C rotatably supported on the turntable 1B, and a support 1C that is rotatable on the support 1C. The pillar 1 can be moved
An arm 1D attached to protrude forward from C,
This is a painting robot body (hereinafter referred to as robot body) consisting of a wrist 1E provided at the tip of the arm 1D.

2 is a bracket provided on the wrist 1E;
The bracket 2 includes a flat base 2A and a base 2A.
A thick support portion 2B protrudes downward from the tip of the
and a flat support surface 2C formed on the front surface of the support portion 2B, and the base portion 2A is fixed to the tip of the wrist 1E with the support surface 2C facing forward of the wrist 1E.

3 is a holder, and the holder 3 has a flat base 3A.
and a claw 3 formed downward at one end of the base 3A.
B, a thick grip portion 3C projecting downward from the other end of the base 3A, and a support surface 2 of the bracket 2.
C and an abutting surface 3C formed on the front surface of the gripping part 3C so as to abut with each other.

Reference numeral 4 denotes a paint gun fixed onto the base 3A via bolts and nuts 5. A paint cup 4A is integrally attached to the paint gun 4, and a nozzle tip 4B is provided at the tip. here,
The paint gun 4 has a built-in air-driven on-off valve (not shown) that controls the supply of paint from the paint cup 4A to the nozzle tip 4B, and also has atomizing air in the vicinity of the nozzle tip 4B. It is configured as an air atomization gun that facilitates atomization of paint by being supplied with it.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a clamp mechanism disposed below the bracket 2, which removably supports the holder 3 by bringing the abutment surface 3D of the holder 3 into abutment with the support surface 2C of the bracket 2; The clamp mechanism 6 includes an air cylinder 7 and a clamp member 13 to be described later.
It is composed of. Here, the air cylinder 7 is attached with a bolt to the lower surface of the base 2A of the bracket 2.
A piston 10 is inserted into the cylinder 7, which is fixed via nuts 9A and 9B and slid by air pressure. A piston rod 10A is attached to the piston 10, with one end fixed to the piston 10 and the other end extending from the cover 7A of the cylinder 7 toward the support 2B of the bracket 2. Moreover, the lid part 7A and the bottom part 7B of the cylinder 7
Ports 11A and 11B for introducing compressed air into the cylinder 7 are bored across the piston 10, and the sliding surface of the lid portion 7A with the piston rod 10A and the outer circumferential surface of the piston 10 are provided. O-rings 12A and 12B are fitted in the respective parts.

Reference numeral 13 denotes a clamp member provided integrally with the tip of the protruding side of the piston rod 10A. Claws 13A and 13B are provided on the inner surface, respectively. The clamp member 13 is fitted onto the outside of the support portion 2B of the bracket 2 at a substantially intermediate position, and is movable in the left-right direction in FIG. 2 by the piston 10 via the piston rod 10A.

Reference numeral 14 denotes a ventilation path for atomized air formed in an L-shape in the support portion 2B of the bracket 2. The ventilation path 14 has an opening 14A on the upper surface of the support portion 2B, and
C, each having a central opening 14B,
The opening 14A is connected to an air source (not shown), and an O-ring 15A is attached to the edge of the opening 14B.
is fitted.

On the other hand, reference numeral 16 denotes a ventilation passage for valve driving air which is formed in an L-shape in the support portion 2B of the bracket 2, similar to the ventilation passage 14, and the ventilation passage 16 also has an opening 16A on the upper surface of the support portion 2B. Each of the supporting surfaces 2C has an opening 16B in the center thereof, and the opening 16A is connected to an air source, and an O-ring 15B is fitted to the edge of the opening 16B.

Reference numeral 17 denotes an atomized air ventilation passage formed in an inverted L shape in the gripping part 3C of the holder 3, and the ventilation passage 17 has an opening 17A in the center of the abutting surface 3D of the gripping part 3C.
Each of the gripping portions 3C has an opening 17B on the lower surface, and when the abutment surface 3D and the support surface 2C abut each other, the opening 17B closes to the opening 14B formed in the support surface 2C. It is formed in a position that communicates with the

On the other hand, 18 is a holder 3 similar to the air passage 17.
A ventilation passage for valve driving air is formed in an inverted L shape in the gripping part 3C.
each has an opening 18B on the lower surface of C,
The opening 18A is formed at a position where it communicates with the opening 16B formed in the support surface 2C when the abutting surface 3D and the support surface 2C abut each other. 19 is an opening 17 of the atomizing air ventilation path 17.
B and an air hose connected to the painting gun 4; 20 also represents an air hose connected to the opening 18B of the valve-driving air ventilation passage 18 and the painting gun 4; The discharged paint is atomized, and the valve driving air from the air hose 20 drives the on-off valve to open and close.

Further, 21A and 21B are bottomed fitting holes 22A and 22 formed in the support surface 2C of the bracket 2.
Reference numeral B designates a protrusion member having a semicircular or conical tip and a male thread at the base so as to fit into the fitting holes 21A and 21B, and the protrusion members 22A and 22B.
is screwed onto the abutment surface 3D. When the support surface 2C and the abutting surface 3D abut, the protruding members 22A and 22B fit into the fitting holes 21A and 21B, thereby positioning and holding the holder 3.

Reference numeral 23 denotes a stand located within the painting booth, and the stand 23 is placed within the operating range B of the robot body 1 in order to hold the holder 3 to which the painting gun 4 is attached when not in use. A plurality of them are arranged at positions outside the painting work range C. Protruding step portions 23A and 23B are formed upwardly at the tip and middle of the pedestal 23, and the bolt head of the bolt/nut 5 is placed inside the recessed portion 23C formed between the projecting step portions 23A and 23B. It is becoming accommodating. Further, a rod 24 having a spring seat 24A at the tip and a stopper 24B on the concave portion 23C side is inserted into the tip side step portion 23A of the pedestal 23 so as to be slidable in the direction of the grip portion 3C. A compression spring 25 is fitted around the rod 24 and tensioned between the outer surface of the spring 23A and the spring seat 24A.

The pedestal 23 configured as described above is provided with the following parts: outside the painting work area C on both the left and right sides of the robot body 1 as shown in Figure 4A, and on the opposite side of the painting work area C as shown in Figure 4B. A large number of painting guns 4 are positioned and used for painting.

Next, the operation of the apparatus of this embodiment configured as described above will be explained. The operations described below are performed, for example, by playback operations based on teaching.

First, before starting the painting work, the paint cups 4A of the paint gun 4 are filled with paints of different colors, and the holder 3 that supports the paint gun 4 is filled with its claw 3.
B is locked to the step part 23B of the pedestal 23, and the grip part 3
The inner surface of C is held on the frame 23 under the pressing force of a spring 25. The colors of the paint filled into the paint cup 4A of the paint gun 4 are arranged in accordance with the objects to be coated that are sequentially sent along the conveyor line.

On the other hand, the robot body 1 is also in a standby position, and the piston 10 in the cylinder 7 is supplied with air to the port 11B side, and the clamp member 1 of the clamp mechanism 6
3 is in the most extended state.

Next, when a command to start painting work is issued from a control device (not shown), the robot body 1 moves in accordance with this command, and moves below the holder 3 on which a predetermined painting gun 4 is attached. located in Next, as shown in FIG. 5, the clamp mechanism 6 is raised in the A direction by the arm 1D, and the gripping part 3C of the holder 3 is inserted into the space A, and the fitting hole 21
The lifting of the clamp mechanism 6 is stopped at the position where the projection members 22A and 22B face each other.

Next, the bracket 2 is pushed out in the direction (R) in the figure by the arm 1D, and the protruding members 22A, 22B are fitted into the fitting holes 21A, 21B. At this time, since the tips of the protruding members 22A and 22B are semicircular or conical, even if there is a slight positional deviation from each fitting hole 21A, 21B, the pushing force of the arm 1D will correct the positional deviation. After modification, the fitting holes 21A, 21B and the protruding members 22A, 22B can be fitted. When the bracket 2 is pushed further forward, the support surface 2C of the bracket 2 and the abutting surface 3D of the holder 3
The opening 14B of the ventilation passage 14 and the opening 17A of the ventilation passage 17 communicate with each other, and the opening 16B of the ventilation passage 16 and the opening 18A of the ventilation passage 18 communicate with each other.
communicate with. Further, when the bracket 2 is pushed out in the direction RO in the figure, the holder 3 slides backward on the pedestal 23 while compressing the spring 25.

Next, when the holder 3 slides backward a predetermined distance, the arm 1D of the robot body 1 stops driving. Then, the port 11A side of the cylinder 7 is pressurized by the directional control valve (not shown), and the port 11A side of the cylinder 7 is pressurized.
The B side is exhausted and the piston 10 retreats, and the clamp member 13 also retreats in the direction C in the figure, and the claws 13A, 13B of the clamp member 13 engage with both side edges of the gripping part 3C, The painting gun 4 is attached to the tip of the wrist 1E of the robot body 1 by being firmly pressed against the support portion 2B. In this state, the communicating portions of the ventilation passages 14 and 17, and 16 and 18 are kept airtight via the O-rings 15A and 15B.

Furthermore, the robot body 1 is driven again, and the arm 1
When the bracket 2 is raised in the direction A in the figure by D, the coating gun 4 is separated from the pedestal 23.

Painting work is performed by playbacking the robot body 1 according to a predetermined program. At this time, an air hose (not shown) is connected to the painting gun 4 from an air source, and air passages 14, 17,
Atomizing air is sent through the air hose 19,
This is done by spraying the paint in the paint cup 4 onto the object to be coated. Further, the on-off valve of the coating gun 4 is driven by supplying valve driving air through the ventilation passages 16, 18 and the air hose 20, and the on-off valve is driven according to the area to be coated on the object to be coated. This limits the amount of paint discharged from the paint cup 4A to the nozzle tip 4B.

When the painting of the object to be coated is completed, the arm 1D of the painting robot 1 returns to the vicinity of the pedestal 23, first contacts the back side of the grip part 3C of the holder 3 and the spring seat 24A, and presses the spring 25 against the rear of the pedestal 23. While compressing the claw 3B of the holder 3, press the step 2 of the pedestal 23
Position it behind 3B. Next, when the arm 1D retreats toward the robot body 1, the holder 3 is moved to the pedestal 23.
The holder 3 is held on the pedestal 23 by sliding the upper part forward by the spring force of the spring 25 and engaging the claw 3B of the holder 3 with the step 23B.
Thereafter, the clamp mechanism 6 is operated, and the robot body 1 is
By driving the bracket 2 and retracting the bracket 2, the holder 3 is
Then, separation from Bracket 2 is performed.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the robot body 1 and the paint gun 4 with a paint cup can be attached and detached by the bracket 2 fixed to the robot body 1 using the pneumatically operated clamp mechanism 6 fixed to the robot body 1. Since the coating gun 4 is configured to be clamped to the holder 3 to which it is fixed, the coating gun 4 can be attached and detached rotationally and reliably according to a predetermined program.

In the above embodiment, the pedestal 23 holding the holder 3 is fixedly arranged near the robot body 1, but as shown in FIG.
The conveyor 31 may be arranged in a row so that the coating gun 4 can be replaced at a certain position by rotating the conveyor 31. By configuring it in this way, the operating range of the coating robot 1 is reduced. This makes it possible to make better use of the paint booth. Moreover, in order to attach and detach the painting gun 4, the robot body 1 is
One type of program is sufficient to control the operation of the robot body 1, and the operation of the robot body 1 is simplified, so that the efficiency of the painting work can be improved.

Further, in the above embodiment, a plurality of fitting holes 21A, 21B are formed in the support surface 2C, and protruding members 22A, 22B are provided protrudingly in the abutting surface 3D, so that the clamp mechanism 6
When gripping the holder 3, the fitting holes 21A,
21B and the protruding members 22A, 22B, a concave portion or a convex portion is formed on the supporting surface 2C, and the abutting surface 3
A convex portion or a concave portion may be formed in D so that the bracket 2 and holder 3 are held by a so-called spigot fit.

Furthermore, although the clamping mechanism 6 has been described as consisting of a cylinder mechanism having a cylinder 7, a piston 10, and a piston rod 10A, and a clamp member 13 provided at the tip of the piston rod 10A, the holder 3 can be clamped to the bracket 2. The clamping mechanism 6 is not limited to this, and various gripping devices or clamping devices can be applied, and the cylinder mechanism is not limited to a pneumatic cylinder but may also be a hydraulic cylinder.

Further, in the above embodiment, an air atomizing type painting gun was used as the painting gun, but a cylinder piston mechanism is provided in the paint cup 4B, and the paint is pressurized by the cylinder piston mechanism. For example, it may be a hydraulic atomizing paint gun, in which case a portion of the atomizing air or valve driving air may be supplied to the cylinder-piston mechanism. on the other hand,
It is also possible to use a coating gun that combines air atomization and hydraulic atomization.

As described in detail above, the present invention arranges a plurality of painting guns with paint cups within the working range of a robot body, and the robot body can change colors by attaching and detaching each painting gun according to a desired program. Because it is configured to perform painting work while performing the color change valve, it is possible to eliminate the color change valve and the paint supply hose between the color change valve and the painting gun, and there is no need to clean the previous color paint when changing colors. This eliminates the loss of paint, cleaning thinner, and compressed air. In addition, since the large number of paint supply hoses that supply paint to the painting gun can be eliminated, the weight on the arm of the painting robot body can be reduced, allowing the robot body to operate freely and accurately. can. Furthermore, when painting objects of the same shape that are continuously conveyed by a conveyor line, such as automobile bodies, while changing colors one after another, once one automobile body is coated in a paint cup, It is sufficient to fill the tank to the extent that the paint is used up, which further reduces the amount of paint wasted when changing colors.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a color changing device for a painting robot according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a clamp mechanism used in the embodiment device, and Fig. 3 is a - A sectional view in the direction of the arrow, Figures 4A and 4B are explanatory diagrams of the arrangement of the pedestal, Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the clamp mechanism when a paint gun with a paint cup is attached to a painting robot, and Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram of the mount. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the arrangement when a conveyor is used. 1... Painting robot body, 2... Bracket, 2C... Support surface, 3... Holder, 3D... Matching surface, 4... Paint gun with paint cup, 6... Clamp mechanism, 14, 16, 17, 18... Ventilation path, 14A, 14B, 16A, 16B, 17A,
17B, 18A, 18B...opening, 23...mount.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A painting robot body, a bracket attached to the robot body and formed with a support surface, and a paint gun with a paint cup attached thereto, having an abutment surface that abuts against the support surface of the bracket. a holder; a clamp mechanism provided on the robot body so as to removably support the holder by bringing the support surface of the bracket into abutment with the abutment surface of the holder; a ventilation passage having an opening opening to a support surface; formed in the holder for supplying gas to the coating gun;
A color changing device for a painting robot, comprising another ventilation passage having an opening communicating with the opening of the ventilation passage on the abutment surface. 2. The color changing device for a painting robot according to claim 1, wherein a large number of said holders are arranged on a stand located within the working range of said robot body.