KR102469427B1 - Apparatus for auto changing gas cylinder - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is an automatic gas container replacement device configured to enable unmanned operation by automating a series of operations of holding a gas container and rotating the gas container. The automatic gas container replacement device is provided in a gas cabinet in which a gas piping section is installed and automatically replaces a gas container, comprising: a container holding part holding an outer circumferential surface of the gas container, wherein the container holding part A gas container rotation unit for rotating the gas container around an axis of the gas container is provided.

Description

Gas container automatic replacement device {APPARATUS FOR AUTO CHANGING GAS CYLINDER}

The present invention relates to an automatic gas container replacement device, and more particularly, to a gas container automatic replacement device for automatically replacing a gas container with respect to a cabinet for supplying various gases used in a semiconductor manufacturing process.

In general, semiconductor manufacturing processes such as etching, cleaning, and deposition require various process gases, and a gas cylinder is used to supply the process gases. The gas container filled with high-pressure gas is loaded into the gas cabinet and connected to a pipe, and the used empty gas container is unloaded from the gas cabinet and replaced with a new filled gas container.

It is common to perform this series of gas container replacement work manually, and the process is as follows. First, a worker moves a gas container to a gas cabinet using a cart or the like and rolls the gas container to bind the gas container in the gas cabinet. Thereafter, the upper cap of the gas container is rotated and separated, the valve cap is rotated to separate the valve cap from the valve port, and then a gasket is mounted on the valve port and a pipe is connected to the valve port. Then, the handle is rotated to open the valve to supply gas from the gas container to the pipe.

Empty gas cylinders that are full of gas are separated in the reverse order. That is, after locking the valve by rotating the handle, the pipe is separated from the valve port. Thereafter, the valve cap is rotated and coupled to the valve port, and the upper cap is rotated and coupled to the gas container. Then, the operator takes out the empty gas container from the gas cabinet and loads a new gas container filled with gas into the gas cabinet as described above. In this case, the gas container has a height of about 160 cm, a diameter of about 30 cm, and a weight of about 100 kg to 120 kg.

The manual gas container replacement work is highly difficult due to the characteristics of the gas container with a high load, and there is a high risk of safety accidents due to the harmfulness of the handling gas. Therefore, recently, attempts have been made to automate the gas container replacement operation, and for example, a gas supply device for a gas cylinder is disclosed in previously filed Republic of Korea Patent No. 10-2132173 (July 3, 2020). However, the conventional gas cylinder gas supply device has some problems to be improved.

Patent Document: Republic of Korea Patent Registration No. 10-2132173 (2020.07.03)

The present invention provides an automatic gas container replacement device configured to enable unmanned operation by automating a series of operations of holding a gas container and rotating the gas container.

In addition, in the present invention, the components are arranged in a space other than the upper part of the gas cabinet as much as possible so that the view can be secured without invading the upper space where the piping section in the gas cabinet is installed, and the number of components of the component devices is reduced and at the same time very compact and provides an automatic gas container replacement device having an efficient structure.

In addition, the present invention provides an automatic gas container replacement device capable of stably fixing the gas container in place by configuring the gas container to be freely movable in the horizontal direction when the gas container is gripped.

In addition, the present invention provides an automatic gas container replacement device capable of precisely controlling the seating and separation of the gas container by automatically aligning the center of the gas container when the gas container is seated in the gas cabinet.

An automatic gas container replacement device according to the present invention is provided in a gas cabinet in which a gas piping section is installed and automatically replaces a gas container, and includes a container holding part for gripping an outer circumferential surface of the gas container, The container holding unit includes a gas container rotation unit for rotating the gas container around an axis of the gas container.

The container holding unit includes: a driving roller rotatably gripping an outer circumferential surface of the gas container; and a roller rotation motor configured to rotate the gas container around an axis of the gas container by rotating the driving roller.

The container gripper includes a pair of container grippers that are slidable in the x-axis direction with respect to a base fixed to the gas cabinet, and the drive roller is rotatably connected to one container gripper about an axis in the z-axis direction, An idle roller is rotatably connected to the other container gripper about an axis in the z-axis direction, and the outer circumferential surface of the gas container is brought into close contact between the driving roller and the idle roller.

A container gripping cylinder for retracting or opening the pair of container grippers is provided, and the roller rotation motor is provided in the container gripper to which the driving roller is connected.

In addition, the central portion in the longitudinal direction is rotatably connected to the base side about a pivot axis, and both sides further include gripper links rotatably connected to the container gripper side.

It also includes a container table provided at a lower part of the gas cabinet and on which a bottom surface of the gas container is seated, wherein the container table has a seating pad on which the gas container is seated, and the seating pad is movable in a horizontal direction and freely rotatable. It consists of

The container table includes a load cell for detecting a load of the gas container, and a control unit for controlling replacement of the gas container when the load of the gas container detected by the load cell is less than a reference value.

The load cell is provided below the seating pad.

The container table includes: a table body installed under a gas cabinet; a center piston movably connected to the table body by a power source; and a slide table accommodating the center piston and having an accommodating groove formed therein so as to decrease in diameter as it goes upward, and the seating pad is coupled to an upper portion of the slide table.

A guide member having a guide groove for inserting an end of the slide table is provided on the rim of the table body, and the inner diameter of the guide groove is larger than the diameter of the slide table.

According to another aspect of the present invention, an automatic gas container replacement device is provided in a gas cabinet in which a gas piping section is installed and automatically replaces a gas container, and is provided at a lower portion of the gas cabinet and at the bottom of the gas container. It includes a container table on which a surface is seated, and the container table has a seating pad on which a gas container is seated, and the seating pad is configured to be movable in a horizontal direction and freely rotatable.

The automatic gas container replacement device according to the present invention enables unmanned operation of a series of tasks for holding a gas container and rotating a gas container, thereby reducing operating costs and improving safety and productivity as complete automation is possible without the input of a worker. can be dramatically improved.

In addition, by optimizing the structure so that the driving means for rotating the gas container is placed at the lower part of the gas cabinet as much as possible, it is possible to secure the upper space where the piping area in the gas cabinet is installed and to secure the field of view when viewed from the front. and monitoring, as well as reducing the number of parts of the component devices and at the same time, a very compact and efficient structure.

In addition, as the gas container is configured to be freely movable in the horizontal direction when holding the gas container and the gas container is fixed in place, it is possible to stably fix the gas container even when there is an error in the transfer process, and the gas container Separation can also be performed smoothly.

In addition, when the gas container is seated in the gas cabinet, the center of the gas container is automatically aligned to precisely control the seating and separation of the gas container, and it is possible to smoothly switch between fixing and releasing the gas container.

1 is a plan view showing an autonomous vehicle and a gas cabinet according to an embodiment of the present invention;
2 and 3 are perspective views showing an autonomous vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention,
4 is a plan view showing an autonomous vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;
5 is a side view showing an autonomous vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;
6 is a perspective view showing a gas cabinet according to an embodiment of the present invention;
7 is a plan view showing an automatic gas container replacement device according to an embodiment of the present invention;
8 is a front view showing an automatic gas container replacement device according to an embodiment of the present invention;
9 is a side view showing an automatic gas container replacement device according to an embodiment of the present invention;
10 is a perspective view showing an automatic gas container replacement device according to an embodiment of the present invention;
11 shows a main body holding a gas container with an upper cap separated according to an embodiment of the present invention;
12 to 14 are side cross-sectional views showing a container table according to an embodiment of the present invention,
15 to 17 are perspective views showing a detachable upper cap according to an embodiment of the present invention;
18 is a perspective view showing a container gripper according to an embodiment of the present invention;
19 is a bottom view showing a container gripper according to an embodiment of the present invention;
20 is a front view showing a container gripper according to an embodiment of the present invention;
21 is a rear view showing a container gripper according to an embodiment of the present invention;
22 and 23 are perspective views showing a body part and a main driving part according to an embodiment of the present invention;
24 is a side view showing a body part and a main driving part according to an embodiment of the present invention;
25 is a front view showing a body part and a main driving part according to an embodiment of the present invention;
26 is a rear view showing a body part and a main driving part according to an embodiment of the present invention;
27 and 28 are perspective views showing a gasket replacement module according to an embodiment of the present invention;
29 is a plan view showing a gasket replacement module according to an embodiment of the present invention;
30 and 31 are side cross-sectional views showing a gasket replacement module according to an embodiment of the present invention,
32 is a cross-sectional view showing an operating state of a gasket replacement module according to an embodiment of the present invention;
33 is an enlarged front view of a collector cylinder according to an embodiment of the present invention;
34 is a front view showing a grip unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;
35 to 46 show the operation process of the automatic gas container replacement device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, the technical configuration of the automatic gas container replacement device will be described in detail according to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis are arbitrarily set directions for convenience of explanation, and are not limited to specific directions.

1 to 11, the automatic gas container replacement system according to an embodiment of the present invention can be applied and used in various industrial fields such as a semiconductor manufacturing process, and includes an automatic gas container replacement device 1. The gas container automatic replacement device 1 is provided in a gas cabinet 90 in which a gas piping section is installed to automatically replace the gas container 9. The gas container 9 is filled with various types of gas, and the gas container 9 is connected to the piping section of the gas cabinet 90 to supply gas.

The automatic gas container replacement device 1 includes a means for holding the gas container 9, a means for attaching and detaching the upper cap 91 from the gas container 9, and a gas container 9 to the axis of the gas container 9. A means for rotating about the center, a means for detaching the valve cap covering the valve port 94 of the gas container 9 from the gas container 9, a means for connecting the valve port 94 to the piping zone, and the above It includes driving parts that drive the means. In addition, the piping area of the gas cabinet 90 is disposed in the rear space among the upper spaces of the gas cabinet 90 .

In particular, the automatic gas container replacement device 1 is disposed below or on the side (side) or front of the piping area so as not to interfere with the piping area. As shown in FIGS. 7 to 9 , the space E for the piping area must be secured in the rear space among the upper spaces of the gas cabinet 90 . That is, other components should not be installed in the space E for the piping area, and as a result, the installation space of the automatic gas container replacement device 1 is inevitably subject to great restrictions.

The automatic gas container replacement device 1 according to the present invention arranges all components below, on the side or in front of the space E for the piping area, and includes a means for holding the gas container 9 described above, and an upper cap ( A means for attaching and detaching the gas container 9 from the gas container 9, a means for rotating the gas container 9 around the axis of the gas container 9, and a valve covering the valve port 94 of the gas container 9 An optimal structure to enable smooth installation without interference with the piping area while realizing all of the means for detaching the cap from the gas container (9), the means for connecting the valve port (94) to the piping area, and the driving parts for driving the means. is to provide

The automatic gas container replacement device 1 includes an automatic driving vehicle 8, a container table 2, a container holding part 4, an upper cap detachable part 3, a main body part 5, and a main driving part. (6) and a gasket replacement module (7). The gas cabinet 90 has a box structure having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and a plurality of gas cabinets 90 are installed in rows. A door 99 for opening and closing the inside is provided on the front of the gas cabinet 90, and the door 99 is configured to be automatically opened and closed by a separate power source. Two gas container automatic replacement devices 1 are provided inside one gas cabinet 90 .

The self-driving vehicle (8) is manufactured by attaching necessary parts to the automatic driving vehicle (AGV) released on the market as a basis, and automatically transfers the gas container (9) to the gas cabinet (90). . That is, the self-driving vehicle 8 transports the gas container 9 filled with gas from a specific place to the gas cabinet 90, and transfers the empty gas container 9 from the gas cabinet 90 to the specific place. or to any other desired location. At this time, the self-driving vehicle 8 may separately operate the role of bringing the filled gas container 9 and the role of removing the empty gas container 9.

The autonomous vehicle 8 includes a main body 81, a container handler 85, a single power source 83, and vertical and horizontal guiding means.

The driving unit body 81 is capable of driving and steering, and is configured to be able to rotate around a specific pivot axis, so that it can freely change directions and operate in a narrow space. A plurality of driving parts wheels 816 are evenly disposed on the lower part of the driving part body 81 to evenly distribute the load. In addition, the handler wheel 815 is disposed under the handler support 82 to support the weight of the gas container 9 and the handler support 82 . The driving sub body 81 may be implemented by a worker directly manipulating driving, performing automatic driving according to an automatically programmed logic, autonomous driving through a sensor and a CPU, or a selective combination thereof.

A control panel 811 for controlling the autonomous vehicle 8 is provided on the driving unit body 81, and a handler support unit 82 is coupled to one side of the driving unit body 81 in the y-axis direction. The handler support unit 82 includes a seating plate 822, and the seating plate 822 seats the bottom surface of the gas container 9. The handler support portion 82 is formed of a pair of plate-shaped members spaced apart in the x-axis direction, and extends side by side from the main body 81 toward the front of the y-axis. The seat plate 822 is provided to connect the lower end of the plate-shaped member of the handler support part 82 .

The container handler 85 grips and releases the gas container 9, and includes a pair of handler grips 851 and a handler grip driving unit. The pair of handler grips 851 are closed to each other to hold the outer circumferential surface of the gas container 9 in close contact, and release the gripping state of the gas container 9 by spreading them apart. The handler grip driver drives the pair of handler grips 851 to be retracted or opened. A pair of handler grips 851 can slide in the x-axis direction with respect to a z-axis movable body 852 to be described later.

The power source 83 is composed of a single unit and loads and unloads the gas container 9 into the gas cabinet 90 by vertically and horizontally driving the container handler 85 . In addition, the autonomous vehicle 8 includes a y-axis movable body 84, a y-axis guiding unit, a z-axis movable unit 852, and a z-axis guiding unit. The y-axis movable body 84 can slide in the y-axis direction with respect to the driving part body 81 . The y-axis guide unit is connected between the driving unit body 81 and the y-axis movable body 84 to slide the container handler 85 in the y-axis direction.

More specifically, a pair of LM guides 841 are formed long in the y-axis direction on the upper part of the main body 81, and the slider 842 is slidably connected to the LM guide 841 in the y-axis direction do. The y-axis movable body 84 is integrally formed with the slider 842 or coupled to the slider 842 to slide together in the y-axis direction. One power source 83 is provided between the pair of LM guides 841.

The power source 83 is composed of a driving motor 831 and is coupled to the upper portion of the driving unit body 81 . A reduction gear 832 is connected to the drive motor 831, and a drive shaft 833 and a driven shaft 834 are connected by a belt 835. A screw shaft 836 is coupled to the driven shaft 834, and the screw shaft 836 is rotated by the rotation of the driving motor 831. The screw shaft 836 is rotatably connected to the top of the main body 81 in the y-axis direction as a longitudinal direction, and the y-axis movable body 84 is screwed to the screw shaft 836. When the drive motor 831 rotates, the y-axis movable body 84 moves forward or backward in the y-axis direction.

The z-axis movable body 852 can slide in a vertical direction with respect to the y-axis movable body 84 . The z-axis guide unit is connected between the y-axis movable body 84 and the z-axis movable body 852 to slide the container handler 85 in the z-axis direction. The container handler 85 is connected to the z-axis movable body 852. More specifically, a bracket 844 is coupled to the y-axis movable body 84 and the slider 842, and a plate member 845 is coupled to the front of the bracket 844.

A slider 846 is coupled to the plate member 845, and an LM guide 847 is formed to be long in the z-axis direction on the z-axis movable body 852. A through hole 848 penetrating the y-axis direction is formed in the plate member 845 so that a link member 858 to be described later can move up and down freely. In addition, the slider 846 coupled to the plate member 845 is connected to be freely slidable in the z-axis direction along the LM guide 847 coupled to the z-axis movable body 852. That is, the z-axis movable body 852 receives a force to fall downward with respect to the plate member 845 by its own load.

In front of the z-axis movable body 852, a support bracket 854 extends in the y-axis direction, and a screw shaft 853 extends along the x-axis in the longitudinal direction of the support bracket 854. The screw shaft 853 not only functions as a power transmission means for driving the handler grip 851, but also crosses over the upper end of the handler support 82 so that the z-axis movable body 852 is no longer lower than the plate member 845. It functions as a stopper to support it from falling.

In addition, a slide rod 843 is formed to extend in the x-axis direction from the y-axis movable body 84 and the slider 842 . One side of the slide rod 843 is connected to and guided to a slot 821 to be described later. The other side of the slide rod 843 is connected to a long hole 849 formed long in the vertical direction of the guide bracket 859. The link member 843 penetrates the plate member 845 and connects the slide rod 843 and the z-axis movable body 852.

The handler grip driving unit includes a handler grip motor 86 . The handler grip motor 86 is fixed to the plate member 845 coupled to the y-axis moving body 84. The drive shaft 861 of the handler grip motor 86 is connected to the screw shaft 853 provided in the z-axis movable body 852 through a belt 862. A pair of sliders 856 are screwed to the screw shaft 853, and a handler grip 851 is coupled to each slider 856. An LM guide 857 extends in the x-axis direction in front of the z-axis movable body 852, and a pair of sliders 856 are slidably connected to the LM guide 857 in the x-axis direction.

When the handler grip motor 86 is rotated in one direction, the screw shaft 853 provided in the z-axis movable body 852 is rotated, and the pair of handler grips 851 are brought together by the rotation of the screw shaft 853. and grips the outer circumferential surface of the gas container (9). In addition, when the handler grip motor 86 is rotated in the other direction, the screw shaft 853 provided in the z-axis movable body 852 is rotated, and the pair of handler grips 851 are rotated by the rotation of the screw shaft 853. They open from each other to cancel the holding state of the gas container 9.

The vertical and horizontal guiding means guides both vertical and horizontal driving of the container handler 85 with a single power source 83. The vertical and horizontal guiding means include a slot 821 having a long hole shape for slidingly guiding the slide bar 843 provided in the container handler 85 . Substantially, the slide rod 843 is connected to the side of the y-axis movable body 84 connected to the container handler 85.

More specifically, slots 821 are formed extending in the y-axis direction on both sides of the handler support part 82 . The slot 821 is composed of an inclined section and a horizontal section 8211. The inclined section is a section in which the container handler 85 is moved vertically, and the horizontal section 8211 is a section in which the container handler 85 is moved horizontally. The slope section is formed on both sides of the horizontal section 8211, and consists of an upslope section 8213 and a downslope section 8212. The upward slope section 8213 is formed behind the horizontal section 8211 in the y-axis direction, and is a section for raising the container handler 85. The descending slope section 8212 is formed in front of the horizontal section 8211 in the y-axis direction, and is a section for descending the container handler 85.

When the drive motor 831 is rotated, the screw shaft 836 is rotated and the y-axis movable body 84 moves forward in the y-axis direction. At this time, the slide rod 843 advances in the y-axis direction in the upward slope section 8213 and rises in the z-axis direction, and the z-axis moving body 852 connected to the slide rod 843 through a link member 858 ) rises with respect to the y-axis movable body 84. Thereafter, the slide rod 843 moves horizontally only in the y-axis direction in the horizontal section 8211. Thereafter, the slide rod 843 advances in the y-axis direction in the descending slope section 8212 and descends in the z-axis direction, and the z-axis moving body 852 connected to the slide rod 843 through a link member 858 ) descends with respect to the y-axis movable body 84.

12 to 14, the container table 2 is provided under the gas cabinet 90, the bottom surface of the gas container 9 is seated, and has a seating pad 29. The seating pad 29 is formed in the shape of a circular plate having a predetermined thickness, and the gas container 9 is seated thereon. The seating pad 29 is configured to be freely movable in the horizontal direction and freely rotatable around an axis. In this case, the axis of the seating pad is centered in the left-right direction in FIG. 14 . The container table 2 centers the seating pad 29 so that the seating pad 29 is positioned in the right position in the horizontal direction.

The container table 2 includes a table body 212, a center piston 24, a slide table 23, and a load cell 25. The table body 212 is fixedly installed under the gas cabinet 90, and may be integrally formed with the gas cabinet 90. On the upper surface of the table main body 212, a circular lifting groove 213 is recessed to a certain depth. The center piston 24 is movably connected to the table body 212 by a power source. That is, the center piston 24 is slidably connected to the elevating groove 213, and an air port 214 for supplying air to the elevating groove 213 is formed.

The slide table 23 is formed in the shape of a circular plate having a predetermined thickness, and an accommodation groove 233 is formed at the center of the slide table 23 . The accommodating groove 233 accommodates the center piston 24 and is formed to have a smaller diameter toward the top. A ball or hemispherical plunger 241 is provided at the top of the center piston 24 . By controlling the air supply through the air port 214, the center piston 24 and the plunger 241 are moved up and down integrally.

In addition, a seating pad 29 is coupled to an upper portion of the slide table 23, and a center hole 232 is formed at the center of the seating pad 29. In addition, a guide member 21 is provided on the edge of the table body 212 . A guide groove 211 into which the end 231 of the slide table 23 is inserted is formed in the guide member 21 . In this case, the inner diameter of the guide groove 211 is formed larger than the diameter of the slide table 23, so that the slide table 23 can freely move horizontally within the range of the inner diameter of the guide groove 211 and freely rotate around the axis. this is possible

That is, the slide table 23 is disposed on top of the table body 212, and the seating pad 29 is disposed on the top of the slide table 23. In addition, the slide table 23 and the seating pad 29 are coupled in the vertical direction to form an integral body, and a ball bearing 22 is provided between the table body 212 and the slide table 23 so that they can move and rotate freely between each other. it's bad In addition, a ball bearing 22 is also provided at a connection between the guide member 21 and the slide table 23. In this case, the ball bearing 22 can be replaced with other bearing means such as an air bearing.

In the state shown in FIG. 12 , when air is supplied into the elevating groove 213 through the air port 214 , the center piston 24 and the plunger 241 rise as shown in FIG. 13 . When the plunger 241 rises, the slide table 23 and the seating pad 29 move rightward toward the center by the receiving groove 233 accommodating the plunger 241 . Then, as shown in FIG. 14, when the center piston 24 and the plunger 241 are fully raised, the slide table 23 and the seating pad 29 are aligned in the center. In addition, when the center piston 24 and the plunger 241 are lowered, the seating pad 29 can freely move horizontally and rotate freely while the gas container 9 is placed on (moved). .

The load cell 25 is a sensor that detects the load of the gas container 9 and is provided under the seating pad 29, that is, under the table body 212. When the load of the gas container 9 sensed through the load cell 25 is less than or equal to the reference value, a control unit, which will be described later, automatically replaces the gas container 9 .

18 to 21, the container holding unit 4 grips and fixes the outer circumferential surface of the gas container 9, and includes a grip unit 41, a grip driving unit 44, and a gas container rotation unit. . The grip part 41 includes a container gripper 411 , a driving roller 42 and an idle roller 421 . The container gripper 411 is made of a pair and is slidably provided in the x-axis direction with respect to the base 61 . The base 61 is fixed to the gas cabinet 90, an LM guide 461 is provided on the front of the base 61 in the y-axis direction, and the LM guide 461 is formed long in the x-axis direction.

The container gripper 411 has a plate shape having a predetermined thickness, and the inner side forms a curved surface in a streamlined shape. A plurality of vessel grippers 411 are spaced apart in the z-axis direction, and rear ends of the plurality of vessel grippers 411 are coupled to the gripper plate 412 . A slider 462 is coupled to the rear surface of the gripper plate 412 in the y-axis direction, and the slider 462 is slidably connected to the LM guide 461 coupled to the base 61 in the x-axis direction. In addition, a support bracket 413 is formed extending from the rear surface of the gripper plate 412 in the y-axis direction.

The drive roller 42 is provided on one of the pair of container grippers 411 and rotatably grips the outer circumferential surface of the gas container 9 . That is, the driving roller 42 is rotatably connected to one container gripper 411 about an axis in the z-axis direction. Two drive rollers 42 are provided in one layer in the z-axis direction, and at least one layer is formed, so that one gripper plate 412 is provided with four drive rollers 42 .

The idle roller 421 is provided on the other of the pair of container grippers 411 and rotatably grips the outer circumferential surface of the gas container 9 . An idle roller 421 is rotatably connected to the other container gripper 411 about an axis in the z-axis direction. Two idle rollers 421 are provided in one layer in the z-axis direction, and at least one layer is formed, so that four idle rollers 421 are provided on another gripper plate 412. The outer circumferential surface of the gas container 9 is adhered and fixed between the driving roller 42 and the idle roller 421 .

The grip driving unit 44 includes a container holding cylinder 441 . The container holding cylinder 441 provides power to close or open the pair of container grippers 411 to each other. The container holding cylinder 441 is coupled to the base 61 side, and the rod 442 of the container holding cylinder 441 is coupled to the support bracket 413. That is, as the rod 442 of the container holding cylinder 441 moves forward and backward, the support bracket 413 and the container gripper 411 slide together with respect to the base 61 in the x-axis direction.

The gas container rotation unit rotates the gas container 9 around the axis of the gas container 9 in place and includes a roller rotation motor 43 . The roller rotation motor 43 is fixed to the container gripper 411 and rotates the gas container 9 around the axis of the gas container 9 by rotating the driving roller 42 . A reducer 431 is connected to the roller rotation motor 43, a drive shaft 432 and a driven shaft 433 are connected by a belt 434, and a driving roller 42 is connected to the driven shaft 433.

When the drive shaft 432 of the roller rotation motor 43 is rotated while the gas container 9 is held between the drive roller 42 and the idle roller 421, power is transmitted by the belt 434 to drive the drive roller. 42 is rotated so that the gas container 90 is rotated about its axis. In this case, the idle roller 421 supports the rotation of the gas container 9 on the opposite side of the driving roller 42 and rotates idle.

The container holding unit 4 further includes a gripper link 47 . The gripper link 47 is formed in the shape of a bar having a predetermined length, and its central portion in the longitudinal direction is directly or indirectly rotatably connected to the base 61 side about the pivot shaft 471. In addition, both sides of the gripper link 47 are rotatably connected to the vessel gripper 411 side. That is, as shown in FIG. 20, the fastening plate 473 is coupled to the gripper plate 412 on the left container gripper 411 side, and the fastening plate 476 is coupled to the gripper plate 412 on the right container gripper 411 side. ) are combined.

Both sides of the gripper link 47 are rotatably connected to the fastening plates 473 and 475 through connecting portions 474 and 476, respectively. Long hole-shaped clearance holes 472 are formed in the connecting portions 474 and 476 on both sides of the gripper link 47, and pins connected to the clearance holes 472 are formed in each fastening plate 473 and 475. When the pair of container grippers 411 are driven to retract or open each other, the gripper link 47 synchronizes the pair of container grippers 411 to stably grip the gas container 9, The rotational motion of the gripper link 47 may be converted into linear motion through the clearance of the clearance hole 472 .

Through this configuration, the work of holding the gas container (9) and the series of work of rotating the gas container (9) can be operated unmanned, thereby reducing manufacturing costs, and productivity is drastically improved as complete automation is possible without input of workers. can be improved by In addition, as the structure is optimized so that the driving means for rotating the gas container 9 is disposed at the lower part of the gas cabinet 90 as much as possible, the upper space in which the piping section in the gas cabinet 90 is installed is not violated and It fundamentally prevents interference and secures a view when viewed from the front, which not only has an advantage in monitoring, but also reduces the number of parts of components and at the same time has a very compact and efficient structure.

In addition, when the gas container 9 is gripped, the gas container 9 is configured to be freely movable in the horizontal direction and the gas container 9 is fixed in place, thereby reducing errors in the transfer process of the gas container 9. Even if there is, it can be stably fixed and the gas container can be separated smoothly. In addition, when the gas container 9 is placed in the gas cabinet 90, the center of the gas container 9 is automatically aligned so that the seating and separation of the gas container can be precisely controlled and the gas container 9 is fixed. It is possible to smoothly switch between the and unlocked states.

15 to 17 , the upper cap detachable part 3 grips the upper cap 91 of the gas container 9 and detaches the upper cap 91 from the gas container 9 . The upper cap 91 is screwed to the top of the gas container 9, and is coupled when the upper cap 91 is rotated with respect to the gas container 9 in one direction and separated when rotated in the other direction. In this case, the upper cap detachable part 3 holds the upper cap 91, and the container gripping part 4 rotates the gas container 9 around the axis of the gas container 9 so that the upper cap 91 ) is detached from the gas container (9).

The upper cap detachable part 3 includes a body part 31, a cap gripping module 35, and a rotary driving part 33. The body part 31 includes a cap detachable body 311, a cap lifting block 313 and a cap lifting cylinder 32. The cap detachable body 311 is coupled to the gas cabinet 90, and a fastening hole 312 for coupling to the gas cabinet 90 is formed on one side. A slider 316 is coupled to one surface of the detachable cap body 311 in the x-axis direction. The cap lifting block 313 is slidably connected in the vertical direction with respect to the cap detachable body 311 .

An LM guide 315 is formed on one side of the cap lifting block 313 facing the cap detachable body 311 in the x-axis direction. The LM guide 315 is formed long in the z-axis direction, and connects the slider 316 coupled to the cap detachable body 311 to be slidable in the z-axis direction. A block base 314 is coupled to the upper end of the cab lifting block 313. The cap lift cylinder 32 provides power for lifting and driving the cap gripping module 35, and slides the cap lifting block 313 relative to the cap detachable body 311 in an up and down direction.

The cap gripping module 35 grips the upper cap 91 and includes a plurality of fingers 352 , a gripping block 351 and a gripping cylinder 353 . The finger 352 comes into close contact with the outer circumferential surface of the upper cap 91 to grip the upper cap 91 or releases it from close contact to release the grip of the upper cap 91 . Although two fingers 352 are shown, they may be made of three or more. A plurality of protrusions 356 are formed on the inner surface of the finger 352 to prevent slipping by increasing friction with the upper cap 91 when the gas container 9 rotates.

The gripping block 351 slides the fingers 352 and guides the fingers 352 to be folded or widened. Meanwhile, a slide rib 354 having a slide protrusion 355 is provided at an upper end of the finger 352 . An oblique groove 358 connected to the rod of the gripping cylinder 353 is formed inside the slide rib 354 . In addition, a finger groove 357 is formed on the side of the gripping block 351. The finger groove 357 inserts the slide rib 354 of the finger 352 in a sliding manner so that the finger 352 is folded or opened.

The slide protrusions 355 protruding from both sides of the slide rib 354 guide the slide rib 354 to slide smoothly without departing downward in a state in which the slide rib 354 is inserted into the finger groove 357. The rod of the gripping cylinder 353 is slidably connected to an oblique groove 358 formed in a slide rib 354 provided at an upper end of the finger 352 . The gripping cylinder 353 is connected to the finger 352 and slides the finger 352 relative to the gripping block 351 according to the elevation of the rod.

The rotary driving unit 33 rotates the cap gripping module 35 with respect to the cap lifting block 313 so that the cap gripping module 35 is positioned between the side of the gas cabinet 90 and the top cap 91 of the gas container 9. to make a round trip. The rotary drive unit 33 includes a rotary arm 334 and a rotary motor 339, and the cap gripping module 35 is rotatably connected to the cap lifting block 313. That is, one side of the rotary arm 334 is rotatably connected to the block base 314 coupled to the upper end of the cap lifting block 313, and the cap gripping module 35 is provided on the other side.

The drive shaft 331 of the rotary motor 339 is rotatably connected to the block base 314, and the driven shaft 332 is connected to one side of the rotary arm 334 so that the drive shaft 331 and the driven shaft 332 are It is connected by belt 333. When the rotary motor 339 is rotated, the rotary arm 334 rotates with respect to the block base 314 and adheres to the side surface of the gas cabinet 90 or is positioned directly above the upper cap 91. In addition, the cap detachable body 3 is disposed on the side and front sides of the upper part of the gas cabinet 90. The cap detachable body 3 rotates the cap holding module 35 to come into close contact with the side surface of the gas cabinet 90 while holding the top cap 91 to store the top cap 91 .

22 to 26, the body portion 5 includes a body block 51, a valve cap detachable portion 53, a valve connection portion 54, and a valve port alignment portion 56. The valve cap detachable part 53 removes the valve cap covering the valve port 94 of the gas container 9 from the gas container 9 . The valve connection part 54 is spaced apart from the valve cap detachable part 53 in the x-axis direction and connects the valve port 94 of the gas container 9 to the piping area. The valve port aligning unit 56 performs a function of mechanically aligning the valve port 94 to the correct position with respect to the valve cap detachable unit 53 .

The body block 51 is configured to be moved in the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis directions by a main driving unit 6 to be described later. A valve cap detachable portion 53, a valve connection portion 54, and a valve port alignment portion 56 are provided on the front of the body block 51 in the y-axis direction. A body cylinder is provided inside the body block 51, and the body cylinder is for advancing the valve cap detachable part 53 and the valve connection part 54 to the valve port 94. That is, the body cylinder reciprocates the valve cap detachable part 53 and the valve connection part 54 with respect to the body block 51 in the y-axis direction.

The valve cap detachable part 53 and the valve connection part 54 are connected to each other through a connection block 535 and reciprocate together in the y-axis direction. The valve cap detachable part 53 and the valve connection part 54 are provided side by side in front of the y-axis in the connection block 535, and maintain a state spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance in the x-axis direction through the connection block 535. A body rotation motor 55 is provided at the rear of the body block 51 in the y-axis direction.

The rotation motor 55 for the body rotates the valve cap detachable part 53 to detach the valve cap from the gas container 9, and rotates the valve connection part 54 to connect or connect the valve port 94 to the piping area. release That is, the reduction gear 551 is connected to the driving shaft of the rotation motor 55 for the body, and the bevel gears 552 and 553 are connected to the output shaft of the reduction gear 551. On both sides of the vertical bevel gear 553, a pair of driven gears 554 and 555 are engaged.

One driven gear 554 is coaxial with the valve cap detachable part 53 556 to rotate the valve cap detachable part 53. In addition, the other driven gear 555 forms a coaxial axis 557 with the valve connection part 54 to rotate the valve connection part 54. Through this configuration, when the rotation motor 55 for the body is rotated, the valve cap detachable part 53 and the valve connection part 54 are rotated together, so that the valve cap is detached from the gas container 9 or the valve port 94 connected or disconnected from the piping zone.

The valve cap detachable portion 53 is formed in a substantially circular tube shape, and a coupler is formed therein to accommodate the valve cap. The coupling sphere of the valve cap detachable part 53 is made to correspond to the shape of the valve cap. For example, when the valve cap has a hexagonal shape, the coupling sphere of the valve cap detachable portion 53 also takes a hexagonal shape. In addition, the coupler of the valve cap detachable part 53 is rotated about its axis by the aforementioned rotation motor 55 for the main body.

When the valve cap detachable part 53 moves forward in the y-axis direction toward the gas container 9 , the coupler of the valve cap detachable part 53 is engaged with the valve cap coupled to the valve port 94 . When the rotation motor 55 for the main body is rotated in one direction in a state in which the coupler of the valve cap detachable part 53 and the valve cap are engaged, the coupler of the valve cap detachable part 53 is rotated in one direction so that the valve cap is placed in the gas container ( After being separated from the valve port 94 of 9), keep it fixed to the coupler of the valve cap detachable part 53 until the gas supply of the gas container 9 is completed and the gas container 9 is replaced. do. After that, the valve cap detachable part 53 performs backward and other driving operations in the y-axis direction. The detailed operation sequence will be described in detail later.

In addition, when gas is exhausted and the gas container 9 is replaced, the valve cap detachable part 53 having a valve cap advances toward the gas container 9 in the y-axis direction. When the rotation motor 55 for the main body is rotated in the other direction, the coupler of the valve cap detachable part 53 and the valve cap are rotated in the other direction so that the valve cap is fastened to the valve port 94 of the gas container 9 , The valve cap detachable part 53 moves backward in the y-axis direction and is separated from the valve cap.

The valve connection part 54 is composed of a circular pipe 541 and a port fitting 543. The circular tube 541 is formed in a substantially circular tube shape, and a port fastener 543 is rotatably provided in front of the y-axis. The port fastening hole 543 is formed in a shape corresponding to the valve cap, and a gasket mounting hole 542 to which the gasket 92 is mounted is formed on the front side. When the valve port 94 and the port fitting 543 are fastened, the internal flow path of the valve connection part 54 connected to the gas pipe 549 communicates with the inside of the gas container 9 . In addition, the gas pipe 549 is connected to the pipe section of the gas cabinet 90 .

After the valve connection part 54 advances in the y-axis direction toward the gas container 9, when the rotation motor 55 for the main body rotates in one direction, the port fastener 543 rotates in one direction, and the port fastener 543 is fastened to the valve port 94 of the gas container 9. On the other hand, if the gas is exhausted and the rotation motor 55 for the main body is rotated in the other direction when the gas container 9 is replaced, the port fastener 543 is rotated in the other direction, and then the valve connection part 54 rotates in the y-axis Moving backward in the direction, the port fitting 543 is separated from the valve port 94 of the gas container 9.

The valve port alignment unit 56 includes an alignment finger 561 and a finger driving unit 562 . The alignment fingers 561 are formed as a pair spaced apart in the x-axis direction, and are configured to be slidable in the x-axis direction on both sides of the valve cap detachable portion 53 in the x-axis direction. The finger driving unit 562 drives the aligning finger 561 to close or open, and may have a cylindrical structure.

A pair of alignment fingers 561 are provided in front of the valve cap detachable part 53 in the y-axis direction, and an annular groove 563 curved in a streamlined shape is formed on surfaces facing each other. When the pair of align fingers 561 are closed, the annular grooves 563 facing each other form a semicircle to align the valve port 94 of the gas container 9. That is, when the pair of align fingers 561 are closed, the align fingers 561 rotate the gas container 9 around the axis of the gas container 9 to detach the valve port 94 from the valve cap. Place it on the part 53.

As the body part 5 reciprocates in the x-axis direction, the valve port 94 of the gas container 9 faces the valve cap detachable part 53 or the valve connection part 54. On the other hand, the body portion 5 further includes a handle operating unit 52, a handle driving motor 57, and a handle operating unit cylinder 58. The handle control unit 52 is disposed above the body unit 5 and rotates the valve handle 93 of the gas container 9. The handle driving motor 57 provides rotational power to the handle operation unit 52, and the handle operation unit cylinder 58 moves the handle operation unit 52 in the y-axis direction.

More specifically, the handle operating unit cylinder 58 is fixedly coupled to the upper portion of the body block 51. The rod 581 of the handle control unit cylinder 58 is connected to the handle control block 582, so that the handle control block 582 moves forward and backward with respect to the body block 51 in the y-axis direction. A handle driving motor 57 is fixedly coupled to the handle control block 582 . A reduction gear 571 is connected to the driving shaft of the handle driving motor 57, and an output shaft of the reduction gear 571 is connected to the handle control unit 52 through a gear box 572. The handle operation unit 52 is rotated by the rotation of the handle drive motor 57 to rotate the handle 93 of the gas container 9 .

The main driving unit 6 drives the body unit 5 to move the valve cap detachable unit 53 and the valve connection unit 54 in the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis directions. The main driving unit 6 includes an x-axis driving unit 62 for moving the body unit 5 in the x-axis, a y-axis driving unit 64 for moving the body unit 5 in the y-axis, and the body unit 5 It includes a z-axis driving unit 66 for moving in the z-axis. The main drive unit 6 is disposed above the base 61 installed in the gas cabinet 90.

More specifically, a long LM guide 623 is coupled to the upper portion of the base 61 in the x-axis direction, and a slider 624 is slidably connected to the LM guide 623 in the x-axis direction. An x-axis block 63 is coupled to the top of the slider 624, and the x-axis block 63 can slide in the x-axis direction with respect to the base 61. The x-axis drive unit 62 includes x-axis cylinders 621 and 622 that provide power to drive the x-axis block 63 . The x-axis cylinders 621 and 622 may be configured as rodless cylinders that can be installed in a relatively narrow space compared to the same stroke, and one cylinder 621 is coupled to the base 61 side and the other The cylinder 622 is coupled to the x-axis block 63.

A y-axis cylinder 641 is fixedly coupled to the top of the x-axis block 63. A y-axis bracket 642 is connected to the rod of the y-axis cylinder 641, and a y-axis block 65 is coupled to the y-axis bracket 642. The y-axis bracket 642 is slidably connected to the x-axis block 63 in the y-axis direction through an LM guide and a slider. As a result, the y-axis drive unit 64 is provided with a y-axis cylinder 641 for providing power to drive the y-axis block 65, the y-axis block 65 is in the y-axis direction with respect to the x-axis block 63 is driven by sliding.

The top of the y-axis block 65 is fixedly coupled to the z-axis cylinder 661. A z-axis block 67 is connected to the rod of the z-axis cylinder 661, and the z-axis block 67 can slide in the z-axis direction with respect to the y-axis block 65 through an LM guide and a slider 662 . As a result, the z-axis drive unit 66 includes a z-axis cylinder 661 that provides power to drive the z-axis block 67, so that the z-axis block 67 moves in the z-axis direction with respect to the y-axis block 65 is driven by sliding.

27 to 34, the gasket replacement module 7 removes the used gasket 92 from the valve connection 54 and mounts a new gasket 92 on the valve connection 54 to perform a gasket replacement operation. function to perform automatically. The gasket replacement module 7 includes a replacement module base 76, a main block 77, a main block cylinder 75, a magazine 71, and a grip part 78. The replacement module base 76 has a body 761 fixedly installed on the side of the gas cabinet 90, and a main block cylinder 75 is coupled to one side of the body 761.

The main block cylinder 75 provides power to move the main block 77 forward and backward in the y-axis direction. The rod 751 of the main block cylinder 75 is connected to the slider 754, and the slider 754 is slidably connected in the y-axis direction with respect to the main block cylinder 75. A fastening block 752 is coupled to the front of the slider 754 in the y-axis direction, and the fastening block 752 is integrally formed with the main block 77 or coupled to the main block 77. As a result, the main block 77 is driven forward and backward in the y-axis direction by the operation of the main block cylinder 75.

The main block 77 includes a vacuum piston 771 and a collect piston 772. The vacuum piston 771 moves forward and backward in the y-axis direction and functions to adsorb and hold the gasket 92 with vacuum. The collect piston 772 moves forward and backward in the y-axis direction and is inserted into the inner diameter of the gasket 92 to hold the gasket 92 . In addition, a vacuum cylinder chamber 798 for moving the vacuum piston 771 forward and backward and a collect cylinder chamber 797 for moving the collect piston 772 forward and backward are formed in the main block 77 . A collect cylinder chamber 797 is partitioned at the rear of the vacuum cylinder chamber 798.

The vacuum piston 771 is slidably provided in the y-axis direction in the vacuum cylinder chamber 798, and a seal (O) such as an O-ring performing sealing is provided at the contact portion. A first air port 775 for moving the vacuum piston 771 forward and a second air port 776 for moving the vacuum piston 771 backward are formed on one side of the vacuum cylinder chamber 798 . The vacuum piston 771 is composed of a piston reciprocating in the vacuum cylinder chamber 798 and a rod integrally extending from the piston forward along the y-axis. The rod of the vacuum piston 771 penetrates the main block 77 and protrudes forward along the y-axis.

In addition, a vacuum line 754 is formed on the rod of the vacuum piston 771. The vacuum line 754 extends to the rod end of the vacuum piston 771. In addition, the vacuum line 754 is connected to the vacuum line 796 formed in the main block 77, and the vacuum line 796 of the main block 77 is connected to the vacuum port 756. Accordingly, when vacuum is applied to the vacuum lines 796 and 754 through the vacuum port 756, the gasket 92 positioned at the end of the rod of the vacuum piston 771 is vacuum-adsorbed. The vacuum line 754 of the vacuum piston 771 is configured to be always connected to the vacuum line 796 of the main block 77 when the vacuum piston 771 moves forward and backward. To this end, the vacuum line 796 of the main block 77 is extended in the sliding direction with a sufficient length in consideration of the sliding width of the vacuum piston 771 .

The collect piston 772 is slidably provided in the y-axis direction in the collect cylinder chamber 797, and a seal (O) such as an O-ring performing sealing is provided at the contact portion. A first air port 773 for moving the collect piston 772 forward and a second air port 774 for moving the collect piston 772 backward are formed on one side of the collect cylinder chamber 797 . The collect piston 772 includes a piston reciprocating in the collect cylinder chamber 797 and a rod 778 integrally extending from the piston forward along the y-axis.

In addition, the collect piston 772 is positioned coaxially with the vacuum piston 771 and can move forward and backward through the vacuum piston 771 . That is, the rod 778 of the collect piston 772 extends to the inside of the vacuum piston 771, and the collect core 779 is coupled to the end of the rod 778. The rod 778 and the collect core 779 of the collect piston 772 pass through the vacuum piston 771 integrally and move forward and backward.

In addition, the collect piston 772 includes a collect exterior 758 and a collect core 779 . The collector tube 758 protrudes from the end of the vacuum piston 771 and is inserted into the inner diameter of the gasket 92. The collect core 779 moves forward and backward through the collector exterior 758, and a taper 757 is formed on the outer circumferential surface so that the diameter increases toward the end. As the collect core 779 moves forward and backward, the end portion 759 of the collect core 779 is drawn into or drawn out of the collector exterior 758 in the forward and backward direction (y-axis direction). An assembly driver groove 792 is formed at the center of the end 759 of the collect core 779 .

The collector exterior 758 has a circular tube shape through which the collector core 779 passes. A block 795 for fixing the collector exterior is provided at one end of the collector exterior 758 in the y-axis direction and is coupled with a screw 794, and the other end is configured to protrude beyond the end of the vacuum piston 771. A small gap 793 is formed between the other end portion of the collector exterior 758 and the inner diameter of the vacuum piston 771 . In addition, an open-shaped slit 789 is formed in the collector exterior 758 . The slits 789 are formed to a certain depth in the forward and backward direction of the collect core 779 and are radially arranged along the circumference of the collect exterior 758 . Accordingly, the external diameter of the collector tube 758 is enlarged or contracted by the forward and backward movement of the collector core 779.

As shown, three slits 789 may be arranged at intervals of 120°, and may be formed in a plurality such as two or four slits. Through the slit 789 and the fine gap 793, the collector exterior 758 is finely opened in the vacuum piston 771 and can be expanded. That is, when an external force is applied to the exterior of the collector 758, the force to return to its original state is applied by its own elastic restoring force. As a result, when the collect core 779 moves backward, the outer circumferential surface of the collect core 779 presses against the inner circumferential surface of the outer circumferential surface of the collector 758 by the taper 757, so that the outer circumferential surface of the collect 758 is expanded to fit the inner diameter of the gasket 92. The close contact clamps the gasket 92.

The magazine 71 is disposed above the grip part 78 and functions to supply the gasket 92 . The magazine 71 is fixedly coupled to the replacement module base 76, and includes a magazine housing 711, a lower stopper 713, an upper stopper 712, and an escape cylinder. The magazine housing 711 is made capable of stacking a plurality of gaskets 92 in a row therein. A gasket inlet is formed at the top of the magazine housing 711 and a gasket outlet is formed at the bottom. In this case, the magazine housing 711 loaded with the gasket 92 may be prepared in advance, and the magazine housing 711 may be replaced with a tubular body if necessary.

The lower stopper 713 is provided at the lower end of the magazine housing 771 to be able to move forward and backward to prevent or prevent the gasket 92 from falling. The upper stopper 712 is provided on top of the lower stopper 713 and is provided to move forward and backward to prevent or prevent the gasket 92 from falling. The escape cylinder provides power to drive the lower stopper 713 and the upper stopper 712 .

The escape cylinder is composed of a first escape cylinder 73 driving the upper stopper 712 and a second escape cylinder 74 driving the lower stopper 713 . The rod 731 of the first escape cylinder 73 is connected to the upper stopper 712, and the rod 741 of the second escape cylinder 74 is connected to the lower stopper 713 through a link 745. Through the link 745, interference between escape cylinders and interference between other drive cylinders can be prevented, and the size in the z-axis direction can be configured compactly.

Further referring to FIG. 43 , the lower stopper 713 moves forward and the upper stopper 712 moves backward so that the gasket 92 falls to the lower stopper 713 . Thereafter, the upper stopper 712 advances, preventing the remaining gaskets 92 from falling except for the gasket 92 located between the upper stopper 712 and the lower stopper 713 . After that, the lower stopper 713 moves backward and only the gasket 92 located between the upper stopper 712 and the lower stopper 713 falls.

The grip part 78 is disposed in front of the vacuum piston 771 and the collect piston 772 and below the magazine 71 . The grip part 78 grips the gasket 92 supplied from the magazine 71 and the gasket 92 collected from the valve connection part 54 . In addition, the grip part 78 includes a grip cylinder 79 and a pair of guide grips 782 . In addition, the grip cylinder 79 is fixedly coupled to the replacement module base 76, and the rod 791 at the lower end is driven forward and backward in the z-axis direction.

The pair of guide grips 782 are rotated by the grip cylinder 79 to grip or release the gasket 92 through retracting or opening driving. The upper part of the guide grip 782 is rotatably formed around the pivot shaft 717 through a pin and slot structure on the rod 791 of the grip cylinder 79. The grip part 78 includes a rotation induction block 715 coupled to the rod 791 of the grip cylinder 79. Guide grooves 716 concave in the shape of long holes are formed on both sides of the rotation guide block 715. In addition, the guide grip 782 is provided with a guide pin 783 inserted into the guide groove 716.

Therefore, when the rod 791 of the grip cylinder 79 descends, the rotation guide block 715 descends together, and the guide pin 783 is guided to the guide groove 716, so that the guide grip 782 moves along the pivot shaft 717. ) is rotated around the pair of guide grips 782 open. In addition, when the rod 791 rises, the rotation induction block 715 rises together, the guide pin 783 is guided to the guide groove 716, and the guide grip 782 rotates around the pivot shaft 717. A pair of guide grips 782 are closed. Meanwhile, a collection box 781 for collecting used gaskets 92 is provided below the grip part 78 .

On the other hand, the automatic gas container replacement device according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided with a control unit for controlling the operation of the automatic gas container replacement device. The control unit controls center alignment driving of the seat pad 29 of the container table 2 . Also, the controller aligns the center of the seating pad 29 before the container handler 85 places the gas container 9 on the seating pad 29 . In addition, the control unit may open the valve by rotating the handle 93 immediately after fastening the valve connection part 54 to the valve port 94, or it is possible to separately determine the opening time of the valve by a system signal.

In addition, the control unit sets the y-axis distance between the gas container 9 and the seating pad 29 to satisfy an error range based on the y-axis movement distance of the container handler 85 determined by the vertical and horizontal guide means. As described above, the seating pad 29 is configured to be movable and freely rotatable in the horizontal direction, so that an error in the y-axis distance can be effectively corrected. In addition, the control unit performs logic to compare the load of the gas container 9 detected through the load cell 25 with a reference value, and if the detected load of the gas container 9 is less than or equal to the reference value, the gas container 9 is replaced. Sends a control signal to perform

On the other hand, the automatic gas container replacement method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the steps of automatically transferring the gas container 9 to be replaced to the gas cabinet 90 by the autonomous vehicle 8, and the container table 2 The step of aligning the seating pad 29 in the center, the step of loading the gas container 9 by seating it on the container table 2, and allowing the seating pad 29 to move in the horizontal direction and freely rotate to give a degree of freedom The step of holding the outer circumferential surface of the gas container 9 by the container holding part 4, the step of holding the upper cap 91 of the gas container 9 by the upper cap detachable part 3, and the driving roller (42) is rotated to rotate the gas container (9) around the axis of the gas container (9) to separate the top cap (91) from the gas container (9).

In addition, in the automatic gas container replacement method according to an embodiment of the present invention, after the step of separating the upper cap 91, the gas container 9 is rotated through the valve port alignment unit 56 so that the valve port 94 aligning the valve cap detachable part 53, and separating the valve cap covering the valve port 94 of the gas container 9 from the gas container 9 through the valve cap detachable part 53; , A gasket replacement step of removing the used gasket 92 from the valve connection portion 54 and mounting a new gasket 92 on the valve connection portion 54, and connecting the valve port 94 through the valve connection portion 54 to the piping area. and a step of opening the valve by rotating the valve handle 93 through the handle control unit 52 and supplying gas.

On the other hand, in the automatic gas container replacement method according to an embodiment of the present invention, when the gas charged in the gas container 9 is exhausted and the load sensed by the load cell 25 is less than the reference value, the valve is operated through the handle control unit 52. The step of closing the valve of the used gas container 9 by rotating the handle 93, the step of releasing the connection between the valve port 94 and the pipe area through the valve connection part 54, and the valve cap detachable part The step of fastening the valve cap to the valve port 94 through 53, the step of fastening the upper cap 91 to the gas container 9 through the upper cap detachable part 3, and the gas container 9 and unloading the replaced gas container 9 from the gas cabinet 90 by the self-driving vehicle 8 and then transferring the replaced gas container 9 from the gas cabinet 90 to a specific location.

Now, with reference to FIGS. 35 to 46, an operation example of the automatic gas container replacement device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

The self-driving vehicle 8 is operated and moves to the front of the gas cabinet 90 where the gas container 9 is to be mounted. When or before the autonomous vehicle 8 reaches the gas cabinet 90, the door 99 of the gas cabinet 90 is automatically opened.

The container handler 85 of the autonomous vehicle 8 advances and the gas container 9 advances toward the container table 2 of the gas cabinet 90. At the same time, the container table 2 performs center alignment of the seating pad 29 .

The container handler 85 is fully advanced so that the gas container 9 is seated on the container table 2. After the gas container 9 is seated on the container table 2, the seating pad 29 of the container table 2 is free to move and rotate horizontally. After that, the gripping portion 41 of the container holding portion 4 grips and grips the outer circumferential surface of the gas container 9 .

The capping module 35 is in close contact with the side surface of the gas cabinet 90 as shown in the dotted line, and is then rotated by approximately 90° to be positioned directly above the upper cap 91 of the gas container 9. After that, the cap gripping module 35 descends and the fingers 352 are closed to grip the upper cap 91 .

The upper cap 91 is separated from the gas container 9 by rotating the gas container 9 by rotating the drive roller 42 while the cap gripping module 35 holds the upper cap 91 . Thereafter, the capping module 35 rises and is rotated by approximately 90° to return to its original position on the side of the gas cabinet 90. This is to ensure the visibility of the piping area of the gas cabinet and accessibility to operation.

By rotating the driving roller 42 to rotate the gas container 9, the approximate position of the valve port 94 of the gas container 9 is positioned on the valve cap detachable part 53. After that, the body portion 5 advances in the y-axis direction.

The main body 5 descends in the z-axis direction, and the valve port 94 of the gas container 9 is positioned between the pair of align fingers 561 . Then, after the alignment finger 561 is closed and the valve port 94 is aligned at the proper position of the valve cap detachable part 53, the alignment finger 561 is opened again to the original position.

The valve cap detachable part 53 and the valve connection part 54 advance toward the valve port 94 in the y-axis direction. After that, the used gasket 92 mounted on the valve connection part 54 is replaced with a new gasket 92.

Simultaneously with the gasket replacement of the valve connection part 54, the valve cap detachable part 53 is rotated so that the valve cap coupled to the valve port 94 is separated from the gas container 9 and coupled to the valve cap detachable part 53. do. Thereafter, the valve cap detachable portion 53 and the valve connection portion 54 move backward in the y-axis direction, and then the main body portion 5 rises in the z-axis direction and then moves in the x-axis direction so that the valve port 94 and the valve The connecting portions 54 face each other.

The handle operation unit 52 advances by the handle operation unit cylinder 58, and the main body 5 descends in the z-axis direction. After that, the valve cap detachable part 53 and the valve connection part 54 advance toward the valve port 94 in the y-axis direction.

The port fastening hole 543 of the valve connection part 54 is rotated so that the valve connection part 54 and the valve port 94 of the gas container 9 are fastened. Thereafter, the handle control unit 52 is rotated to open the valve of the gas container 9 to supply gas.

So far, the automatic gas container replacement device according to the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiment shown in the drawings, but this is only exemplary, and anyone skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible therefrom. . Therefore, the true scope of technical protection should be determined by the technical spirit of the appended claims.

1: Gas container automatic replacement device
2: container table 21: guide member
211: guide groove 212: table body
213: lifting groove 23: slide table
24: center piston 241: plunger
25: load cell 233: receiving groove
29: seating pad
3: upper cap detachable part 32: cap lifting cylinder
33: rotary drive unit 334: rotary arm
35: capping module 352: finger
313: cab lifting block
4: container holding part 41: grip part
411: container gripper 42: driving roller
421: idle roller 43: roller rotation motor
44: grip driving unit 47: gripper link
5: body part 51: body block
52: handle control unit 53: valve cap detachable unit
54: valve connection 55: rotation motor for main body
56: valve port alignment part 561: alignment finger
57: handle driving motor 58: handle operating unit cylinder
6: main driving unit 61: base
62: x-axis drive unit 64: y-axis drive unit
66: z-axis drive unit
7: gasket replacement module 71: magazine
712: upper stopper 713: lower stopper
73: first escape cylinder
74: second escape cylinder
75: block cylinder 76: replacement module base
77: main block 771: vacuum piston
772: Collect Piston 757: Taper
758: Collect appearance 779: Collect core
78: grip part 781: collection box
782: guide grip
8: self-driving vehicle 81: main body
821: slot 85: container handler
9: gas container 90: gas cabinet
91: upper cap 92: gasket
93: handle 94: valve port

Claims (11)

In the gas container automatic replacement device provided in the gas cabinet in which the gas piping section is installed and automatically replacing the gas container,
Including a container gripping portion for gripping the outer circumferential surface of the gas container,
The container holding unit includes a gas container rotation unit for rotating the gas container around an axis of the gas container,
A container table provided at a lower part of the gas cabinet and on which a bottom surface of the gas container is seated, wherein the container table has a seating pad on which the gas container is seated;
The seating pad is configured to be movable and freely rotatable in a horizontal direction,
The container table is:
Table body installed under the gas cabinet;
a center piston movably connected to the table body by a power source; and
A slide table accommodating the center piston and having a receiving groove formed so that the diameter decreases toward the top,
An automatic gas container replacement device in which the seating pad is coupled to an upper portion of the slide table. According to claim 1,
The container holding unit:
a driving roller rotatably gripping an outer circumferential surface of the gas container; and
Gas container automatic replacement device having a roller rotation motor for rotating the drive roller to rotate the gas container about the axis of the gas container. According to claim 2,
The container holding unit includes a pair of container grippers that are slidable in the x-axis direction with respect to a base fixed to the gas cabinet,
The drive roller is rotatably connected to one container gripper about the z-axis axis, and the idle roller is rotatably connected to the other container gripper about the z-axis axis,
Gas container automatic replacement device in which the outer peripheral surface of the gas container is in close contact between the drive roller and the idle roller. According to claim 3,
A container holding cylinder for retracting or opening the pair of container grippers together,
The roller rotation motor is an automatic gas container replacement device provided in a container gripper to which a drive roller is connected. According to claim 3,
The gas container automatic replacement device further comprising a gripper link rotatably connected to the base side in the longitudinal direction, and both sides rotatably connected to the container gripper side, respectively, about a pivot axis. delete According to claim 1,
The container table is provided with a load cell for detecting the load of the gas container,
Gas container automatic replacement device having a control unit for controlling to perform the replacement of the gas container when the load of the gas container detected by the load cell is less than a reference value. According to claim 7,
The load cell is an automatic gas container replacement device provided at the bottom of the seating pad. delete According to claim 1,
A guide member having a guide groove for inserting an end of the slide table is provided on the rim of the table body, and the guide groove has an inner diameter larger than that of the slide table. delete

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