JPS638016B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a tile group forming method and a tile group forming apparatus for forming a tile group with aligned joints from a plurality of tiles and transporting the tile group to the next process.

During the process of manufacturing a tile unit, etc., in which the back sides of a group of tiles are connected with a connecting sheet with a desired joint gap between the tiles, a group of tiles is formed from a plurality of tiles, and the group of tiles is transferred to the next process. There is a tile group forming step (for example, an adhesive application step).

Conventionally, in the tile group forming process, tiles were formed without aligning the joints, resulting in discrepancies between adjacent joints, resulting in only tiles with poorly aligned joints. Furthermore, conventionally, there has been no optimal method or apparatus for automatically performing joint alignment.

An object of the present invention is to provide a tile group forming method and a tile group forming apparatus for solving the above-mentioned drawbacks.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained based on embodiments shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a tile group forming apparatus according to the third invention of the present application. First of all,
An overview of the entire device will be explained. Tile group forming device 1
1 includes an alignment/conveyance device 3 that conveys the alignment boards 2, 2 from the tile receiving position A to the tile delivery position C via the joint alignment position B, and a carry-in device that forms tile alignment areas D, D on the conveyance surface. 4 and suction cup 3
3, 33 are arranged so as to be reciprocally movable from the suction position on the tile alignment areas D, D to the detachment position on the receiving position A, and the tile alignment sections 27, 27 of the alignment board 2... Partition piece 2 that separates ...
5, 26... Tiles t, t...... transferred upward by the transfer device 5 are placed in the corresponding alignment section 2
Scraping device 8 for fitting into 7, 27...
9, a joint alignment means 6 provided at the joint alignment position B, and a tile group conveying device 7 for conveying a group of tiles (not shown) that have been aligned from the tile delivery position C to the next process position E. ing.

As shown in FIG. 1, the conveying means 3 includes two alignment plates 2 at each end of three arms 12 extending at equal circumferential pitches from the upper end of an intermittent rotating shaft 11 which is supported approximately vertically. The alignment plates 2, 2 are intermittently cyclically transferred from the tile receiving position A to the tile delivery position C via the joint alignment position B by intermittent driving of the arm 12. In the figure, 13 is a guide rail, and 14 is an intermittent drive means.

A plurality of alignment sections are formed on the upper surface of the alignment board 2, which are arranged along grid-like dividing lines and are provided with vertically long partition pieces and horizontally long partition pieces that project upward. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, a vertically elongated partition piece 2 substantially along the arrow X direction (the radial direction of the arm 12 in the alignment/transfer device 3)
5.
26, 26......, 26', 26'......, 26''
protrudes upward. Therefore, the upper surface 2a of the alignment board 2
has a plurality of alignment sections 2 arranged in a vertical and horizontal grid pattern.
7, 27... will be formed. The inner dimensions of the alignment section 27 are slightly larger than the outer dimensions of the tile t (for example, in the case of a 100×100 mm tile t, the gap fit is about 1 to 2 mm larger). The vertically long partitioning piece 25 and the horizontally long partitioning piece 26 that partition the adjacent alignment sections 27, 27 have a thickness f smaller than the desired gap between the adjacent tiles t, t, and preferably have a maximum height h equal to that of the tile t. In addition, the top surface of the vertically long partitioning piece 25 is tapered to become gradually lower in the direction of the arrow X, and the top surface of the horizontally long partitioning piece 25 is made gradually lower in the direction opposite to the direction of the arrow Y. It has a tapered shape. Further, the vertically long partitioning piece 25' and the horizontally long partitioning piece 26' have their upper surfaces tapered as described above, and the vertically long partitioning piece 25'' and the horizontally long partitioning piece 26'' have the highest ends of their upper surfaces uniformly shaped. The height is f.

As shown in FIG. 1, the carry-in device 4 has four sets of alignment conveyors 15 each consisting of two endless belts 15a stretched in parallel, and an intermediate conveyor 16 at the starting end of each alignment conveyor 15. It is connected. As shown in FIG. 3, each alignment conveyor 15 is provided with a fixed stopper 17 near the end that protrudes above the conveyance surface 15a', and at the center thereof moves vertically from below to above the conveyance surface 15a'. A moving stopper 18 is provided, and both stoppers 1
Tile alignment areas D and D are formed behind 7 and 18. The intermediate conveyor 16 is provided at its terminal end with a stopper 19 for adjusting tile loading so as to be movable up and down as necessary, and is connected to its starting end with a transition conveyor 20 of the tile feeding device 10. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the tile feeding device 10 has a receiving surface 22a that is continuous with a transport surface 21a from the terminal end of a transport conveyor 21 for transporting a group of standing tiles in the transport direction (arrow) of the transport conveyor 21. Sign J
an overhanging receiver 22 extending in substantially the same direction as the projecting receiver 22; a stopper 23 having a fall preventing portion 23a formed above the projecting tip of the extending receiver 22; It passes below the protruding tip of the tool 22 and extends substantially along the conveyance direction (arrow J direction) of the conveyor 21.
1, and is configured to separate the tiles t one by one from the upright tile group T' and feed them onto the take-out conveyor 24 in a prone state. The conveyor 21
And the timing of driving the carry-out conveyor 24 is as follows.
It is driven when the alignment conveyor 15 of the carry-in device 4 is being driven, or when there is not a predetermined number of tiles t on the intermediate conveyor 16. Incidentally, when the tiles t are carried in a prone state from the previous process to the alignment conveyor 15 (see FIG. 3), the tile feeding device 10 is not required.

As shown in FIG. 3, the transfer device 5 has an arm 3 attached to a support column 29 erected on the front outside of the transfer device 4.
0 is pivotally supported in a freely swinging manner, and an elevating plate 31 disposed below the center of the arm 30 so as to be freely movable up and down can be raised and lowered by an operating tool 32 such as an air cylinder. Suction cups 33, 33 are suspended from the front and rear sides of the lower surface of the elevator plate 31 via buffer compression springs 34, 34, so as to be vertically movable. As shown in FIG.
5, 35...... are provided, and suction ports 35a,
35a... are connected to the air chamber 33a of the suction cup 33. As the arm 30 swings, the transfer device 5 moves the suction cups 33, 33 from the suction position above the tile alignment areas D and D of the carrying-in device 4 (see FIG. 3) to the receiving position A ( It is configured to move reciprocally to a detached position above the alignment plates 2, 2 which are stopped at the plate (see FIG. 1). The separation position means that each suction port 35a moves the two adjacent side edges of the lower surface side of the tile t held by suction into the corresponding section piece 2 of the alignment board 2, 2.
5, 25', 26, 26' above the stop position. The air chamber 33a of the suction cup 33 is connected to a flexible pipe 33b to a suction fan (not shown) via an operating valve (not shown), and by operating the operating valve, the air chamber 33a is brought into a suction negative pressure state or a withdrawal pressure state. It is configured as follows.

The partition pieces 25, 25', 26, 2 of the alignment board 2
The scraping devices 8 and 9 that fit the tiles t, t...... transferred onto the top of the transfer device 6' into the corresponding alignment sections 27, 27... Scraping tools 8a, 8a made of flat brushes etc. attached to the board 33 and the receiving position A shown in FIG.
It consists of scraping tools 9a, 9a made of rotating brushes, etc. arranged between the joint alignment position B and above the passage of the alignment plates 2, 2, and as shown in FIG. As the tile t swings backward in the direction of the arrow X, the scraping tools 8a, 8a press the side surface t' of the tile t, which has been removed and transferred to the predetermined position on the alignment boards 2, 2, in the direction of the arrow X. At the same time, as the alignment plates 2, 2 move in the direction of the arrow K, the scraping tools 9a, 9a (see Fig. 1) scratch the side surface t'' of the tile t on the alignment plate 2 in the direction opposite to the direction of the arrow Y. The tiles t, t...... transferred onto the alignment boards 2, 2 by pressing in the direction of the corresponding alignment section 2
7, 27... It is configured to fit into the inside.

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, in the joint alignment means 6, an elevating plate 38 is guided 39, 39, . The lifting plate 3 is operated by a large stroke lifting operation tool 40 consisting of a cylinder or the like.
8 is a suction operation position where the suction port 41a, which will be described later, comes into contact with the tile t inserted into the alignment section 27 of the alignment plate 2 from the upper standby position. It is configured to move up and down to (shown in the lowered state). Suction cups 43, 43 are provided below the elevating plate 38 via biasing means 42, 42. The suction cup 43
, a plurality of suction tools 41, 41 made of rubber or the like are provided on the lower surface side to correspond to each alignment section 27 of the alignment board 2.
......, and each suction port 41a, 41
a...... are communicated with the air chamber 43a. The air chamber 43a of each suction cup 43 is connected to a suction fan (not shown) with flexible piping 44 via an operating valve (not shown), and by operating the operating valve, the air chamber 43a is brought into a suction negative pressure state or a release pressure state. It is configured as follows. The biasing means 42 is a guide rail attached to the lower surface side of the elevator board 38 approximately along arrows M and M' (see FIG. 8), which are diagonal directions of the alignment section 27 of the alignment board 2. 45, an intermediate board 47 attached to the lower ends of the guide pieces 46, 46 guided by the guide rail 45, and an air cylinder etc. that moves the intermediate board 47 along the directions of arrows M and M'. The feeding operation tool 48 and the suction cup 43 guided vertically and movably to the lower surface side of the intermediate plate 47 are moved from the suction position to the height dimension h of the partition pieces 25 and 26 of the alignment plate 2. A small stroke lifting/lowering operating tool 5 consisting of an air cylinder or the like that raises by a small dimension and stops at the shifting operation position.
0.50.

The tile group conveying device 7 includes an arm 52 extending radially from a vertically rotating support column 52 near the center shown in FIG.
a, 52a...... are stretched out at equal periphery pitches, and
As shown in FIG. 9, a swing lever 54 is pivoted 55 along the radial direction on each arm 52a. The swinging lever 54 is a lifting/lowering operating rod 5 whose inner input end 54a vertically passes through the center of the support column 52.
6, and a sector gear 54 is connected to the rotatable output end 56a of
b is formed. The lifting/lowering operation rod 56 is operated by an lifting/lowering operating tool 57 formed of an air cylinder or the like connected to the lower end. A fixed bracket 58 is attached to the tip of the arm 52a.
The fixed bracket 58 has vertical guide rods 58a, 58a provided on both sides to guide an elevating bracket 59 for attaching a suction cup so as to be vertically movable. A mechanism 60 for raising and lowering the elevating bracket 59 includes a rotary shaft 60a pivotally supported by the fixed bracket 58, and a pinion gear 60 fixed to the rotary shaft 60a so as to mesh with the sector gear 54b of the swing lever 54.
b, an intermediate pinion gear (not shown) fixed to both ends of the rotating shaft, and the lifting bracket 5.
9 and a rack gear (not shown) that meshes with the intermediate pinion gear, so that as the input end 54a of the swing lever 54 rises, the elevating bracket 59 rises as shown by the two-dot chain line in the figure. It is composed of The support column 52 has a large-diameter flat gear 52b attached to the lower surface side of the arms 52a, 52a, and an output gear 6 of an intermittent drive means 61.
1a, and move the tile suction cups 62, 62 hanging down from the lower surface of the lifting bracket 59 from the tile delivery position C to the next process position E (for example, adhesive application position, connection sheet supply/adhesion position, and reinforcing agent application position). The device is configured to be sequentially and intermittently transferred to a certain position. Further, the support column 52 supports a guide roller 62c pivotally supported on the lower surface side of the distal end of the arm 52a by an annular rail 63.
The arm 52a is guided so that the tip of the arm 52a does not vibrate vertically. The tile suction cup 62 is
It is suspended from the lower surface side of the lifting bracket 59 via buffer compression springs 64, 64, and moved to an upper standby position (2 in the figure) by operating the lifting operating tool 57.
It is configured to move from the state shown by the dotted chain line) to the lower suction position (the state shown by the solid line in the figure). The tile suction cup 62 is provided with suction tools 66, 66, etc. made of rubber or the like at predetermined positions on the lower surface side so as to correspond to each alignment section of the alignment board 2, and suction ports 66a, 66a... The air chamber 62a
It is connected inside. The air chamber 62a is connected to the operation valve 6.
Flexible piping 68 is connected to a suction fan (not shown) via 7, and the inside of the air chamber 62a is brought into a suction negative pressure state or a withdrawal pressure state by operating an operating valve 67.

The tile group forming apparatus according to the second invention of the present application includes a device 1 shown in FIG.
This is the device excluding the scraping means 8 and 9. That is, this is a device in which the tiles t, t, .

Next, a tile group forming method according to the first invention of the present application will be explained. As shown in Figure 4, a group of standing tiles
The tiles t in the prone state separated from T' onto the carry-out conveyor 24 are transferred to the transfer conveyor 20 shown in FIG.
and is fed to the intermediate conveyor 16. The tiles t fed to the intermediate conveyor 16 pass over the descending stoppers 19 and 18 and are conveyed to the tile alignment area D in front, where a predetermined number of tiles (three in the illustrated embodiment) are stopped at the fixed stopper 17. After that, the movement stopper 18 is raised to stop a predetermined number of tiles t, t... in the rear tile alignment area D,
After that, the stopper 19 is raised. The stoppers 18 and 19 are operated based on a counting signal from a tile counting device (not shown), which is made up of a phototube or the like, provided at the entrance of the alignment conveyor 15. Next, the tile alignment areas D and D of the carrying-in device 4 are
The suction cup 33 of the transfer device 5 waiting above the
33 is lowered, the air chamber 33a is made negative pressure, and the suction tools 35, 35...... tiles t, t...
After sucking..., the suction cups 33, 33 are raised. The transfer device 5 with the suction cups 33, 33 raised is
The arm 30 is swung forward to stop the tiles t, t... above the receiving position A (see FIG. 1).
As shown in FIG. 2, the suction cups 33, 33 that have stopped at the receiving position A descend to the release position, and then apply the release pressure in the air chamber 33a to release the tiles t, t... The two adjacent side edges of
Detach/transfer to 6' above. The transfer device 5 that left the tiles t, t transfers the transferred tiles t, t...
The arm 30 is swung back so as not to contact the suction tools 35, 35, . Then, the scraping tool 8
a, 8a are the tiles t, t... placed on the alignment boards 2, 2 as the transfer device 5 moves back.
The outer surfaces t', t'... of... are pressed in the direction of the arrow X.
As a result, each tile t is moved into the alignment section 27 with one back side edge resting against the horizontally long partition pieces 26, 26', and only the other back side edge is moved into the alignment section 27. It is placed in a semi-fitted state by leaning over the vertically long partition pieces 25, 25'. When the transfer device 5 swings backward, the alignment/conveyance device 4 is driven to convey the alignment plates 2, 2 at the receiving position A in the direction of arrow K, and the alignment plates 2, 2 are placed on the alignment plates 2, 2. tile t,
The outer parts t'', t'' of t... are pressed in the direction opposite to the arrow Y direction with the scraping tools 9a, 9a in the circuit shown in FIG. 1, and the tiles t, t... …Align section 2
7, 27......Fill in completely. Each alignment section 2
When the alignment boards 2, 2 with the tiles t completely inserted into them stop at the alignment position B, the large stroke lifting operation tool 40 of the alignment means 6 shown in FIG. , the elevator platform 38 is lowered. Next, the small stroke lifting/lowering operation tool 50 of the shifting means 42 is operated to move the suction ports 41a, 41a, .
The air chamber 43a of the suction cup 43
to a suction negative pressure state. After that, the small stroke lifting/lowering operation tool 50 is operated, and the tiles t, t...
After raising the suction cups 43, 43 which have sucked the liquid by an amount smaller than the height dimension h of the partition pieces 25, 26 of the alignment plates 2, 2, the diagonal feed operating tool 48 is operated to move the suction cups 43, 43 in an arrow direction. Mark M, M' direction (see Figure 8)
(For example, when the tile t is 100 x 100 mm, the desired joint width W is 5 mm, and the thickness g of the partition pieces 25 and 26 is 2 mm, move it to an appropriate size (approximately 5 to 6 mm) to the outer surface of all tiles t. The partition pieces 26, 2 facing t′
6', and the outer surface t'' is brought into contact with the opposing partition pieces 25, 25'. By this, all the tiles t are brought into contact with the joints along the grid-like joint dividing lines. The tiles are placed in an aligned state.
The partition pieces 26, 26', 2 facing the outer surfaces t', t'' of
In a state where the suction cup 43 further moves excessively in the direction of the arrows M and M' after contacting the suction cups 5 and 25',
Slip occurs between the tile t and the suction port 41a maintained by suction, and excess movement is absorbed, or when made of a suitable elastic material such as rubber, excessive movement is absorbed by the synergistic effect of the elastic strain of the suction tool 41 and the slippage. . When the outer surfaces t', t'' of all the tiles t, t...... are brought into contact with the opposing partition pieces 26, 26', 25, 25', the small stroke lifting/lowering operation tool 50 is activated. After lowering the suction cup 43, the air chamber 43a of the suction cup 43 is brought into a release pressure state, or the suction cup 43
The air chamber 43a is brought into a detachment pressure state without lowering the tiles t, t... from the suction cup 43. Then, the small stroke lifting/lowering operation tool 50 is operated to raise the suction cups 43, 43 to the standby position, thereby completing the alignment of the tiles t, t, . . . . In parallel with this joint alignment operation, the tiles t, t... are transferred by the transfer device 5 from the carry-in device 4 shown in FIG. It will be posted. When the joint alignment at the joint alignment position B and the tile transfer at the tile receiving position A are completed, the alignment and conveyance device 3 is driven intermittently to convey the aligned alignment plates 2, 2 to the delivery position C. Finally, the suction cups 62, 62 of the tile group conveying device 7, which has been kept on standby in advance at the tile delivery position C, are lowered, and the tile group T, whose joints have been aligned using the suction ports 66a, 66a shown in FIG.
While holding the T (see Fig. 8) by suction, the suction cup 62,
62, the intermittent drive means 61 is driven intermittently to move the tile group T, which has been sucked to the suction cups 62, 62.
Transport T to the next process E.

As described in detail above, the present invention is capable of molding a group of tiles with well-aligned joints from a plurality of tiles and transporting the group of tiles to the next process. In,
It is possible to reduce the occurrence of defective tile units with poor joint alignment, and as a result, it has an excellent effect of improving the yield of tiles.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the tile group forming apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing an alignment plate and a transfer device at a tile receiving position.
Fig. 3 is a side view showing the carry-in device and the transfer device, Fig. 4 is a side view showing the tile feeding device with the middle omitted, Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the main parts of the above, and Fig. 6 is the joint alignment means. Fig. 7 is a front view of the same as above, Fig. 8 is a plan view showing the alignment board on which the group of aligned tiles is placed, and Fig. 9 is a cut along the - line in Fig. 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the tile group conveyance device in a state. 2... Aligning board, 3... Aligning/transfer device, 4...
Carrying device, 5... Transfer device, 6... Joint alignment means, 7... Tile group conveyance device, 8, 9... Scraping means, A... Tile receiving position, B... Joint alignment position, C... ...Tile delivery position, D...Tile alignment area, E...Next process position, T...Tile group, t
……tile.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. Tiles with the back side facing upward are placed in a plurality of alignment sections consisting of vertically long section pieces and horizontally long section pieces that are arranged and protruded along the grid-like dividing lines on the top surface of the alignment board. A suction cup equipped with a plurality of suction tools corresponding to each alignment section is lowered so that each suction tool comes into contact with each tile fitted in each alignment section, and the suction cup is attached to the alignment section. The tiles are moved in one direction along the diagonal line to bring the two adjacent sides of the tiles into contact with the vertically elongated partition piece and the horizontally elongated partition piece to align the joints of all the tiles at once, and when the joint alignment is completed. A tile group forming method characterized by transporting the alignment plate on which the tiles are placed to a next process position. 2. An alignment board with a plurality of tile alignment sections formed on the upper surface by vertically elongated and horizontally elongated section pieces that are arranged and protruded along the grid-like joint division lines is moved from the tile receiving position via the joint alignment position. It comprises an alignment/conveying means arranged to be able to circulate freely to the tile delivery position, and a suction cup having a plurality of suction tools provided on the lower surface side to correspond to each alignment section of the alignment plate at the joint alignment position, joint alignment means comprising a biasing means for raising the suction cup from the suction position to within a dimension range smaller than the height of the partition piece and then moving it in one direction substantially along a diagonal line of the alignment partition; and the tile. A suction cup is provided with a plurality of suction tools on the lower surface side to correspond to each alignment section of the alignment plate at the delivery position, and a lifting mechanism for the suction cup and a mechanism for moving the suction cup from the tile delivery position to the next process are provided. A tile group forming apparatus comprising a tile group conveying device equipped with an intermittent transfer mechanism for sequentially transferring tiles to positions. 3. An alignment board with a plurality of tile alignment sections formed on the upper surface by vertically elongated and horizontally elongated section pieces that are arranged and protruded along the grid-like joint division lines is moved from the tile receiving position via the joint alignment position. An alignment/conveyance device disposed in a freely circulating manner to a tile delivery position, and a suction cup having a plurality of suction tools provided on the lower surface side to correspond to each alignment section of the alignment plate at the joint alignment position, joint alignment means comprising a biasing means for raising the suction cup from the suction position to within a dimension range smaller than the height of the division piece and then moving it in one direction substantially along a diagonal line of the alignment division; and the tile delivery. A suction cup is provided with a plurality of suction tools on the lower surface side to correspond to each alignment section of the alignment plate at the position, and a lifting mechanism for the suction cup and a mechanism for moving the suction cup from the tile delivery position to the next process position are provided. a tile group conveyance device equipped with an intermittent transfer mechanism for sequentially transferring tiles to a tile group; a carry-in device having a tile alignment area formed on the conveyance surface of a carry-in conveyor disposed outside the tile receiving position; and a suction device facing downward. A suction cup, which is movable up and down, is moved from a suction position on the tile alignment area to the upper side of the corresponding section of the alignment plate, where the adjacent edge of the lower surface of the tile held by the suction tool is stopped at the receiving position. a transfer device that is provided to be able to reciprocate to a detached position located at the position, a raking tool that moves relatively along the vertical direction on the alignment board, and a raking tool that moves relatively along the lateral direction on the alignment board. A tile group forming device comprising a tile scraping means.