JPH11593A - Multicolor small quantity coating system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable doing work to take out the recovered spent paint cartridge from a stock device and to insert a new paint cartridge into the stock device by a worker from outside a spray booth when a multicolor small quantity coating system consisting of the stock device, a transfer device, and a painting robot or an automatic coating device is installed in the actually used spray booth. SOLUTION: Inside or outside a spray booth A, a division chamber 7 surrounding and housing a stock device 3 is formed so as to face the outside or the inside of the spray booth A. And on a wall 25 by which the inside of the division chamber 7 and outside of the spray booth A are separated is provided with work doors 8, 9 for inserting a new paint cartridge 5 and taking out the recovered paint cartridge 5.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multi-color small-quantity coating system, that is, a coating system capable of storing paints of various colors and selectively supplying paints of a required color to a painting machine in small units. About the system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 4-46846,
As described in JP-46847-A, etc., in order to cope with diversification of paint colors and to improve the workability of multi-color paint, various kinds of small-quantity paint supply systems have been proposed and developed. I have. In recent years, since painting robots are often used for painting automobile bodies and the like, recently, it has been devised to be able to selectively supply paints of several to several tens of colors to the painting robots. Several multi-color coating systems have recently been proposed. For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 7-34882 discloses a plurality of supply paths P1 to P3 for each paint color.
Are respectively provided in the work area of the painting robot 14, the bottle-shaped storage tank 22 is connected at a fixed point of each supply path, and at the time of coating, the storage tank is carried by the robot 14 by the operation of the robot 14 and Sprayer in robot
Disclosed is a spray coating device that can be connected to the spray coating device 20 to perform spray coating. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 4-83549 discloses that paint guns 35a to 35n and paint intermediate tanks 21a to 21n of each paint color can be connected / separated to a paint circulation system classified by paint color near the painting robot 51. And using the mounting robot 41 to selectively mount / disconnect one or both of the coating gun and the coating intermediate tank to / from the coating robot 51 and selectively discharge the coating by the constant flow rate means 61. It discloses a multicolor coating apparatus capable of performing various multicolor coatings.

[0003] However, the above-mentioned invention of the spray coater has the following problems. Since it is necessary to guide the supply path of each paint color into the work area of the painting robot, the number of paint colors that can be supplied is generally limited to several types, and there are certain limitations in diversifying multicolor painting. is there. In addition, very large equipment is required as a whole to guide the supply path of each paint color into the work area of the painting robot. Further, since the paint color is exchanged by the painting robot itself, the color exchange and painting cannot be performed simultaneously, and furthermore, it is necessary to wash the inside of the storage tank 22 every time the color is exchanged. The work efficiency of painting is very poor. Further, in the invention of the above-mentioned multi-color coating apparatus, although it is improved from the above-mentioned spray coating apparatus in terms of the efficiency of the coating operation, there are still the following problems. As the number of paint colors increases and the number of paint colors increases, it is necessary to expand the work area of the mounting robot to a wider range, which leads to a larger facility and a remarkably wider paint work space. Evils occur. Further, since a paint circulation system is provided for each paint color, the coating equipment becomes large as a whole. Further, the above-described conventional multicolor coating system is suitable for selectively supplying a relatively large amount of paint per color to a coating robot. However, recently, it has been required that each car body purchaser be able to paint each car body with a desired paint color. Due to this situation, paint colors that can be used for painting automobile bodies are in the tens or more varieties, and the use of multi-color paints has been further promoted. With the exception of, the use of paints of each color has become relatively smaller. Therefore, there has been a demand for the development of a multicolor coating system capable of selectively supplying paints of such many colors in smaller units to a coating machine such as a coating robot. But,
None of the conventional multi-color coating systems developed so far have been able to adequately meet this requirement.

[0004]

Therefore, the present inventor has proposed:
Against this background, in order to further improve the conventional multi-color coating technology, a large number of color types of paint are stored in small units, and the desired color paint is selectively applied to a painting robot or a painting machine of an automatic painting device. A new multi-color, low-volume coating system that can be supplied has been devised and disclosed in other patent applications. The new multi-color small-quantity coating system is a coating system that stores paints of various colors in small units and selectively supplies paints of required colors to a paint machine. A stocking apparatus equipped with an appropriate number of paint cartridges filled with a small amount of paint, an appropriate number of means for detachably holding the paint cartridges, and an endless conveyor mechanism capable of storing and rotating a large number of paint cartridges. With a transfer device that takes out the paint cartridge of the required paint color from the stock device and transports it and installs it on the painting robot or automatic painting device, and a structure that can install the paint cartridge, A painting robot or automatic painting equipment with a feeding mechanism that can extrude paint and supply it to the painting machine. . In the multi-color small-amount coating system, more preferably, the stock apparatus has a paint cartridge collecting mechanism, and the used paint cartridge is collected from the coating robot or the automatic coating apparatus to the stock apparatus by using a transfer device. It can be configured.

Therefore, in the case of performing automatic coating using the above-described multi-color small-quantity coating system, the collected used paint cartridge is removed from the stock apparatus before, after, or at an appropriate time during the coating process. , And new (new) paint cartridges need to be charged and refilled into the stocking equipment. Although used paint cartridges are lightweight, new paint cartridges weigh approximately 3-5 kg. Incidentally, the painting robot and the automatic painting apparatus are generally installed inside a painting booth. Also, it is generally prohibited that an operator enters the painting booth during operation because the atmosphere in the booth is disturbed. Therefore, if the stock device is installed in a painting booth in the same manner as a painting robot or the like, the operator enters the painting booth at a stage before or after painting and takes out the work of removing used paint cartridges. A new paint cartridge will be charged. The above-described multi-color small-amount coating system uses each paint cartridge for each paint of each color, and the number of paint cartridges consumed in the painting process is very large.
When the charging operation is performed, it is required that a large number of paint cartridges be collectively performed at one time. However, since the floor of the paint booth is generally a grid-shaped floor, the operator must manually carry a cart carrying a large number of paint cartridges from outside the paint booth to the stock equipment in the paint booth. Is extremely difficult. Repeating the process of holding a few paint cartridges and transporting them from outside the paint booth to the stock equipment in the paint booth is not only extremely inefficient, but also increases the total paint time. Connect. Therefore, when the multi-color small-amount coating system devised by the present inventor is installed in a painting booth that is actually being used, an operator does not need to enter the painting booth to take out the used paint cartridge and remove the used paint cartridge from the stock apparatus. Improvements will need to be made to allow the loading of new paint cartridges.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to meet the above-mentioned demands, and has as its object to store used paint cartridges that are collected when installed in a paint booth actually used. It is an object of the present invention to provide a multi-color, small-quantity coating system in which an operator can remove the paint cartridge from the equipment and load a new paint cartridge into the stock equipment and refill the work from outside the coating booth.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Clearly, the first invention of the present invention is to store a large number of paint cartridges in a stock device and to transfer necessary paint cartridges from the stock device by using a transfer device. Take out and transport, in a multicolor small-quantity coating system mounted on a painting robot of a painting robot or an automatic painting device installed in a painting booth, inside or outside a painting booth, a compartment for surrounding and storing the stock device. A new paint cartridge from the outside of the paint booth and a paint cartridge collected from the outside of the paint booth are formed on the wall formed so as to face the outside or inside of the paint booth and separate the inside of the compartment from the outside of the paint booth. It is characterized in that a work door for taking out is provided. Further, the second invention of the present invention is to store a large number of paint cartridges in a stock device, and use a transfer device to take out and transport a required paint cartridge from the stock device and install the paint cartridge in a painting booth. In a multi-color small-quantity coating system mounted on a coating machine of a coating robot or an automatic coating apparatus, the stock apparatus is installed outside or inside a coating booth so as to face the inside or outside of the coating booth, and A partition wall separating the inside and the outside or the inside of the painting booth is formed by or including the casing of the stock apparatus, and further, a wall separating the inside of the stock apparatus and the outside of the painting booth is provided outside the painting booth. A work door is provided for loading a newer paint cartridge and removing the collected paint cartridge. And it is characterized in and.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As described above, a multi-color small-amount coating system stores a large number of paint colors in the form of a paint cartridge in a stock device, and uses a transfer device to produce a desired paint color. The paint cartridge can be selectively removed from the stocking machine and transported, loaded on a painting robot or an automatic painting machine, and then the paint in the loaded paint cartridge can be supplied to the painting machine and then used This is a coating system that can collect the paint cartridge of the above into a stock device from a coating robot or an automatic coating device. The details of the paint cartridge, stock device, transfer device, painting robot or automatic painting device that constitute this system will be described below.

[0009] The compartment is a room for surrounding and storing the stock apparatus, so as to face the outside of the painting booth inside the painting booth, or to face the inside of the painting booth outside the painting booth. It is formed. Alternatively, the compartment may be formed near the boundary between the inside and outside of the painting booth, that is, by removing a part of the wall of the painting booth and extending over the outside and inside of the painting booth at that location. In short, the compartment in the present invention, including the last aspect, is formed inside or outside the painting booth, facing the outside or inside of the painting booth. The transfer device is disposed over the stock device and the coating robot or the automatic coating device, and reciprocates the paint cartridge between the two. Therefore, the compartment is provided so as to be separated from the interior of the coating booth within a range that does not hinder the operation of the transfer device.
Usually, the compartment is provided such that a partition wall from the inside of the coating booth surrounds and accommodates the stock apparatus except for the transfer apparatus and its movement range.

Further, instead of the configuration in which the stock apparatus is housed in the compartment, a closed wall structure is formed by a casing or the like of the stock apparatus, and the inside of the stock apparatus is separated from the outside of the painting booth. It is also possible to employ. The partition wall refers to a wall structure formed in such a configuration that the inside of the stock apparatus is sealed from the outside of the painting booth.
In this configuration, the stock device is installed outside the painting booth and facing the inside of the painting booth, or inside the painting booth facing the outside of the painting booth.
When the stock device is installed outside the painting booth, a partition wall is formed to separate the inside of the stock device from the outside of the painting booth, and when the stock device is installed inside the painting booth, the stock device is removed. A partition wall separating the inside and the interior of the painting booth is formed. This partition wall is closed by the casing of the stocking device or by means of or including the casing, that is to say the casing and an extension member (wall material) extended from the casing or another connecting member (wall material) connected to the casing. Formed into a walled structure.

[0011] The stocking device includes a place where a new paint cartridge is loaded into an endless conveyor mechanism where the paint cartridge is carried around, for example, the paint cartridge (loading place); And an outlet (extraction port) for taking out. In the present invention, the work door is provided on a wall separating the interior of the compartment from the outside of the painting booth (that is, on the wall of the compartment or the booth wall), or a wall separating the interior of the stock apparatus from the outside of the painting booth. (Ie on the partition or booth wall)
Provided. This work door is a door for loading a new paint cartridge and taking out the collected paint cartridge from outside the painting booth, and is usually provided at a location corresponding to the above-mentioned loading location and the outlet. Can be
The work door should have a tightly closed door so that when it is closed, the atmosphere inside the paint booth does not leak out of the paint booth. In addition, the work door may be a single door, but a door for loading a new paint cartridge and a door for removing a collected paint cartridge may be separately provided.

Thus, in the multi-color, small-quantity coating system of the present invention, since the compartment and the work door are provided, the operator does not need to enter the paint booth (for example, the paint cartridge is not required). Without the need to manually transport the loaded carts), maintenance and management work from outside the painting booth, more specifically, removing the used paint cartridges from the stock unit and transferring new paint cartridges to the stock unit. The work of charging and refilling can be performed. In addition, in the coating system of the present invention, since the compartment for storing the stock apparatus is substantially separated from the interior of the coating booth, the operator opens the work door during operation of the coating booth to perform maintenance and management. Even if the work (for example, the work of loading a new paint cartridge or the work of taking out the collected paint cartridge) is performed, the atmosphere in the paint booth is not disturbed to a problem, so that the paint film of the painted product is not disturbed. Does not have a substantial adverse effect on quality.

The paint cartridge is a container having a double structure containing a relatively small amount of paint. For example, a tubular paint bag (made of synthetic resin) is refillably loaded in a substantially cylindrical cartridge body. Do it. The paint cartridge is filled with a small amount of paint, each of a particular paint color (eg, a different paint color desired by each individual purchaser of the vehicle). The paint cartridge usually has an outlet at its leading end, an air inlet at its trailing end, and
When pressurized air is pressed into the cartridge from the inlet, the paint bag in the cartridge is crushed and the paint is pushed out from the outlet of the cartridge. When the paint cartridge is mounted at a mounting position in a coating robot or an automatic coating apparatus, the coating cartridge is configured to be fixedly held at the mounting position by a suitable holding means such as a coating robot.

The stocking device is a device for storing a large number (for example, about 20 to 100) of paint color paint cartridges, and taking out necessary paint cartridges by a transfer device and loading new paint cartridges. In addition, a preferred stocking device includes a mechanism for collecting used paint cartridges carried back by the transfer device. A typical stocking device includes an endless conveyor mechanism in which a conveyor path passes through a loading point and an unloading position of a paint cartridge, and an appropriate number of holding means mounted on the conveyor mechanism for detachably holding each paint cartridge. And a control device for operating the conveyor mechanism and rotating a required paint cartridge to a take-out position by the transfer device. In short, the stock device stores a large number of paint cartridges of various paint colors, and turns the required paint cartridges to the take-out position while rotating and transporting the paint cartridges, thereby enabling selective removal by the transfer device. It is a device to do.

The transfer device is a device that takes out a paint cartridge of a required paint color from a stock device, transports the paint cartridge, and mounts the paint cartridge on a painting robot or an automatic painting device.
More preferably, after the coating, the used coating cartridge also has a function of taking out a used paint cartridge from a coating robot or an automatic coating device and collecting it in a stock device. The transfer device is located close to, for example above or to the side of, the paint cartridge stocking device and the painting robot or automatic painting device. The transfer device has a higher degree of freedom with respect to the transfer operation, and a transfer robot in which the trajectory for transporting the paint cartridge can be freely changed. Both the automatic transfer device in which the trajectory for transporting the cartridge is predetermined is included. The transfer device comprises, for example, a moving body, two chuck means, a driving device, and a control device in addition to the device main body, and reciprocates between the stock device and the coating robot or the automatic coating device while suspending the paint cartridge. Then, a paint cartridge can be taken out from the stock device and mounted on a painting robot or the like, and a used paint cartridge can be taken out from the painting robot or the like and collected in the stock device. The moving body is provided so as to be able to reciprocate between the stock apparatus and the painting robot or the automatic painting apparatus. Also, the two chuck means are attached to the moving body together, and each of the chuck means has a mechanism for opening and closing the chuck pair, and when the moving body is located on the stock apparatus side, the chuck pair is placed in the stock apparatus. A mechanism for moving the chuck pair closer to and away from the mounted paint cartridge when the moving body is located on the side of the painting robot or the automatic painting apparatus. By the operation of these mechanisms, the paint cartridge can be gripped and released, respectively. Thus, in the transfer device of the above aspect, the loading of the paint cartridge of the required paint color from the stock device to the painting robot or the automatic painting device, and the painting robot or the automatic painting device of the used paint cartridge. And collection to the stock apparatus can be performed at the same time. Further, the transfer device is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and may be, for example, a transfer device having a configuration described in the following embodiments.

The painting robot or the automatic painting apparatus controls the painting machine (bell-type electrostatic painting machine) by various operations such as turning and turning of the arm in accordance with a predetermined painting program.
This is a device that performs spray coating by moving it so as to face a workpiece to be conveyed. The configuration of the device is not particularly limited. At the end), and at the same time, connect the mounted paint cartridge to the coating machine via a color change device, gear pump, etc., and push out means (pressurized air is injected into the paint cartridge) A mechanism that allows the paint in the paint cartridge to be fed to the coating machine along its flow path, and also supplies thinner air for cleaning to the paint flow path as needed. Can be used.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. This embodiment is a non-limiting example, and it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to this.

Embodiment 1 FIGS. 1 to 4 show a multicolor small-amount coating system 1 according to this embodiment.
Is shown. As shown in these figures, the present coating system 1
Consists of a painting robot 2, a stock device 3 for paint cartridges 5... Arranged on the side thereof, and a transfer device 4 arranged above them. The paint cartridge 5
A cylindrical metal or plastic container, in which a cylindrical paint bag (synthetic resin tube) is loaded, and at the tip end thereof, an outlet communicating with the paint bag is provided, and at the rear end side Is provided with an air inlet. Each of the paint bags of the paint cartridges 5 is filled with a small amount of paint of a specific paint color, for example, an amount of paint required for the color in painting one work.

The painting robot 2 is installed in the painting booth A, near the booth wall 10, as shown in FIGS. As shown in FIG. 3, the coating robot 2 can reciprocate in the work transfer direction f by the tracking mechanism 11, and has a mechanism for turning and turning the coating machine (bell-type electrostatic coating machine) 6. With such a motion operation, automatic spray coating on the work can be performed according to a predetermined coating program. Further, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG.
On the head, that is, on the upper surface of the rear end of the second arm, there is provided a mounting portion 12 for mounting the paint cartridge 5, and in the mounting portion 12, when the paint cartridge 5 is mounted, the paint cartridge 5 5 is connected to a coating machine 6 via a color changing device, a gear pump, and the like, and subsequently, the pressurized air is injected into the coating cartridge 5 so that the coating material in the coating cartridge 5 flows along the flow path. A feeding mechanism (not shown) capable of feeding to the coating machine 6 is provided. Further, a thinner air for cleaning can be supplied to the paint supply path as needed.

As shown in FIG. 1, the stock apparatus 3 includes an endless conveyor mechanism 13 for holding about 30 paint cartridges 5..., And stores about 30 paint cartridges 5. , The conveyor mechanism 1
3 is a device capable of rotating these paint cartridges 5... Along a circulation path. Although not shown in detail, the endless conveyor mechanism 13 includes a pair of left and right endless chains 14 and 14 (each chain 14).
Are wound around five sprockets 15... At regular intervals, and about 30 holding means (not shown) are assembled between the left and right chains 14, 14. Therefore, the endless conveyor mechanism 13 can hold the paint cartridges 5 detachably by the holding means, and can rotate the held paint cartridges 5 by the operation thereof. At the upper part of the stocking device 3, there is provided a place (removing position) 16 for taking out the required paint cartridge 5 from the stocking device 3, and below it, a new paint cartridge 5 is loaded into the stocking device 3. A place (loading place) 17 is provided. The conveyor path of the endless conveyor mechanism 13 is a circulation path that passes through the unloading position 16 and the loading point 17. As described above, the stock apparatus 3 stores a large number (about 30 kinds) of paint color paint cartridges 5... While rotating and transporting the paint cartridges 5.
That is, it is a device that enables the transfer device 4 to take out the paint cartridge 5 of the paint color to be painted by turning it to the take-out position 16. Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the stock apparatus 3 includes a collection mechanism 18 for collecting the used paint cartridge 5 carried back by the transfer apparatus 4. This collection mechanism 1
8, as shown in FIG. 1, receiving bars 20... Are arranged in an obliquely downward attitude alternately left and right below the collection port 19 of the paint cartridge 5, and a passage 21 through which the paint cartridge 5 slides down in a zigzag manner is moved up and down. In addition to the passage 21, a horizontally extending passage 22 is formed in the lower part of the stock apparatus 3 together with an outlet 23. Therefore, when the used paint cartridge 5 is put in through the collection port 19, it passes through these passages 21 and 22 and can be finally taken out from the take-out port 23.

In this embodiment, the stock apparatus 3 is housed in a compartment 7 as shown in FIG. The compartment 7 is a room surrounding the stock apparatus 3 and is formed outside the coating booth A at a position facing the inside of the coating booth A. Therefore, the compartment 7 is composed of a booth inner wall 10, a ceiling wall 24 for separating the inside of the compartment 7 from the outside of the coating booth A, and three side walls 25 (FIG. 3 etc.). Further, two work doors 8 and 9 are provided on the side wall 25 of the compartment 7 opposite to the painting booth A (FIG. 4). The upper work door 8 is a door for loading a new paint cartridge from outside the coating booth A, and is provided at a position corresponding to the loading location 17. The lower work door 8 is a door for taking out the collected paint cartridge 5 from outside the coating booth A, and is provided at a portion corresponding to the take-out port 23. Each of the work doors 8 and 9 is a door having a high hermeticity so that the atmosphere in the painting booth A does not leak out of the painting booth A when the work doors 8 and 9 are closed.

The transfer device 4 includes a paint cartridge 5
For simultaneously mounting on the coating robot 2 and collecting from the coating robot 2, as shown in the drawing, includes a moving body 27 and two chuck means 28a and 28b in addition to the apparatus main body 26. Become. The device main body 26
This is a structure in which the guide rail 29 is laid horizontally over the painting robot 2 and the stock device 3. The guide rail 29 is provided through a window 30 formed in the booth inner wall 10. The moving body 27 is a component that is slidably supported on the guide rail 29 so as to be reciprocally slidable. The movable body 27 can slide horizontally along the guide rail 29 by operation of the explosion-proof AC servomotor 31. This moving body 27 hangs two chuck means 28a and 28b in parallel at a predetermined interval in parallel. Each of the chuck means 28a and 28b is provided with a pair of chucks 32... Which can be vertically moved and opened and closed in cooperation with a cylinder device. The paint cartridge 5 can be grasped and released by the opening / closing operation. As described above, the transfer device 4 grips and releases the paint cartridge 5 by the two chucking means 28a and 28b, respectively, and while the paint cartridge 5 is suspended by the reciprocating motion of the moving body 27, It can be reciprocated between the painting robot 2 and the stock device 3.

Thus, the present coating system 1 includes the moving body 2
When the cartridge 7 is located on the stock apparatus 3 side, the chuck means 28a that has transported the used paint cartridge 5 is
Then, the used paint cartridge 5 is released and put into the collection port 19 and returned. At the same time, the chucking means 28b is lowered to the take-out position 16 of the stock apparatus 3, and the paint to be painted is painted. When the moving object 27 is moved toward the coating robot 2 while the required paint cartridge 5 is held and transported while the required paint cartridge 5 is grasped and taken out of the stock apparatus 3 and then lifted, the chuck means 28a is the mounting part 1 of the painting robot 2
2, the used paint cartridge 5 already mounted thereon is grasped, taken out of the painting robot 2 and returned, and subsequently, the chucking means 28 b which has transported the required paint cartridge 5 is moved to the painting robot. 2, the required paint cartridge 5 is released and mounted on the coating robot 2, then ascends, and thereafter, a series of operations of moving the moving body 27 to the stock apparatus 3 side are performed.

Therefore, the coating system 1 of the present embodiment
Stores a large number (approximately 30) of paint colors in the form of a paint cartridge 5 in the stock device 3, and from the group of paints, the transfer device 4 stocks the paint cartridge 5 of a specific paint color. By taking it out of the apparatus 3 and mounting it on the painting robot 2, a paint of a required paint color can be selectively supplied to the painting machine 6 of the painting robot 2 and used for multi-color, small-quantity painting of a work. In addition, in the coating system 1 of the present example, since the stock apparatus 3 is stored in the compartment 7 with the work doors 8 and 9, the worker does not need to enter the coating booth A,
By simply opening the work doors 8 and 9, the maintenance and management work of taking out the collected used paint cartridge 5 from the stock apparatus 3, loading a new paint cartridge 5 into the stock apparatus 3 and refilling it can be performed. .

Embodiment 2 FIGS. 5 to 7 show a multicolor small-amount coating system 1 according to this embodiment.
Is shown. Note that among the members and elements shown in these drawings, members and elements corresponding to the members and elements of the coating system 1 of the first embodiment are given the same names and reference numerals as those in the first embodiment. Express. The multi-color small-quantity coating system 1 of this embodiment has the same configuration as the multi-color small-quantity coating system 1 of the first embodiment except for the following two items. The compartment 7 surrounding the stock device 3
Is provided in the coating booth A at a position facing the outside of the coating booth A. That is, the compartment 7 is the booth inner wall 1
0, a ceiling wall 24 and side walls 25, in which the stock device 3 is housed. On the booth inner wall 10 separating the interior of the compartment 7 and the exterior of the coating booth A, a loading work door 8 for loading a new coating cartridge 5 and a recovered coating cartridge 5
An unloading work door 9 for unloading is provided at a portion corresponding to the loading location and the unloading port, respectively. Also, the chucking means 28a, 28a of the transfer device 4 are changed so that the posture of the transported paint cartridge 5 is changed by 90 °.
The orientation of b is changed by 90 °, and the arrangement of the endless conveyor mechanism 13 and the collection mechanism 18 in the stock apparatus 3 is changed from the vertical arrangement to the horizontal arrangement. Thus, the coating system 1 of this embodiment also stores a large number (approximately 30) of paint color paint cartridges 5 in the stock device 3 and operates the transfer device 4 or the like to obtain the required paint color. The paint cartridge 5 is selectively taken out of the stock device 3 and mounted on the painting robot 2, and then the paint of the color is applied to the painting machine 6 of the painting robot 2.
, And can be used for multi-color, small-quantity painting of workpieces. In addition, in the coating system 1 of the present example, the worker does not enter the painting booth A,
Open 9 and take out the used paint cartridge 5,
Maintenance and management work such as loading of a new paint cartridge 5 can be performed.

Embodiment 3 FIGS. 8 to 19 show a multicolor small-quantity coating system 1 of this embodiment. Note that among the members and elements shown in these drawings, members and elements corresponding to the members and elements of the coating system 1 of the first embodiment are given the same names and reference numerals as those in the first embodiment. Express. The multi-color small-quantity coating system 1 of this embodiment has the same configuration as the multi-color small-quantity coating system 1 of the first embodiment except that the configuration of the transfer device 4 is changed as shown in FIGS. Having. Therefore, even in the coating system 1 of this example, the worker does not enter the painting booth A,
Open 9 and take out the used paint cartridge 5,
Maintenance and management work such as loading of a new paint cartridge 5 can be performed.

As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the transfer device 4 of this embodiment includes a holding means 33 provided in the stock apparatus 3 and a holding means 34 assembled to the coating robot 2. The gripping means 33 includes two chuck pairs 3
A substrate 36, on which 5, 35 is freely opened and closed, is connected to a drive shaft 38 via left and right link shafts 37, 37, and is supported rotatably about this shaft 38. The pair 35, 35 is opened and closed by the operation of the cylinder device 39, and is rotated along the arc line p together with the link shafts 37, 37 by the operation of the cylinder device 40. Further, this gripping means 33 is provided in FIG.
An irregular four-point link mechanism indicated by points A to D in the middle is provided (the details of the structure are not shown). Therefore, as shown in those figures, the link shafts 37, 37 are connected to the cylinder device 40 Is rotated toward the endless conveyor mechanism 13 by the operation (arrow + p direction), the chuck pair 35, 35
Is turned from the hanging posture toward the conveyor mechanism 13, and the conveyor mechanism 1 is moved by the operation of the cylinder device 39.
3 can be grasped. Conversely, when the link shafts 37, 37 rotate toward the coating robot 2 (in the direction of the arrow -p), the chuck pair 35, 35
Is configured to be turned in the opposite direction from the hanging posture, and to release the paint cartridge 5 gripped by the operation of the cylinder device 39. The holding means 34 is
A pair of left and right holding rings 41, 41 for holding the paint cartridge 5 from both left and right sides are provided, and these are reciprocally movable in the longitudinal direction of the paint cartridge 5 by operation of the left and right cylinder devices 42, 42, Further, the cylinder devices 42, 42 are connected to a drive shaft 43, and the shaft 43
Are provided so as to be rotatable along the arc line q by the rotation of. Therefore, the holding means 34 can hold and release the paint cartridge 5 by operating the cylinder devices 42 and 42, and can also hold the held paint cartridge 5 to the mounting portion 12 of the coating robot 2 and the support rod of the stock device 3. It can be transported reciprocally over and above 44 (arrow ± q directions).

Further, the transfer process of the paint cartridge 5 using the above means 33 and 34 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 1, the paint cartridge 5 is
Assume that it is installed in The paint cartridge 5 is held and fixed to the mounting portion 12 by holding means 45 (which is composed of a rotatable holding arm and a cylinder device). When the outlet of the mounted paint cartridge 5 is connected to the joint member 46 (which communicates with the coating machine 6 through the paint flow path), pressurized air is pushed into the paint cartridge 5 by the pushing mechanism 47. By being poured, the paint is extruded out and fed to the coating machine 6, automatic painting of the workpiece is possible. After the coating is completed, the holding means 34 moves the holding rings 41, 41 inward to hold the used paint cartridge 5 from both left and right ends (FIG. 11). Next, as shown in FIG. 12, the holding means 34 rotates the holding rings 41, 41 in the direction of the arrow + q while holding the paint cartridge 5, and transports the paint cartridge 5 to above the support rod 44 of the stock apparatus 3. I do. Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 13, the holding means 34 moves the holding rings 41, 41 outward by operating the cylinder devices 42, 42 to release the held paint cartridge 5. Then, the paint cartridge 5
Drop onto the support rod 44 of the retrieval mechanism 18 and
1 slides down zigzag, and finally reaches the outlet 23. Thus, at an appropriate time, the operator can open the work door 9 and take out the collected paint cartridge 5. Further, at the same time as or after the collection of the paint cartridge 5, the gripping means 33 is moved to the position shown in FIG.
, The link shafts 37, 37 rotate toward the endless conveyor mechanism 13 in the direction of the arrow + p, and at the same time, the chuck pairs 35, 35 change from the hanging posture to the direction of the arrow + r, and 35, 35 are closed by the operation of the cylinder device 39 and grip the paint cartridge 5 held by the conveyor mechanism 13 (FIGS. 14 and 15), whereby the paint cartridge 5 is taken out of the stock device 3. In this case, by using an appropriate control mechanism, the gripping means 33 causes the paint cartridge 5 of the paint color to be painted out of the paint cartridges 5... It can be removed (selective removal of the paint cartridge 5). Thereafter, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, the link shafts 37, 37 rotate in the direction of the arrow -p toward the coating robot 2 to transport the gripped paint cartridge 5, and at this time, the chuck pair 35, 35 is changed from the hanging posture to the direction of the arrow -r, and the paint cartridge 5 taken out from the stock device 3 is transported above the support rod 44. At this time, the holding means 34 includes the holding ring 4
The paint cartridges 1 and 41 are moved inward and the picked-up paint cartridge 5 is clamped from both left and right ends (FIG. 17). After the clamping is completed, the grasping means 33 opens the chuck pairs 35 and 35 by operating the cylinder device 39 to release the paint cartridge 5. Thus, the paint cartridge 5 is transferred from the holding means 33 to the holding means 34. In addition,
The holding means 34 then returns to its original home position. After a while
As shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, the holding means 34 holds the paint cartridge 5 while holding the paint rings 5 and 4.
1 is rotated in the direction of the arrow -q, the paint cartridge 5 is transported to the mounting portion 12 of the painting robot 2, and subsequently, the holding rings 41, 41 are moved outward to remove the held paint cartridge 5. release. At the same time, the holding means 45 of the mounting section 12 operates. Thereby, the paint cartridge 5
Is mounted on the painting robot 2 and can be used for painting. Therefore, the coating system 1 of the present embodiment also uses the paint cartridges 5...
In addition, by operating the transfer device 4 and the like, the paint cartridge 5 of a required paint color is taken out of the stock device 3 and mounted on the painting robot 2, so that automatic painting using the paint of that color can be performed. it can.

Embodiment 4 FIGS. 20 to 23 show a multi-color, small-quantity coating system 1 of this embodiment. Note that among the members and elements shown in these drawings, members and elements corresponding to the members and elements of the coating system 1 of the first embodiment are given the same names and reference numerals as those in the first embodiment. Express. The multi-color small-amount coating system 1 of this embodiment is, as described below,
It has the same configuration as the multicolor small-amount coating system 1 of the first embodiment except that a partition wall 50 is provided instead of the partition chamber 7.
The stock device 3 includes a painting booth A outside the painting booth A.
It is installed at a position facing the inside of the. Then, a closed wall structure is formed by the casing 48 of the stock device 3 and the extension member 49 extending from the upper end thereof so as to cover the main body of the transfer device 4, and the inside of the stock device 3 and the outside of the painting booth A are formed. And a partition wall 50 that separates them. As a result, the interior of the stock apparatus 3 becomes the painting booth A
It is configured to be sealed from the outside. The partitioning wall 50 (casing 48) has a loading work door 8 for loading a new paint cartridge 5 and an unloading work door 9 for taking out the collected paint cartridge 5.
Are provided at locations corresponding to the loading location and the outlet, respectively. Thus, the coating system 1 of the present embodiment
Also paint cartridges 5 of many (about 30) paint colors
.. in the stock device 3 and the transfer device 4
The paint cartridge 5 of the required paint color
Can be selectively taken out from the stock apparatus 3 and mounted on the painting robot 2, and then the paint of that color can be supplied to the painting machine 6 of the painting robot 2 to be used for multi-color small-quantity painting of the work. In addition, even in the coating system 1 of this example, the worker does not enter the painting booth A,
By opening the work doors 8 and 9, maintenance and management operations such as taking out the used paint cartridge 5 and loading a new paint cartridge 5 can be performed.

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention,
When the multi-color, small-quantity coating system is installed in an actual painting booth, the operator does not need to enter the painting booth and can perform maintenance and management work, typically recovery, from outside the painting booth. The operation of removing the used paint cartridge from the stocking apparatus and loading a new paint cartridge into the stocking apparatus to replenish the stocking apparatus can be performed. In addition, according to the present invention, even when the worker opens the work door and performs maintenance and management work during the operation of the painting booth, the atmosphere in the painting booth is not disturbed enough to be a problem,
Therefore, an effect is obtained that the coating film quality of the coated product is not substantially adversely affected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a multicolor small-quantity coating system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view of the multi-color, small-quantity coating system shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from the direction of arrow X in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a view of the multi-color small-amount coating system shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from above (a drive device of a stock device is not shown).

FIG. 4 is a view of the compartment of the multi-color, small-quantity coating system shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from the direction of arrow Y in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a front view showing a multicolor small-quantity coating system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a view of the multi-color, small-quantity coating system shown in FIG. 5 as viewed from above (illustration of a drive device of the stock device is omitted).

7 is a view of the inside of the compartment of the multi-color, small-quantity coating system shown in FIG. 5 as viewed from the direction of arrow Z in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a front view showing a multicolor small-quantity coating system according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

9 is a view of the multi-color, small-quantity coating system shown in FIG. 8 as viewed from above (the drive of the stock apparatus is not shown).

FIG. 10 is a front view showing a transfer device of the multi-color, small-quantity coating system shown in FIG. 8;

11 is a diagram of the transfer device shown in FIG. 10 as viewed from above.

FIG. 12 is a view showing a transfer process (recovery stage) of a paint cartridge using the transfer device of FIG. 10;

13 is a view of the transfer device in the transfer process shown in FIG. 12 as viewed from above.

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a transfer process (removal stage) of a paint cartridge using the transfer device of FIG. 10;

15 is a view of the transfer device in the transfer process shown in FIG. 14 as viewed from above.

FIG. 16 is a view showing a transfer process (transportation stage) of a paint cartridge using the transfer device of FIG. 10;

17 is a view of the transfer device in the transfer process shown in FIG. 16 as viewed from above.

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a transfer process (loading stage) of a paint cartridge using the transfer device of FIG. 10;

19 is a view of the transfer device in the transfer process shown in FIG. 18 as viewed from above.

FIG. 20 is a front view showing a multicolor small-quantity coating system according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 21 shows the multicolor small-amount coating system shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a diagram viewed from the direction of an arrow P of 0.

FIG. 22 is a view of the multi-color, small-quantity coating system shown in FIG. 20 as viewed from above (a drive device of a stock device is not shown).

FIG. 23 shows the multicolor small-quantity coating system shown in FIG.
FIG. 5 is a view as seen from the direction of an arrow Q of 0.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Multicolor small amount coating system 2 Painting robot 3 Stock device 4 Transfer device 5 Paint cartridge 6 Painting machine 7 Section room 8 Loading work door 9 Removal work door 10 Booth wall 33 Gripping means 34 Holding means 48 Casing 49 Extension Member 50 Partition wall A Painting booth

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Toru Takeuchi 4-17-1, Higashi-Hachiman, Hiratsuka-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Kansai Paint Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Tokuyasu Yamaguchi 1-9-9, Kakimotocho, Toyota-shi, Aichi Prefecture Trini (72) Inventor Takasakura Yamamoto 1-9-9 Kakimotocho, Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture Trinity Industry Co., Ltd.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A large number of paint cartridges are stored in a stock device, and a required paint cartridge is taken out of the stock device and transported by using a transfer device.
In a multi-color, small-quantity coating system mounted on a coating robot of a coating robot or an automatic coating device installed in a coating booth, a compartment for surrounding and storing the stock device inside or outside the coating booth is provided outside the coating booth. Alternatively, a wall is formed so as to face the inside, and separates the inside of the compartment from the outside of the painting booth, for loading a new paint cartridge from outside the painting booth and taking out the collected paint cartridge. A multi-color, small-quantity coating system characterized by having a work door. 2. A large number of paint cartridges are stored in a stock device, and a required paint cartridge is taken out of the stock device using a transfer device and transported.
In a multi-color small-quantity coating system mounted on a coating robot of a coating robot or an automatic coating device installed in a coating booth, the stock device is installed outside or inside the coating booth so as to face the inside or outside of the coating booth And a partition wall separating the inside of the stock apparatus from the outside or inside of the painting booth is formed by or including the casing of the stock apparatus, and further separates the inside of the stock apparatus from the outside of the painting booth. A multi-color, small-quantity coating system characterized by providing a work door on a wall for loading a new paint cartridge from outside the painting booth and taking out a collected paint cartridge.