KR20190091195A - Automatic connection device for hoop material - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is an automatic connection device for a hoop material, wherein a trailing end portion of a leading material of a supplied hoop material can be high-precisely, rapidly, and automatically joined to be connected to a leading end portion of a trailing material of the supplied hoop material, thereby increasing productivity of a product. The automatic connection device (10) comprises: an image treatment device (11) imaging the leading end portion of the trailing material (6b) to interpret a type or a tendency of the trailing material and to take out the same as image information; a positioning device (12) correcting an inclination or an offset between the trailing end portion of the leading material (6a) and the leading end portion of the trailing material (6b) from the image information taken out of the image treatment device to perform positioning; a joint device (13) joining the trailing end portion of the leading material and the leading end portion of the trailing material which are positioned by the positioning device; and a control device driving the positioning device for the trailing end portion of the leading material and the leading end portion of the trailing material to be positioned, and driving the joint device for the trailing end portion of the leading material and the leading end portion of the trailing material after the positioning to be joined to each other based on the image information taken out of the image treatment device.

Description

Automatic connection device of hoop material {AUTOMATIC CONNECTION DEVICE FOR HOOP MATERIAL}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic connecting device for hoop material, and in detail, a device for continuously supplying a hoop material as a plating material by a reel-to-reel method. It relates to a technique for automatically joining and connecting the end portion and the starting end portion of the trailing material to be supplied next.

In the technical field of plating a hoop material, hoop material supply by the reel-to-reel method has been performed before. This reel-to-reel system sends a hoop material from one reel to a plating process, and winds it to the other reel after a plating process. When the hoop material of one of the reels on the supply side disappears, the supply of the hoop material is replaced with a reel, and when the reel is replaced, the hoop material of the next new reel is connected, and one empty reel and a new reel on which the hoop material is wound are replaced. Keep it.

However, in the above-described phenomenon, when the preceding material in processing on one side of the supply reel is shortly left and it is necessary to connect with the trailing material in the next new reel, the trailing material in the new reel at the end of the preceding material is required. Although the start-end part is joined, this joining operation is performed, but the worker has to join by hand, for example by a portable joining machine. In addition, the joining work had to be carried out in a state where there was a certain length of length at the end of the preceding material, which required labor and effort, and required at least one exclusive worker on the line. In addition, the joining operation requires the positioning of pilot holes drilled in both materials, and in addition to requiring the skill and skill of the operator, the joining operation becomes a rate-determining process that determines the speed of the entire process. The work speed did not increase, and the productivity of the product was low, and there existed many subjects.

According to the applicant's investigation, there is a hoop material connecting method and patent document 1 as the apparatus as prior art documents.

However, the technique disclosed in Patent Literature 1 is a method of connecting the end portion of the first hoop material being processed and the start end portion of the second hoop material to be supplied next, but has a separation preventing recess at the end portion of the first hoop material. While forming a termination portion having a custom shape, a beginning end connection portion capable of joining with the termination connection portion is formed at the start end portion of the second hoop material, and these two connection portions are joined to each other to plastically deform the base material of the second hoop material to the concave portion. The connection takes considerable time, and there is a problem almost similar to that of the phenomenon described above.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-173514 (claim 1)

Therefore, the present invention solves the problems of the prior art and can automatically connect the ends of the preceding material of the hoop material to be supplied and the starting end of the trailing material with high accuracy and high speed, thereby automatically increasing the productivity of the product. It is an object to provide a connection device.

In order to solve the said subject, invention of Claim 1 is the apparatus which conveys a hoop material continuously by the reel-to-reel system, and supplies it, WHEREIN: The beginning part of the preceding material currently being processed as a hoop material, and the beginning of the following material supplied next. An apparatus for automatically joining and connecting portions, comprising: an image processing mechanism for picking up the leading end of the trailing material, analyzing varieties and trends of the trailing material, and extracting it as image information; A positioning mechanism for correcting the inclination and offset occurring between the start ends, a joining mechanism for joining the end of the preceding material positioned at the positioning mechanism and the beginning of the trailing material, and an image taken out of the image processing mechanism. Based on the information, the end of the preceding material and the beginning of the following material are aligned. Characterized in that one so that to drive the alignment mechanism, and a control mechanism for driving the joint mechanism after the positioning so as to bond the preceding portion and the succeeding material is a starting material terminus.

In the invention according to claim 2, in the first aspect, the image processing mechanism includes an imaging means for variety determination / trend analysis, an alignment imaging means, and an imaging inspection means, and these imaging means are conveyed. It consists of a camera and a light source arrange | positioned opposing each other so that it may become a pair in one surface side and the other surface side of a hoop material.

The invention according to claim 3 is an image processing according to claim 2, which outputs an imaging instruction to the camera by a command from the control mechanism, and outputs the result information obtained by analyzing the captured image from the camera to the control mechanism. The device is installed.

In the invention according to claim 4, according to claim 2 or 3, a projection light source is provided on the side of the hoop material of the camera of the alignment imaging means and / or the imaging inspection means.

According to any one of claims 1 to 4, the invention according to claim 5 is arranged so that the alignment mechanisms face each other so as to be paired on one surface side and the other surface side of the hoop material in the same direction as the conveying direction of the hoop material. At least one of the horizontal moving drive roller and the same driven roller, the drive member for driving the horizontal moving drive roller, and the horizontal moving drive roller and the same driven roller can approach / separate the other. A pair of parallel members arranged to face each other so as to be paired on one surface side and the other surface side of the hoop material in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the hoop material, and the operation member for approaching / separating the one roller to the other roller. A drive roller for moving and rotating movements and the same driven roller, a drive member for driving the drive roller for parallel movement and rotational movement, and the parallel An actuating member for approaching / separating the one roller, which is at least one of the actuating roller and the driven driven roller for access / separation to the other roller, and for controlling the respective driving members and the actuating member; A control member is provided.

In the invention according to claim 6, the positioning mechanism is disposed so as to face each other such that a pair of parallel driving and rotational driving rollers and the same driven roller are paired on one side and the other side of the hoop material. At the position, it has the alignment part which overlaps the starting end of a trailing material at the end part of a preceding material at the time of alignment.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the sixth aspect, a driving roller for conveying, positioning, and fixing the starting end portion of the trailing material to the alignment portion at a position in the conveying direction front of the hoop material with respect to the alignment portion is provided.

In the invention according to claim 8, the drive member is a geared motor according to any one of claims 5 to 7, and is controlled by a servo amplifier by a command from the control member.

The invention according to claim 9 is the welding machine according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the joining mechanism is performed by spot welding.

According to any one of claims 1 to 9, the control mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein, when the position correction amount by the alignment mechanism does not meet the standard value, the control mechanism is aligned until the standard value is satisfied. Feedback control is performed to repeat the alignment by the mechanism.

The present invention is as described above, and according to the invention described in claim 1, an apparatus for automatically joining and connecting the end portion of the preceding material being processed as the hoop material and the start end portion of the subsequent material to be supplied next, wherein the starting end portion of the trailing material is imaged. Position to perform alignment by correcting the inclination or offset generated between the end portion of the preceding material and the start end of the trailing material from the image processing mechanism which analyzes the varieties and tendencies of the trailing material and extracts them as image information, and the image information taken out from the image processing mechanism. The end of the preceding material and the beginning of the trailing material are positioned on the basis of a fitting mechanism, a joining mechanism for joining the end of the preceding material positioned by the positioning mechanism and the beginning of the trailing material, and the image information taken out of the image processing mechanism. Driving the alignment mechanism for alignment, and after the alignment of the preceding material Since the control mechanism which drives the said joining mechanism to join the part and the start end of a trailing material is provided, the end part of the preceding material as a hoop material to supply and the start part of a trailing material are automatically and precisely and at high speed, without requiring a human hand. You can join. Therefore, there is an excellent effect that the processing speed is several times faster than the conventional one, and the productivity of the product is significantly increased.

According to the invention described in claim 2, by means of an imaging means composed of a camera and a light source provided in the image processing mechanism, it is possible to efficiently perform varieties determination / trend analysis, alignment, and shape inspection of the hoop material.

According to the invention described in claim 3, the image processing apparatus analyzes the captured image from the camera, and as a result, the information can be accurately output to the control mechanism.

According to the invention described in claim 4, it is possible to obtain three-dimensional information from the projection light source by the projection light, so that the hoop material can be more surely identified.

According to the invention of claim 5, at least one of the horizontal moving drive roller and the same driven roller, the drive member for driving the horizontal moving drive roller, the horizontal moving drive roller, and the same driven roller becomes accessible to / from the other side. An operation member for approaching / separating one of the rollers to the other roller, a set of drive rollers for parallel movement and rotational movement and the same driven roller, and a drive member for driving the drive rollers for parallel movement and rotational movement, the parallel movement and rotation By the operation member which approaches / separates the one roller which approached / separated the other roller which the at least one of the drive roller for movement and the same driven roller is accessible to the other, and the said control member which controls each said drive member and an operation member By configuring the alignment mechanism, the above effects can be expected.

According to the invention described in claim 6, the end portion of the preceding material and the start end portion of the following material can be effectively overlapped and aligned by the positioning portion.

According to invention of Claim 7, it can convey and fix the starting end part of a trailing material to a positioning part by a drive roller.

According to the invention described in claim 8, the feedback effect can be expected by controlling the geared motor by the servo amplifier.

According to invention of Claim 9, the joining of the terminal part of the preceding material of a hoop material, and the start part of a following material can be performed by spot welding of a welding machine.

According to invention of Claim 10, the alignment of the preceding material and the following material of a hoop material can be made more reliable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a schematic plan view of the continuous material supply apparatus by the reel-to-reel system which shows one Embodiment of this invention.
FIG. 2 is an overall schematic explanatory diagram of the automatic connecting device shown in FIG. 1. FIG.
It is a schematic front view which mainly shows the imaging environment and hoop material alignment mechanism in the above automatic connection apparatus.
It is a top view of the principal part of the alignment mechanism which comprises such an automatic connection apparatus.
5 is a front view mainly showing a welding machine in the above-described positioning mechanism.
It is a schematic diagram explaining the alignment operation | movement by a positioning mechanism.
It is a figure explaining the operation | movement of the tilt correction of a hoop material, FIG. 7A is the principal part top view, and FIG. 7B is the front view.
8 is a view for explaining the operation of the vertical offset correction of the hoop material, FIG. 8A is a plan view of the main part thereof, and FIG. 8B is a front view thereof.
9 is a view for explaining the operation of the horizontal direction offset correction of the hoop material, FIG. 9A is a plan view of the main part thereof, and FIG. 9B is a front view thereof.
It is a figure explaining the operation | movement of adhesiveness by air pressure control of a hoop material, FIG. 10A is a principal part top view, FIG. 10B is its front view.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

First, the continuous material supply apparatus used for the hoop plating process which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention is briefly demonstrated using FIG.

In the drawing, reference numeral 1 denotes a continuous material supply device, and the continuous material supply device 1 includes an apparatus main body 2 provided horizontally, and the supply side reel 3 and the winding side reel are mounted on the main body. (4) is provided so that the plating process equipment 5 may be interposed. After the hoop material 6 wound around the supply side reel 3 is drawn out to the plating treatment facility 5 side at a constant speed by the conveying drive roller 7 and continuously sent, the hoop material 6 is plated at the treatment facility. It is wound up by the winding side reel 4.

The automatic connecting device 10 of the hoop material 6 is provided near the supply side reel 3. As shown in FIG. 2, the automatic connecting device (imaging environment) 10 includes the image processing mechanism 11, the alignment mechanism 12, and the bonding mechanism 13 sequentially installed in the conveying direction of the hoop material 6. It is mainly composed of.

The image processing mechanism 11 is an imaging environment and a hoop material alignment mechanism, and as shown in FIG. 3, the imaging means 15 for breeding determination / trend analysis along the conveying direction of the hoop material 6, for positioning The imaging means 16 and the imaging inspection means 17 for shape inspection are provided. These imaging means 15, 16, 17 are respectively provided on the upper surface side of the hoop material 6 with the cameras 21, 22, 23 provided in the lower surface side of the hoop material 6 conveyed, and the camera. It consists of the light sources 25, 26, 27 which oppose each other so as to be a pair. 28 is a drive roller as an actuator which conveys the trailing material 6b of the hoop material 6 to the alignment part mentioned later of the alignment mechanism 12. In FIG. In addition, although not shown in figure, when sending the hoop material 6 by the said drive roller 28, the guide roller which has a positioning and position error adjustment function is provided in the both sides so that the hoop material 6 may go straight without inclination. You may do so.

Moreover, the image processing mechanism 11 processes the image information of the hoop material 6 which the camera 21 image | photographed, and based on it, the breed determination / trend analysis of the hoop material 6 newly supplied (image) It has the image processing apparatus 31 (refer FIG. 4) which performs analysis 1). The image processing apparatus 31 incorporates a shape recognition program having various search functions regarding the shape recognition of a product, and cannot be caught by human eyes such as the shape of a small and complicated terminal or a pilot hole, a pitch, an arrangement pattern, and the like. By searching the parts in the system, it is possible to identify various types and complex shapes.

In the breed determination / trend analysis in the image processing apparatus 31, the pitch, the shape, and the like of the pilot hole of the hoop material 6 are always measured, the product variety is determined, and the tendency for each production lot is evaluated. The term "trend" as used herein refers to the tendency of the actual dimension of the product being processed. At the time of breed determination, the Euler number (connected component number-hole) is analyzed for a predetermined area of the hoop material 6, and it is grasped as a feature quantity 1 and the shape of the hoop material 6 being processed is periodically checked. Then, template matching is performed on the template-registered basic data, and this is regarded as the feature quantity 2. And after confirming the kind and tendency of the newly supplied hoop material 6, the information is sent to the controller 32 (refer FIG. 4) which mentions later.

Positioning camera 22 is a position shift after the hoop material 6 has been overlaid (deviation value of the conveyance direction of the pilot hole provided in the leading material 6a and the trailing material 6b, and the displacement value of the width direction). Measure And the position shift amount obtained by performing this alignment (image analysis 2) is fed back to the controller 32. As shown in FIG. In this alignment, a light source 33 for projection light is provided on the camera 22, and the projection light is reflected on the lower surface of the alignment part 34 overlapping each other with the start end of the trailing material and the end of the preceding material. The accuracy of is obtained. When judging good or bad alignment, the transmission is performed in the state where the start end of the trailing material 6b and the end of the preceding material 6a overlap with each other, resulting in a black and white silhouette image, followed by the preceding material 6a and the following. Since it is impossible to discriminate the ashes 6b, the three-dimensional information is obtained by illuminating the light (light) even from the inclination by the projection light. In addition, the camera 22 and the light source 33 are moved to a predetermined position so as not to be buffered with the welder 35 which is disposed to move the interposition portion 34 therebetween at the time of joining by the joining mechanism 13. It is possible.

The shape inspection camera 23 inspects the dents, positional shifts, and deformations of the joint shape of the hoop material 6, and checks the steps of the image analysis 1 and 2 processes when the positional shift amount exceeds a threshold. Then, the inspection of the bonding process is carried out when the examined scars and deformations exceed the threshold. Then, this shape inspection is performed and the captured image information is fed back to the controller 32. In addition, in this shape test | inspection, the projection light source 36 is provided on the camera 23 similarly to the above, and the hoop material 6 illuminates the projection light, and the accuracy of an inspection is obtained.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the positioning mechanism 12 is a horizontal moving drive roller 37 disposed to face each other so as to be paired on the upper surface side and the lower surface side of the hoop material 6. And horizontally driven driven rollers 38, which are similarly arranged so as to be paired on the upper surface side and the lower surface side in the conveying direction of the hoop material, and have a set of parallel and rotary movement drive rollers 40 and 42 and for parallel and rotary movements. It consists of the driven rollers 41 and 43. The drive roller 37 for horizontal movement and the same driven roller 38 become the same direction as the conveyance direction in the position corresponding to the width direction center part in the upper and lower surfaces of the hoop material 6, and the drive roller for parallel movement and rotational movement. 40 and 42 and the same driven rollers 41 and 43 become a direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction in the position corresponding to the width direction center part in the upper and lower surfaces of a hoop material.

The drive roller 37 for horizontal movement is supported by the support member 45 provided in the apparatus main body 2, and is able to approach / separate with respect to the hoop material 6. Moreover, the drive rollers 40 and 42 for parallel movement and rotational movement are also supported by the support member 47 provided in the apparatus main body 2 with the light source 26, and can approach / separate with respect to the hoop material 6 further. It is.

The drive roller 37 for horizontal movement is driven by the geared motor 50, and approach / distance with respect to the driven roller 38 of the drive roller 37 is performed by the electric actuator 52. As shown in FIG. In addition, the drive rollers 40 and 42 for parallel movement and rotational movement are driven by the geared motors 54 and 55, and the approach / distance of the drive rollers 40 and 42 with respect to the driven roller 41 and 43 is electric transmission. This is done by the actuator 56. In the figure, reference numeral 57 denotes an air drive actuator for moving the welder 35 in contact with the hoop material 6 in the alignment portion 34. The air drive actuator 57 is attached to the support member 58 which supports the upper electrode 35a and the lower electrode 35b of the welder 35. In addition, 62 in the figure is an electric actuator for moving the welding machine 35 to the position of the alignment part 34, and 64 is the driven roller 41 and 43 supported by the support member 65 in the figure. And the camera 22 and the projection light 33 are air drive actuators that move in order to secure the working space of the welder 35. Control of each of the geared motors 50, 54, 55 is performed via the information processing device 31 based on the information from the cameras 21, 22.

The controller 32 (control member) serves as a control mechanism for controlling the entire mechanism, and each servo amplifier 66, 67, 68 for geared motor control based on the image information received from the image processing apparatus 31. A program for instructing the operation order and the movement amount is embedded in the servo amplifiers 66, 67, and 68. The servo amplifiers 66, 67, and 68 convert the movement amount into signals or data such as pulse trains through the controller 32, and the geared motor 54 55, 50) to control each drive. Moreover, each servo amplifier 66, 67, 68 feeds back a control state to the controller 32. As shown in FIG. The controller 32 determines, based on the information of the image processing apparatus 31, whether or not correction is necessary for the actual movement amount fed back from the servo amplifiers 66, 67, and 68, and the allowable range of the deviation amount. The control by the speed control loop and the position control loop is performed as indicated by the broken line until it reaches the (standard value). In other words, the speed control loop and the additional position control loop passing from the geared motors 54, 55, and 50 to the servo amplifiers 66, 67, and 68 are designed to form a feedback control system.

Next, the operation | movement with respect to alignment by the alignment mechanism 12 is demonstrated with reference to FIG.

At the time of the alignment operation, in order to make the end part of the preceding material 6a of the hoop material 6 newly supplied, and the start end part of the trailing material 6b superimposed by the alignment part 34, and to perform alignment, It is necessary to set the start end of the trailing material 6b on the drive roller 28 in advance, and to convey it to the alignment part 34 in which the terminal part of the preceding material 6a is arranged by the roller. 4 and 5 show an overlapped state in the alignment portion 34 such that the end portion of the preceding material 6a is above the start end of the following material 6b. In addition, the method which makes the terminal part of this preceding material 6a and the starting end part of the following material 6b superimposed by the alignment part 34 is not limited to the above-mentioned method, You may carry out by another method.

When the end part of the preceding material 6a and the starting end part of the following material 6b are overlapped by the alignment part 34 by the drive roller 28, this state is detected by the camera 22. As shown in FIG. The controller 32 sends a stop signal based on the detection signal, and the driving roller 28 is stopped. At the same time, the actuator 56 is operated so that the drive rollers 40 and 42 for parallel movement and rotational movement are overlapped with the end portion of the preceding material 6a in the positioning portion 34, and the start end portion of the trailing material 6b. In contact with the driven rollers 41 and 43. This prepares for alignment. 3 shows a state (initial state) at this time.

In the state where the end portion of the preceding material 6a and the beginning end of the following material 6b are overlapped at the alignment portion 34, both ends are merely overlapped with each other, and are not completely aligned. not. Although the alignment operation | movement advances to operation 1, 2, 3 from an initial state as shown in FIG. 6, the detailed description of each operation is performed based on FIG. 7 or less.

<Tilt correction of hoop material: Operation 1>

7A and 7B show an initial state at the time of performing the alignment operation, and the geared motor 54 when the preceding material 6a is inclined at a predetermined angle θ with respect to the trailing material 6b which is a new hoop material like this state. , 55) to rotate both drive rollers 40 and 42 in opposite directions as shown by arrows. At this time, the drive roller 37 for horizontal movements is set apart from the hoop material. In addition, the inclination angle θ with respect to the trailing material 6b of the preceding material 6a gradually decreases due to the rotational operation in the opposite direction of the both driving rollers 40 and 42, and when it becomes 0, the geared motor 54, 55) is stopped. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 7A, the inclination of the preceding material 6a with respect to the following material 6b is correct | amended.

<Vertical offset correction of hoop material: Operation 2>

The inclination is corrected by the above, but since the offset B in the vertical direction remains in the trailing material 6b and the preceding material 6a as shown in FIG. 8A, the geared motors 54 and 55 are driven next time, and this time, The copper rollers 40 and 42 are rotated in the same direction as the arrows. When the offset B becomes 0, the drive of the geared motors 54, 55 is stopped. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 9A, the offset B of the preceding material 6a with respect to the following material 6b is correct | amended.

<Horizontal offset correction of hoop material: Operation 3>

Next, since the horizontal offset A remains in the trailing material 6b and the preceding material 6a, as shown in FIG. 9A, the drive rollers 40 and 42 for parallel movement and rotational movement are driven by the electric actuator 56. As shown in FIG. After spaced apart from the hoop material to be in a non-contact state, the horizontal moving drive roller 37 is brought into contact with the hoop material 6 by the electric actuator 52 and sandwiched between the driven roller 38. In this sandwiched state, the geared motor 50 is driven to rotate the drive roller 37 and the driven roller 38 in opposite directions as shown by arrows. As a result, the preceding material 6a moves in the direction of the following material 6b. When the end of the preceding material 6a and the starting end of the following material 6b overlap each other as previously set, and the pilot holes of each other are concentric, driving of the geared motor 50 is stopped. As a result, the offset A is corrected as shown in FIG. 10A.

After the offset A is corrected, the end of the preceding material 6a and the starting end of the following material 6b are brought into close contact by air pressure control in the state that both rollers 37 and 38 are in contact with each other. Keep it. This completes the alignment completely. At the time of air pressure control, since both rollers 37 and 38 contact as mentioned above, and the camera 22 and the light source 33 face the alignment part 34, they are buffered with these, And the light source 33 is moved to another position. 10B shows a state of adhesion by air pressure control. After the alignment is completed, the horizontal moving drive roller 37 is returned to the non-contact state with respect to the hoop material 6 by the electric actuator 52 to return to the original state.

After the alignment is completed, the welding machine 35 in the standby position is moved and positioned by the electric actuator 62 to the alignment unit 34, and the end and trailing material of the preceding material 6a in close contact. The start end of 6b is welded (see FIG. 5).

The welding machine 35 automatically welds the starting end of the trailing material 6b which is wound around the end of the preceding material 6a of the hoop material 6 and the next reel for replacement, which is completed as described above, and then stretches. It is based on spot welding here. The joint strength of the hoop material 6 by spot welding (multi-point welding) can achieve 29.4 N or more. Joining by this welding is performed immediately after completion of alignment in a state where the position holding force is high. Although spot welding needs to overlap materials beforehand, there exists an advantage that there is no physical misalignment when the end part and the front end part of the preceding material of the hoop material 6 are matched by non-contact. In the resistance welding that has been used previously, the hoop material 6 needs to be physically pressed, but there is no need for such a thing. However, spot welding only shows an example of an optimal joining means in development, and laser welding and resistance welding (these are also a kind of spot welding) that have existed before. Or, needless to say, if the same effect can be combined, it does not exclude its adoption.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the end portion of the preceding material 6a of the hoop material 6 to be supplied and the starting end portion of the trailing material 6b can be automatically bonded with high precision and high speed. In this example, a high accuracy of within ± 0.1 mm of the shift amount which cannot be achieved by conventional manual joining was achieved. Moreover, the speed was also made possible to join at a high speed of 15 sec. Therefore, the processing speed of the product was also 10 m / min → 20 m / min, and the production capacity was also twice as conventional as possible. Therefore, productivity of a product can be improved.

The image processing mechanism 11, the alignment mechanism 12, and the bonding mechanism 13 which comprise the automatic connection device 10 shown in the said embodiment are only the preferable examples, and if it is a thing with the same effect, it will be another structure. Needless to say, you may adopt. Moreover, although the surface of the hoop material was connected in the horizontal state at the time of connecting the terminal part of the preceding material of the hoop material 6 and the start end of the following material, it is not necessarily limited to this, You may connect in a vertical state. In addition, the detailed design, such as the drive member which comprises the positioning mechanism 12, may be other than a geared motor, and can be arbitrarily changed and corrected in the range of a claim.

1: continuous material feeding device
2: device body
3: supply side reel
4: winding side reel
5: plating treatment equipment
6: hoop
6a: precedent
6b: trailing material
7: drive roller for conveyance
10: automatic coupling device
11: image processing apparatus
12: alignment mechanism
13: splicing apparatus
15: Imaging means for breed determination / trend analysis
16: Imaging means for positioning
17: imaging means for shape inspection
21, 22, 23: camera
25, 26, 27, 33, 36: light source
28: drive roller
31: image processing apparatus
32: controller (control member)
34: alignment
35: welding machine
37: drive roller for horizontal movement
38: driven roller
40, 42: drive roller for parallel movement and rotational movement
41, 43: driven roller
50, 54, 55: geared motor
52, 56, 62: electric actuator
57, 64: air driven actuator
66, 67, 68: servo amplifier

Claims (10)

An apparatus for continuously conveying and supplying a hoop material by a reel-to-reel method, comprising: an apparatus for automatically joining and connecting a terminal end of a preceding material being processed as a hoop material and a starting end of a subsequent material to be supplied next,
An image processing mechanism which picks up the leading end of the trailing material, analyzes varieties and trends of the trailing material, and extracts them as image information;
A positioning mechanism for performing alignment by correcting an inclination or an offset generated between the end of the preceding material and the beginning of the following material from the image information taken out from the image processing mechanism;
A joining mechanism for joining the end of the preceding material and the start of the trailing material positioned by the positioning mechanism;
Based on the image information taken out from the image processing mechanism, the positioning mechanism is driven to align the end of the preceding material and the start of the trailing material, and the end of the preceding material and the beginning of the trailing material are joined. A control mechanism for driving the joining mechanism
Automatic connection device of the hoop material characterized in that it comprises a. The method of claim 1,
The said image processing mechanism is equipped with the imaging means for a cultivation determination / trend analysis, the image pickup means for alignment, and the imaging means for shape inspection, and these imaging means are a pair in one surface side and the other surface side of the hoop material conveyed. Automatic connection device for the hoop material consisting of a camera and a light source disposed to face each other so as to be. The method of claim 2,
An automatic connecting device for hoop material provided with an image processing device for outputting an image capturing instruction to the camera by an instruction from the control mechanism, and outputting the result information obtained by analyzing and processing the captured image from the camera to the control mechanism. The method of claim 2 or 3,
The hoop material automatic connecting device in which the projection light source is provided in the side facing the surface of the hoop material of the camera of the said positioning image pickup means, and / or the shape inspection imaging means. The method of claim 1,
The positioning mechanism includes a horizontal moving drive roller and a driven driven roller disposed to face each other so as to be paired on one side and the other side of the hoop material in the same direction as the conveying direction of the hoop material;
A drive member for driving the drive roller for horizontal movement;
An actuating member for approaching / separating one roller of the horizontal moving drive roller and the same driven roller from which the other roller is accessible / separated from the other roller;
A set of parallel and rotational drive rollers and the same driven rollers disposed to face each other so as to be paired on one surface side and the other surface side of the hoop material in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the hoop material;
A drive member for driving the drive roller for parallel movement and rotational movement;
An operation member for approaching / separating one of the rollers, in which at least one of the drive rollers for parallel movement and rotational movement and the same driven rollers are accessible / distanced from the other, to the other roller;
Control member for controlling the respective drive member and the operation member
Automatic connection device of the hoop material provided with. The method of claim 5, wherein
The said alignment mechanism is located in the terminal part of a preceding material at the time of alignment at the position arrange | positioned so that a pair of parallel-rolling-rotating drive rollers and the same driven roller may be paired in one surface side and the other surface side of a hoop material. An automatic connecting device for a hoop material having a positioning portion that overlaps the starting end of the trailing material. The method according to claim 6,
An automatic connecting device for a hoop material provided with a driving roller for conveying, positioning, and fixing the start end portion of the trailing material to the alignment portion at a position in the conveying direction front of the hoop material relative to the alignment portion. The method of claim 5, wherein
The drive member is made of a geared motor and is automatically connected to a hoop material by a command from the control member. The method of claim 1,
The joining mechanism is an automatic connecting device for a hoop material which is a welding machine that performs joining by spot welding. The method of claim 1,
And the control mechanism performs feedback control to repeat the alignment by the alignment mechanism when the position correction amount by the alignment mechanism does not satisfy the standard value.

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