JPH11216403A - Automatic coating method and automatic coating device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make a washing nozzle approach the front face of a rotary atomizing head and to wash the rotary atomizing head with a washing fluid fed from the washing nozzle. SOLUTION: To a coating robot 1, a coater 20 is fitted movably in the arbitrary direction. At the time of washing, the coating robot 1 is operated and a rotary atomizing head 28 of the coater 20 is inserted into a waste liquid recovery vessel 13 of an atomizing head washer 10 and a washing nozzle 14 is made to approach the front face of the rotary atomizing head 28. In this state, the washing nozzle 14 is used to feed thinner to the front face of the rotary atomizing head 28. In this way, in a space between an atomizing head main body and a hub member constituting the rotary atomizing head 28, the thinner flows and thereby, the paint stuck in the rotary atomizing head 28 is washed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic coating method and an automatic coating apparatus having a coating machine suitable for coating an object such as an automobile body while changing colors.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, an automatic painting apparatus according to the prior art includes a painting work machine provided in a painting area such as a painting booth, and a spraying machine which is attached to the painting work machine and rotated at a high speed by an air motor to spray paint. And a rotary atomizing head for spraying the atomized paint.

[0003] A coating machine used in this coating apparatus includes an air motor provided in a housing, a cylindrical rotary shaft inserted in the axial direction of the air motor and rotated at a high speed by the air motor, and a rotary shaft. A feed tube that extends in the axial direction and supplies paint and cleaning fluid to the rotary atomizing head, and a rotation tube that is attached to the tip side of the rotating shaft and has a paint discharge edge on the tip side outer periphery. It is composed of an atomizing head.

[0004] In this case, a feed tube having a structure described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 2-37766 is known. The feed tube is formed in a double cylindrical shape, and the inside of the inner tube is used as a paint passage, and the passage between the inner tube and the outer tube is used as a tip cleaning thinner passage. The cleaning thinner passage is connected to a valve-changing valve device, and is connected to a tip cleaning thinner source by a thinner pipe. Then, the paint adhered to the outer periphery of the tip of the feed tube is washed by discharging the thinner from the thinner passage for washing the tip of the feed tube. A drain passage is connected to a connection portion between the paint passage of the feed tube and the paint pipe through a waste liquid valve formed of a three-way valve, and the drain passage is connected to a waste liquid tank through a drain valve. Have been.

[0005] Here, this coating machine is a coating robot,
It is attached to a coating machine such as a reciprocator, and the coating machine moves with a predetermined distance from an object to be coated such as a vehicle body by the operation of the coating machine. At this time,
By spraying a paint from a painter, the paint is applied to an object to be coated (vehicle or the like).

[0006] That is, the coating machine rotates the rotary atomizing head at a high speed by the air motor while moving with respect to the object to be coated by the coating work machine. In this state, the paint flowing out of the color changing valve device is supplied toward the rotary atomizing head via the paint passage of the feed tube. The paint supplied to the rotary atomizing head is atomized from the paint discharge edge by the high speed rotation of the rotary atomizing head. Also, since high voltage is supplied to the rotary atomizing head, the paint sprayed from the paint discharge edge becomes charged paint, and an electrostatic field formed between the paint and the object connected to the earth side And apply to the object. Also,
The coating device can automatically coat the object to be coated by controlling the coating machine and the coating work machine.

Next, when the color of the paint is changed, the previous color paint remaining in the paint pipe is washed before the next color paint is supplied to the paint passage. In this cleaning step, first, the drain valve is opened to secure the paint pipe, the drain passage, and the passage to the waste tank. In this state, thinner and air are alternately supplied from the color changing valve device to wash the paint pipe.

Next, thinner is supplied from a color changing valve device in order to clean the inside of the paint passage of the feed tube and the rotary atomizing head. The thinner circulates toward the rotary atomizing head via a paint pipe and a feed tube, and the thinner performs cleaning of the paint passage and cleaning of the rotary atomizing head.

Further, the thinner is supplied to the outer periphery of the tip of the feed tube from a thinner source for tip cleaning separately from the color changing valve device, through a thinner pipe, a tip cleaning valve, and a passage for the tip cleaning thinner of the feed tube. I do. As a result, the outer peripheral side of the distal end of the feed tube is spot-washed. Thereafter, the next color paint is supplied from the color changing valve device into the paint passage of the feed tube, and the coating machine prepares for the next color painting operation.

As described above, the coating machine disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 2-37766 discloses a paint pipe, a rotary atomizing head, and a feed tube between a color changing valve device and a rotary atomizing head during a color changing operation. The outer periphery of the tip must be cleaned, which not only takes a long time, but also uses a large amount of a cleaning fluid such as thinner, thereby increasing running costs.

In order to solve this problem, there have been known other prior art coating machines described in JP-A-6-134354 and JP-A-6-269702. This coating machine, from each paint source via paint piping, paint valve, paint feed tube, etc.,
This is a bundled feed tube type coating machine that individually supplies paint for each color to the rotary atomizing head.

This bundle feed tube type coating machine comprises:
Each feed tube is constituted by a plurality of paint feed tubes for each color and one washing feed tube, and the washing feed tube is connected to a thinner source via a thinner pipe to which a washing valve is connected. It is connected to the.

[0013] In another conventional coating machine constructed as described above, the paint feed tube for each color constituting the bundle-shaped feed tube is provided with a paint color via a paint pipe to which a paint valve is connected in the middle. Each of which is connected to a different paint source. Then, when the paint is supplied to the rotary atomizing head via one paint feed tube among the bundled feed tubes, the paint is discharged as the atomized paint by the high-speed rotation of the rotary atomizing head. . Here, the paint discharged from the rotary atomizing head is charged by the rotary atomizing head to which a high voltage is supplied, and the charged paint is applied toward the object connected to the ground side.

On the other hand, at the time of color change, a cleaning fluid such as thinner is supplied to the rotary atomizing head from the cleaning feed tube, so that the pre-color paint adhered to the rotary atomizing head is washed by the cleaning fluid.

[0015]

In the coating machine disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 2-37766, the feed tube is formed in a double cylindrical shape, and the feed thinner passage for the cleaning thinner is provided with a color changing valve. It must be connected to the tip cleaning thinner source via thinner piping separately from the device,
There is a problem that the structure of the coating machine becomes complicated.

[0016] Further, in the coating machine disclosed in JP-A-6-134354, JP-A-6-269702, etc.,
Of the feed tubes constituting the bundled feed tube, the cleaning feed tube must be connected to a thinner source via a thinner pipe separately from the paint tube for each color, and even in this coating machine. There is a problem that the structure becomes complicated.

Further, in any of the prior arts, when the rotary atomizing head is washed, paint and thinner are discharged from the rotary atomizing head into the coating area, so that the coating area becomes dirty. There is.

Further, in any of the prior arts, since a washing thinner passage (washing feed tube) is provided in the coating machine, when a high voltage is applied, the high voltage is applied to the washing thinner passage ( It may flow to the thinner source side via the thinner in the cleaning feed tube). Therefore, the thinner used for cleaning must maintain a certain electrical resistance value or more, and it cannot be selected in consideration of only the cleanability, so a large amount of thinner is consumed or a low-cost thinner is used. There is a problem that can not be.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic coating method and an automatic coating apparatus capable of performing atomization head cleaning from the front side of a rotary atomization head. It is an object.

[0020]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an automatic coating method adopted by the invention according to claim 1 includes a coating work machine provided in a coating area and a coating work machine attached to the coating work machine. It consists of a coating machine with a rotary atomizing head that atomizes paint by rotating at high speed by an air motor,
An automatic coating method for performing a coating operation by spraying paint from the coating machine while moving the coating machine relative to the object to be coated by the coating work machine, wherein the coating work machine and the coating machine After the painting operation by the above is stopped, there is provided an atomizing head cleaning step of cleaning the rotary atomizing head by bringing the front surface of the rotary atomizing head relatively close to a cleaning nozzle for supplying a cleaning fluid.

With this configuration, in the atomization head cleaning step after the coating operation is stopped, the cleaning nozzle is brought close to the front of the rotary atomization head, and the cleaning fluid is rotated from the cleaning nozzle by the cleaning nozzle. Supply to the head. As a result, the cleaning fluid flows in the rotary atomizing head, and can wash the precolor paint adhered to the rotary atomizing head.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automatic coating apparatus, comprising: a coating work machine provided in a coating area; and a rotary atomizer mounted on the coating work machine, which atomizes the paint by being rotated at a high speed by an air motor. A spraying machine having a cleaning nozzle for supplying a cleaning fluid to a front surface of the rotary atomizing head in the vicinity of the coating working machine; In that it can be approached and separated relatively to.

With this configuration, during the painting operation, the atomizing head washer is relatively separated from the rotary atomizing head, and the atomizing head washer is placed in a place where it does not hinder the painting. . On the other hand, at the time of cleaning the atomizing head, the atomizing head washer is relatively approached to the rotary atomizing head, and the cleaning fluid is supplied from the cleaning nozzle toward the rotary atomizing head. Thus, the cleaning fluid supplied from the cleaning nozzle can clean the rotary atomizing head.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, a rotary atomizing head of a coating machine is provided with a bell-shaped or tubular-shaped atomizing head main body, and a solvent outlet hole provided at a front side of the atomizing head main body. And a hub member having a paint outflow hole for flowing out paint in the peripheral portion, and the cleaning nozzle flows the cleaning fluid from the front surface of the hub member into the solvent outflow hole of the hub member of the rotary atomizing head, The configuration is such that the paint flows out from the paint outlet.

With this configuration, in the atomizing head cleaning step of cleaning the rotary atomizing head, the cleaning fluid is supplied from the cleaning nozzle toward the rotating rotary atomizing head. At this time, the cleaning fluid flows into the rotary atomizing head from the solvent outlet hole in the center of the hub member that is not subjected to the centrifugal force of the rotary atomizing head,
Due to the centrifugal force, it flows out from the paint outflow hole around the hub member. As a result, the cleaning fluid flowing in the rotary atomizing head cleans the paint adhered in the rotary atomizing head.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the atomizing head washer is provided separately from the coating machine.

[0027] With this configuration, the atomizing head washing machine is arranged in a place where it does not interfere with the painting operation of the painting machine. When cleaning the rotary atomizing head, after moving the atomizing head washer to a predetermined position, bring the rotary atomizing head close to the cleaning nozzle, and rotate with the cleaning fluid supplied from the cleaning nozzle toward the rotary atomizing head. Clean the atomizing head.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the atomizing head washing machine is
A waste liquid collection container provided in the coating area for collecting waste liquid, and the cleaning nozzle provided in the waste liquid collection container, wherein the cleaning nozzle is connected to a cleaning fluid source for supplying a cleaning fluid; That is, the waste liquid collecting container is connected to the waste liquid tank.

With this configuration, when cleaning the rotary atomizing head, the rotary atomizing head of the coating machine is inserted into the waste liquid collecting container of the atomizing head washer. In this state, by supplying the cleaning fluid from the cleaning fluid source toward the cleaning nozzle, the rotary atomizing head is cleaned by the cleaning fluid. Further, the cleaning fluid that has washed the rotary atomizing head is collected in the waste liquid collecting container and flows out to the waste liquid tank. Since the cleaning fluid is collected in the waste liquid collecting container, the cleaning fluid can be prevented from being scattered to the outside, and the inside of the coating area where the coating work machine is disposed can be kept clean.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a structure in which the atomizing head washer is integrally attached to the painting work machine.

With this configuration, for example, if the atomizing head washer is arranged at the standby position of the coating machine, the atomizing head washer does not hinder the coating machine when performing the coating operation. . On the other hand, when cleaning the rotary atomizing head, after moving the coating machine to the standby position, the rotating atomizing head and the cleaning machine for the atomizing head are brought close to each other, and the cleaning fluid is supplied from the cleaning nozzle toward the rotary atomizing head. And wash the rotating atomization head.

[0032] In the invention of claim 7, the atomizing head washer is provided by:
A waste liquid collecting container provided in the coating area and located in the vicinity of the coating work machine for collecting waste liquid, and the cleaning nozzle provided in the waste liquid collecting container, the cleaning nozzle comprises a cleaning fluid. The waste fluid collection container is connected to a waste fluid tank connected to a supplied cleaning fluid source.

With this configuration, when cleaning the rotary atomizing head, after moving the coating machine to the standby position, the rotary atomizing head of the coating machine is placed in the waste liquid collecting container of the cleaning head for the atomizing head. insert. In this state, by supplying the cleaning fluid from the cleaning fluid source toward the cleaning nozzle, the rotary atomizing head is cleaned by the cleaning fluid. In addition, since the cleaning fluid that has washed the rotary atomizing head is collected in the waste liquid collection container and flows out to the waste liquid tank, it is possible to prevent the cleaning fluid from being scattered to the outside. The inside can be kept clean.

In the invention according to claim 8, the waste liquid collecting container is provided so as to be able to approach and separate from the coating machine.

With this configuration, the waste liquid collecting container is brought closer to the coating machine when cleaning the rotary atomizing head, and the waste liquid collecting container is separated from the coating machine when the coating machine performs the coating operation. Can be.

[0036]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to FIGS. First, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a painting robot. The painting robot 1 is used as a painting work machine applied to the automatic painting apparatus according to the present embodiment. Here, the painting robot 1
As shown in FIG. 2, a base 2 installed on a side of a conveyor A located in a coating area such as a coating booth, a swivel 3 provided to be able to swivel on the base 2, A column 4 swingably provided on the swivel 3 and swinging in the front-rear direction;
An arm 6 rotatably supported by a joint 5 positioned on the upper end side of the column 4 and pivoting upward and downward;
And a wrist part 7 mounted at a plurality of degrees of freedom at the distal end. Further, a coating machine 20 described later is detachably attached to the wrist part 7 by the support part 8.

The coating robot 1 constructed as described above
Moves the coating machine 20 leftward, rightward, upward, downward, forward, and rearward with respect to the vehicle body B to be coated,
The coating machine 20 moves with a predetermined distance from the surface of the vehicle body B. Reference numeral 9 denotes a pipe connected to each passage of the coating machine 20 and a color changing valve device or the like (not shown) located outside.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a fixed type atomizing head cleaning machine used in the present embodiment. The atomizing head cleaning machine 10 is located near the coating robot 1 and is fixed in the coating area. A base 11 provided, and a support 12 erected on the base 11
And a waste liquid collecting container 1 provided on the support 12.
3 and a cleaning nozzle 14 attached to the waste liquid collecting container 13 and having a tip projecting from the center of the bottom of the waste liquid collecting container 13. And the waste liquid collecting container 13
Is formed in a cup shape with an open upper side, and the bottom surface is formed in a mountain-shaped cross section. In addition, the atomizing head washing machine 10 includes:
As shown in FIG. 2, it is arranged at a place in the painting area that does not hinder the painting work, for example, on the side of the conveyor A. On the other hand, the cleaning nozzle 14 is provided with a rotary atomizing head 28 described later.
The thinner is supplied toward the center of the machine. As a result, the thinner discharged from the cleaning nozzle 14 is rotated by the rotary atomizing head 28.
Flows into the rotary atomizing head 28 without being subjected to the centrifugal force.

Reference numeral 15 denotes a thinner pipe for supplying a thinner serving as a cleaning fluid to the cleaning nozzle 14. The base end of the thinner pipe 15 is connected to a thinner tank 16, and the front end is the cleaning nozzle 14.
It is connected to the. A thinner pump 17 such as a gear pump and a plunger pump is connected to the thinner pipe 16 on the thinner tank 16 side, and the thinner tank 16 is driven by driving the thinner pump 17.
The thinner (cleaning fluid) stored in the inside is discharged from the tip of the cleaning nozzle 14.

Reference numeral 18 denotes a waste liquid pipe. One end of the waste liquid pipe 18 is connected to the lowermost portion of the bottom surface of the waste liquid recovery container 13, and the other end is connected to a waste liquid tank 19. The waste liquid pipe 18 is for discharging waste liquid such as paint and thinner that accumulates in the waste liquid recovery container 13 to a waste liquid tank 19.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a coating machine used in the embodiment. The coating machine 20 is rotatably mounted in the up, down, left, and right directions by the support portion 8 of the wrist 7 of the painting robot 1. Have been. The coating machine 20 has a configuration as shown in FIG.

Here, reference numeral 21 denotes a housing which forms the outer shape of the coating machine 20. The housing 21 is formed in a cylindrical shape from an insulating resin material, and an air motor 24 and the like described later are provided in the housing 21. A shaping air ring 22 is attached to the side. Here, the shaping air ring 22 is formed in the shape of a stepped cylinder with a bottom using the same insulating resin material as the housing 21, and a number of shaping air jet ports 22 </ b> A, .. Are arranged in a ring. The housing 21 and the shaping air ring 22 are provided with a shaping air supply passage 23 for supplying shaping air to each shaping air jet port 22A.

Reference numeral 24 denotes an air motor provided in the housing 21. The air motor 24 is formed in a cylindrical shape from a conductive metal material, and has therein an air turbine, an air bearing, etc. for driving a rotating shaft 25 to be described later. (Not shown)
Is provided. A high voltage is applied to the air motor 24 by a high voltage generator (not shown).

Reference numeral 25 denotes a rotating shaft, and the rotating shaft 25 is formed of a conductive metal material in a cylindrical shape having a hollow hole 25A. The rotating shaft 25 is supported in the air motor 24 so as to be rotatable at high speed while being inserted in the air motor 24 in the axial direction. The rotating shaft 25 has a proximal end fitted to an air turbine (not shown) of the air motor 24 and a distal end protruding forward from the air motor 24.

Reference numeral 26 denotes a feed tube, which is provided in the hollow hole 25A of the rotating shaft 25 so as to extend in the axial direction. Here, feed tube 2
Numeral 6 is formed by a single tube made of a conductive metal material, the inside of which is a paint passage 26A, and a color change valve device (neither is shown) is connected to the paint passage 26A via a paint pipe. Have been. Feed tube 2
In the middle of 6, a valve body 27 of a paint valve (not shown) for discharging and stopping paint or thinner is provided. further,
A drain passage is connected to the base end of the feed tube 26, and the drain passage is connected to a waste tank (both not shown) via a drain valve. On the other hand, the tip of the feed tube 26 projects from the rotary shaft 25 and
8.

Reference numeral 28 denotes a bell-shaped rotary atomizing head. The rotary atomizing head 28 is located on the front side of the shaping air ring 22 and attached to the rotary shaft 25. And the rotary atomizing head 2
Reference numeral 8 denotes an atomizing head main body 29 and a hub member 30.

Here, the atomizing head main body 29 is formed of a bell cup portion 29A formed in a bell shape and extending toward the distal end side by a conductive metal material. An annular partition wall 29B protruding toward the inside of the cup portion 29A; and a paint thinning surface 29C formed on the front side of the bell cup portion 29A at a position forward of the hub member 30 and thinning paint. , The bell cup part 29
A, which is provided on the tip end side of A and discharges the paint thinned by the paint thinning surface 29C as a liquid thread.
9D and a mounting hole 29E which is located on the inner peripheral side of the reduced diameter portion of the bell cup portion 29A and into which the tip of the rotating shaft 25 is fitted.
And a hub member 3 located on the front side of the annular partition 29B.
0 and a paint pool 29F defined between the back side of the paint tank 29 and the back side of the paint tank 29.

The hub member 30 is connected to the bell cup portion 29.
The hub member 30 is fitted and attached to the central portion on the inner peripheral side of A, and the hub member 30 is formed using the same conductive metal material as the atomization head main body 29. Here, the hub member 30 is
A disk portion 30A for closing the front surface of the bell cup portion 29A,
A cylindrical portion 30B is provided upright on the outer peripheral side of the disk portion 30A and is fitted to the front surface of the atomizing head main body 29. In the center of the disk portion 30A of the hub member 30, a plurality of (eg, four) solvent outlet holes 30C, 30 for supplying thinner from the feed tube 26 toward the front surface during cleaning.
C,... (Two shown each). A plurality of paint outlet holes are provided at radially outer positions of the disc portion 30A of the hub member 30 to guide paint or thinner discharged from the feed tube 26 to the paint thinning surface 29C of the atomizing head main body 29. 30D, 30D,...

Further, the rotary atomizing head 28 is provided on the atomizing head main body 2.
9, the leading end side of the rotating shaft 25 is fitted into the mounting hole 29E,
It is attached to the rotating shaft 25 by screwing. When the rotary atomizing head 28 is attached to the rotary shaft 25, the tip of the feed tube 26 is connected to the atomizing head main body 29.
Project from the annular partition wall 29B to the front.

The automatic coating apparatus according to the present embodiment has the above-described configuration, and its operation will now be described.

Here, in order to perform a coating operation on an object such as a car body using the coating machine 20, the coating robot 1 applies the coating machine 20 to a vehicle body B to be the object to be coated in a predetermined manner. Move while maintaining the separation distance of the coating machine 2 in this state.
By spraying the paint from 0, the painting work of the vehicle body B is performed.

That is, the coating machine 20 supplies air to the air motor 24 in a state where a high voltage is applied to the rotary atomizing head 2.
8 (rotary shaft 25) is rotated at high speed. When the valve body 27 of the paint valve is opened in this state, the paint supplied from the color changing valve device is supplied to the paint passage 26A of the feed tube 26 via the paint pipe and is directed toward the rotary atomizing head 28. Is discharged. As a result, the paint supplied to the rotary atomizing head 28 is discharged as a charged paint from the paint discharge edge 29D. Then, the charged paint flies along an electrostatic field formed between the vehicle body B connected to the ground side while forming a spray pattern by the shaping air jetted from each shaping air jet port 22A, It is applied to the vehicle body B. By controlling the painting robot 1 and the painting machine 20 in this way, the painting machine 20 can paint the vehicle body B while moving along the shape of the vehicle body B, and can perform automatic painting. .

Next, when the paint is changed to the next color paint, the paint line is washed from the color changing valve device to the rotary atomizing head 28, the paint passage 26A of the feed tube 26 is washed,
It is necessary to clean the rotary atomizing head 28 respectively. For this reason, by operating the coating robot 1, the coating machine 20 is moved to a predetermined position indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG.
With the rotary atomizing head 28 rotated at a high speed, the rotary atomizing head 28 is relatively approached to the tip of the cleaning nozzle 14.

First, the case of cleaning the paint line from the color changing valve device to the rotary atomizing head 28 will be described. In this case, when the drain valve on the upstream side of the feed tube 26 is opened, a passage including the paint pipe, the drain valve, the drain passage, and the waste tank is secured. In this state, when thinner and air are alternately supplied from the color changing valve device, the paint line from the color changing valve device to the paint pipe is washed, and the waste liquid flows out to the waste liquid tank via the passage.

Next, a case where the pre-color paint remaining in the paint passage 26A of the feed tube 26 is washed will be described. In this case, when the drain valve is closed, the passage to the waste liquid tank side is shut off. Thus, the thinner flowing out of the color changing valve device is supplied to the feed tube 26.
This thinner flows out into the waste liquid collecting container 13 via the paint pipe, the paint passage 26A of the feed tube 26, the rotary atomizing head 28, each solvent outlet hole 30C of the hub member 30, and each paint outlet hole 30D. It is collected in the waste liquid tank 19.
At this time, since the rotating atomizing head 28 in the rotating state is waiting for the next atomizing head cleaning step, it is not necessary to clean the rotating atomizing head 28 neatly. Therefore, the amount of thinner used at this time depends on the paint passage 26 of the feed tube 26.
It is only necessary to wash away the paint in A, and a small amount is sufficient.

Next, an atomizing head cleaning step for cleaning the rotary atomizing head 28 will be described. In the atomizing head cleaning step, the thinner pump 17 is operated, and the thinner is rotated from the cleaning nozzle 14 of the atomizing head cleaning machine 10 in a rotating state.
8 to the front. Thereby, the cleaning nozzle 1
The thinner supplied from 4 is discharged toward the center of the hub member 30 which is not affected by the centrifugal force, as shown by the arrow in FIG. The thinner is divided into two flows, namely, a flow on the surface of the hub member 30 by the centrifugal force of the rotary atomizing head 28 and a flow flowing from each solvent outlet hole 30C and flowing out from each paint outlet hole 30D.

Here, the thinner flowing on the surface of the hub member 30 flows from the radially inner side to the outer side of the disk portion 30A of the hub member 30 due to the centrifugal force of the rotary atomizing head 28, and the paint adhered to the surface. it can be cleaned P _1.

Further, the hub member 30 is inserted through the solvent outlet hole 30C.
The thinner that has flowed into the paint pool 29F on the inner surface side is separated into a flow on the inner wall surface side of the annular partition wall 29B of the atomizing head main body 29 and a flow on the back surface side of the hub member 30. And the annular partition 2
9B is an inner wall surface of the flow, as well as wash the paint P ₂ attached to the distal end outer periphery of the feed tube 26, atomizing head body 29 toward the paint outlet holes 30D from the annular partition wall 29B by the centrifugal force of the rotary atomizing head 28 the paint P ₃ attached to the wash. On the other hand, the flow on the back side of the hub member 30 can wash the paint adhered to the back surface of the hub member 30.

The thinner flowing on the surface of the hub member 30 and the paint outlet holes 30C flowing from the solvent outlet holes 30C.
The thinner flowing out of D joins the paint outlet holes 30D and is collected in the waste liquid collecting container 13. The collected thinner is stored in a waste liquid tank 19 through a waste liquid pipe 18.

As described above, the coating machine 20 includes a coating line,
After cleaning the feed tube 26 and the rotary atomizing head 28, the next color paint can be supplied to the feed tube 26 from the color changing valve device to prepare for the next color coating operation.

Thus, in the automatic coating apparatus according to the first embodiment, when the color of the paint is changed, the tip of the coating machine 20 attached to the coating robot 1 is moved to the atomizing head cleaning machine 10.
Of the cleaning nozzle 14
By supplying the liquid to the front surface of the rotary atomizing head 28, the rotary atomizing head 28 can be easily cleaned.

Further, in the prior art, at the time of color change, a paint pipe, a feed tube, and a rotary atomizing head are cleaned using a thinner from a color change valve device. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the cleaning process for the atomizing head 10 is performed separately from the cleaning process of the paint line and the feed tube 26.
The cleaning nozzle 14 is configured to clean the rotary atomizing head 28. As a result, the amount of thinner used in the washing process of the paint line is sufficient to wash only the paint line and the feed tube 26, and the amount of thinner used for washing can be reduced, and the running cost can be reduced.

The coating machine 20 according to the present embodiment is
Since the atomizing head washer 10 for cleaning only the rotary atomizing head 28 is provided in the vicinity of the painting robot 1, the feed tube 26 can be constituted by a single tube. For this reason, it is not necessary to form the feed tube in a double cylindrical shape including a paint passage and a tip cleaning thinner passage as in the prior art described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 2-37766. Further, in the present embodiment, as in the above-described conventional technique, it is possible to eliminate the tip cleaning thinner passage of the feed tube, the tip cleaning valve connected to the passage, the thinner pipe, the thinner source, and the like. The configuration can be simplified.

Instead of the coating machine 20 according to the embodiment, as described in JP-A-6-134354, a bunch feed tube type coating machine in which paint tubes for each color are bundled is used. Even if the bundled feed tube type coating machine is attached to a coating robot,
The same operation and effects as those of the coating machine 20 according to the embodiment can be obtained. Even in this case, by eliminating the cleaning feed tube among the multiple feed tubes constituting the bundled feed tube, the tip cleaning valve, the pipe for the tip cleaning thinner, and the tip cleaning thinner source are eliminated, and the coating machine of the coating machine is eliminated. The configuration can be simplified.

In the present embodiment, the tip cleaning thinner passage (cleaning feed tube) provided in the coating machine is used.
When a high voltage is applied, as in the prior art, the high voltage passes through the thinner in the tip cleaning thinner passage (cleaning feed tube) and the tip cleaning thinner source. Does not flow to This allows
The thinner used for cleaning does not matter the magnitude of the electric resistance value, and a thinner having good cleaning performance can be selected.
Further, since the amount of thinner used for cleaning the paint line and cleaning the rotary atomizing head 28 can be reduced, the cost can be reduced.

Further, at the time of cleaning, the coating robot 1 automatically inserts the tip of the coating machine 20 into the waste liquid collecting container 13 of the atomizing head cleaning machine 10, so that the thinner generated at the time of cleaning is removed. And the like can be collected in a waste liquid tank 19 via a waste liquid collection container 13 and a waste liquid pipe 18 to prevent thinners and the like from scattering into the coating area,
The painting area can be kept clean.

Next, a second embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The feature of the present embodiment is that the coating machine is mounted on a reciprocator which is a coating work machine, and the cleaning nozzle is mounted on a cleaning machine separate from the reciprocator. Further, in the present embodiment, the same components as those in the above-described first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

Reference numeral 31 denotes a side type reciprocator. The reciprocator 31 is applied as a coating work machine applied to the automatic coating apparatus according to the present embodiment. Here, the reciprocator 31 is formed on a side surface of a fixed casing 32 installed on a side of a conveyor (not shown) in which an object to be coated moves and is located in a coating area. , A slide arm 33 extending downward, and a moving arm 34 that reciprocates in the slide hole 33 in the direction of arrow a. The same coating machine 20 as in the first embodiment is detachably attached to the tip of the moving arm 34. The reciprocator 31 paints the side of a vehicle body or the like by moving the movable arm 34 in the direction of the arrow a with respect to the object to be coated.
The pipe 35 is connected to the coating machine 20 and a color changing valve device and the like (not shown) located outside.

Reference numeral 36 denotes a movable atomizing head cleaning machine used in the present embodiment. The atomizing head cleaning machine 36 is provided separately from the reciprocator 31 and is arranged in the coating area. . Here, the atomizing head washer 36 includes a movable table 37 provided to be movable in the coating area in the front, rear, left, and right directions, and a column 38 erected on the movable table 37.
And an arm moving mechanism 39 slidably provided on the support column 38 and moving upward and downward, and the support arm 4 moved forward and backward (arrow b) by the arm moving mechanism 39.
0, a waste liquid collecting container 41 provided at a tip end side of the support arm 40, and a tip attached to the waste liquid collecting container 41, the tip of which projects from the center of the back of the waste liquid collecting container 41 toward the opening. And a cleaning nozzle 42. The waste liquid collection container 41 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape opened on the side surface, and a waste liquid pipe 4 described later is formed on the bottom surface located on the lower side.
7 is connected. Further, the atomizing head washer 36 is placed in a place where it does not get in the way during the painting operation.

Reference numeral 43 denotes a thinner pipe for supplying a thinner serving as a cleaning fluid to the cleaning nozzle 42. The base end of the thinner pipe 43 is connected to a thinner tank 44, and the front end is the cleaning nozzle 42.
It is connected to the. A thinner pump 45 is connected to the thinner tank 44 side of the thinner pipe 43. By driving the thinner pump 45, the thinner as the cleaning fluid stored in the thinner tank 44 is discharged to the tip of the cleaning nozzle 42. Discharge from. Furthermore, thinner piping 43
A reel 46 for winding the thinner pipe 43 for winding the thinner pipe 43 is provided in the middle of the thinner pipe 4.
The length of the length 3 can be expanded and contracted, and the thinner pipe 43 is sent out and taken up in response to the movement of the atomizing head washer 36.

Reference numeral 47 denotes a waste liquid pipe. One end of the waste liquid pipe 47 is connected to the lowermost part of the waste liquid recovery container 41, and the other end is connected to a waste liquid tank 48. And the waste liquid pipe 4
Numeral 7 is for discharging waste liquid such as paint, thinner, and the like accumulated in the waste liquid collection container 41 into the waste liquid tank 48. Further, a pipe take-up reel 49 for winding the waste liquid pipe 47 is provided in the middle of the waste liquid pipe 47, and the length of the waste liquid pipe 47 can be expanded and contracted by the reel 49. 3
The waste liquid pipe 47 is sent out and taken up in response to the movement of No. 6.

The coating apparatus according to the second embodiment is configured as described above. Next, the operation of the coating apparatus will be described.

Here, the charged paint discharged from the rotary atomizing head 28 of the coating machine 20 flies along an electrostatic field formed between the grounded body and the vehicle body to be coated, It is applied to the object. Then, the reciprocator 31 can paint the side of the vehicle body by moving the coating machine 20 upward and downward (direction a) with respect to the vehicle body moving by the conveyor.

Next, when the paint is changed to the next paint, the moving arm 34 of the reciprocator 31 is stopped at a predetermined position, and the movable atomizing head washer 36 is brought closer to the reciprocator 31. . At this time, the thinner pipe 43 and the waste liquid pipe 47
Therefore, it can be sent out and moved in response to the movement of the atomizing head washer 36.

Further, by operating the arm moving mechanism 39 of the atomizing head washer 36 to adjust the upper and lower positions of the support arm 40, the height position of the coating machine 20 and the waste liquid collecting container 41 are adjusted. Then, the support arm 40 is moved by the arm moving mechanism 39 in the direction shown by the arrow b, the waste liquid collecting container 41 is set to the position shown by the two-dot chain line, and the tip of the coating machine 20 is inserted into the waste liquid collecting container 41. At this time, the tip of the cleaning nozzle 42 is rotated together with the waste liquid collecting
Approach relative to 8.

In this state, as described in the first embodiment, first, thinner is supplied from the color changing valve device to wash the paint line. Next, thinner is supplied from the front side of the rotating atomizing head 28 in a rotating state using the washing nozzle 42 of the atomizing head washer 36, thereby washing the paint adhered to the rotating atomizing head 28.

Thus, in the present embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the cleaning thinner passage provided in the feed tube of the conventional coating machine can be eliminated, and the coating machine can be eliminated. Can be simplified.

In addition, the washing of the paint line and the rotary atomizing head 2
8 is performed separately, the amount of the cleaning fluid such as thinner used can be reduced, and the running cost can be reduced.

Further, at the time of cleaning, the reciprocator 31
The tip of the coating machine 20 attached to the head is the atomizing head washing machine 3
6 and is inserted into the waste liquid collecting container 41 to perform cleaning. For this reason, the waste liquid such as thinner generated at the time of cleaning can be collected in the waste liquid tank 48 via the waste liquid collection container 41 and the waste liquid pipe 47, thereby preventing the thinner and the like from scattering into the coating area. The area can be kept clean.

Next, a third embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The feature of the present embodiment is that the coating machine 20 is mounted on the reciprocator 31 and the cleaning nozzle is mounted on the reciprocator 31 near the coating machine 20. In the present embodiment,
The same components as those in the first and second embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

Reference numeral 51 denotes an atomizing head washer used in the present embodiment. The atomizing head washer 51 includes a slide hole 33 in which the moving arm 34 of the reciprocator 31 is at a standby position.
Is provided at the lowermost position. Here, the atomizing head washer 51 includes an arm moving mechanism 52 fixed to the lowermost side of the fixed casing 32, and a support arm 53 that is moved by the arm moving mechanism 52 and has a distal end bent upward.
A waste liquid collecting container 54 formed on the tip end side of the support arm 53 and opening on the side surface; and a cleaning nozzle attached to the waste liquid collecting container 54 and protruding from the center of the back of the waste liquid collecting container 54 toward the opening. 55.

Reference numeral 56 denotes a thinner pipe for supplying a thinner serving as a cleaning fluid to the cleaning nozzle 55. The thinner pipe 56 has a base end connected to the thinner tank 57 and a front end connected to the cleaning nozzle 55.
It is connected to the. A thinner pump 58 is connected to the thinner tank 57 of the thinner pipe 56, and the thinner stored in the thinner tank 57 is discharged from the tip of the cleaning nozzle 55 by driving the thinner pump 58.

Reference numeral 59 denotes a waste liquid pipe. One end of the waste liquid pipe 59 is connected to the lowermost part of the waste liquid collecting container 54, and the other end is connected to the waste liquid tank 60. And the waste liquid pipe 5
Reference numeral 9 designates a waste liquid such as paint and thinner that accumulates in the waste liquid collection container 54 flowing out to the waste liquid tank 60.

The atomizing head washer 51 constructed as described above
However, when performing the atomization head cleaning step, the rotary atomization head 28 is moved to the lowermost standby position by the moving arm 34, and the support arm 53 is moved in the direction of arrow b. As a result, the coating machine 20 and the cleaning nozzle 55 move to the position indicated by the two-dot chain line, and the tip of the cleaning nozzle 55 approaches the rotary atomizing head 28. Then, by using the cleaning nozzle 55 to supply thinner to the front surface of the rotating atomizing head 28 in a rotating state, the rotating atomizing head 28 can be washed.

In each of the embodiments, the paint is supplied to the coating machine 20 by the feed tube 26. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the coating is performed by installing a cartridge type paint tank. It may be used in a cartridge type coating machine. In this case, the rotary atomizing head may be washed each time a paint tank of a different color is mounted.

In the first embodiment, the coating robot 1 and the fixed atomizing head washing machine 10 are combined, and in the second embodiment, the reciprocator 31 and the movable atomizing head washing machine 36 are combined. In the third embodiment, the case where the reciprocator 31 and the movable atomizing head washer 51 provided in the reciprocator 31 are combined has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to such a combination, and it goes without saying that the painting robot 1 and the movable atomizing head washer 36 may be combined.

In each embodiment, the thinner pump 1 for discharging thinner from the cleaning nozzle 14 (42, 55) is used.
7 (45, 58) has been described in the case of being constituted by a gear pump, a plunger pump, and the like. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and instead of a gear pump and a plunger pump,
The tank may be a pressurized tank with compressed air, and the thinner may be extruded by the compressed air.

The cleaning pipe 15 (43, 56) may be connected to a thinner circulation line, and the thinner pump 17 (45, 58) may be omitted.

In each embodiment, the rotary atomizing head 28
A direct charging type coating machine for charging the atomized paint discharged from the rotary atomizing head by the high voltage applied to the rotary atomizing head has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be applied to an indirect charging type coating machine in which a corona discharge region is formed in front of a rotary atomizing head by an external electrode and a high voltage is applied to the discharged atomized paint. Also, it may be applied to a non-electrostatic rotary atomizing head type coating machine.

Further, in each of the embodiments, the bell-shaped rotary atomizing head has been described as the rotary atomizing head. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be applied to a cylindrical or cup-shaped rotary atomizing head. Of course.

[0092]

As described above in detail, in the automatic coating method according to the first aspect of the present invention, after the coating operation by the coating machine and the coating machine is stopped, the front surface of the rotary atomizing head and the cleaning fluid are supplied. The cleaning fluid supplied from the front side of the rotary atomizing head flows through the rotary atomizing head by performing the atomizing head cleaning process of cleaning the rotary atomizing head with the nozzle relatively approached, and a small amount of cleaning is performed. The paint adhered to the inside of the rotary atomizing head can be reliably washed with the fluid, and the running cost can be reduced.

In the automatic coating apparatus according to the second aspect of the invention, an atomizing head washer having a cleaning nozzle is provided near the coating machine so as to be relatively close to and away from the rotary atomizing head.
Since the rotary atomizing head is cleaned by the cleaning fluid supplied from the cleaning nozzle of the atomizing head cleaning machine, the cleaning fluid supplied from the front side flows through the rotary atomizing head, and a small amount of the cleaning fluid is supplied. The paint adhered in the rotary atomizing head can be reliably washed with the washing fluid. Further, the mechanism for cleaning the rotary atomizing head does not need to be provided on the coating machine side, so that the structure on the coating machine side can be simplified.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the rotary atomizing head of the coating machine is provided with a bell-shaped or cylindrical-shaped atomizing head main body, and provided on the front side of the atomizing head main body. And a hub member having a paint outflow hole for flowing out paint in a peripheral portion having a cleaning nozzle, supplying a cleaning fluid from a front surface of the hub member to a solvent outflow hole of the hub member of the rotary atomizing head, Since the cleaning fluid is configured to flow out from the paint outlet, the cleaning fluid flows into the rotary atomizing head from the solvent outlet which is not affected by the centrifugal force of the rotary atomizing head, and flows out from the paint outlet.
During this time, the paint adhering in the rotary atomizing head can be cleaned by the cleaning fluid.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the atomizing head washer comprises:
Since the structure is provided separately from the painting machine, the atomizing head washer can be arranged in a place where the painting machine does not obstruct the painting operation. Also, when cleaning the rotary atomizing head, bring the rotary atomizing head close to the cleaning nozzle of the atomizing head washer, and clean the rotary atomizing head with the cleaning fluid supplied from the cleaning nozzle toward the rotary atomizing head. be able to.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the atomizing head washer comprises:
Since the waste liquid collecting container provided in the coating area and the washing nozzle provided in the waste liquid collecting container,
When cleaning the rotary atomizing head, the rotary atomizing head of the coating machine can be inserted into the waste liquid collecting container to wash the rotary atomizing head. Further, since the washing nozzle is provided in the waste liquid collecting container for collecting the solvent, it is possible to collect the waste liquid generated at the time of cleaning the rotary atomizing head, and it is possible to keep the inside of the coating area where the coating machine is disposed neat. .

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the atomizing head washer comprises:
Because it is configured to be integrated with the painting machine, for example, if the atomizing head washer is placed at the standby position of the painting machine, the atomizing head washer will be in the way when the painting machine performs painting work Never. On the other hand, when cleaning the rotary atomizing head, bring the rotary atomizing head close to the atomizing head washer and supply the cleaning fluid from the cleaning nozzle of the atomizing head washer toward the front of the rotary atomizing head. , Rotating atomization head can be washed.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the atomizing head washer comprises:
Since the waste liquid collection container provided in the coating area located in the vicinity of the coating work machine, and the cleaning nozzle provided in the waste liquid collection container was configured, when cleaning the rotary atomization head,
Move the painting machine to the standby position near the painting work machine and insert the rotary atomizing head into the waste liquid collection container. This allows the cleaning fluid to protrude from the cleaning nozzle in the waste liquid recovery container to the rotary atomizing head, thereby cleaning the rotary atomizing head. Further, since the washing nozzle is provided in the waste liquid collecting container for collecting the solvent, it is possible to collect the waste liquid generated at the time of cleaning the rotary atomizing head, and it is possible to keep the inside of the coating area where the coating machine is disposed neat. .

According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, since the waste liquid collecting container is provided so as to be able to approach and separate from the coating work machine, at the time of cleaning the rotary atomizing head, the waste liquid collecting container is brought close to the coating work machine, The rotary atomizing head can be washed in. When the painting machine performs the painting operation, the waste liquid collecting container is separated from the painting machine. This makes it possible for the waste liquid collecting container to smoothly perform the coating operation without hindering the coating operation of the coating machine.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an automatic coating apparatus according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an arrangement relationship between an automatic coating apparatus and a conveyor according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part showing a rotary atomizing head of a coating machine attached to a coating robot.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a cleaning fluid supplied from a cleaning nozzle flows through a rotary atomizing head.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing an automatic coating apparatus according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a front view showing an automatic coating device according to a third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Coating Robot (Coating Work Machine) 10, 36, 51 Cleaning Machine for Atomizing Head 13, 41, 54 Waste Liquid Collection Container 14, 42, 55 Cleaning Nozzle 15, 43, 56 Thinner Pipe 16, 44, 57 Thinner Tank 17, 45,58 Thinner pump 18,47,59 Waste liquid piping 19,48,60 Waste liquid tank 20 Coating machine 24 Air motor 28 Rotary atomizing head 29 Atomizing head main body 30 Hub member 30C Solvent outlet hole 30D Paint outlet hole 31 Reciprocator ( Painting machine)

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] February 8, 1999

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Full text

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[Document Name] Statement

Patent application title: Automatic coating method and automatic coating device

[Claims]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic coating method and an automatic coating apparatus having a coating machine suitable for coating an object such as an automobile body while changing colors.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, an automatic painting apparatus according to the prior art includes a painting work machine provided in a painting area such as a painting booth, and a spraying machine which is attached to the painting work machine and rotated at a high speed by an air motor to spray paint. And a rotary atomizing head for spraying the atomized paint.

[0003] A coating machine used in this coating apparatus includes an air motor provided in a housing, a cylindrical rotary shaft inserted in the axial direction of the air motor and rotated at a high speed by the air motor, and a rotary shaft. A feed tube that extends in the axial direction and supplies paint and cleaning fluid to the rotary atomizing head, and a rotation tube that is attached to the tip side of the rotating shaft and has a paint discharge edge on the tip side outer periphery. It is composed of an atomizing head.

[0004] In this case, a feed tube having a structure described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 2-37766 is known. The feed tube is formed in a double cylindrical shape, and the inside of the inner tube is used as a paint passage, and the passage between the inner tube and the outer tube is used as a tip cleaning thinner passage. The cleaning thinner passage is connected to a valve-changing valve device, and is connected to a tip cleaning thinner source by a thinner pipe. Then, the paint adhered to the outer periphery of the tip of the feed tube is washed by discharging thinner from the thinner passage for washing the tip of the feed tube. A drain passage is connected to a connection portion between the paint passage of the feed tube and the paint pipe through a waste liquid valve formed of a three-way valve, and the drain passage is connected to a waste liquid tank through a drain valve. Have been.

[0005] Here, this coating machine is a coating robot,
It is attached to a coating machine such as a reciprocator, and the coating machine moves with a predetermined distance from an object to be coated such as a vehicle body by the operation of the coating machine. At this time,
By spraying a paint from a painter, the paint is applied to an object to be coated (vehicle or the like).

[0006] That is, the coating machine rotates the rotary atomizing head at a high speed by the air motor while moving the coating machine with respect to the object to be coated. In this state, the paint flowing out of the color changing valve device is supplied toward the rotary atomizing head via the paint passage of the feed tube. The paint supplied to the rotary atomizing head is atomized from the paint discharge edge by the high speed rotation of the rotary atomizing head. Also, since high voltage is supplied to the rotary atomizing head, the paint sprayed from the paint discharge edge becomes charged paint, and an electrostatic field formed between the paint and the object connected to the earth side And apply to the object. Also,
The coating device can automatically coat the object to be coated by controlling the coating machine and the coating work machine.

Next, when the color of the paint is changed, the previous color paint remaining in the paint pipe is washed before the next color paint is supplied to the paint passage. In this cleaning step, first, the drain valve is opened to secure the paint pipe, the drain passage, and the passage to the waste tank. In this state, thinner and air are alternately supplied from the color changing valve device to wash the paint pipe.

Next, thinner is supplied from a color changing valve device in order to clean the inside of the paint passage of the feed tube and the rotary atomizing head. The thinner circulates toward the rotary atomizing head via a paint pipe and a feed tube, and the thinner performs cleaning of the paint passage and cleaning of the rotary atomizing head.

Further, the thinner is supplied to the outer periphery of the tip of the feed tube from a thinner source for tip cleaning separately from the color changing valve device, through a thinner pipe, a tip cleaning valve, and a passage for the tip cleaning thinner of the feed tube. I do. As a result, the outer peripheral side of the distal end of the feed tube is spot-washed. Thereafter, the next color paint is supplied from the color changing valve device into the paint passage of the feed tube, and the coating machine prepares for the next color painting operation.

As described above, the coating machine disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 2-37766 discloses a paint pipe, a rotary atomizing head, and a feed tube between a color changing valve device and a rotary atomizing head during a color changing operation. The outer periphery of the tip must be cleaned, which not only takes a long time, but also uses a large amount of a cleaning fluid such as thinner, thereby increasing running costs.

In order to solve this problem, there have been known other prior art coating machines described in JP-A-6-134354 and JP-A-6-269702. This coating machine, from each paint source via paint piping, paint valve, paint feed tube, etc.,
This is a bundled feed tube type coating machine that individually supplies paint for each color to the rotary atomizing head.

This bundle feed tube type coating machine comprises:
Each feed tube is constituted by a plurality of paint feed tubes for each color and one washing feed tube, and the washing feed tube is connected to a thinner source via a thinner pipe to which a washing valve is connected. It is connected to the.

[0013] In another conventional coating machine constructed as described above, the paint feed tube for each color constituting the bundle-shaped feed tube is provided with a paint color via a paint pipe to which a paint valve is connected in the middle. Each of which is connected to a different paint source. Then, when the paint is supplied to the rotary atomizing head via one paint feed tube among the bundled feed tubes, the paint is discharged as the atomized paint by the high-speed rotation of the rotary atomizing head. . Here, the paint discharged from the rotary atomizing head is charged by the rotary atomizing head to which a high voltage is supplied, and the charged paint is applied toward the object connected to the ground side.

On the other hand, at the time of color change, a cleaning fluid such as thinner is supplied to the rotary atomizing head from the cleaning feed tube, so that the pre-color paint adhered to the rotary atomizing head is washed by the cleaning fluid.

[0015]

In the coating machine disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 2-37766, the feed tube is formed in a double cylindrical shape, and the feed thinner passage for the cleaning thinner is provided with a color changing valve. It must be connected to the tip cleaning thinner source via thinner piping separately from the device,
There is a problem that the structure of the coating machine becomes complicated.

[0016] Further, in the coating machine disclosed in JP-A-6-134354, JP-A-6-269702, etc.,
Of the feed tubes constituting the bundled feed tube, the cleaning feed tube must be connected to a thinner source via a thinner pipe separately from the paint tube for each color, and even in this coating machine. There is a problem that the structure becomes complicated.

Further, in any of the prior arts, when the rotary atomizing head is washed, paint and thinner are discharged from the rotary atomizing head into the coating area, so that the coating area becomes dirty. There is.

Further, in any of the prior arts, since a washing thinner passage (washing feed tube) is provided in the coating machine, when a high voltage is applied, the high voltage is applied to the washing thinner passage ( It may flow to the thinner source side via the thinner in the cleaning feed tube). Therefore, the thinner used for cleaning must maintain a certain electrical resistance value or more, and it cannot be selected in consideration of only the cleanability, so a large amount of thinner is consumed or a low-cost thinner is used. There is a problem that can not be.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic coating method and an automatic coating apparatus capable of performing atomization head cleaning from the front side of a rotary atomization head. It is an object.

[0020]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an automatic coating method adopted by the invention according to claim 1 includes a coating work machine provided in a coating area and a coating work machine attached to the coating work machine. and a coating machine having a rotary atomizing head for atomizing paint by rotating at a high speed by the air motor, before
Bell-type or cylindrical-type atomization of the rotary atomization head of the coating machine
The head body is provided on the front side of the atomization head body and melted at the center.
Paint flow with agent outflow holes and paint flowing out to the periphery
C having an outlet and defining a paint reservoir between the atomizing head body and the
It is constituted by a blanking member, the coating machine an automatic coating method to perform the coating operation by spraying a coating material from the coating machine while moving relative to the object to be coated by the coating work machine the after stopping the coating operation by the coating work machine and coating machine, relatively closer to the cleaning nozzle for supplying the front and the cleaning fluid of the rotary atomizing head, the cleaning flow
Feeding a body to the front center of the hub member of the rotary atomizing head;
After the cleaning fluid flows into the paint reservoir through the solvent outlet,
An atomizing head cleaning step of cleaning the rotary atomizing head by flowing out from a material outlet hole .

With this configuration, in the atomization head cleaning step after the coating operation is stopped, the cleaning nozzle is brought close to the front of the rotary atomization head, and the cleaning fluid is rotated from the cleaning nozzle by the cleaning nozzle. It is supplied toward the center of the front surface of the hub member of the head . As a result, this cleaning fluid is
After flowing into the paint pool through the solvent outlet hole of the hub
Of the rotary atomization head , the front surface of the hub member,
It is possible to wash the precolor paint adhered to the inside of the reservoir or the like .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automatic coating apparatus, comprising: a coating work machine provided in a coating area; and a rotary atomizer mounted on the coating work machine, which atomizes the paint by being rotated at a high speed by an air motor. A spraying machine having a head having a cleaning nozzle for supplying a cleaning fluid to the center of the front surface of the rotary atomizing head in the vicinity of the coating working machine; It is provided so that it can approach and separate relatively from the head.

With this configuration, during the painting operation, the atomizing head washer is relatively separated from the rotary atomizing head, and the atomizing head washer is placed in a place where it does not hinder the painting. . On the other hand, at the time of atomizing head cleaning, the atomizing head washer is moved relatively close to the rotary atomizing head, and the cleaning fluid is supplied from the cleaning nozzle toward the center of the front of the rotating rotary atomizing head. I do. Thus, the cleaning fluid supplied from the cleaning nozzle can clean the rotary atomizing head.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, a rotary atomizing head of a coating machine is provided with a bell-shaped or tubular-shaped atomizing head main body, and a solvent outlet hole provided at a front side of the atomizing head main body. have a paint outlet holes for discharging the coating material on the periphery and having a該霧of
Form structure <br/> by a hub member defining a paint reservoir between the head body, the cleaning nozzles of the atomizing head washing machine, the front center of the cleaning fluid hub member of said rotary atomizing head By supplying to
That is, the cleaning fluid flows into the paint reservoir through the solvent outflow hole and flows out from the paint outflow hole.

With this configuration, in the atomizing head cleaning step for cleaning the rotary atomizing head, the cleaning fluid is supplied from the cleaning nozzle to the center of the front surface of the hub member of the rotary atomizing head in a rotating state.
Supply to the department . At this time, the cleaning fluid flows from the solvent outlet hole in the center of the hub member that is not subjected to the centrifugal force of the rotary atomizing head.
It flows into the paint reservoir defined between the atomizing head main body and the hub member, and flows out of the paint outlet hole around the hub member by centrifugal force. As a result, the cleaning fluid flowing in the rotary atomizing head cleans the paint adhered to the front surface of the hub member of the rotary atomizing head, the inside of the paint reservoir , and the like .

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the atomizing head washer is provided separately from the coating machine.

[0027] With this configuration, the atomizing head washing machine is arranged in a place where it does not interfere with the painting operation of the painting machine. When cleaning the rotary atomizing head, after moving the atomizing head washer to a predetermined position, bring the rotary atomizing head close to the cleaning nozzle, and rotate with the cleaning fluid supplied from the cleaning nozzle toward the rotary atomizing head. Clean the atomizing head.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the atomizing head washing machine is
A waste liquid collection container provided in the coating area for collecting waste liquid, and the cleaning nozzle provided in the waste liquid collection container, wherein the cleaning nozzle is connected to a cleaning fluid source for supplying a cleaning fluid; That is, the waste liquid collecting container is connected to the waste liquid tank.

With this configuration, when cleaning the rotary atomizing head, the rotary atomizing head of the coating machine is inserted into the waste liquid collecting container of the atomizing head washer. In this state, by supplying the cleaning fluid from the cleaning fluid source toward the cleaning nozzle, the rotary atomizing head is cleaned by the cleaning fluid. Further, the cleaning fluid that has washed the rotary atomizing head is collected in the waste liquid collecting container and flows out to the waste liquid tank. Since the cleaning fluid is collected in the waste liquid collecting container, the cleaning fluid can be prevented from being scattered to the outside, and the inside of the coating area where the coating work machine is disposed can be kept clean.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a structure in which the atomizing head washer is integrally attached to the painting work machine.

With this configuration, for example, if the atomizing head washer is arranged at the standby position of the coating machine, the atomizing head washer does not hinder the coating machine when performing the coating operation. . On the other hand, when cleaning the rotary atomizing head, after moving the coating machine to the standby position, the rotating atomizing head and the cleaning machine for the atomizing head are brought close to each other, and the cleaning fluid is supplied from the cleaning nozzle toward the rotary atomizing head. And wash the rotating atomization head.

[0032] In the invention of claim 7, the atomizing head washer is provided by:
A waste liquid collecting container provided in the coating area and located in the vicinity of the coating work machine for collecting waste liquid, and the cleaning nozzle provided in the waste liquid collecting container, the cleaning nozzle comprises a cleaning fluid. The waste fluid collection container is connected to a waste fluid tank connected to a supplied cleaning fluid source.

With this configuration, when cleaning the rotary atomizing head, after moving the coating machine to the standby position, the rotary atomizing head of the coating machine is placed in the waste liquid collecting container of the cleaning head for the atomizing head. insert. In this state, by supplying the cleaning fluid from the cleaning fluid source toward the cleaning nozzle, the rotary atomizing head is cleaned by the cleaning fluid. In addition, since the cleaning fluid that has washed the rotary atomizing head is collected in the waste liquid collection container and flows out to the waste liquid tank, it is possible to prevent the cleaning fluid from being scattered to the outside. The inside can be kept clean.

In the invention according to claim 8, the waste liquid collecting container is provided so as to be able to approach and separate from the coating machine.

With this configuration, the waste liquid collecting container is brought closer to the coating machine when cleaning the rotary atomizing head, and the waste liquid collecting container is separated from the coating machine when the coating machine performs the coating operation. Can be.

[0036] According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide the device in the coating area.
Paint working machine, and an air motor attached to the paint working machine
The atomization of paint by high-speed rotation
Automatic coating equipment consisting of a coating machine with a atomizing head
And the rotary atomizing head of the coating machine is bell-shaped or cylindrical.
Atomization head body, provided on the front side of the atomization head body,
Has a solvent outflow hole in the core and discharges paint to the periphery
Paint outlet, and a paint reservoir between the atomizing head body
A hub member to be defined, near the coating machine.
Is the center of the front surface of the hub member of the rotary atomizing head for the cleaning fluid.
The cleaning fluid from the solvent outlet.
A cleaning nozzle that flows into the reservoir and flows out of the paint outlet
Equipped with a cleaning head for atomization head,
It has been provided so that it can be near and separated.

With this configuration, the painting operation
Sometimes, the atomizing head washer is relatively
Separate and place the atomizing head washer out of the way of painting
Put on. On the other hand, when cleaning the atomizing head,
Move the nozzle relatively close to the atomization head and wash from the cleaning nozzle.
Inside the front of the hub member of the rotary atomizing head that is rotating the purified fluid
Supply to the heart. At this time, the cleaning fluid is
Is the solvent outlet hole in the center of the hub member not subject to the centrifugal force of the head
Inside the paint reservoir defined between the atomizing head body and the hub member
To the paint outlet by the centrifugal force.
Spill out of. This allows the cleaning to flow through the rotating atomization head
Fluid flows to the front of the hub member of the rotary atomizing head, in the paint pool, etc.
Wash off paint.

[0038]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to FIGS. First, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a painting robot. The painting robot 1 is used as a painting work machine applied to the automatic painting apparatus according to the present embodiment. Here, the painting robot 1
As shown in FIG. 2, a base 2 installed on a side of a conveyor A located in a coating area such as a coating booth, a swivel 3 provided to be able to swivel on the base 2, A column 4 swingably provided on the swivel 3 and swinging in the front-rear direction;
An arm 6 rotatably supported by a joint 5 positioned on the upper end side of the column 4 and pivoting upward and downward;
And a wrist part 7 mounted at a plurality of degrees of freedom at the distal end. Further, a coating machine 20 described later is detachably attached to the wrist part 7 by the support part 8.

The painting robot 1 constructed as described above
Moves the coating machine 20 leftward, rightward, upward, downward, forward, and rearward with respect to the vehicle body B to be coated,
The coating machine 20 moves with a predetermined distance from the surface of the vehicle body B. Reference numeral 9 denotes a pipe connected to each passage of the coating machine 20 and a color changing valve device or the like (not shown) located outside.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a fixed type atomizing head washing machine used in the present embodiment. The atomizing head washing machine 10 is located near the coating robot 1 and is fixed in the coating area. A base 11 provided, and a support 12 erected on the base 11
And a waste liquid collecting container 1 provided on the support 12.
3 and a cleaning nozzle 14 attached to the waste liquid collecting container 13 and having a tip projecting from the center of the bottom of the waste liquid collecting container 13. And the waste liquid collecting container 13
Is formed in a cup shape with an open upper side, and the bottom surface is formed in a mountain-shaped cross section. In addition, the atomizing head washing machine 10 includes:
As shown in FIG. 2, it is arranged at a place in the painting area that does not hinder the painting work, for example, on the side of the conveyor A. On the other hand, the cleaning nozzle 14 is provided with a rotary atomizing head 28 described later.
The thinner is supplied toward the center of the machine. As a result, the thinner discharged from the cleaning nozzle 14 is rotated by the rotary atomizing head 28.
Flows into the rotary atomizing head 28 without being subjected to the centrifugal force.

Reference numeral 15 denotes a thinner pipe for supplying a thinner, which is a cleaning fluid, to the cleaning nozzle 14. The base end of the thinner pipe 15 is connected to a thinner tank 16, and the tip is the cleaning nozzle
It is connected to the. A thinner pump 17 such as a gear pump and a plunger pump is connected to the thinner pipe 16 on the thinner tank 16 side, and the thinner tank 16 is driven by driving the thinner pump 17.
The thinner (cleaning fluid) stored in the inside is discharged from the tip of the cleaning nozzle 14.

Reference numeral 18 denotes a waste liquid pipe. One end of the waste liquid pipe 18 is connected to the lowermost portion of the bottom surface of the waste liquid recovery container 13, and the other end is connected to a waste liquid tank 19. The waste liquid pipe 18 is for discharging waste liquid such as paint and thinner that accumulates in the waste liquid recovery container 13 to a waste liquid tank 19.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a coating machine used in the embodiment. The coating machine 20 is rotatably mounted in the up, down, left, and right directions by the support portion 8 of the wrist 7 of the painting robot 1. Have been. The coating machine 20 has a configuration as shown in FIG.

Here, reference numeral 21 denotes a housing which forms the outer shape of the coating machine 20. The housing 21 is formed of an insulating resin material in a cylindrical shape, and an air motor 24 and the like described later are provided in the housing 21. A shaping air ring 22 is attached to the side. Here, the shaping air ring 22 is formed in the shape of a stepped cylinder with a bottom using the same insulating resin material as the housing 21, and a number of shaping air jet ports 22 </ b> A, .. Are arranged in a ring. The housing 21 and the shaping air ring 22 are provided with a shaping air supply passage 23 for supplying shaping air to each shaping air jet port 22A.

Reference numeral 24 denotes an air motor provided in the housing 21. The air motor 24 is formed in a cylindrical shape from a conductive metal material, and includes therein an air turbine, an air bearing, etc. for driving a rotation shaft 25 to be described later. (Not shown)
Is provided. A high voltage is applied to the air motor 24 by a high voltage generator (not shown).

Reference numeral 25 denotes a rotating shaft. The rotating shaft 25 is formed of a conductive metal material in a cylindrical shape having a hollow hole 25A. The rotating shaft 25 is supported in the air motor 24 so as to be rotatable at high speed while being inserted in the air motor 24 in the axial direction. The rotating shaft 25 has a proximal end fitted to an air turbine (not shown) of the air motor 24 and a distal end protruding forward from the air motor 24.

Reference numeral 26 denotes a feed tube, which is provided to extend in the hollow hole 25A of the rotating shaft 25 in the axial direction. Here, feed tube 2
Numeral 6 is formed by a single tube made of a conductive metal material, the inside of which is a paint passage 26A, and a color change valve device (neither is shown) is connected to the paint passage 26A via a paint pipe. Have been. Feed tube 2
In the middle of 6, a valve body 27 of a paint valve (not shown) for discharging and stopping paint or thinner is provided. further,
A drain passage is connected to the base end of the feed tube 26, and the drain passage is connected to a waste tank (both not shown) via a drain valve. On the other hand, the tip of the feed tube 26 projects from the rotary shaft 25 and
8.

Reference numeral 28 denotes a bell-shaped rotary atomizing head. The rotary atomizing head 28 is located on the front side of the shaping air ring 22 and is attached to the rotary shaft 25. And the rotary atomizing head 2
Reference numeral 8 denotes an atomizing head main body 29 and a hub member 30.

Here, the atomizing head main body 29 is formed by a bell cup portion 29A formed in a bell shape and extending toward the distal end side by a conductive metal material. An annular partition wall 29B protruding toward the inside of the cup portion 29A; and a paint thinning surface 29C formed on the front side of the bell cup portion 29A at a position forward of the hub member 30 and thinning paint. , The bell cup part 29
A, which is provided on the tip end side of A and discharges the paint thinned by the paint thinning surface 29C as a liquid thread.
9D and a mounting hole 29E which is located on the inner peripheral side of the reduced diameter portion of the bell cup portion 29A and into which the tip of the rotating shaft 25 is fitted.
And a hub member 3 located on the front side of the annular partition 29B.
0 and a paint pool 29F defined between the back side of the paint tank 29 and the back side of the paint tank 29.

The hub member 30 is connected to the bell cup portion 29.
The hub member 30 is fitted and attached to the central portion on the inner peripheral side of A, and the hub member 30 is formed using the same conductive metal material as the atomization head main body 29. Here, the hub member 30 is
A disk portion 30A for closing the front surface of the bell cup portion 29A,
A cylindrical portion 30B is provided upright on the outer peripheral side of the disk portion 30A and is fitted to the front surface of the atomizing head main body 29. In the center of the disk portion 30A of the hub member 30, a plurality of (eg, four) solvent outlet holes 30C, 30 for supplying thinner from the feed tube 26 toward the front surface during cleaning.
C,... (Two shown each). A plurality of paint outlet holes are provided at radially outer positions of the disc portion 30A of the hub member 30 to guide paint or thinner discharged from the feed tube 26 to the paint thinning surface 29C of the atomizing head main body 29. 30D, 30D,...

Further, the rotary atomizing head 28 is provided with the atomizing head main body 2.
9, the leading end side of the rotating shaft 25 is fitted into the mounting hole 29E,
It is attached to the rotating shaft 25 by screwing. When the rotary atomizing head 28 is attached to the rotary shaft 25, the tip of the feed tube 26 is connected to the atomizing head main body 29.
Project from the annular partition wall 29B to the front.

The automatic coating apparatus according to the present embodiment has the above-described configuration, and its operation will now be described.

Here, in order to perform a coating operation on an object such as a vehicle body using the coating machine 20, the coating robot 1 applies the coating machine 20 to a vehicle body B to be the object to be coated in a predetermined manner. Move while maintaining the separation distance of the coating machine 2 in this state.
By spraying the paint from 0, the painting work of the vehicle body B is performed.

That is, the coating machine 20 supplies air to the air motor 24 while the high voltage is applied, and
8 (rotary shaft 25) is rotated at high speed. When the valve body 27 of the paint valve is opened in this state, the paint supplied from the color changing valve device is supplied to the paint passage 26A of the feed tube 26 via the paint pipe and is directed toward the rotary atomizing head 28. Is discharged. As a result, the paint supplied to the rotary atomizing head 28 is discharged as a charged paint from the paint discharge edge 29D. Then, the charged paint flies along an electrostatic field formed between the vehicle body B connected to the ground side while forming a spray pattern by the shaping air jetted from each shaping air jet port 22A, It is applied to the vehicle body B. By controlling the painting robot 1 and the painting machine 20 in this way, the painting machine 20 can paint the vehicle body B while moving along the shape of the vehicle body B, and can perform automatic painting. .

Next, when the paint is changed to the next color paint, the paint line is washed from the color changing valve device to the rotary atomizing head 28, the paint passage 26A of the feed tube 26 is washed,
It is necessary to clean the rotary atomizing head 28 respectively. For this reason, by operating the coating robot 1, the coating machine 20 is moved to a predetermined position indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG.
With the rotary atomizing head 28 rotated at a high speed, the rotary atomizing head 28 is relatively approached to the tip of the cleaning nozzle 14.

First, the case of cleaning the paint line from the color changing valve device to the rotary atomizing head 28 will be described. In this case, when the drain valve on the upstream side of the feed tube 26 is opened, a passage including the paint pipe, the drain valve, the drain passage, and the waste tank is secured. In this state, when thinner and air are alternately supplied from the color changing valve device, the paint line from the color changing valve device to the paint pipe is washed, and the waste liquid flows out to the waste liquid tank via the passage.

Next, a description will be given of a case where the precolor paint remaining in the paint passage 26A of the feed tube 26 is washed. In this case, when the drain valve is closed, the passage to the waste liquid tank side is shut off. Thus, the thinner flowing out of the color changing valve device is supplied to the feed tube 26.
This thinner flows out into the waste liquid collecting container 13 via the paint pipe, the paint passage 26A of the feed tube 26, the rotary atomizing head 28, each solvent outlet hole 30C of the hub member 30, and each paint outlet hole 30D. It is collected in the waste liquid tank 19.
At this time, since the rotating atomizing head 28 in the rotating state is waiting for the next atomizing head cleaning step, it is not necessary to clean the rotating atomizing head 28 neatly. Therefore, the amount of thinner used at this time depends on the paint passage 26 of the feed tube 26.
It is only necessary to wash away the paint in A, and a small amount is sufficient.

Next, an atomizing head cleaning step for cleaning the rotary atomizing head 28 will be described. In the atomizing head cleaning step, the thinner pump 17 is operated, and the thinner is rotated from the cleaning nozzle 14 of the atomizing head cleaning machine 10 in a rotating state.
8 toward the front center side . Thus, the thinner supplied from the cleaning nozzle 14 is discharged toward the center of the hub member 30 which is not affected by the centrifugal force, as shown by the arrow in FIG. This thinner has a rotary atomizing head 28
Due to the centrifugal force, the flow is divided into two flows: a flow on the surface of the hub member 30 and a flow flowing from each solvent outlet hole 30C into the paint reservoir 29F and flowing out from each paint outlet hole 30D.

Here, the thinner flowing on the surface of the hub member 30 flows from the radial inner side to the outer side of the disk portion 30A of the hub member 30 due to the centrifugal force of the rotary atomizing head 28, and the paint adhered to the surface. it can be cleaned P _1.

Further, the hub member 30 is inserted through the solvent outlet hole 30C.
The thinner that has flowed into the paint pool 29F on the inner surface side is separated into a flow on the inner wall surface side of the annular partition wall 29B of the atomizing head main body 29 and a flow on the back surface side of the hub member 30. And the annular partition 2
9B is an inner wall surface of the flow, as well as wash the paint P ₂ attached to the distal end outer periphery of the feed tube 26, atomizing head body 29 toward the paint outlet holes 30D from the annular partition wall 29B by the centrifugal force of the rotary atomizing head 28 the paint P ₃ attached to the wash. On the other hand, the flow on the back side of the hub member 30 can wash the paint adhered to the back surface of the hub member 30.

The thinner flowing on the surface of the hub member 30 and the paint outlet holes 30C flowing from the solvent outlet holes 30C.
The thinner flowing out of D joins the paint outlet holes 30D and is collected in the waste liquid collecting container 13. The collected thinner is stored in a waste liquid tank 19 through a waste liquid pipe 18.

As described above, the coating machine 20 includes a coating line,
After cleaning the feed tube 26 and the rotary atomizing head 28, the next color paint can be supplied to the feed tube 26 from the color changing valve device to prepare for the next color coating operation.

Thus, in the automatic coating apparatus according to the first embodiment, when the color of the paint is changed, the tip of the coating machine 20 attached to the coating robot 1 is moved to the atomizing head cleaning machine 10.
Of the cleaning nozzle 14
By supplying the front center portion of the hub member 30 of the rotary atomizing head 28 from the front of the hub member 30 of the rotary atomizing head 28
The surface, the inside of the paint reservoir 29F and the like can be easily cleaned.

In the prior art, at the time of color change, the paint pipe, the feed tube, and the rotary atomizing head are cleaned using a thinner from the color change valve device. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the cleaning process for the atomizing head 10 is performed separately from the cleaning process of the paint line and the feed tube 26.
The cleaning nozzle 14 is configured to clean the rotary atomizing head 28. As a result, the amount of thinner used in the washing process of the paint line is sufficient to wash only the paint line and the feed tube 26, and the amount of thinner used for washing can be reduced, and the running cost can be reduced.

The coating machine 20 according to the present embodiment is
Since the atomizing head washer 10 for cleaning only the rotary atomizing head 28 is provided in the vicinity of the painting robot 1, the feed tube 26 can be constituted by a single tube. For this reason, it is not necessary to form the feed tube in a double cylindrical shape including a paint passage and a tip cleaning thinner passage as in the prior art described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 2-37766. Further, in the present embodiment, as in the above-described conventional technique, it is possible to eliminate the tip cleaning thinner passage of the feed tube, the tip cleaning valve connected to the passage, the thinner pipe, the thinner source, and the like. The configuration can be simplified.

Instead of the coating machine 20 according to the embodiment, as described in JP-A-6-134354, a bunch feed tube type coating machine in which paint tubes for each color are bundled is used. Even if the bundled feed tube type coating machine is attached to a coating robot,
The same operation and effects as those of the coating machine 20 according to the embodiment can be obtained. Even in this case, by eliminating the cleaning feed tube among the multiple feed tubes constituting the bundled feed tube, the tip cleaning valve, the pipe for the tip cleaning thinner, and the tip cleaning thinner source are eliminated, and the coating machine of the coating machine is eliminated. The configuration can be simplified.

Further, in this embodiment, the passage for the tip cleaning thinner (the cleaning feed tube) provided in the coating machine is provided.
When a high voltage is applied, as in the prior art, the high voltage passes through the thinner in the tip cleaning thinner passage (cleaning feed tube) and the tip cleaning thinner source. Does not flow to This allows
The thinner used for cleaning does not matter the magnitude of the electric resistance value, and a thinner having good cleaning performance can be selected.
Further, since the amount of thinner used for cleaning the paint line and cleaning the rotary atomizing head 28 can be reduced, the cost can be reduced.

Further, at the time of cleaning, the coating robot 1 automatically inserts the tip of the coating machine 20 into the waste liquid collecting container 13 of the atomizing head cleaning machine 10, so that the thinner generated at the time of cleaning is removed. And the like can be collected in a waste liquid tank 19 via a waste liquid collection container 13 and a waste liquid pipe 18 to prevent thinners and the like from scattering into the coating area,
The painting area can be kept clean.

Next, a second embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The feature of the present embodiment is that the coating machine is mounted on a reciprocator which is a coating work machine, and the cleaning nozzle is mounted on a cleaning machine separate from the reciprocator. Further, in the present embodiment, the same components as those in the above-described first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

Reference numeral 31 denotes a side-type reciprocator, which is applied as a coating work machine applied to the automatic coating apparatus according to the present embodiment. Here, the reciprocator 31 is formed on a side surface of a fixed casing 32 installed on a side of a conveyor (not shown) in which an object to be coated moves and is located in a coating area. , A slide arm 33 extending downward, and a moving arm 34 that reciprocates in the slide hole 33 in the direction of arrow a. The same coating machine 20 as in the first embodiment is detachably attached to the tip of the moving arm 34. The reciprocator 31 paints the side of a vehicle body or the like by moving the movable arm 34 in the direction of the arrow a with respect to the object to be coated.
The pipe 35 is connected to the coating machine 20 and a color changing valve device and the like (not shown) located outside.

Reference numeral 36 denotes a movable atomizing head washing machine used in the present embodiment. The atomizing head washing machine 36 is provided separately from the reciprocator 31 and is arranged in a coating area. . Here, the atomizing head washer 36 includes a movable table 37 provided to be movable in the coating area in the front, rear, left, and right directions, and a column 38 erected on the movable table 37.
And an arm moving mechanism 39 slidably provided on the support column 38 and moving upward and downward, and the support arm 4 moved forward and backward (arrow b) by the arm moving mechanism 39.
0, a waste liquid collecting container 41 provided at a tip end side of the support arm 40, and a tip attached to the waste liquid collecting container 41, the tip of which projects from the center of the back of the waste liquid collecting container 41 toward the opening. And a cleaning nozzle 42. The waste liquid collection container 41 is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape opened on the side surface, and a waste liquid pipe 4 described later is formed on the bottom surface located on the lower side.
7 is connected. Further, the atomizing head washer 36 is placed in a place where it does not get in the way during the painting operation.

Reference numeral 43 denotes a thinner pipe for supplying a thinner serving as a cleaning fluid to the cleaning nozzle 42. The base end of the thinner pipe 43 is connected to a thinner tank 44, and the front end is the cleaning nozzle 42.
It is connected to the. A thinner pump 45 is connected to the thinner tank 44 side of the thinner pipe 43. By driving the thinner pump 45, the thinner as the cleaning fluid stored in the thinner tank 44 is discharged to the tip of the cleaning nozzle 42. Discharge from. Furthermore, thinner piping 43
A reel 46 for winding the thinner pipe 43 for winding the thinner pipe 43 is provided in the middle of the thinner pipe 4.
The length of the length 3 can be expanded and contracted, and the thinner pipe 43 is sent out and taken up in response to the movement of the atomizing head washer 36.

Reference numeral 47 denotes a waste liquid pipe. One end of the waste liquid pipe 47 is connected to the lowermost part of the waste liquid recovery container 41, and the other end is connected to a waste liquid tank 48. And the waste liquid pipe 4
Numeral 7 is for discharging waste liquid such as paint, thinner, and the like accumulated in the waste liquid collection container 41 into the waste liquid tank 48. Further, a pipe take-up reel 49 for winding the waste liquid pipe 47 is provided in the middle of the waste liquid pipe 47, and the length of the waste liquid pipe 47 can be expanded and contracted by the reel 49. 3
The waste liquid pipe 47 is sent out and taken up in response to the movement of No. 6.

The coating apparatus according to the second embodiment is configured as described above. Next, the operation of the coating apparatus will be described.

Here, the charged paint discharged from the rotary atomizing head 28 of the coating machine 20 flies along an electrostatic field formed between the grounded body and the vehicle body to be coated. It is applied to the object. Then, the reciprocator 31 can paint the side of the vehicle body by moving the coating machine 20 upward and downward (direction a) with respect to the vehicle body moving by the conveyor.

Next, when the paint is changed to the next paint, the moving arm 34 of the reciprocator 31 is stopped at a predetermined position, and the movable atomizing head washer 36 is brought closer to the reciprocator 31. . At this time, the thinner pipe 43 and the waste liquid pipe 47
Therefore, it can be sent out and moved in response to the movement of the atomizing head washer 36.

Further, by operating the arm moving mechanism 39 of the atomizing head washer 36 to adjust the upper and lower positions of the support arm 40, the height position of the coating machine 20 and the waste liquid collecting container 41 are adjusted. Then, the support arm 40 is moved by the arm moving mechanism 39 in the direction shown by the arrow b, the waste liquid collecting container 41 is set to the position shown by the two-dot chain line, and the tip of the coating machine 20 is inserted into the waste liquid collecting container 41. At this time, the tip of the cleaning nozzle 42 is rotated together with the waste liquid collecting
Approach relative to 8.

In this state, as described in the first embodiment, first, a thinner is supplied from the color changing valve device to wash the paint line. Next, using a cleaning nozzle 42 of the atomizing head washing device 36, in front of the rotary atomizing head 28 which is in rotating state
By supplying thinner from the heart side, the rotary atomizing head 28
Wash the paint adhered to.

Thus, in the present embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment described above, the passage for the cleaning thinner provided in the feed tube of the coating machine according to the prior art can be eliminated. Can be simplified.

In addition, the washing of the paint line and the rotary atomizing head 2
8 is performed separately, the amount of the cleaning fluid such as thinner used can be reduced, and the running cost can be reduced.

Further, at the time of cleaning, the reciprocator 31
The tip of the coating machine 20 attached to the head is the atomizing head washing machine 3
6 and is inserted into the waste liquid collecting container 41 to perform cleaning. For this reason, the waste liquid such as thinner generated at the time of cleaning can be collected in the waste liquid tank 48 via the waste liquid collection container 41 and the waste liquid pipe 47, thereby preventing the thinner and the like from scattering into the coating area. The area can be kept clean.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The feature of the present embodiment is that the coating machine 20 is mounted on the reciprocator 31 and the cleaning nozzle is mounted on the reciprocator 31 near the coating machine 20. In the present embodiment,
The same components as those in the first and second embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

Reference numeral 51 denotes an atomizing head washer used in the present embodiment. The atomizing head washer 51 includes a slide hole 33 in which the moving arm 34 of the reciprocator 31 is at a standby position.
Is provided at the lowermost position. Here, the atomizing head washer 51 includes an arm moving mechanism 52 fixed to the lowermost side of the fixed casing 32, and a support arm 53 that is moved by the arm moving mechanism 52 and has a distal end bent upward.
A waste liquid collecting container 54 formed on the tip end side of the support arm 53 and opening on the side surface; and a cleaning nozzle attached to the waste liquid collecting container 54 and protruding from the center of the back of the waste liquid collecting container 54 toward the opening. 55.

Reference numeral 56 denotes a thinner pipe for supplying a thinner serving as a cleaning fluid to the cleaning nozzle 55. The thinner pipe 56 has a base end connected to the thinner tank 57 and a front end connected to the cleaning nozzle 55.
It is connected to the. A thinner pump 58 is connected to the thinner tank 57 of the thinner pipe 56, and the thinner stored in the thinner tank 57 is discharged from the tip of the cleaning nozzle 55 by driving the thinner pump 58.

Reference numeral 59 denotes a waste liquid pipe. One end of the waste liquid pipe 59 is connected to the lowermost part of the waste liquid collecting container 54, and the other end is connected to the waste liquid tank 60. And the waste liquid pipe 5
Reference numeral 9 designates a waste liquid such as paint and thinner that accumulates in the waste liquid collection container 54 flowing out to the waste liquid tank 60.

The atomizing head washer 51 constructed as described above.
However, when performing the atomization head cleaning step, the rotary atomization head 28 is moved to the lowermost standby position by the moving arm 34, and the support arm 53 is moved in the direction of arrow b. As a result, the coating machine 20 and the cleaning nozzle 55 move to the position indicated by the two-dot chain line, and the tip of the cleaning nozzle 55 approaches the rotary atomizing head 28. By using the cleaning nozzle 55 to supply thinner to the center of the front surface of the rotating atomization head 28 in a rotating state, the rotation atomization head 28 can be cleaned.

In each of the embodiments, the paint is supplied to the coating machine 20 by the feed tube 26. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the painting is performed by installing a cartridge type paint tank. It may be used in a cartridge type coating machine. In this case, the rotary atomizing head may be washed each time a paint tank of a different color is mounted.

In the first embodiment, the coating robot 1 and the fixed atomizing head washing machine 10 are combined, and in the second embodiment, the reciprocator 31 and the movable atomizing head washing machine 36 are combined. In the third embodiment, the case where the reciprocator 31 and the movable atomizing head washer 51 provided in the reciprocator 31 are combined has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to such a combination, and it goes without saying that the painting robot 1 and the movable atomizing head washer 36 may be combined.

In each embodiment, the thinner pump 1 for discharging thinner from the cleaning nozzle 14 (42, 55) is used.
7 (45, 58) has been described in the case of being constituted by a gear pump, a plunger pump, and the like. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and instead of a gear pump and a plunger pump,
The tank may be a pressurized tank with compressed air, and the thinner may be extruded by the compressed air.

The cleaning pipe 15 (43, 56) may be connected to a thinner circulation line, and the thinner pump 17 (45, 58) may be omitted.

In each embodiment, the rotary atomizing head 28
A direct charging type coating machine for charging the atomized paint discharged from the rotary atomizing head by the high voltage applied to the rotary atomizing head has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be applied to an indirect charging type coating machine in which a corona discharge region is formed in front of a rotary atomizing head by an external electrode and a high voltage is applied to the discharged atomized paint. Also, it may be applied to a non-electrostatic rotary atomizing head type coating machine.

Further, in each of the embodiments, the bell-shaped rotary atomizing head has been described as the rotary atomizing head. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be used for a cylindrical or cup-shaped rotary atomizing head. Of course.

[0094]

As described above in detail, in the automatic coating method according to the first aspect of the present invention, after the coating operation by the coating machine and the coating machine is stopped, the front surface of the rotary atomizing head and the cleaning fluid are supplied. The cleaning fluid is rotated and atomized by bringing the cleaning nozzle relatively close
Supply the cleaning fluid to the center of the front of the head hub member,
After flowing into the paint reservoir through the outflow hole, outflow from the paint outflow hole
Because it was configured to perform atomizing head washing step of washing the rotary atomizing head by the cleaning fluid supplied from the front center of the rotary atomizing head flows through the paint reservoir of the rotary atomizing head, a small amount of The paint adhered to the inside of the rotary atomizing head can be reliably washed with the washing fluid, and the running cost can be reduced.

In the automatic coating apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention, an atomizing head washer having a cleaning nozzle is provided near the coating machine so as to be relatively close to and away from the rotary atomizing head.
Since the rotary atomizing head is washed by the washing fluid supplied from the washing nozzle of the atomizing head washing machine,
The cleaning fluid supplied from the center flows through the rotary atomizing head, and the paint adhered to the rotary atomizing head can be reliably cleaned with a small amount of the cleaning fluid. Further, the mechanism for cleaning the rotary atomizing head does not need to be provided on the coating machine side, so that the structure on the coating machine side can be simplified.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the rotary atomizing head of the coating machine is provided with a bell-shaped or tubular-shaped atomizing head main body, and a solvent outlet hole provided at the front side of the atomizing head main body. And a hub member having a paint outflow hole for flowing paint out of the periphery of the hub member. The cleaning nozzle supplies a cleaning fluid to the solvent outflow hole of the hub member of the rotary atomizing head from the front central portion of the hub member. The cleaning fluid flows from the solvent outlet hole, which is not affected by the centrifugal force of the rotary atomizing head, into the paint reservoir of the rotary atomizing head , and flows out from the paint outlet hole. . During this time, the paint adhering to the rotating atomization head is
Cleaning can be performed by the cleaning fluid.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the atomizing head washer comprises:
Since the structure is provided separately from the painting machine, the atomizing head washer can be arranged in a place where the painting machine does not obstruct the painting operation. Also, when cleaning the rotary atomizing head, bring the rotary atomizing head close to the cleaning nozzle of the atomizing head washer, and clean the rotary atomizing head with the cleaning fluid supplied from the cleaning nozzle toward the rotary atomizing head. be able to.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the atomizing head washer comprises:
Since the waste liquid collecting container provided in the coating area and the washing nozzle provided in the waste liquid collecting container,
When cleaning the rotary atomizing head, the rotary atomizing head of the coating machine can be inserted into the waste liquid collecting container to wash the rotary atomizing head. Further, since the washing nozzle is provided in the waste liquid collecting container for collecting the solvent, it is possible to collect the waste liquid generated at the time of cleaning the rotary atomizing head, and it is possible to keep the inside of the coating area where the coating machine is disposed neat. .

[0099] According to the invention of claim 6, the atomizing head washing machine comprises:
Because it is configured to be integrated with the painting machine, for example, if the atomizing head washer is placed at the standby position of the painting machine, the atomizing head washer will be in the way when the painting machine performs painting work Never. On the other hand, when cleaning the rotary atomizing head, bring the rotary atomizing head close to the atomizing head washer and supply the cleaning fluid from the cleaning nozzle of the atomizing head washer toward the front of the rotary atomizing head. , Rotating atomization head can be washed.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the atomizing head washing machine is
Since the waste liquid collection container provided in the coating area located in the vicinity of the coating work machine, and the cleaning nozzle provided in the waste liquid collection container was configured, when cleaning the rotary atomization head,
Move the painting machine to the standby position near the painting work machine and insert the rotary atomizing head into the waste liquid collection container. This allows the cleaning fluid to protrude from the cleaning nozzle in the waste liquid recovery container to the rotary atomizing head, thereby cleaning the rotary atomizing head. Further, since the washing nozzle is provided in the waste liquid collecting container for collecting the solvent, it is possible to collect the waste liquid generated at the time of cleaning the rotary atomizing head, and it is possible to keep the inside of the coating area where the coating machine is disposed neat. .

In the eighth aspect of the present invention, the waste liquid collecting container is provided so as to be able to approach and separate from the coating work machine. The rotary atomizing head can be washed in. When the painting machine performs the painting operation, the waste liquid collecting container is separated from the painting machine. This makes it possible for the waste liquid collecting container to smoothly perform the coating operation without hindering the coating operation of the coating machine.

According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, the rotary atomizing head of the coating machine is provided.
A bell-shaped or tubular-shaped atomizing head body, and the atomizing head
It is provided on the front side of the body and has a solvent outlet hole in the center
Both of them have a paint outflow hole at the periphery to allow paint to flow out,
A hub member that defines a paint pool between the head body
Cleaning fluid near the spraying machine.
By supplying to the center of the front surface of the hub member, the cleaning flow
Flows into the paint reservoir through the solvent outlet and flows through the paint outlet.
The cleaning machine for atomizing head with the cleaning nozzle
Painted because it is provided relatively close to and away from the atomization head
During operation, the atomizing head washer is
When cleaning the atomizing head, rotate the atomizing head washer
It can be relatively close to the atomization head. So
When cleaning the atomizing head, the cleaning fluid is
Is it supplied toward the front center of the hub member of the atomization head?
The cleaning fluid flowing in the rotary atomizing head causes
Wash the paint adhering to the front of the hub
Can be purified.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an automatic coating apparatus according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an arrangement relationship between an automatic coating apparatus and a conveyor according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part showing a rotary atomizing head of a coating machine attached to a coating robot.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a cleaning fluid supplied from a cleaning nozzle flows through a rotary atomizing head.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing an automatic coating apparatus according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a front view showing an automatic coating device according to a third embodiment.

[Description of Signs] 1 Painting robot (coating work machine) 10, 36, 51 Cleaning head for atomizing head 13, 41, 54 Waste liquid recovery container 14, 42, 55 Cleaning nozzle 15, 43, 56 Thinner piping 16, 44 , 57 Thinner tank 17, 45, 58 Thinner pump 18, 47, 59 Waste liquid pipe 19, 48, 60 Waste liquid tank 20 Coating machine 24 Air motor 28 Rotary atomizing head 29 Atomizing head main body 30 Hub member 30C Solvent outflow hole 30D Paint outflow Hole 31 Reciprocator (painting machine)

Claims (8)

[Claims] A coating work machine provided in a coating area;
A coating machine having a rotary atomizing head for atomizing the paint by being rotated at a high speed by an air motor, wherein the coating machine is relatively moved with respect to an object to be coated. An automatic coating method in which a coating operation is performed by spraying a coating material from the coating device while the coating operation is stopped by the coating operation device and the coating device. An automatic coating method comprising an atomizing head washing step of washing the rotary atomizing head relatively close to a cleaning nozzle for supplying the nozzle. 2. A coating work machine provided in a coating area,
A coating machine having a rotary atomizing head attached to the coating machine and atomizing the paint by being rotated at a high speed by an air motor, wherein the rotary atomizing head is provided near the coating machine. An automatic coating apparatus, further comprising: a cleaning device for an atomizing head having a cleaning nozzle for supplying a cleaning fluid to a front surface of the rotary atomizing head so as to be relatively close to and away from the rotary atomizing head. 3. A rotary atomizing head of the coating machine is provided with a bell-shaped or cylindrical-shaped atomizing head main body and a front side of the atomizing head main body. A hub member having a paint outlet hole for allowing paint to flow out of the hub, wherein the washing nozzle flows the washing fluid from the front surface of the hub member into the solvent outlet hole of the hub member of the rotary atomizing head, and the paint outflow. 3. The automatic coating device according to claim 2, wherein the automatic coating device is configured to flow out of the hole. 4. The automatic coating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the atomizing head cleaning machine is provided separately from the coating work machine. 5. The cleaning device for an atomizing head, comprising: a waste liquid collecting container provided in the coating area for collecting waste liquid; and the washing nozzle provided in the waste liquid collecting container.
5. The automatic coating apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the cleaning nozzle is connected to a cleaning fluid source for supplying a cleaning fluid, and the waste liquid collecting container is connected to a waste liquid tank. 6. The automatic coating apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the atomizing head cleaning machine is configured to be integrally attached to the coating work machine. 7. The cleaning device for atomizing head is located in the vicinity of the coating work machine and provided in the coating area for collecting a waste liquid, and a waste liquid collecting container provided in the waste liquid collecting container. 7. The automatic coating apparatus according to claim 6, comprising a cleaning nozzle, wherein the cleaning nozzle is connected to a cleaning fluid source for supplying a cleaning fluid, and the waste liquid collecting container is connected to a waste liquid tank. 8. The automatic coating apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the waste liquid collecting container is provided so as to be able to approach and separate from the coating work machine.