JPH0834631A - Method for forming glass cell - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To form a glass cell uniform in thickness and having a side face good in surface roughness without the side face of a bottomed tube being deformed by fixing a restainer for positioning the inner die to the opening of the tube, inserting the inner die into the tube through the restainer forming the tube by heating. CONSTITUTION:An inner die is inserted into a bottomed tube made of an optical material, and the tube is formed by heating. In this case, a guide part is formed in a positioning restainer, and the clearance between the side face of the tube and the inner die is uniformized. In the figure, the bottomed tube 1 is produced by an optical material of glass, resin, etc. The restainer 2 is formed so that the inner periphery 2a is engaged with the periphery 1a, and an O ring 3 is embedded in a groove 2b. A suction hole 2d is formed to suck the air in the clearance between the side face of the tube 1 and the forming face 4a of the inner die 4 when the inner die 4 is inserted so that the clearance is evacuated. A step 4b is formed in the inner die to position the inner die in the depth direction when the inner die 4 is inserted.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for forming a rectangular glass cell used in an automatic chemical analyzer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a rectangular glass cell is used for an automatic chemical analyzer using an optical sensor that reacts a non-test sample in a glass cell with a reagent and irradiates the glass cell with light for analysis. Has been done.

Conventionally, as a technique for manufacturing this type of glass cell, for example, a manufacturing method disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 3-69852 is known. The above method is illustrated in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 3c, a rectangular mold 52 is inserted into a glass tube 51 having a bottom (hereinafter referred to as a bottomed tube) 51, and a space between the inner wall of the bottomed tube 51 and the outer periphery of the mold 52 is heated while heating. By reducing the pressure, the inner wall of the bottomed tube 51 is molded into the outer shape of the mold 52. Next, after cooling the bottomed tube 51, the mold 52 is removed, and the outer periphery of the side surface that opposes the light is polished to polish the cell 5
Mold 3.

[0004]

However, in the glass cell molding method in the above-mentioned prior art, when the mold is inserted into the bottomed tube, the mold comes into contact with the inner wall of the bottomed tube, and the outer peripheral surface of the mold is exposed. There was a drawback that the inner wall of the bottomed tube was scratched. Also, if the mold is inserted at an angle when inserting it into the bottomed tube, when the mold is removed from the bottomed tube after heat-molding the bottomed tube, the mold There is a drawback that it is difficult to remove the mold from the bottomed tube because it is inclined.

Further, the mold is simply dropped into the bottomed pipe, and when the bottomed pipe is heated, the side surface of the bottomed pipe that is softened by heating due to the weight of the mold is sagged, resulting in uneven thickness. There is a drawback that it is difficult to mold a bottomed tube having a side surface with high accuracy such as surface roughness.

It is an object of claims 1 and 2 to accurately position the bottomed tube so that the clearances between the two side surfaces of the tube facing each other and the inner molding surface are equal. The object of claims 1 and 3 is to position the insertion depth of the inner mold into the bottomed tube so that the weight of the inner mold does not act on the side surface or the bottom surface of the bottomed tube.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a positioning method for determining the position of an inner mold in a molding method in which an inner mold is inserted into a bottomed pipe formed of an optical material and the bottomed pipe is heat-molded. A method of forming a glass cell is characterized in that, after attaching the toy to the opening of the bottomed tube, an inner die is inserted into the bottomed tube through a positioning toy to heat-mold the bottomed tube.
A glass cell molding method is characterized in that a guide portion is formed on the positioning unit and the gap between the side surface of the bottomed tube and the inner mold is made uniform by the guide portion. Further, the glass cell molding method is characterized in that the insertion depth of the inner mold into the bottomed tube is determined by using the upper surface of the positioning unit as a contact surface.

[0008]

According to the operations of claims 1 and 2, two pairs of bottomed tubes facing each other are provided by the positioning jaws provided at the opening of the bottomed tube made of an optical material and having the guide portion for determining the position of the inner mold. By accurately positioning so that the gap between the side surface of the inner mold and the molding surface of the inner mold is equal, scratches do not occur on the inner surface of the bottomed pipe when the inner mold is inserted into the bottomed pipe. Further, since the inner mold is not inserted while being inclined, it becomes easy to remove the inner mold from the bottomed tube after molding.

According to the first and third aspects of the present invention, the positioning die is provided at the opening of the bottomed tube made of an optical material and has a guide portion for determining the position of the inner die. By positioning the depth and inserting the inner mold into the bottomed pipe so that the inner mold's own weight does not act on the side and bottom of the bottomed pipe, the shape of the side does not sag and the wall thickness is uniform. A glass cell having a side surface with good surface roughness can be obtained.

[0010]

[Embodiment 1] FIGS. 1 to 4 are process charts showing a process of heat-molding a glass cell of this embodiment. Reference numeral 1 denotes a heat-molded bottomed tube, which is made of an optical material such as glass or transparent resin. 2 is a positioning tool for the inner mold 4,
The inner peripheral surface 2a is formed so as to fit into the outer peripheral portion 1a of the opening of the bottomed tube 1, and the O-ring 3 has a groove on the inner peripheral surface 2a so that air does not leak from the fitting portion. It is embedded in 2b. In addition, in the positioning unit 2, the inner die guide part is formed so that the gap 6 between the side surface of the bottomed tube 1 and the molding surface 4a of the inner die 4 becomes uniform when the inner die 4 is inserted. 2c is formed. Further, the positioning unit 2 is formed with a suction hole 2d for sucking air from the skimmer 6 to maintain the skimmer 6 in a vacuum state.

The inner mold 4 is formed with a stepped portion 4b so that the position in the depth direction of the insertion is determined when the inner mold 4 is inserted into the bottomed tube 1. The positioning die is inserted when the inner mold 4 is inserted. The stepped portion 4b surface abuts on the upper surface 2e surface of 2 to determine the position of the insertion depth of the inner mold 4, and the 2e surface and the 4b surface are brought into contact with each other, so that the gap between the inner mold 4 and the positioning unit 2 is Seal it so that no air leaks from it. Reference numeral 5 denotes a heater for heating the bottomed tube, the temperature of which can be adjusted so that the softening point of the bottomed tube 1 can be heated, and the heater 5 is installed on the inner surface of the molding chamber 7.

In the step of molding a glass cell having the above-described structure, first, the positioning unit 2 is fitted into the opening of the bottomed tube 1. Next, the inner mold 4 is inserted into the bottomed tube 1 while being guided by the guide 2c of the positioning toy 2 until the contact surface 4b of the inner mold 4 contacts the surface 2e of the positioning toy (see FIG. 1). Next, the bottomed tube 1 into which the inner mold 4 is inserted is inserted into the molding chamber 7 only at the portion where the bottomed tube 1 is molded (see FIG. 2), and the bottomed tube 1 is heated until it softens and suctioned. The bottomed tube 1 is thermoformed into the shape of the inner mold 4 by sucking air from the gap 6 through the hole 2d and keeping the gap 6 in vacuum (see FIG. 3). Next, the bottomed tube 1 is taken out from the molding chamber 7, the inner mold 4 is pulled out from the bottomed tube 1 (see FIG. 4), and the molded portion is cut into a predetermined length to obtain a glass cell.

According to this embodiment, since the suction force is used for molding, the bottomed tube can be made to conform to the inner mold molding surface with a simple structure.

[0014]

Embodiment 2 FIGS. 5 to 10 show the present embodiment, FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram, FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line AA ′ of FIG. 5, and FIGS.
Reference numeral 0 is a process drawing showing a process of heat-molding a glass cell. Reference numeral 21 denotes a heat-molded bottomed tube, which is made of an optical material such as glass or transparent resin. Reference numeral 22 denotes a positioning toy for the inner die 23, which has an inner peripheral surface 22a formed so as to fit into the outer peripheral portion 21a of the opening of the bottomed tube 21 and holds the bottomed tube 21 so as not to fall. The elastic body 20 is embedded in the groove 22c of the inner peripheral surface 22a.
Further, in the positioning unit 22, the side surface of the bottomed tube 21 formed when the inner mold 23 is inserted and the molding surface 23 a of the inner mold 23.
The inner die guide portion 22b is formed so that the gap 28 between the inner surface and the surface is uniform at the positions facing each other.

The inner mold 23 has a stepped portion 23b so that the position in the depth direction of the insertion is determined when the inner mold 23 is inserted into the bottomed tube 21.
Is formed, and when the inner mold 23 is inserted, the contact surface 23b of the inner mold 23 is attached to the upper surface 22c of the positioning unit 22.
And the position of the insertion depth of the inner mold 23 is determined. Two
Reference numeral 4 denotes a heater for heating the bottomed tube 21, the temperature of which can be adjusted so that the bottomed tube 21 can be heated to its softening point, and the heater 4 is installed on the inner surface of the molding chamber 25. An outer die 26 press-molds the outer surface of the bottomed tube 21, and is configured to be moved back and forth at right angles to the four side surfaces of the bottomed tube 21 by a drive cylinder 27.

In the step of molding a glass cell having the above-described structure, first, the positioning tube 22 of the inner mold 23 is fitted into the bottomed tube 21 (see FIG. 7). Next, the inner mold 23 is inserted into the bottomed tube 21 while being guided by the guide 22b of the positioning toy 22 until the contact surface 23b of the inner mold 23 contacts the surface 22c of the positioning toy. After insertion,
The bottomed tube 21 is inserted into the heating chamber 25 only at the portion to be molded, and heated until the bottomed tube 21 softens (see FIG. 8). next,
The bottomed tube 21 is taken out from the heating chamber 25 to a height at which the outer die 26 is arranged, and the four outer dies 26 are driven by the cylinder 27 to simultaneously press the bottomed tube 21 against the outer surface of the bottomed tube 21 and the inner die 23. Press molding is performed between them (see FIG. 9). Next, the inner mold 23 is pulled out from the bottomed tube 21, and the molded portion is cut into a predetermined length to obtain a glass cell (see FIG. 10).

According to this embodiment, since the side surface of the bottomed tube is sandwiched between the inner and outer molds, the inner surface and the outer surface of the bottomed tube are covered with the inner mold and the outer mold, respectively. Since the shape of the surface is transferred, it is possible to form a glass cell with good surface accuracy on both the inner surface and the outer surface.

[0018]

According to the effects of the first and second aspects of the present invention, the gap between the pair of side surfaces of the bottomed tube facing each other and the inner molding surface is equalized and accurately by the positioning unit attached to the bottomed tube. By positioning, the inner peripheral surface of the bottomed tube is not damaged when the inner die is inserted into the bottomed tube. In addition, since the inner die can be inserted into the bottomed tube opening at a right angle by the guide of the positioning unit, when the inner die is pulled out from the bottomed tube, the side surface near the bottomed tube opening interferes with the inner die. The inner mold can be easily pulled out from the bottomed tube without the mold not being pulled out. According to the effects of claims 1 and 3, by positioning the insertion depth of the inner die into the bottomed tube by the positioning unit, the weight of the inner die does not act on the side surface or the bottom surface of the bottomed tube. It is possible to form a glass cell having a side surface with a uniform thickness and a good surface roughness without causing the shape of the side surface of the tube to sag.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a process diagram showing Example 1.

FIG. 2 is a process diagram showing Example 1.

FIG. 3 is a process diagram showing Example 1.

FIG. 4 is a process drawing showing Example 1.

FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a second embodiment.

6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A ′ of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a process diagram showing a second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a process diagram showing Example 2.

FIG. 9 is a process drawing showing Example 2;

FIG. 10 is a process diagram showing a second embodiment.

11A to 11C are cross-sectional views showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Bottomed tube 2 Positioning unit 3 O-ring 4 Inner mold 5 Heater 6 Skimmer 7 Molding chamber

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A molding method in which an inner die is inserted into a bottomed tube formed of an optical material, and the bottomed tube is heat-molded, a positioning toy for determining the position of the inner die is provided in an opening of the bottomed tube. The method for forming a glass cell is characterized in that the inner die is inserted into the bottomed tube through a positioning unit, and the bottomed tube is heat-molded. 2. The method for molding a glass cell according to claim 1, wherein a guide portion is formed on the positioning unit, and the gap between the side surface of the bottomed tube and the inner mold is made uniform by the guide portion. 3. The method for molding a glass cell according to claim 1, wherein the upper surface of the positioning toy is used as a contact surface, and the insertion depth of the inner mold into the bottomed tube is positioned.