JPH08150639A - Cutting device for molding and cutting - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To facilitate a complete molding automation and thereby improve productivity by providing a cutting means for separating a work, a transport means for transporting a runner to a cutting position, a positioning means for determining the position of the work and a transport/alignment means for transporting and aligning the separated work. CONSTITUTION: When a molding is positioned and deposited at a holding tool 8 on an index table 7, and is transported to a transport position by intermittent rotation, the molding is clamped by the chuck 14 of the transport means 6 and is caused to ascend and is moved to a positioning part 2. Then the chuck 14 descends to arrange the molding between brackets 19, 19 and clamp it. Next, the area between a lens and a gate part of the molding is cut by a cutting part 3. After that, the chuck 14 once ascends clamping the molding, then the clamping of the lens by the positioning part 2 is loosened, and the lens is chucked by aspiration by an air chucking device 28 arranged adjacently above the lens. Further, the lens is deposited on an alignment/preparation part 22, and then is aspirated by an air chucking device on the tip of an arm 31. Finally the lens is aligned and stored in an alignment tray 34.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cutting device and a cutting method for cutting and separating a work from a resin molded product integrally formed with a plurality of works which are connected to each other by a runner and made at the same time. It is a thing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a resin molded product integrally formed with a plurality of works which are connected by a runner and made at the same time, there is, for example, a plastic lens. In general, this plastic lens is injection molded, and in order to improve the productivity at the time of molding, a plurality of lenses are integrally molded with each other connected via a runner. That is, it is cut at the gate and separated into individual parts. The lens can be cut from the runner by cutting with a metal saw or grindstone, or by bending and shearing, heating with a nichrome wire, and cutting with thermal energy such as ultrasonic waves and laser. It is used. Furthermore, when this cutting method is used, it is difficult to cut between the lens and the runner unless the resin material is cooled and cured. But,
Molded products that are connected with the runner immediately after molding have soft resin and it is difficult to cut between the lens and runner.
If it is not cooled to a certain temperature or lower, the lens may be distorted at the time of cutting and the accuracy may be deteriorated, so cooling is required. Further, in the production process, there is a time difference between the two, as it requires more cooling time than molding time. Therefore, in view of the takt time, conventionally, there is a method in which a position for molding and cooling and a position for cutting after cooling are provided at different positions, and work is independently performed at each different position. There is.

[0003]

The problem with the conventional resin molding adopting the above method is that when the lens is cut from the runner, a cutting method using a metal saw or a grindstone causes cutting powder to be generated. It is generated, which scatters around and adheres to the surface of the lens. For this reason, it is necessary to clean the surface of the lens after cutting, resulting in an increase in the number of working steps and a cost increase. Also,
In the method of cutting by using thermal energy, there is a problem that stringing due to the molten material occurs after cutting, and this adheres to the lens surface to make a defective product, and even if it does not adhere to the lens surface, it adversely affects the quality. was there. Further, there is a problem that it is difficult to completely automate the molding, and the automation technology is delayed.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a cutting device for a molded product, which is capable of completely automating the molding, and which can dramatically improve the productivity. To provide a cutting method. Furthermore, other purposes will be clarified one after another in the content described below.

[0005]

The object of the present invention is, in the apparatus of the present invention, to cut a work from a molded product integrally having a plurality of works connected to each other via a runner. In a cutting device for separating, a cutting means for cutting the plurality of works at a gate portion which is a connecting portion with the runner to separate them individually, and a mold for clamping the runner to cut the molded product by the cutting means. Transporting means for transporting to a position, positioning means for clamping and positioning the work of the molded product transported to the cutting position, and holding the individually separated work up to a predetermined position This is achieved by providing a transport alignment means for transporting and aligning. further,
The transport alignment means may be provided with means for moving the workpieces in the XY axis directions to transport the workpieces to the alignment tray and transfer the workpieces.

Further, the object of the method of the present invention is to cut and separate the work from a molded product integrally having a plurality of works connected to each other via a runner. In, the molded article connected by the runner is clamped and conveyed by the conveying means to the position of the cutting means, and at the cutting position, the plurality of workpieces are connected by the cutting means to the runner at the gate portion. This can be achieved by cutting and dividing into individual pieces, and holding the individually separated work pieces by the conveying and aligning means and conveying and aligning them to a predetermined position.

[0007]

According to this, the molded product immediately after molding is conveyed to the cutting position, the gate part is further cut at the cutting position to separate the work (lens) from the runner, and the separated work is conveyed to a predetermined position. It is possible to automatically perform a series of operations for storing and aligning and storing. Further, in the case where the transport aligning means is provided with means for moving the works in the X-Y axis directions to transport the work to the alignment tray and transfer the work, the work after cutting is more reliable and simple. It is possible to align and transfer to a predetermined position.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration layout diagram showing an embodiment of a cutting device for molded articles according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, the cutting device is roughly composed of a stock / conveyance unit 1, a positioning unit 2, a cutting unit 3, and a conveyance alignment unit 4. In this embodiment, a case where a plastic lens 50a (hereinafter simply referred to as "lens 50a") is made as the molded product 50 is taken as an example. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the molded product 50 immediately after molding is discharged by the runner 51 in a state where the four works, that is, the lenses 50a are connected, and this is chucked by the chuck of the transport mechanism 61 on the injection molding machine side (not shown). The part 51a of the runner 51 is clamped by the part 62, and this is conveyed and supplied to the cutting device of the present invention. Also, on the cutting device side, the runner 51 and the lens 5
0a is connected to each other, that is, the boundary between the gate portion 52 and the lens 50a is cut to separate each lens 50a.

More specifically, the stock / transport unit 1
Has a stocking means 5 and a conveying means 6. Of these, the stock means 5 is also shown in FIG. Therefore, referring to FIG. 2, the stock means 5 has an index table 7 which is intermittently rotated below the carry-in position 71 and the carry-out position 72 under the control of an actuator (not shown). A plurality of (6 in this embodiment) holders 8 on which the molded products 51 immediately after molding are positioned and placed on the index table 7 are fixed at equal intervals along the rotation direction. Is provided.

Further, each holder 8 has a groove 8 for receiving a substantially columnar rod-like horizontal base 51a of the runner 51.
a and a cutout portion 8b for receiving the arm portion 51b, which is also in the shape of a substantially cylindrical rod, are formed. The bottom shape of the groove portion 8a corresponds to the outer shape of the horizontal base body 51a, and the bottom shape of the cutout portion 8b corresponds to the outer shape of the arm portion 51b. Therefore, the vertical base 51c protruding upward from the substantially middle portion of the horizontal base 51a.
Is clamped by the chuck portion 62 of the transport mechanism 61, carried to the carry-in position 71, and placed on the holder 8,
The molded product 50 is arranged on the index table 7 in a predetermined position and in a predetermined posture by the groove 8a and the notch 8b, and when the index table 7 is rotated, it is moved to the carry-out position 72 in this state. . It should be noted that the time required to move from the carry-in position 71 to the carry-out position 72 should be left as long as it takes to cool the molded product 50 immediately after molding to a temperature suitable for being cut and processed. Is set as a possible time. To set this time, in addition to the intermittent rotation speed of the index table 7, the number of holders 8 arranged on the index table 7 and the like are adjusted.

The transport means 6 is also shown in FIG. Therefore, as will be described with reference to FIG. 3, the conveying means 6 is disposed between the carry-out position 72 on the index table 7 and the positioning portion 2, and includes the servo motor 9 and the feed screw rotated by the servo motor 9. 10, a carriage 11 that is fed by the rotation of the feed screw 10 and reciprocates between the carry-out position 72 and the positioning unit 2, and this carriage 11
It is composed of a Z-axis actuator 12 and a servomotor 13 mounted on the top. Of these, the chuck 14 for clamping the runner 51 of the molded product 50 is attached to the lower end of the shaft 12a of the Z-axis actuator 12. The chuck 14 is reciprocally movable in the direction of arrow UD in FIG. 3, that is, in the vertical direction by the operation of the Z-axis actuator 12. A timing gear 15 is attached to the output shaft 13a of the servo motor 13, and the Z-axis actuator 12
A timing gear 16 is attached to the shaft 12a. In addition, the timing gear 15 and the timing gear 16
A timing belt 17 is stretched between and.
When the servo motor 13 is rotated, the timing gear 15, the timing belt 17, the timing gear 16
It is possible to rotate the shaft 12a via the shaft 12a and rotate the chuck 14 together with the shaft 12a in the directions of arrows AB in FIG.

The positioning portion 2 is disposed below the feed screw 10 in the conveying means 6 and along the same X-axis direction as the feed screw 10, and the main structure thereof is also shown in FIG. . Therefore, referring to FIG. 4, the positioning unit 2
Has a first clamp means 2A and a second clamp means 2B, which are divided into left and right and are arranged symmetrically on the base 18. Further, the first and second clamping means 2A, 2B are provided with a jig portion 19 for clamping the lens 50a of the molded product 50 conveyed by the conveying means 6, and the jig portion 19 shown in FIG. The actuator 20 is configured to move in the direction of the arrow C-D.
Then, in the positioning unit 2, when the molded article 50 is transported by the transporting means 6 and the lens 50a is arranged between the first clamp means 2A and the second clamp means 2B, the actuator 20 is driven. The jig portions 19 are moved in the direction in which they face each other, and the lens 50a is moved to the jig portion 19.
Clamp between the lens 50a and the lens 50a. If the jig portion 19 is moved in the opposite direction, the lens 50a can be released from the clamp. In the present embodiment, the surface of the jig portion 19 for clamping the lens 50a is formed in a V shape, but the shape of this surface depends on the shape of the workpiece (lens 50a in this embodiment). An easy shape is selected. A buffer spring (not shown) is interposed between the jig portion 19 and the actuator 20, and the operating force of the actuator 20 is transmitted to the jig portion 19 via this spring. .

The cutting section 3 is provided adjacent to the positioning section 2, and the lens 50 clamped by the positioning section 2 is provided.
The structure is such that the boundary between the gate portion 52 and the lens 50a can be cut between a and the runner 51 clamped by the chuck 14 of the transporting means 6.
Although not shown, air blowing means is provided in the cutting portion 3, and air is blown from the air blowing means to the cut portion of the molded article 50 at the time of cutting. That is, by blowing air, it is possible to prevent chips and the like generated when the molded product 50 is cut from the runner 51 from being scattered around and adhere to the surface of the lens 50a, and to cool the cut portion with air. This is to prevent distortion of the molded product.

The transport alignment section 4 includes a lens take-out section 21.
And an alignment preparation section 22 and an alignment section 23. Of these, the lens take-out portion 21 is also shown in FIG. Therefore, as will be described with reference to FIG. 5, the lens extracting unit 21 includes an actuator 25 mounted on the base 24 of the apparatus, an actuator 26 arranged on the actuator 25, an arm 27 arranged on the actuator 26, and the like. The actuator 25 allows the arm 27 to reciprocate in the Z-axis direction, and the actuator 26 causes the arm 27 to reciprocally rotate in the horizontal direction, so that the tip of the arm 27 is located at the position on the positioning unit 2. The structure is such that it can be switched to the position arranged on the alignment preparation unit 22.
Further, an air chuck 28 is provided on the lower surface of the arm 27 on the front end side of the rotation. This air chuck 28
6 has a recess 29 capable of receiving the lens 50a on the lower surface and communicates with the recess 29, as shown in FIG. Negative pressure line 3
0 is provided. The negative pressure passage 30 communicates with an air pump device (not shown). When the air chuck 28 is arranged above the lens 50a and the inside of the recess 29 is made negative pressure through the negative pressure passage 30, the negative pressure passage 30 The lens 50a is sucked and held in the recess 29, and when the suction is released, the lens 50a can be dropped by its own weight. When the suction is released to release the lens 50a, the negative pressure passage 30
Alternatively, the structure may be adopted in which air is blown out to positively discharge the lens 50a from within the recess 29.

Although not shown, the aligning section 23 has an arm 31 having an air chuck 28 having a structure substantially the same as that of the air chuck 28 in the lens taking-out section 21, and an X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis of the arm 31. And an actuator 32 movable in the respective directions, and a tray positioning portion 33 on which an alignment tray 34 is placed. In the aligning section 23, the tip of the arm 31 can be moved to a position on the alignment preparing section 22 and a position on the tray positioning section 33 by the operation of the actuator 32, and the arm 31 is provided at the tip of the arm 31. The lens 50a on the alignment preparation unit 22 is suction-chucked by the air chuck, and the lens 50a is conveyed to the alignment tray 34 of the tray positioning portion 33, released, and aligned and stored in the alignment tray 34. .

Next, the overall operation of the cutting device thus constructed will be described. First, when the molded product 50 immediately after being molded by an injection molding machine (not shown) is carried by the carrying mechanism 61, it is positioned and transferred to the holder 8 on the index table 7 at the carry-in position 71. And
The molded product 50 is left in a positioned state and conveyed to the carry-out position by intermittent rotation of the index table 7, and the molded product 50 is cooled during this period.

In this way, the molded product 50 conveyed to the carry-out position 72 has the runner 51 clamped by the chuck 14 of the carrying means 6 which is lowered by the operation of the Z-axis actuator 12 at the carry-out position 72. Also, the chuck 14
When the clamping by is completed, the chuck 14 is moved up by the operation of the Z-axis actuator 12, and then the carriage 11 is moved toward the positioning portion 2 side by the operation of the servo motor 9 and the feed screw 10. Further, when the movement to the positioning section 2 is completed, the chuck 14 is lowered by the operation of the Z-axis actuator 12, and the lens 50a is moved to the jig sections 19 and 19 of the first and second clamping means 2A and 2B in the positioning section 2. The lens 50a is clamped by the operation of the actuator 20. Then, the cutting section 3 cuts the vicinity of the boundary between the clamped lens 50a and the gate section 52. When the first cutting process is completed, the Z-axis actuator 1
By the operation of 2, the chuck 14 is once lifted while the molded product 50 is clamped.

Subsequently, the lens take-out section 2 of the aligning section 23
The first arm 27 is raised by the operation of the actuator 25, and the tip of the arm 27 is moved by the operation of the actuator 26 onto the positioning unit 2. Next, the actuator 25 is operated to lower the arm 27, and the air chuck 28 is disposed adjacent to the separated lens 50a. At the same time, the inside of the recess 29 of the air chuck 28 is negatively pressured through the negative pressure path 30, and the lens 50a is unclamped by the positioning portion 2. Then, the lens 50a is recessed 29
It is chucked inside. Then, the actuator 25
The arm 27 is lifted by the operation of, and when the lifting is completed, the tip of the arm 27 is switched to the state where the tip of the arm 27 is moved onto the alignment preparation unit 22 by the operation of the actuator 26. Next, the actuator 25 is operated to lower the arm 27, and when the lowering is completed, the negative pressure of the air chuck 28 is released and the lens 50 a is transferred onto the alignment preparation unit 22.

Next, on the side of the alignment section 23, the tip of the arm 31 is moved by the operation of the actuator 32, and the alignment preparation section 2 is moved.
After being moved to a position above 2, the lens 50a on the alignment preparation unit 22 is sucked and chucked by the air chuck provided at the tip of the arm 31. Subsequently, the arm 31 rises and is carried to the alignment tray 34 of the tray positioning portion 33, lowered and released, and is aligned and stored in the alignment tray 34.

On the other hand, the chuck 14, which has been lifted after the cutting of the first lens 50a is completed, moves the servo motor 13 of the servo motor 13 when the arm 27 of the transport alignment unit 4 is moved to the alignment preparation unit 22 side together with the lens 50a. The direction of the molded product 50 is changed by the operation, and the lens 50a that remains unseparated is brought into a state corresponding to the positioning portion 2 and is lowered by the operation of the actuator 12 again to clamp the lens 50a to the positioning portion 2. The second lens 50a is cut and separated. Then, the separated lens 50a is processed by the transport alignment section 4 in the same manner as the first lens, and the alignment tray 3
It is housed in 4. After that, the chuck 14 repeats raising, rotating, and lowering until the fourth lens 50a is cut and separated, and when the separation of the lens 50a is completed, the chuck 14 is carried out by the operation of the servo motor 9 and the feed screw 10. Returned to position 72. In the middle of the return, the runner 51 without the lens 50a is discarded in a discarding unit (not shown) and returned to the discharge position 72, and the same operation is repeated.

Therefore, according to the cutting apparatus for molded products of this embodiment, the molded product 50 immediately after molding is conveyed to the cutting position (cutting section 3), and the gate section 52 is cut at the cutting position to work (lens). 50a) is separated from the runner 51,
Since the work after separation can be carried to a predetermined position (tray positioning portion 33) where the alignment tray 34 is arranged and stored in the alignment tray 34, a series of operations can be automatically performed, Automation becomes possible.

In the above embodiment, the case where the plastic lens 50a is manufactured has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this and can be generally applied to the case of cutting a resin molded product.

[0023]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Immediately after molding, the molded product is conveyed to the cutting position, the gate is cut at the cutting position to separate the work (lens) from the runner, and the separated work is conveyed to a predetermined position and aligned for storage. Since a series of operations up to can be automatically performed, complete automation is possible and productivity can be dramatically improved. Further, in the case where the transport aligning means is provided with means for moving the works in the X-Y axis directions to transport the work to the alignment tray and transfer the work, the work after cutting is more reliable and simple. It is possible to align and transfer to a predetermined position.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration layout diagram showing an embodiment of a cutting device for molded articles according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a main configuration of a stock / conveyance unit in the apparatus of this embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a main part of a conveying unit in the apparatus of this embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a main configuration of a positioning portion in the apparatus of this embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a main part of a lens extraction section in the apparatus of this embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the main configuration of an air chuck in the apparatus of this embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 stock / conveyance unit 2 positioning unit 3 cutting unit 4 conveyance alignment unit 6 conveyance means 7 index table 8 holder 8a groove 50 molded product 50a lens (work) 51 runner 52 gate unit 71 carry-in position 72 carry-out position

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A cutting device for cutting and separating the work from a molded product integrally having a plurality of works connected to each other via a runner, wherein the plurality of works are connected to the runner. Cutting means for cutting and individually separating by a gate part, conveying means for clamping the runner and conveying the molded product to a cutting position by the cutting means, and conveying means for conveying to the cutting position Positioning means for clamping and positioning the work of the molded product, and carrying alignment means for holding the individually separated works and carrying and aligning them to a predetermined position. A cutting device for molded products. 2. The conveying and aligning means X-
The cutting device according to claim 1, further comprising means for moving in the Y-axis direction to convey to an alignment tray for transfer. 3. A cutting device for cutting and separating a workpiece from a molded article integrally having a plurality of workpieces connected to each other via a runner, and a plurality of holding means for positioning the molded articles. Has
Stocking means for positioning and temporarily stocking the molded product in the holding means, and sequentially moving the holding means from the carry-in position to the carry-out position with a predetermined standing cooling time, and the holding means at the carry-out position. Clamping the molded product in the means, transporting means for transporting the plurality of works to a cutting position where they are individually cut by the gate portion, and the work of the molded product transported to the cutting position. A device for cutting a molded article, comprising: positioning means for clamping and positioning; and transport aligning means for transporting and aligning the individually separated works to a predetermined position. . 4. A cutting method for cutting and separating the workpiece from a molded article integrally having a plurality of workpieces connected to each other via a runner, wherein the molded articles connected by the runner are clamped. Then, it is conveyed by the conveying means to the position of the cutting means, and at the cutting position, the plurality of works is cut by the cutting means at the gate portion which is a connecting portion with the runner, and individually separated,
A method of cutting a molded article, characterized in that the individually separated works are held by a carrying and arranging means and are carried to a predetermined position for alignment.