JPH063411B2 - Rotor viscometer rotor automatic attachment / detachment device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial field of use] The present invention relates to an automatic rotor attachment / detachment device in automation of viscosity measurement using a rotary viscometer.

[Prior art] Petroleum / oil industry, paint / ink industry, synthetic resin, synthetic fiber, and other synthetic chemical industries, food industry, pharmaceutical industry,
Alternatively, in almost all industrial fields that handle liquids such as the detergent and cosmetics industry, in the measurement of liquid viscosity for the purpose of process control and quality control, in many cases, the liquid to be measured contains impurities, especially particulate foreign matters, fixed components, Since bubbles and the like are included, in-process measurement is difficult, so measurement is performed by sampling. At this time, the thin tube type, rotary type,
Rotational viscometers are often used for reasons such as easy handling, wide measurement range, and high reliability of measured values, among other methods such as falling body type, but in that case, the target liquid is manually loaded every measurement,
The viscometer is operated manually to collect data. FIG. 2 shows a diagram of the operating principle of a rotary viscometer using a rotor that is widely used in this way.

In the figure, (1) is a drive motor with a speed change mechanism, (2) is a rotary shaft, (3) is a scale plate, (4) is a spring, (5) is a rotor shaft, (6) is a sample solution, (7). Is a rotor, and (8) is a pointer. The viscous resistance torque of the rotating rotor is visually read by the pointer on the scale plate as the displacement amount of the spring interposed between the rotating shaft and the rotor shaft, and the sample is read from the value. Calculate the viscosity of the liquid.

FIG. 3 shows a converter built-in type improved so that the displacement of the spring is converted into an electric signal and outputted instead of being visually read. In the figure, (1) is a drive motor with a speed change mechanism,
(2) is a rotary drive shaft, (2a) is a shaft coupling, (12) is an arm, (5a) is a pin, (4) is a spiral spring, (13) is a signal converter, (14) is a pivot, (15a ) Is a U-shaped member, (15b) is a lower end, (7) is a cylindrical rotor,
(16) is a jewel bearing. Even in this type, all operations are performed manually.

Attaching and detaching the viscometer body and the rotor as shown in FIG.
It shows in (b).

In the figure, (15a) is a U-shaped member, (15b) is the rotor shaft end, (7d) is the rotor stem tip, (7 ').
Is a rotor stem, and (7) is a cylindrical rotor.

FIG. 4 (a) is a diagram showing a state where the rotor is separated from the rotor shaft shaft end, and FIG. 4 (b) is a diagram showing a connected state. The attachment / detachment of the rotor is performed by screwing and detaching with screws of (15b) and (7d).

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In this viscometer, the pivot (1
4) and the gem bearing (16) are used to support the rotor shaft (5) system including the cylindrical rotor (7) with low friction.

In this structure, when an excessive external force is applied to the rotor shaft (5), the contact surface of the pivot (14) may be deformed, peeled off, chipped, or even damaged to cause a serious situation. As a measure for avoiding this, according to the inventor of the present application, registered Shinshin No. 1203992 in which the pivot and the jewelry bearing are manually separated from each other during transportation, and similarly, the pivot is automatically supported by the jewelry bearing only at the time of measurement,
In other cases, Japanese Patent Application No. 1-5 that keeps them apart from each other
There is also 1655 (JP-A-2-231549).

The step of automatically measuring the liquid to be measured sampled from many processes using such a viscometer is as shown in the fifth diagram. Beakers (20a, 20b, 2 containing the liquid to be measured)
0c ...) is dipped into the constant temperature water tank (21) and tact-transported immediately below the viscometer body (22), the viscometer descends with respect to the target liquid that sequentially arrives, and the rotor is immersed in the liquid. Then, the viscosity is measured at a predetermined rotation speed and the data is automatically recorded. It is difficult to wash and dry the rotor (7) each time the liquid to be measured is different, and to completely remove the liquid to be measured before, because the liquid to be measured easily sticks and the rotor is screwed and connected to the viscometer body. At the same time, there is a risk of damaging the pivot and the jewel bearing, so the rotor was removed from the main body of the viscometer. In this cleaning / drying cycle, (I) is a rotor removing step, (II) is a cleaning step by solvent injection, (III) is a drying step, and (IV) is a rotor mounting step. In the automatic viscosity measurement, an industrial robot is used, and the above steps are synchronized with the tact transfer.

The above shows a method of cleaning and drying one rotor and repeatedly using it. However, in actuality, when measuring a plurality of liquids to be sampled, a plurality of rotors are placed in the rotor magazine (30) as shown in FIG. Store and use the used rotor (7) in another rotor magazine (31) for each measurement of the sampling liquid, wash and dry it, and then send it to the rotor magazine (30) in a highly efficient manner. Good.

In these steps (I) and (IV), the rotor attachment / detachment device may be considered in the rotor attachment / detachment step, and there are magnetic methods in which an electromagnet is embedded at the rotor shaft end and a permanent magnet is embedded. However, in both cases, a large external force is applied at the time of attachment / detachment, and in the former case there is a problem that the measurement error due to the friction torque of the slip ring is large, and as a mechanical type, gas and water pipes and hoses as shown in Fig. 6 are connected. The application of the quick disconnect mechanism was also considered. In the figure,
(15a) is a U-shaped member, (15b) is the lower end of the rotor shaft, (17) is a connection adapter, (17a) is a connection hole,
(17b) is a spring, (17c) is a sleeve, (17d)
Is a steel ball, (7) is a cylindrical rotor, (7 ') is a rotor stem, and (7e) is a stem tip attaching / detaching portion.

When connecting the rotor to the viscometer, insert the stem upper end attachment / detachment part into the connection hole and push it upward, and the sleeve (17c)
The latch (not shown) is disengaged, and the spring (17b) moves downward to engage the steel ball (17d) with the groove (7f) for connection. When removing the rotor, use the spring (16
When the sleeve (16c) is pushed up against b), the engagement between the steel ball (17d) and the groove (7f) is released, and the rotor (7) can be taken out downward.

In such a configuration, when the rotor is attached / detached, there is a problem that the tip portion of the rotor stem is pushed in, pulled out, and the sleeve is pushed up prior to the pulling out because not only external force is always applied but also a plurality of operation sequences are required. At present, there is nothing that can be put to practical use as an automatic rotor attaching / detaching device.

The present invention uses an industrial robot, but when the rotor of the viscometer is attached or detached, only the point-to-point positioning to the predetermined attachment position is performed, and when attaching or detaching the rotor, the rotor shaft is as if pinched with a finger. On the other hand, the automatic attachment / detachment device of the rotor that enables stable and reliable attachment / detachment of the rotor while cooperating with the above robot operation without applying any external force such as pushing / pulling or screwing torque to the pivot and the jewel bearing The purpose is to do.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the rotor automatic attachment / detachment device of the rotary viscometer of the present invention comprises a connection adapter and a heating / cooling device. The connecting member is screwed to the lower end of the rotor shaft and has a rotor mounting taper hole on the lower surface, and the holding member is fixed to the connecting member and includes a spring made of a shape memory alloy. Has a pawl that engages with a portion having a taper whose inclination direction is opposite to that of the hole; the heating / cooling device is arranged facing the adapter, and hot / cold air is generated by energizing / deenergizing the built-in heater. Is sprayed on the spring made of the shape memory alloy to close and open the pawl so that the rotor is identified coaxially with the rotor shaft and held and released. .

As the grasping member, a leaf spring or a coil spring of one-way shape memory alloy may be used in combination with a bias leaf spring, or a C-shaped leaf spring of two-way shape memory alloy may be used alone. A coil spring made of a directional shape memory alloy and a bias coil spring are combined and arranged on a connecting metal fitting in the axial direction through a slider, and are slid on the opening edges of the cup-shaped cylinder of the inclined surfaces of the left and right legs of the slider. The claw may be closed / opened by the vertical movement of the claw.

[Operation] In the automatic attachment / detachment device configured as described above, a member made of a one-way shape memory alloy is a leaf spring when positioned in the rotor attachment position in the rotor attachment step and hot air is blown from the nozzle of the heating / cooling device. Whether it is a coil spring or a coil spring, the original shape is restored and the claw of the C-shaped bias leaf spring is released against the bias spring. In this state, the tapered stem upper end connection portion of the rotor is inserted into the tapered hole on the lower surface of the connection fitting to be connected. Next, when cold air is blown from the nozzle, the elasticity of the member made of the shape memory alloy is reduced, and the claw of the C-shaped bias leaf spring is closed by being pressed by the bias spring to engage with the reverse taper portion at the upper end of the stem. The rotor is securely held coaxially with the rotor shaft.

As described above, the closing / opening of the claws of the gripping member is due to the phase transformation of the shape memory alloy by hot air / cold air, is slow, and is not instantaneous / impact.

In the rotor removing step, when hot air is blown again from the nozzle, the claw of the C-shaped bias leaf spring is released as described above, and the rotor is automatically released and falls.

Further, in the combination of the cup-shaped cylinder and the slider having the tapered surface with the flared bottom, the coil spring made of the one-way shape memory alloy disposed between the bottom surface of the cup-shaped cylinder and the outer wall of the upper end of the slider is restored to its original shape by hot air. And pushes the slider downwards against the bias spring, the pawls of the slider are released, and the cold coil pushes the slider up by the bias coil spring, and the tapered surface of the slider is squeezed by the opening edge of the cup-shaped cylinder and It is closed while rising, and is engaged with the reverse taper portion at the tip of the rotor stem to hold the rotor coaxially with the rotor shaft.

[Embodiment] An embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b) show a grasping member formed by combining a bias spring and a U-shaped leaf spring of a unidirectional shape memory alloy. (3
This is an example using a connection adapter including 2). (23) is a connection adapter which is screwed and fixed to the lower end (15b) of the rotor shaft. The connection adapter has a central connection fitting (23a),
A bias leaf spring (23b) formed in a C shape, and a leaf spring (2 formed of a unidirectional shape memory alloy formed in a U shape)
3c) comprises a gripping member (32). Reference numeral (24) is a heating / cooling device, which is an air blowing nozzle with a built-in heater having a motor fan (24a), a heater (24b), and an ejection port (24c). For shape memory alloys, the operation starting temperature may be slightly (2
Select 0 ° to 50 ° C) higher. The operation of this embodiment is as follows. When installing the rotor, first
As shown in FIG. (A), when hot air is blown from the nozzle (24) to the attachment / detachment device and the temperature rises above the operation start point at which the U-shaped leaf spring made of a shape memory alloy starts to transform, the U-shaped spring is opened. Since the memory shape returns to the open shape, the C-shaped bias leaf spring is pushed open and the claw at the lower end of the C-shaped bias leaf spring is opened.

In this state, the tip portion (7) of the stem (7 ') of the rotor (7) is
The taper surface of a) is inserted into the taper hole (23d) on the lower surface of the connection fitting (23a), and the rotor and the rotor shaft are coaxially positioned by the taper surface. In this state, the nozzle (2
When the blowing from 4) is switched to cold air, the U-shaped leaf spring (23c) of the shape memory alloy returns to room temperature as it cools and loses its elasticity and is pressed by the bias leaf spring (23b) to cause it to move as shown in FIG. 1 (b). As shown in, the tip of the claw engages with the reverse taper portion (7b) of the rotor stem tip portion (7a), and the rotor (7) is securely held coaxially with the rotor shaft.

When the rotor is removed, hot air is blown again from the nozzle (24), and the C-shaped bias leaf spring (23
Release the claw at the bottom of b). The rotor (7) automatically separates and falls.

As a heating / cooling device, a blower capable of switching between hot air and cold air is used as shown in the first drawing, and this has a motor fan (24a) built in at one end of a cylindrical casing to rotate the fan. The ambient air is taken in and blown in the axial direction. This air is supplied to the heater (24
When passing through b), it becomes heated and becomes hot air, and the jet port (24c)
It is jetted out and sprayed on the connection adapter, and the shape memory alloy spring is activated.

When blowing cold air, the heater may be turned off.

If the solution to be measured contains flammable solvent, as a stability measure,
The air to be supplied to the nozzle is taken in from a place that does not contain flammable gas, the heater is made of ceramic, and an interlock is provided so that it is turned on only when pressure is applied to the casing.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the connecting adapter is a grasping member (3) which is a combination of a C-shaped bias leaf spring (23b ') and two coil springs (25a) made of a unidirectional shape memory alloy.
Use 3).

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 9, the connection adapter includes a C-shaped leaf spring (26) of bidirectional shape memory alloy. The shape of this alloy at high temperature (Fig. 9 (a))
2) and a shape in a low temperature state (shown in FIG. 9 (b)) can be stored, and the rotor can be attached / detached as shown in FIG. 9 by heating / cooling. In this case, only about 1/3 of elasticity can be used during cooling as compared to high temperature, but it is suitable for low viscosity measurement with low load.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 10 (a), (b) and (c), the connection adapter (27) has a cup-shaped cylinder (27c) having an opening at the center of the bottom and an opening edge of the cup-shaped cylinder. Slider made of sheet metal that engages with the tapered surface of the hem (2
7d), and a one-way shape between the inner surface of the bottom of the cup-shaped cylinder and the step of the connection fitting, which comes into contact with the retaining ring (27f) of the connection fitting (27e) screwed to the lower end of the rotor shaft. A coil spring (27a) made of a memory alloy and a bias coil spring (27b) are arranged via an upper end wall of the slider to make the slider slidable on a connecting fitting and hot / cold air from a heating / cooling device. So as to reach the coil spring of shape memory alloy, a plurality of holes (27
c ′) is provided.

FIG. 10 (a) shows a state in which hot air is blown, and the shape memory alloy coil spring (27a) is heated above the operation starting point and recovers its elasticity to resist the elasticity of the bypass coil spring (27b). Then, the push-down slider moves downward while its tapered surface slides on the opening edge of the cup-shaped cylinder to separate the claw (27d ') from side to side.

FIG. 10 (b) shows a state in which cold air is blown and the temperature has returned to room temperature. In this state, the shape memory alloy coil spring (27a) loses its elastic force and is biased by the biasing springs to the left and right legs of the sheet metal slider (27d). The tabber is a cup-shaped cylinder (2
7c) The left and right claws (27
d ') is approached and pulled up, and the rotor (7)
Engages with the reverse taper portion of the stem tip portion (7a) to securely hold the rotor (7) coaxially with the rotor shaft.

Although this structure is slightly complicated, since the upward movement of the pawl (27d ') can be increased when the pawl (27d') is opened, it has an effect of facilitating vertical positioning of the rotor (7) by the industrial robot. .

FIG. 10 (c) shows a developed view of the components of this embodiment.

[Advantages of the Invention] The rotor automatic attachment / detachment device of the present invention uses a connection adapter having a spring made of a shape memory alloy for hot and cold air in order to automate the viscosity measurement by a rotary viscometer, particularly a rotary viscometer with a signal converter. With the configuration that uses a heating / cooling device for spraying, 1) grasping / releasing at the time of attaching / detaching the rotor is performed at a slow speed, so there is no impact on the rotor shaft, 2) simple and lightweight It is an inexpensive system. 3) Energy can be transmitted remotely by hot air. 4) No external force is applied to the rotor shaft. 5) Easy and reliable operation. 6) Hot air.・ Operates in a short time by blowing cold air. 7) When engaging the pawl with a taper to close / open the claw, lower the vertical positioning accuracy of the rotor attachment / detachment position. Bets can be, an automatic viscosity measuring apparatus can be configured easily.

That is the effect.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 (a) and 1 (b) are vertical cross-sectional views of a rotor attaching / detaching device of the present invention, in which (a) shows a claw open state, (b) shows a claw closed state, and FIG. 2 shows a rotary viscometer. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a rotary viscometer with a built-in converter, Fig. 4 (a),
(B) is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional connection between a rotor and a rotor shaft with a screw, (a) shows a separated state, (b) shows a connected state, and FIG. 5 shows a process of automatic viscosity measurement of a sampled target liquid. 6 (a) and 6 (b) are cross-sectional views of an example of a conventional mechanical attachment / detachment device, (a) shows a separated state between a rotor and a rotor shaft, (b) shows a connected state, FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a process of automatic viscosity measurement of the sampled target liquid, showing an example of using a plurality of rotors and a storage magazine, and FIGS. 8 (a) and 8 (b) show another example of the attachment / detachment device of the present invention. In the example of
(A) is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which a rotor and a rotor shaft are connected, (b) is a development view of the present apparatus, and (a) and (b) are still another embodiment of the attaching / detaching apparatus of the present invention. , (A) shows a separated state, (b) shows a connected state, FIGS. 10 (a), (b) and (c) show another embodiment of the attachment / detachment device of the present invention. In the example, (a) shows the separated state,
(B) shows the connected state, and (c) is a component exploded view. (7) is the rotor, (15b) is the lower end of the rotor shaft, (23)
Is a connection adapter, (23a) is a connection fitting, (23b) is a C-shaped bias leaf spring, (23c) is a U-shaped leaf spring of a unidirectional shape memory alloy, (23e) is a claw, (24). Is a heating / cooling device, (25a) is a unidirectional shape memory alloy coil spring, (26) is a connection adapter, and (26 ') is 2
Directional shape memory alloy plate, (26a) claw, (27) connection adapter, (27a) one-directional shape memory alloy coil spring, (27b) bias coil spring, (27c ').
Is a cup-shaped cylinder, (27d) is a slider, (27d ')
Is a claw, (27e) is a fitting, (27f) is a retaining ring,
(32), (33) and (34) are grasping members.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A connection adapter (23, 25, 26, 27)
And a heating / cooling device (24), and the connection adapter is fixed to the connection fittings (23a, 27e) screwed to the rotor shaft lower end (15b) and having a rotor connection taper hole on the lower surface. Claws (23e, 26a, 27) that include a spring made of a shape memory alloy and that engages with a reverse taper portion of the rotor stem tip portion that is inclined in the opposite direction to the above-mentioned taper.
The heating / cooling device is arranged so as to face the adapter, and hot air / cold air is supplied to the adapter by energizing / deenergizing a built-in heater. Nozzle for spraying on the spring made of the shape memory alloy, and the hot air and the cold air are blown to close and open the claw, thereby holding and releasing the rotor coaxially with the rotor shaft. Rotor viscometer automatic rotor attachment / detachment device. 2. A grasping member having a C-shaped bias leaf spring (23)
The automatic rotor attaching / detaching device for a rotary viscometer according to claim 1, further comprising a U-shaped leaf spring (23c) made of b) and a one-way shape memory alloy. 3. A grasping member having a C-shaped bias leaf spring (23)
b) and a coil spring (2
The automatic rotor attachment / detachment device for a rotary viscometer according to claim 1, further comprising 5). 4. The automatic rotor attaching / detaching device for a rotary viscometer according to claim 1, wherein the grasping member comprises a C-shaped leaf spring (26) made of a bidirectional shape memory alloy. 5. A grip member (27d) in which the left and right legs have tapered surfaces with skirts extending outward, and the tips of the tapered surfaces are bent axially left and right to engage with the reverse taper portion of the rotor stem tip. ′) And is movable on the connecting fitting, and the bottom surface is stopped at the upper part of the connecting fitting, and the inclined surface and the opening are formed on the left and right legs and the inner circumference of the slider. A cup-shaped cylinder having an opening in the center of the bottom surface and a plurality of holes on the outer peripheral surface near the bottom, which are engaged with each other at the end edge, and between the bottom surface of the cup-shaped cylinder and the step of the connecting metal fitting of the slider. A coil spring (27a) and a bias coil spring (27b) made of a unidirectional shape memory alloy and arranged through the bottom; and an opening edge of the cup-shaped cylinder by blowing hot air or cold air. By sliding on the tapered surface, Rotational viscometer rotor automatic attachment apparatus of the vertical movement carried out the closure and opening with claim 1, wherein.