JPH0639578B2 - Liquid colorant automatic supply and metering device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial field of application) The present invention relates to various kinds of paints for automobiles, automobile repairs and the like, and toning raw materials, varnishes and solvents used for producing these various paints. The present invention relates to a supply device for various liquid materials, such as dyes, inks, adhesives, and other aqueous solutions that require precision. In particular, the present invention relates to a supply and metering device suitable for installation together with a metering mechanism using a needle valve for liquid metering having a large-diameter needle section and a small-caliber needle section.

(Prior Art) Various types of automatic devices for accurately measuring a liquid such as paint have been proposed.
No. 114418 “Automatic injection metering device” is configured to connect a large-diameter nozzle and a small-diameter nozzle to valves, respectively, and achieve a target injection amount by using a discharge pressure control means and a discharge valve control means. However, when the liquid is caused to flow out from the two large-diameter and small-diameter discharge nozzles in this manner, two discharge valve control means are required for each colorant and the opening of the collection container must be large. There is a constraint that it cannot be.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 59-153127 "Color material supply and metering device"
Supports a large number of metering valve groups arranged on the circumference around the central axis in a swingable manner, transfers only the selected metering valve to the centering position of the center, and uses multiple cylinders on the central axis. By selecting, the color material is made to flow out from the small diameter, medium diameter, and large diameter orifices, and the weighing operation can be performed in each of the small, medium, and large modes. However, in this structure, it is necessary to connect a cylinder for swinging and a flexible pipe to each of a large number of measuring valves arranged on the circumference, and in particular, since the cylinder requires piping, a valve and valve operating means, The structure becomes extremely complicated and the cost increases.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 60-241923, "Automatic compounding device for liquid fluid such as dyeing liquid, pigment liquid, etc." sends an electric signal while measuring weight with an electronic balance device to control an electromagnetic valve attached to a stock solution container. However, since the liquid discharged from the solenoid valve passes through the discharge nozzle made of the elongated tube, rapid metering cannot be expected due to the so-called poor sagging.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 62-127367, "Measuring Device for Liquid Composition, Especially Paint Components," discloses a device in which a plurality of measuring valves are removably attached to a fixed annular holder on the circumference and provided on a rotating holder. The transfer element is configured to grip a selected metering valve and move it to the center of the stationary annular holder, with a central control device causing a predetermined amount of liquid to flow out of the valve.
However, in this device, only one transfer element such as a piston cylinder mechanism is mounted on the arm-shaped rotary holder, and the rotary holder is supported by being suspended from the top thereof, so that the balance of the rotary holder is balanced. Unfortunately, it is not suitable for a mixing operation in which various kinds of liquids are successively measured and accumulated in a measuring container in a short time. In addition, there is no description of a method of measuring control such as measuring a very small amount or improving sagging.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid colorant supply and metering device capable of performing quick and accurate metering by controlling a plurality of stages of rough adjustment and fine adjustment. .

Another object of the present invention is to provide a weighing device capable of weighing a liquid having a high viscosity such as a paint to a minute amount in a state where the liquid drops easily.

(Means for Solving Problems and Actions Thereof) The above-described object of the present invention is to provide a large number of needle valves detachably arranged at predetermined intervals on the circumference of a fixed frame and to each needle valve. A pipe connected to supply a predetermined liquid colorant, a colorant tank, and a colorant delivery means, a rotary table that rotates around the same central axis as the circumference, and one rotary table arranged on the rotary table. A valve transfer mechanism that grips the needle valve to reciprocate between the circumference and the vicinity of the center of the rotary table, a valve opening / closing mechanism that is arranged on the rotary table to open and close the needle valve, and the center of the rotary table. An electronic balance that is placed near the bottom of the needle valve for mounting a container for collecting the coloring agent falling from the needle valve, and the valve opening based on a signal from the electronic balance. The needle valve is provided with a computer for controlling the operation of the closing mechanism, and the needle valve has an inflow opening for receiving the coloring material, and a liquid coloring material supply having a large diameter needle portion and a small diameter needle portion for discharging the coloring material. Achieved by a metering device.

Based on such a configuration, according to the supply metering device of the present invention,
It is possible to perform multi-step control of coarse adjustment by the large diameter needle part and fine adjustment by the small diameter needle part, and quick measurement by the large diameter valve hole and accurate measurement by the small diameter valve hole can be performed in a series of operations. You can do it. Also, by intermittently opening and closing a small-diameter valve hole, it is possible to repeat the creation and dropping of droplets, and even a liquid with high viscosity such as paint can be weighed to a minute amount with good sag. .

In the second aspect of the present invention, a cap for receiving the coloring material discharge port of each needle valve is arranged to open upward on the circumference of the fixed frame, and the lower end of each needle valve is fitted on this cap. As a result, the paint is held at a predetermined position on the circumference, and it is possible to prevent the paint from sticking to the discharge port.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description with reference to the embodiments of the accompanying drawings.

(Embodiment) FIG. 1 shows a system configuration of a liquid colorant supply / measuring device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
The figure shows the main parts of the supply metering device.

In this system, 50 liquid tanks 20 containing liquids to be weighed are prepared and filled with liquid coloring agents of different colors. The liquid in the tank 20 is sent to the needle valve 14 through the pipe 18 by the energy of the liquid delivery means 22 which is a gear pump. The liquid remaining in the needle valve 14 is returned to the tank 20 through the return pipe 19.
Returned to. 50 needle valves are prepared corresponding to the number of tanks, and a cap 16 is attached to the liquid discharge port at the lower end of each needle valve.
6 is an annular support 12 on a fixed frame 10 (FIG. 2)
Are circumferentially arranged at even intervals. Piping 1
The springs 8 and 19 are suspended from the fixed frame 10 by a spring 21 so that they can be swung to some extent.

Instead of the gear pump 22, a pressure feeding device using air can be provided. In either case, it is desirable to provide means for adjusting the pressure to be fed.

At the center of the annular support 12, a circular rotary table 25 as shown in FIG. 4 is arranged. This rotary table 25 is on the cross roller bearing 26,
It is rotationally driven at a relatively high speed through a turning electric motor 66, a belt 67, a speed reducer 68, a pulley 69, and a belt 71 (FIG. 4) as shown in the figure.

A valve transfer mechanism 40 that holds one needle valve 14 and reciprocates between the circumference and the vicinity of the center of the table and a valve opening and closing mechanism 60 that opens and closes the needle valve 14 are installed on the rotary table 25. These are arranged at right angles as shown in FIG.

Below the vicinity of the center of the rotary table 25, an electronic balance 30 for mounting a container 28 for collecting the liquid falling from the needle valve 14 is arranged. Further, in order to perform measurement control, based on a signal from the electronic balance 30. A computer 32 for controlling the operation of the valve opening / closing mechanism 60 and various other moving parts, an input / output interface 33, and an input device 3.
4, output device 35 and the like.

The liquid collection container 28 is supplied to the electronic balance 30 by a conveyor type loading / unloading device 37, and is carried out after receiving a large number of falling liquids.

As shown in FIG. 2, the valve transfer mechanism 40 described above includes a valve clamp 41 for gripping the body portion of the needle valve 14, a valve lifter 42 for lifting and lowering the clamped valve, and a valve 1
Included are two-stage air cylinders 43, 44 for reciprocating the 4 between the circumference and the center. A local exhaust duct connection 52 is provided in the lower corner of the device.

In FIG. 3, between the lower end of the valve opening / closing mechanism 60 and the opening of the liquid collection container 28, a shutter-type sag receiving mechanism 65 for inserting below the needle valve opening is arranged, and the liquid during movement is moved. Prevents the surroundings from becoming dirty due to the falling of.

The valve opening / closing mechanism 60 described above includes a three-stage air cylinder 61 for moving the rod 89 (FIG. 5) of the valve 14.
A, 61B, 61C, a valve grip clamp 63 for gripping the valve cylinder connector 90, and a carrier 64 for supporting the whole are included. Air cylinder 4
3, 44, 61A, 61B, 61C and the clamp 41,
Air is pressure-fed to the air cylinder (not shown) for moving the lifter 42 and the grip clamp 63 from the center side of the fixed frame 10 through a pipe bundle (not shown), and this pipe bundle has a spring (not shown). Suspended through
You can move to some extent.

As shown in FIG. 2, the electronic balance 30 is installed on a pedestal 79 via a vibration-proof rubber 78, and a spilled liquid receiving tray 77 is mounted on the balance upper plate 30A. This prevents the liquid that has fallen from the needle valve opening due to an accident from falling out of the container and contaminating the electronic balance 30.

Around the container 28, a container moving roller 76, container fixing stoppers 73A and 73B, an inlet door 75A, and an outlet door 75B are arranged, and these are fixed to a windshield 74 that prevents the balance from shaking. The stopper 73A on the inlet side is a type that swings only to one side due to gravity, and the stopper 73B on the outlet side projects horizontally to serve as a stopper when a container is loaded, but a load is applied to the balance during weighing. It has a structure that separates so that it does not exist. When the inlet door and the outlet door are closed, the opening of the windshield is only the valve bulge on the top of the windshield, and this valve bulge is also closed by the valve during metering.

FIG. 5 shows a preferred embodiment of the needle valve 14, in which the body portion is composed of the main pipe 80, and the liquid that has entered from the inlet pipe 83 is the large diameter needle portion 81 (diameter D at the lower end of the main pipe 80). ) And small diameter needle part 8
It falls from 2 (diameter d). The remaining liquid is the return pipe 8
4 is returned to the liquid tank 20 (FIG. 1). In addition,
As an example, the diameter D can be 20 mm and the diameter d can be 1.5 mm. The body portion can be placed on the cap 16 on the circumference by using the flange 85. Clamp 41 described above
(Fig. 2) and handle clamp 63 (Fig. 3)
The body portion of the valve and the cylinder connector 90 can be gripped.

The stem 89 extending the center of the valve is used for operating the large valve and the small valve, and has a small diameter needle portion 8 between the valve closed position in FIG. 5 and the first stage stroke (S1).
Only 2 opens and the liquid flows out little by little, and during the subsequent second stage stroke (S2), the large diameter needle portion 81 opens and a large amount of liquid flows out.

The conical body 88 forming the large-diameter needle portion 81 is connected to the operating cylinder 92 and is pressed against the lower end of the main pipe 80 by the pressing force of the large spring 97. On the other hand, the stem 89 forming the small diameter needle portion 82 is pressed against the lower end of the conical body 88 by the force of the small spring 98. Collars 93, 94, and 95 are arranged between the operation cylinder 92 and the stem 89 to maintain a constant gap. A cylinder connector 90 is provided at the upper end of the stem 89, and a valve grip clamp 63 at the lower end of the lower cylinder 61A shown in FIG. 3 is connected thereto. O-rings 101, 102, and 103 are arranged between the stem 89 and the cap 87 at the upper part of the body and around the needle, respectively, for sealing.

The system and apparatus according to the present invention are configured as described above, and the features thereof are summarized as follows.

A) A dual structure needle valve 14 as a device capable of adjusting the flow rate according to the fluidity of the liquid for quick measurement.
And three-stage control type air cylinders 61A, 61B, 61C are provided.

B) A needle valve having a tank and a pipe connected thereto is circumferentially arranged on an annular support of a fixed frame so that a necessary colorant can be selected and supplied from a large number of liquid colorants.

C) The rotary table 25 is arranged in the center, and the valve transfer mechanism 40 and the valve opening / closing mechanism 60 are arranged on the rotary table 25 to ensure the gripping and opening / closing operations of the valve. It suffices that this rotary table can rotate 360 °, and it is not necessary to rotate infinitely.

D) For quick and accurate weighing, a plurality of stages of cylinders 61A, 61B, 61C are provided. For example, if the first stage cylinder 61A is controlled to 6 mm and the second stage cylinder 61B is controlled to 12 mm, the stem 89 is 6mm, 12mm, 18
It is possible to control mm in total of 3 steps. Furthermore, if a cylinder with a stroke of 3 mm, 6 mm, or 12 mm is used as a three-stage cylinder, the valve opening will be seven stages in total, and finer control is possible. In the three-stage metering operation, the first-stage cylinder 61A has a single-stage stroke, and only the second-stage cylinder 61B has a two-stage stroke. A small opening that fully opens the large diameter needle portion, a middle opening that moves the large valve operating cylinder 92 to the middle to half open the large diameter needle portion, and a large opening that moves the operating cylinder 92 to the upper limit to fully open the large diameter needle portion. Control in three stages.

E) In order to perform the weighing quickly and accurately, the computer is executed by software controlling the dual structure needle valve in, for example, four stages. That is, a) Large-scale weighing step If there is a large amount of the target weighing amount or the unbalanced amount, for example, a large opening is performed at 1 kg or more.

b) Medium-weight weighing step If the target weighing amount or the remaining weighing amount is, for example, 300 g or more and less than 1 kg, the medium opening is performed.

c) Small-quantity weighing step A small opening is performed when the target weighing amount or the remaining weighing amount is, for example, 1 g or more and less than 300 g.

d) Micro-weighing step When the target weighed amount or the un weighed amount remaining is less than 1 g, for example, the small-diameter needle portion is opened and closed quickly (for example, at intervals of 50 ms) to form and drop.

Therefore, for example, when weighing 1200 g, the target weighing amount of 1200 g is input to the computer, the computer is judged to be 1 kg or more, and the mass weighing step is executed. The computer detects the weighed amount of the electronic balance every short time (for example, 100 ms), and closes the valve when the remaining amount of the weighed amount is detected to be 1 kg or less. Similarly, the medium weight weighing step and the small weight weighing step are executed in the same manner. When the computer detects the current weighing amount of the electronic balance and determines that the remaining amount to be weighed is less than 1 g, the small-diameter needle portion is quickly opened and closed to execute a micro-weighing step of forming and dropping liquid droplets. It is desirable to switch the valve opening / closing time in two steps, such as every several hundred ms when it is less than 0.5 g and less than 1 g, and every tens of ms when less than 0.5 g. It is judged that the weighing is finished when the weighing detected by the computer reaches the target weighing plus or minus the allowable amount.

Next, the control by the computer will be described in more detail. In the computer, a control program and data regarding the outflow amount of liquid per hour (relationship between outflow amount, pressure, and temperature) are registered in advance. A large number of liquid tanks 20 are connected to variable speed gear pumps 22, respectively, and are of a type that is pumped by the gear pumps. First, the temperature of the liquid in the tank 20 containing the coloring material to be measured is detected, and the appropriate outflow amount of the liquid (for example, 1
The rotational speed of the variable speed gear pump is calculated and set to obtain 10 cans / min in 8 can sizes. Instead of using the variable speed gear pump, the flow rate can be properly adjusted with a configuration such as a constant speed gear pump, a bypass pipe, a bypass pipe flow rate adjusting valve, and a pressure gauge. In the case of the pressure-feeding method using air pressure, the pressurizing pressure is calculated and set.

First of all, it is checked whether the amount of liquid in the tank is sufficient to be weighed in relation to the target weighed amount from the input terminal. This confirmation is performed by detecting the liquid surface with a sensor, estimating the remaining amount from the relationship between the replenishment amount and the consumption amount, or visually observing the scale.

Next, when the collection container 28 is placed on the electronic balance 30 by the container loading / unloading device 37, the computer 32 instructs the input device 34 to select a desired color from among a large number of valve groups arranged on the annular support 12. Select the dual structure needle valve 14 connected to the agent tank, and
5 is rotated so that the valve transfer mechanism 40 faces the target valve. The cylinders 43 and 44 are actuated, the clamp 41 approaches the valve to clamp the body portion, the valve lifter 42 lifts the valve and removes it from the cap 16, and the cylinders 43 and 44 are actuated again to move the valve to the center of the table 25. Bring it to the part. The valve that has come to the center is pushed down by the operation of the valve lifter 42, and its needle portions 81 and 82 are inserted into the inlet of the collection container 28 via the valve inlet on the top of the windshield 74. At this point, the valve opening / closing mechanism 60 moves forward and the cylinder connector 90 (FIG. 5) of the needle valve engages with the valve grip clamp 63 at the lower end of the cylinder 61A, whereby the cylinder 61
The valve opening / closing operation by A, 61B and 61C is started.

The computer 32 selects some of the above-mentioned weighing steps to operate the cylinders 61A, 61B and 61C,
The needle valve 14 is operated until the target weighing amount is collected according to the sampling amount fed back from the electronic balance 30. Details of each weighing step will be described later.

When the weighing operation is completed, the valve grip clamp 63 of the opening / closing mechanism 60 opens the valve according to the instruction of the computer,
The valve is gripped by the clamp 41 and the valve lifter 42
Is lifted up and exits from the inlet of the collection container 28. Here, a shutter type sag receiving mechanism 65 (Fig. 3) enters from the horizontal direction between the needle portion of the valve and the collection container, and a dripping liquid that rarely drops from the valve tip enters the collection container. Prevent the. Then cylinder 4
3, 44 actuate to send the valve back to its original position, the valve lifter 42 descends, and the valve needle 81,
82 is housed in the cap 13, and the valve transfer mechanism 40 returns to the original center position. The sag receiving mechanism 65 also retracts to the original position, and the operation ends.

Next, the control of the operation in each weighing step will be described in more detail. In order to make the explanation easy to understand, a method in which the cylinder is controlled in two stages and the end point of each step is not fixed is described.

Mass Weighing Step When the target weigh is 1 kg or more, the mass weighing step is controlled. A solenoid valve (not shown) is opened under the control of the computer, air is sent to the air cylinders 61A and 61B, the valve is opened large against the small spring 98 and the large spring 97, and liquid is discharged from the large diameter needle portion 81. Drain. Receives data from the electronic balance 30 at a rate of, for example, 7 data per second, detects the current weighing amount, and
The outflow rate (g / sec) is calculated from the data of the increase in weighing. From this calculation result, the end point of the weighing amount in this step is determined and the valve is controlled. The remaining balance is, for example, the outflow rate (g / sec)
× 3 seconds. Therefore, when the weight of the electronic balance shows the target weight (g) −outflow rate (g / sec) × 3 seconds or more, the valve is shifted to the control of the next step.

Medium-weight weighing step If the target weighing is 300 g or more and less than 1 kg, or if the large-scale weighing step is completed, the control of this step is immediately performed. By opening the solenoid valve and moving the cylinder 61B to the intermediate stroke, the middle opening of the valve is performed and the liquid is discharged. Similar to the mass weighing step, detection of the weighed amount and calculation of the outflow amount are executed to control the valve.

Small-quantity weighing step When the target weighing is 1 g or more and less than 300 g, or when the medium-weight weighing step is completed, the control of this step is immediately performed. Open the solenoid valve, stop the cylinder 61B and operate only the cylinder 61A to make a small opening of the valve.
The liquid is caused to flow out from the small diameter needle portion 82. Similar to the mass weighing step, detection of the weighed amount and calculation of the outflow amount are executed to control the valve.

Micro-weighing (1) step If the target weight is 0.5 g or more and less than 1 g, or if the small-volume weighing step is completed, the control of this step is performed immediately. By rapidly opening and closing the solenoid valve at intervals of 100 ms, for example, the cylinder 61A is operated, and the stem 89 is rapidly moved up and down to form a droplet on the small diameter needle portion 82, and the droplet is dropped. This step ends when the remaining balance is less than 0.5 g.

Micro-weighing (2) step When the target weighing is less than 0.5 g or the micro-weighing (1) step is completed, the control of this step is immediately performed. By rapidly opening and closing the electromagnetic valve at intervals of 50 ms, the cylinder 61A is operated, the stem 89 is rapidly moved up and down to form a droplet on the small diameter needle portion 82, and the droplet is dropped. Since this step is the final step, it is determined that the weighing is finished when the weighing data from the electronic balance 30 reaches the allowable range of the target weighing, for example, -10 mg of the target weighing,
The operation of the cylinder 61A stops and the weighing operation ends.

(Example) Using the supply metering device configured as described above and the valve control means in which the end point of each step is predetermined, a paint containing titanium oxide as a liquid has a viscosity of 120 KU / 20 ° C.
A paint having a specific gravity of 1.70 / 20 ° C. was placed in a tank, pressure-fed by a gear pump, and weighed. Liquid temperature at the time of execution is 10
C., the viscosity of the liquid was 134 KU. The device had 50 valves arranged on a circumference having a radius of 850 mm, and the overall size was 2 m in length, 2 m in width, and 2 m in height.

1) In the case of target weighing 1 g The weighing result weight was 1.0 g after weighing time of about 10 seconds.

2) When the target weight was 10 g, the weighing result was 10.0 g when the weighing time was about 20 seconds.

3) In the case of target weighing 100 g The weighing result weight was 100.1 g after weighing time of about 30 seconds.

4) When the target weighed amount was 1000 g The weighed result weight was 999.9 g in a weighing time of about 35 seconds.

5) When the target weighed amount is 10000 g, the weighed result was about 1000 seconds and the weighed result was 1000 0.1 g.

(Effects of the Invention) As described in detail above, according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

1) It is possible to perform quick and accurate weighing through a series of measuring operations in which most of the indicated measured amount of the liquid is discharged from the large-diameter needle portion, and then a small amount flows out and drops from the small-diameter needle portion.

2) Since a small amount of liquid is discharged by forming and dropping a liquid droplet from a small-diameter needle portion, even a highly viscous liquid such as paint can be measured to a minute amount with good sagging.

3) Since the large-diameter and small-diameter discharge parts are provided in one needle valve, the liquid drop position is limited, and the liquid can be injected by inserting the valve into a container with a small opening diameter. it can.

4) Since it is not necessary to move the balance or the sampling container on the balance when inserting the valve into the opening of the container, a precise balance can be used.

5) In the operation of mixing a plurality of liquids, improvement in mixing quality and economic efficiency based on accurate measurement are achieved.

6) Since the valve transfer mechanism and the valve opening / closing mechanism are installed on the central rotary table, while the valves are arranged on the circumference of the fixed frame, the transfer mechanism and the opening / closing mechanism are increased even if the number of valves increases. There is no need, and the cost can be kept low even if the types of colorants to be mixed increase significantly.

7) By appropriately selecting the needle diameter of the dual structure needle valve, it is possible to realize a large discharge amount (for example, 20 kg / min) to a minute discharge amount (for example, 0.05 g / 1 drop), and A subtle mixing ratio can be achieved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing the system configuration of a liquid colorant supply / metering apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view of the supply / metering apparatus, FIG. 3 is a left side view of the apparatus, and FIG. The drawing is a plan view of the apparatus, and FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a dual structure needle valve. 10 ... Fixed frame 12 ... Annular support 14 ... Needle valve, 16 ... Cap 20 ... Tank, 22 ... Pump 25 ... Rotary table 26 ... Bearing, 28 ... Sampling container 30 ... Electronic balance 32 …… Computer 40 …… Valve transfer mechanism 43,44 …… Air cylinder 60 …… Valve opening / closing mechanism 61A, 61B, 61C …… Air cylinder 81 …… Large diameter needle part 82 …… Small diameter needle part 83 …… Inflow opening Department

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A large number of needle valves detachably arranged at predetermined intervals on a circumference of a fixed frame, and pipes and colors connected to each needle valve so as to supply a predetermined liquid coloring agent. An agent tank and a coloring agent delivery means, a rotary table that rotates around the same central axis as the circumference, and a needle valve that is arranged on the rotary table and grips one needle valve, on the circumference and near the center of the rotary table. A valve transfer mechanism that reciprocates between the rotary table, a valve opening / closing mechanism that is arranged on the rotary table to open and close the needle valve, and a colorant that is arranged below the center of the rotary table and falls from the needle valve. An electronic balance for mounting the container to be mounted, and a computer for controlling the operation of the valve opening / closing mechanism based on a signal from the electronic balance, The needle valve has an inflow opening for receiving a coloring material, and a large-diameter needle portion and a small-diameter needle portion for discharging the coloring material. 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein a cap for receiving the coloring material discharge port of each needle valve is arranged on the circumference of the fixed frame so as to open upward.