JPH0571503A - Vacuum unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a vacuum unit which can rearrange or exchange plural blocks each of which is provided with a supply valve and a vacuum breaker, etc., quickly at a site. CONSTITUTION:In a vacuum unit 10 which is constituted from a block 12a till 12e per function, the nail 22 of the one block and the nail 24 of an attaching member 28 are inserted into a recess 20 formed at side face of the other block to be connected and connected together. Then, in the attaching member 28, the nail 24 is fixed to the concave 20 by that an operating part 26 is pushed and pressed there to by elastic force of a spring 30, and the blocks are fixed firmly to each other.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a vacuum unit,
More specifically, the present invention relates to a vacuum unit capable of detachably attaching respective block bodies constituting a supply valve, a vacuum breaking valve, a filter and the like with one touch.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a vacuum unit has been used to supply a negative pressure to working equipment such as a suction pad. In the vacuum unit, constituent elements such as an ejector, a switching valve, a filter, and a pressure switch are each formed as a block body, and the block bodies are appropriately combined with each other through a threaded stud depending on the application.

[0003]

The above-mentioned conventional techniques have the following inconveniences.

In the vacuum unit, the required block bodies are selected and combined according to the application as described above. For example,
The ejector capacity is changed according to the work, and the ejector specification is changed to the vacuum pump specification, etc., often at the site such as a production factory. However, the block body is
Since they are connected by threaded studs, the studs must be removed, and the studs must be selected and screwed in according to the length of the block body to be replaced. Also,
When exchanging the block bodies, the fluid passages communicating with each other are shut off, so that the pressure fluid inside the passages cannot leak or the negative pressure cannot be maintained. Therefore, the manufacturing line using the vacuum unit must stop the work after confirming that the suction pad or the like is not in the work suction and conveyance state. As described above, complicated work is required in the field.

In order to solve this kind of problem, the present invention allows the block bodies constituting the vacuum unit to be attached and detached with one touch, and when the block bodies are exchanged during work, the block bodies are mutually exchanged. An object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum unit in which fluid passages communicating with each other can be airtightly held on a connection surface of a block body.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is a vacuum unit for supplying a negative pressure to a working device, and includes a supply valve, a vacuum break valve, a filter, etc., and blocks for each function. It is characterized in that it is formed of a body, and the block bodies are connected to each other by a mounting member having a concave portion defined in each block body and a claw portion fitted into the concave portion.

In the block body having the fluid passages communicating with each other, a recess communicating with the fluid passage is formed on a connecting surface of both the block bodies, and a fluid passage is defined inside the recess. In addition, male and female connectors equipped with seal members are inserted to connect the fluid passages.

Further, the connector is provided with a check valve.

Furthermore, the block body having fluid passages communicating with each other is characterized in that a check valve is provided in the fluid passage near the connecting surface thereof.

[0010]

In the vacuum unit according to the present invention, the claw portions formed on one block body are fitted into the concave portions formed on the other block body to connect the block bodies to each other. Can be attached and removed with one touch. Further, the fluid passages are airtightly connected by providing a concave portion on the connecting surface between the block bodies and inserting a male and female connector having a seal member mounted in the concave portion. Further, by providing a check valve inside the connector or in the fluid passage in the vicinity of the connection surface, the fluid passage is kept airtight even if the block body is replaced during the work.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A vacuum unit according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings with reference to preferred embodiments.

First, a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

The vacuum unit 10 is constructed by appropriately connecting a valve block 12b, an ejector block 12c, a pressure switch block 12d and a filter block 12e to a manifold block 12a.

Each of the blocks 12a to 12e includes
A fluid passage 14 is defined therein, and the manifold block 12a defines a recess 18 for connecting the fluid passage in a connection surface 16 for each of the blocks 12b to 12e. Recesses 20, 20 are defined in the vicinity of both end edges of the connecting surface 16 of the blocks 12a and 12d. On the other hand, a claw portion 22 corresponding to the concave portion 20 is formed on the side surface side of the connection surface 16 of the blocks 12b to 12e,
On the other side surface, a mounting member 28 having a claw portion 24 corresponding to the concave portion 20 and an elongated operation portion 26 partially bent at the other end is attached. One end of the operation portion 26 is pressed by a spring 30 from the side surface of the block body.

A pair of male and female connectors 32a and 32b having a convex shape and a concave shape are inserted into the concave portion 18 formed in the connecting surface 16 (see FIG. 2). The connectors 32a and 32b have contact surfaces with the block body, and the male and female connectors 32a and 3b.
Sealing members 34 are mounted at three points on the connecting surfaces of the 2b.

The vacuum unit 10 thus constructed
Are combined as follows:

That is, male and female connectors 32a and 32b are fitted into the recesses 18 of the valve block 12b and the manifold block 12a, respectively, and the valve block 12
the claw portion 22b of the b
While inserting the male and female connectors 32a and 32b into each other. Therefore, at the connecting surface 16, the fluid passage 14
Are airtightly connected. Further, the operation portion 26 of the mounting member 28 of the valve block 12b is pressed to connect the valve block 12b and the manifold block 12a in a state where the spring 30 is compressed, and then the pressing force of the operation portion 26 is removed to remove the claw portion 24. Insert into the recess 20. Since the operating portion 26 is pressed by the elastic force of the spring 30, the claw portion 24 is engaged and fixed in the recess 20. Therefore, the valve block 12b and the manifold block 12a are fixed to each other.

On the other hand, when removing the blocks from each other,
By pressing the operating portion 26 of the mounting member 28 and compressing the spring 30, the pawl portion 24 is released from the recess 20, and the pawl portion 22 of the valve block 12b is removed from the recess 20,
Manifold block 12a to valve block 12b
Remove. The same applies to the attachment / detachment of other blocks.

Furthermore, electrical wiring is performed inside the block,
When connecting the blocks to each other, use male and female plugs (not shown).

In this embodiment, the block 12 is used as described above.
A to 12e can be attached / detached with one touch, and can be easily recombined according to the application in the field.

The second embodiment will be described below. This example
Since only a part of the connector is different from that of the first embodiment, the main part will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. The same components as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The male and female connectors 36a and 36b have substantially the same structure as the connectors 32a and 32b of the first embodiment. However, the female connector 36b includes a check valve formed from a spring 38 and an elastic valve body 40,
The valve body 40 has a plurality of convex portions 44 formed in a shape substantially the same as the pipe diameter of the convex portion 42 of the male connector 36a and separated by a predetermined distance.

In this embodiment having the above-mentioned structure, male and female connectors 36a and 36b are connected when the blocks are connected to each other.
Are connected as shown in FIG. In this case, the protrusions 42 and 4 of the male connector 36a are connected by connecting the block bodies.
4. The pressing force acts from the valve body 40 to compress the spring 30. At that time, the fluid passage 14 is communicated with the space defined by the convex portion 44.

On the other hand, when the block is removed, as shown in FIG. 4, the elastic force of the spring 38 closes the valve body 40 to keep the fluid passage 14 airtight. In order to maintain the negative pressure state, the check valve valve body 40 or the like may be attached in the reverse direction. Of course, the valve body 4 which is the check valve
0 may be provided on the fluid passage 14 inside the block.

In this embodiment thus constructed, the fluid passage 14 is kept airtight by the check valve of the female connector 36b even if any of the blocks 12a to 12e is replaced during operation. The pad can hold the work being sucked and conveyed.

[0026]

According to the vacuum unit of the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

That is, in the vacuum unit according to the present invention, the block bodies are connected to each other by the one block body having the claw portion and the other block body defining the concave portion into which the claw portion fits. The body can be attached and detached with one touch. Therefore, the blocks can be easily recombined or replaced on site. Further, by providing a concave portion on the connecting surface between the block bodies and inserting a male / female connector in which a seal member is mounted in the concave portion, the fluid passages are hermetically connected. Further, by providing a check valve inside the connector or in the fluid passage near the connection surface, the fluid passage is kept airtight even if the block body is replaced during the work.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view of a vacuum unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional explanatory view when the fluid passage connector of the first embodiment according to the present invention is connected.

FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional explanatory view when a fluid passage connector of a second embodiment according to the present invention is connected.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory longitudinal sectional view of the fluid passage connector according to the second embodiment of the present invention when not connected.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 ... Vacuum unit 12a-12e ... Block 14 ... Fluid passage 16 ... Connection surface 18, 20 ... Recessed portion 22, 24 ... Claw 28 ... Mounting member 32a, 32b, 36a, 36b ... Connector

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Akio Saito 4-2-2 Kinnodai, Taniwahara-mura, Tsukuba-gun, Ibaraki SMC Tsukuba Technology Center

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A vacuum unit for supplying a negative pressure to a working device, wherein a supply valve, a vacuum break valve, a filter, etc. are formed by functional block bodies, and the block bodies are connected to each block body. A vacuum unit, characterized in that it is carried out by a mounting member having a defined concave portion and a claw portion fitted into the concave portion. 2. The vacuum unit according to claim 1, wherein the block body having the fluid passages communicating with each other has a recess formed on the connection surface of both the block bodies, the recess communicating with the fluid passages. Insert a male and female connector defining a fluid passage inside the recess and mounting a seal member,
A vacuum unit connecting the fluid passages. 3. The vacuum unit according to claim 2, wherein the connector is provided with a check valve. 4. The vacuum unit according to claim 1, wherein the block body having a fluid passage communicating with the block body is provided with a check valve in the fluid passage near the connecting surface thereof. ..