JPH08243777A - Metal filter cutting method and device therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To precisely and effectively cut a metal filter to be used in a liquid injection type printer. CONSTITUTION: A stainless fiber sheet A as a base material is clamped with a clamp plate B being installed with cutting jig holes 2, 2 and a jig stand C being installed with receiving holes 5, 5 being able to receive the cut filter. A laser beam irradiating unit D arranged on the upper side is used, the laser beam is turned along the internal circumference of each jig hole, 2, 2 and the sheet A is irradiated, the filter is cut and received in the receiving holes 5, 5, and after then these are made to be taken out.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a processing method for cutting a metal filter used for removing impurities into a predetermined shape by laser cutting when ink is sprayed on a liquid jet type (ink jet type) printer. is there.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In printers used in personal computers, word processors, etc., liquid jet type printers are often used. In this type of printer, when the ink is sprayed, in order to remove impurities, the ink is sprayed through a filter.

Conventionally, this filter is made of a non-woven stainless fiber sheet made of stainless steel fiber,
It is manufactured into a predetermined shape such as a circle by punching with a cutting tool.

[0004]

However, in the conventional punching method using a cutting tool as described above, the stainless fiber plate for the filter is a thin plate having a thickness of about 0.2 mm.
Automation by a press is difficult, and since it is done by hand, it is not always dangerous, and it is necessary to replace the cutting tool after every predetermined number of punches, which is extremely inefficient.

Further, burrs are apt to be generated on the back surface of the punch, and the burrs may be extruded during transportation or cleaning, and the plate is pulled by pressing the cutting tool during punching.
The perforated filter is thinly deformed around the periphery to have a high density, and the uniformity of filtration cannot be maintained, which also causes deformation of the plate itself, resulting in uneven dimensions and quality, and It was bad.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, and a laser cutting method is used.
An object of the present invention is to provide a novel method and apparatus for cutting a metal filter, which has good accuracy and quality, can perform automated continuous processing, and can work efficiently and safely.

[0007]

The structure of the present invention for achieving the above object will be described with reference to the drawings corresponding to the embodiments. The processing method of claim 1 is almost the same as that of the filter 1. A jig table C provided with a large number of receiving holes 5 each having a diameter,
The stainless fiber sheet A is sandwiched between the receiving holes 5 and 5 and the clamp plate B provided with the jig holes 2 and 2 facing each other, and laser light is applied from above the clamp plates to the circumference of each jig hole 2. It is characterized in that the stainless fiber sheet A is rotatively irradiated along with and is cut.

A processing apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention is an apparatus E that intermittently conveys a strip-shaped stainless fiber sheet A by a required length, and a filter that is cut on the lower side of the conveyed sheet. A jig base C provided with a number of stepped receiving holes 5 for receiving and holding 1 is rotatably provided, and the receiving holes 5, 5 of the jig base C are provided on the upper side of the sheet A.
A clamp plate B having jig holes 2 and 2 facing the clamp plate B is provided so as to be movable up and down, and a laser beam irradiator D for irradiating a laser beam is provided above the clamp plate B.
The sheet A is movable along the inner circumference of each jig hole 2 so that the sheet A can be swung and irradiated.

[0009]

The cutting process of the filter 1 is performed with the stainless fiber sheet A sandwiched between the clamp plate B and the jig table C. The laser beam irradiator D is located above the clamp plate B and irradiates the stainless fiber sheet A with laser light while rotating along the inner circumference of each jig hole 2, 2 of the clamp plate B. As a result, the filter 1 is cut and formed by non-contact local heating. The cut filter 1 is housed in the receiving holes 5 and 5 of the jig base C. Then, the stored filters 1, 1 are taken out by rolling the jig table C or the like.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 5 show an example of an apparatus for carrying out the present invention. In these figures, A is a stainless fiber sheet that serves as a base material for obtaining the filters 1 and 1 by cutting, and is formed in a thin non-woven fabric using stainless steel fibers.

The cutting process of the filter 1 is performed by sandwiching the upper and lower surfaces of a stainless fiber sheet (hereinafter referred to as a sheet) A with an upper clamp plate B, which is a pair of jigs, and a lower jig base C, and using a laser. The sheet A is irradiated with laser light from a position above the clamp plate B by using a beam irradiator (hereinafter referred to as an irradiator) D or the like.

The clamp plate B is formed in a flat plate shape and is provided with a large number of jig holes 2 having a diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the filter 1 to be cut. The clamp plate B is hung from a frame (not shown) via the lifting devices 3 and 3, and
2 is moved up and down from a position in contact with the upper surface of the sheet A as shown in FIG. 2 to a position considerably above the upper surface of the sheet A as shown in FIG.

The jig base C has a flat upper surface 4,
The upper surface portion 4 has a hole having a size for receiving the cut filter 1 at a position facing the jig holes 2 and 2, that is, a diameter substantially equal to that of the jig hole 2 and a filter-1.
Of the receiving hole 5, which has almost the same depth as the thickness of
5 are provided.

The jig base C is preferably formed in the shape of a hollow box as shown in the drawing, and the sheet A as shown in FIG.
3 is movably supported at a position below the seat A as shown in FIG. 2 from a position in contact with the lower surface of the sheet A, or at a position apart from the side of the seat A (not shown).
It is preferable that the upper surface portion 4 can be rolled so as to be on the lower side, as shown in FIG. Further, a supply pipe 6 and an exhaust gas hole 7 for feeding nitrogen gas into the jig base C are provided. In this case, in the receiving hole 5, the received filter 1
The catch step portion 8 is provided so as not to fall into the jig table C.

Above the clamp plate B, an illuminator D is provided which is connected to a laser oscillator (not shown) by an optical fiber 10 and which is provided with a nitrogen gas discharge means 15 as required. The illuminator D is a clamp plate B in contact with the sheet A.
From a position close to the clamp plate B to a position where the clamp plate B is not obstructed when the clamp plate B is lifted, and the jig holes 2 and 2 are sequentially circulated, and swivel a along each inner circumference thereof.
(See FIG. 4) Then, the turning device 12 so that the sheet A can be irradiated with the laser beam, the vertical moving device 13 that can move in the direction in which the jig holes 2 and 2 are arranged, and further, if necessary, the above moving The lateral movement device 14 that can move in the direction orthogonal to the direction can be freely moved up and down, moved, and turned.

Next, the procedure for cutting the filter 1 will be described. First, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the sheet A is sandwiched between the jig base C and the clamp plate B. that time,
The jig holes 2 and 2 and the receiving holes 5 and 5 are vertically aligned. The irradiator C is lowered so as to be close to the clamp plate B, and its tip is positioned on the inner circumference of one jig hole 2 at one end of the clamp plate B. The sheet A is irradiated with the laser light b while rotating a multiple times along the inner circumference of the jig hole 2. As a result, the filter 1 having substantially the same diameter as the jig hole 2 is cut from the sheet A. It should be noted that nitrogen gas is blown to the laser light irradiation portion from the inside of the jig base C and the irradiation device D as necessary. By doing so, since cutting by laser irradiation is performed in a nitrogen gas atmosphere, discoloration of scorching due to oxidation of the cut surface is prevented and separation is facilitated.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the cut filter 1 is separated from the sheet A and drops into the receiving hole 5 of the jig base C, and is accommodated in the receiving hole 5 by the receiving step portion 8. . After the cutting process around each jig hole 2 and 2 is completed, as shown in FIG. 2, the clamp plate B and the irradiator D are raised, and
The jig table C is separated from the sheet A, the jig table C is rolled as shown in FIG. 3, and the filters 1 and 1 housed in the receiving holes 5 and 5 are dropped and taken out. And
The sheet A is displaced as shown in FIG. 3 or replaced with a new sheet, and the above operation is repeated.

FIGS. 6 to 8 show an embodiment of an apparatus capable of more efficiently cutting the filter. In this embodiment, a conveyance device E for conveying and stopping the sheet A by a required length is provided. This apparatus is configured such that a long belt-shaped unwinding roller 20 for a sheet A, a tension roller 21 and an introducing roller 22 that follow it, a delivery roller 23 corresponding to the introducing roller 22 and a tension roller 24 that follows.
And a take-up roller 25. Sheet A is the unwinding roller
20 to tension roller 21, introduction roller 22, extraction roller
It is adapted to be intermittently conveyed to the take-up roller 25 via the 23 and the tension roller 24.

The clamp plate B, the irradiator D, and the mechanism related thereto are the same as those in the previous embodiment, and the explanation thereof will be omitted. As for the jig base C, the same two as those used in the previous embodiment are used. That is, the two jig stands C ₁ and C
₂ can be rolled into individual pieces by connecting members 26, 26 with a space in the width direction of the sheet A so that the other is located apart from the sheet A when one is directly below the sheet A. While being coupled, they are mounted on the machine stand 27 installed on the floor via the connecting bodies 26, 26, and can be moved and stopped in the width direction of the sheet A. The machine stand 27 is installed between the introduction roller 22 and the delivery roller 23, and the jig stands C ₁ , C
₂ is placed at a height in contact with the lower surface of the sheet A.

In the cutting process by this apparatus, as shown in FIG. 7, first, one jig base C ₁ is positioned directly below the sheet A. As a result, the other jig base C ₂ is located away from the sheet A. Then, the clamp plate B is lowered onto the sheet A on the jig base C ₁ to sandwich the sheet A.
In this state, the irradiator D is operated in the same manner as described in the previous embodiment to cut the filter 1.

After the processing is completed, the illuminator D is raised to return it to its original position and the clamp plate B is raised. In parallel with the operation, the connecting bodies 26, 26 are moved to one end side of the machine base 27 as shown in FIG. 8, one jig base C ₁ is separated to the side of the sheet A, and the other jig base is used. Position C ₂ directly under sheet A. Then, the sheet A is fed out for a required length, the clamp plate B and the irradiator D are lowered again to proceed with the cutting process, while the jig table C ₁ is rolled to take out the filters 1 and 1, and the jig table is taken. Roll C _{1 back} to its original state. After the cutting process using the jig base C ₂ is completed,
Is moved to put the jig base C ₁ directly below the sheet A, and the same operation as described above is repeated.

In the above embodiment, the receiving holes 5 and 5 of the jig base C and the jig holes 2 and 2 of the clamp plate B are simply provided in series. The arrangements of 5 and 2 are not limited to those described above, and can be appropriately changed such as a double row arrangement or a staggered arrangement.

Irradiation of the laser beam is performed by reflecting the laser beam on the polygon mirror 30 as shown in FIG.
It is also possible to reflect it on the fixed mirror 31 so that the swirling irradiation trajectory a of the laser light forms a predetermined circle.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since it is sandwiched from the top and bottom sides of the sheet to be processed and irradiated with laser light to perform cutting without contact, the sheet to be processed is pulled by pressing the blade as in the conventional punching with a blade. Without causing sheet deformation, the determined outer periphery of the filter is compressed and deformed, and the quality of the filter is not impaired.
The cut surface does not cause fiber burrs due to welding and the wire rod does not protrude, and a uniform and high-quality filter can be obtained, and it is not necessary to replace the blade as in the conventional case.

In particular, it is possible to perform cutting of a filter having a small diameter, which is impossible by the conventional punching with a cutting tool. Further, if nitrogen gas is blown at the time of laser light irradiation, cutting can be performed in good condition and discoloration of the cut surface can be prevented, so that the quality can be further improved. Further, according to the embodiment of FIGS. 6 to 8, the cutting process can be continuously performed,
Moreover, the apparatus can be automated, the productivity is improved, and the cost of the filter can be further reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front cross-sectional view showing a state during cutting processing according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front sectional view showing a state in which the clamp plate and the irradiator are raised.

FIG. 3 is a front sectional view showing a state in which the jig base is rolled.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part showing a laser beam irradiation state.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an essential part showing a state at the end of cutting of the filter.

FIG. 6 is a schematic front view showing an apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a main-portion plan view showing one usage state of the apparatus.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of an essential part showing another usage state thereof.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of laser irradiation.

[Explanation of symbols]

A stainless steel fiber sheet - DOO B clamp plate C _1, C ₂ Chigudai D laser beam irradiator E conveying apparatus 1 Filter 2 jig holes 3 lifting device 5 receiving hole 6 gas supply pipe 8 the receiving stepped portion 10 optical fiber 11 lifting Device 12 Revolving device 13 Vertical moving device 14 Horizontal moving device 15 Gas discharge means 20 Unwinding roller 22 Introducing roller 23 Outflowing roller 25 Winding roller 26 Coupling 27 Machine stand

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued Front Page (72) Inventor Hideo Nakagawa 1-21-6 Kojimacho, Chofu City, Tokyo Ajanta Chofu 211

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A stainless steel sheet is sandwiched between a jig table having a large number of receiving holes having substantially the same diameter as the filter and a clamp plate having a jig hole facing the receiving holes. A method for cutting a metal filter, which comprises irradiating a laser beam on a stainless fiber sheet along the circumference of each jig hole to perform cutting. 2. A device for intermittently conveying a belt-shaped stainless fiber sheet by a required length, and a stepped receiving hole for receiving and holding a cut filter on the lower side of the conveyed sheet. A jig table provided with a large number of is provided so as to be rollable, and a clamp plate provided with a jig hole facing the receiving hole of the jig table is provided on the upper side of the sheet so as to be movable up and down. A laser beam irradiator for irradiating a laser beam is provided above the clamp plate so as to be movable so as to be able to swirl and irradiate the sheet along the inner circumference of each jig hole of the clamp plate. Filter cutting device.