Method for coating streaming objects

Abstract

A coating method for coating a sealant (S), which is a highly viscous fluid, on a coating surface (3a) of a substrate (3), which is a workpiece, comprises: a conformal part forming step in which the sealant (S) is discharged from a nozzle (11) disposed with a gap (G) from the coating surface (3a) and is adhered to the coating surface (3a); forming a conformal section (Sa) in which the sealant (S) extends from the ejection opening (11a) of the nozzle (11) to the application surface (3a); and a conformal section cutting step for cutting the conformal section (Sa) and leaving the conformal section (Sa) in a state in which the conformal section (Sa) adheres to the coating surface (3a) side by sliding the wire (13) in a first direction (Y1) that traverses the discharge port (11a) of the nozzle (11) with respect to the conformal section (Sa) formed in the conformal section forming step.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technology of coating fluid animals. Background Art

[0002] In the substrate of the vehicle body, there are various openings such as openings for punching electrodeposition paint and openings for positioning the welding of components. In order to prevent rainwater, dust, sound, etc. from entering through these openings, elastically deformable sealing components made of resin materials, rubber materials, etc. are used. The sealing components are pressed into the opening of the substrate and the opening is sealed. Such sealing components are generally called "plugs".

[0003] In addition, the following Patent Document 1 discloses a sealing method in which a sealant containing a foaming agent is buried in an opening hole and the sealant is foamed to block the hole. Such a sealing method does not require the preparation of a variety of plugs in advance according to the sizes of opening holes of different sizes, and has the advantage of being able to reduce the component cost of the plugs.

[0004] Prior art literature

[0005] Patent Literature

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-263827 Summary of the invention

[0007] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0008] However, when the above-mentioned sealing method is adopted, the operator needs to reach out to each opening hole each time while holding the sealant and bury the sealant into the opening hole by manual operation. Therefore, there will be a problem of a heavy burden on the operator required in the sealing operation. In short, the number of opening holes provided in the body of a motor vehicle, etc. is large, and the operator needs to repeat the same posture, so the above-mentioned problem becomes more obvious. Therefore, a technology that can easily perform the above-mentioned operation is needed. In addition, the above-mentioned technology is required not only when the opening holes provided in the substrate are sealed with a sealant, but also when a highly viscous fluid such as a sealant is applied to the coating surface of various workpieces.

[0009] The present invention provides a technology effective in easily applying a high-viscosity fluid to a coating surface of a workpiece.

[0010] Means used to solve problems

[0011] One embodiment of the present invention is a method for coating a fluid, which is a method for coating a fluid of high viscosity on a coating surface of a workpiece, wherein:

[0012] The coating method of the flowable object has the following characteristics:

[0013] a shape-keeping portion forming step in which the fluid is attached to the coating surface by ejecting the fluid from a nozzle disposed at a gap from the coating surface, thereby forming a shape-keeping portion in which the fluid extends from the ejection port of the nozzle to the coating surface; and

[0014] A shape-keeping portion cutting process, in which the metal wire is slid relative to the shape-keeping portion formed in the shape-keeping portion forming process in a transverse direction of the ejection outlet of the nozzle, thereby cutting off the shape-keeping portion and leaving the shape-keeping portion attached to the coating surface side.

[0015] Effects of the Invention

[0016] The coating method of the above-mentioned manner is a method of coating a high-viscosity fluid on the coating surface of a workpiece. The coating method has at least a conformal portion forming step and a conformal portion cutting step. In the conformal portion forming step, a high-viscosity fluid is ejected from a nozzle arranged with a gap from the coating surface of the workpiece to adhere to the coating surface. Thus, a conformal portion is formed in which the high-viscosity fluid extends from the nozzle outlet to the coating surface of the workpiece. In addition, in the conformal portion cutting step, the metal wire is slid in a transverse direction of the nozzle outlet relative to the conformal portion formed in the conformal portion forming step. Thus, the conformal portion is cut off and remains in a state of being attached to the coating surface side of the workpiece. At this time, as long as the gap size between the coating surface of the workpiece and the nozzle is changed according to the purpose, the coating thickness of the conformal portion can be arbitrarily adjusted.

[0017] The fluid has high viscosity, so in the shape-keeping portion forming process, it adheres to the coating surface of the workpiece through its adhesion performance to form a shape-keeping portion extending from the nozzle outlet to the coating surface, and exhibits the characteristic of being able to maintain the shape of the shape-keeping portion. In addition, the above-mentioned high-viscosity fluid exhibits the characteristic that once the shape-keeping portion cut off in the shape-keeping portion cutting process adheres to the coating surface of the workpiece, the shape-keeping portion is not easy to fall off from the coating surface. Therefore, even if the shape-keeping portion is affected by gravity, vibration, etc. over time, it is not easy to peel off or fall off from the coating surface of the workpiece. As a result, the coating state of the fluid on the coating surface of the workpiece can be maintained.

[0018] According to the coating method of the above-mentioned manner, the coating operation of the fluid can be performed by cutting the shape-keeping portion extending from the nozzle outlet to the coating surface of the workpiece using a metal wire. As a result, the operator can simply perform the coating operation of the fluid. In addition, the fluid is coated with a gap between the coating surface of the workpiece and the nozzle, so the coating operation of the fluid is not easily affected by the shape of the coating surface of the workpiece, etc., and has high versatility.

[0019] As described above, according to the above aspect, it is possible to provide a technique that is effective in easily applying a high-viscosity fluid to a coating surface of a workpiece. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The above-mentioned objects and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent through the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are as follows:

[0021] Figure 1 It is a diagram showing the overall structure of the sealing device according to the first embodiment.

[0022] Figure 2 It is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the front end portion of the nozzle device according to the first embodiment.

[0023] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing the correlation between viscosity and shear rate with respect to the characteristics of the sealing agent used in the first embodiment.

[0024] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of the coating method according to the first embodiment.

[0025] Figure 5 This is a timing chart showing the operation timing of each component in the coating method according to the first embodiment.

[0026] Figure 6 It means for Figure 2 Nozzle device execution Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of the situation during the first step in FIG.

[0027] Figure 7 It means for Figure 2 Nozzle device execution Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of the situation during the second step in FIG.

[0028] Figure 8 It means for Figure 2 Nozzle device execution Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of the situation during the third step in FIG.

[0029] Fig. 9 It means for Figure 2 Nozzle device execution Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of the situation during the fourth step in FIG.

[0030] Fig.10 It means for Figure 2 Nozzle device execution Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of the situation during the fifth step in FIG.

[0031] Fig.11 It is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the front end portion of the nozzle device according to the second embodiment.

[0032] Fig.12 This is a flowchart of the coating method according to the second embodiment.

[0033] Fig.13 This is a timing chart showing the operation of each component in the coating method according to the second embodiment.

[0034] Fig.14 It means for Fig.11 Nozzle device execution Fig.12 A cross-sectional view of the situation during the first step in FIG.

[0035] Fig.15 It means for Fig.11 Nozzle device execution Fig.12 A cross-sectional view of the situation during the second step in FIG.

[0036] Fig.16 It means for Fig.11 Nozzle device execution Fig.12 A cross-sectional view of the situation during the third step in FIG.

[0037] Fig.17 It means for Fig.11 Nozzle device execution Fig.12 A cross-sectional view of the fourth step and the fifth step in the process.

[0038] Fig.18 It means for Fig.11 Nozzle device execution Fig.12 A cross-sectional view of the situation during the sixth step in FIG.

[0039] Fig.19 This is a flowchart of the coating method according to the third embodiment.

[0040] Fig. 20 It means for Figure 2 Nozzle device execution Fig.19 A cross-sectional view of the situation during the second step in FIG.

[0041] Fig.21 It means for Figure 2 Nozzle device execution Fig.19 A cross-sectional view of the situation during step 2a in FIG.

[0042] Fig. 22 It means for Figure 2 Nozzle device execution Fig.19 A cross-sectional view of the situation during the third step in FIG.

[0043] Fig.23 It means for Figure 2 Nozzle device execution Fig.19A cross-sectional view of the situation during the fourth step in FIG.

[0044] Fig.24 It means for Figure 2 Nozzle device execution Fig.19 A cross-sectional view of the situation during the fifth step in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] Preferred embodiments of the above-mentioned method will be described below.

[0046] In the method for coating a fluid object in the above-mentioned manner, preferably, in the shape-conserving portion forming step, after the fluid object is ejected in a manner that a protrusion of the fluid object protrudes from the ejection port of the nozzle, the fluid object is attracted in a manner that the protrusion flows in an introduction direction, and the front end face of the protrusion is pushed to the coating surface so that the front end face of the protrusion adheres to the coating surface.

[0047] When a highly viscous fluid is ejected from the nozzle, adhesion resistance acts between the fluid and the inner surface of the nozzle. Therefore, the protrusion of the fluid is formed so that the portion near the center of the nozzle first protrudes in the protruding direction, and the portion from this portion toward the outer peripheral side of the nozzle is inclined downward. Afterwards, when the fluid is attracted, adhesion resistance also acts between the fluid and the inner surface of the nozzle. At this time, the portion near the center of the nozzle in the protrusion of the fluid is first introduced into the introduction direction. Therefore, the degree of unevenness of the front end face of the protrusion can be suppressed to a small level, and the adhesion performance of the fluid when the front end face of the protrusion is pushed to the coating surface of the workpiece can be improved.

[0048] In the method for applying a fluid of the above aspect, preferably, in the shape retaining portion forming step, the fluid is sucked until the front end surface of the protrusion becomes flat.

[0049] According to the coating method, when the fluid is attached to the coating surface of the workpiece, the front end face of the protruding portion of the fluid can be pushed to the coating surface in a flat state. Thus, the adhesion performance of the fluid relative to the coating surface of the workpiece can be further improved. In addition, by setting the front end face of the protruding portion of the fluid to a flat state, the protruding portion can be adjusted to a predetermined protruding height from the nozzle outlet without excessively protruding. Thus, the cutting performance of the conformal portion based on the metal wire can be stabilized, and poor cutting of the conformal portion can be prevented.

[0050] For example, in a case where the coated surface of the workpiece is an open surface and the opening is sealed by plugging the opening with a fluid, the fluid is attracted in such a way that the front end face of the protrusion becomes flat, and there is no need to push the front end face of the protrusion too much against the opening surface in order to ensure the desired sealing performance. Thus, it is possible to prevent the fluid from excessively entering the opening of the workpiece and sinking into it. Furthermore, by preventing the protrusion from sinking into the opening of the workpiece, the conformal portion that ultimately remains on the coated surface side of the workpiece after cutting can be formed into an aesthetically pleasing shape having a certain thickness. As a result, the opening of the workpiece can be plugged with minimal fluid, the material cost of the fluid can be reduced, and the weight increase of the workpiece can be prevented.

[0051] In the method for coating a flowing object in the above-mentioned manner, preferably, in the shape-keeping portion cutting process, after the shape-keeping portion is formed, a nozzle action of moving the nozzle away from the coating surface of the workpiece along the nozzle axis and a metal wire action of sliding the metal wire in the transverse direction are performed in a linked manner.

[0052] In this coating method, the nozzle action is an action of applying a tensile load to the conformal portion by moving the nozzle away from the coating surface of the workpiece along the nozzle axis after the conformal portion is formed. On the other hand, the wire action is an action of cutting the conformal portion subjected to the tensile load by the wire. By performing these nozzle actions and wire actions in a linked manner, it is possible to prevent the conformal portion after cutting from rejoining with the fluid on the nozzle side.

[0053] In the method for coating a fluid of the above-mentioned manner, preferably, in the shape-conserving portion forming step, the shape-conserving portion is formed by causing the fluid to adhere to the coating surface in an inclined state in which the nozzle is tilted relative to the coating surface of the workpiece in such a manner that the gap is largest on the sliding start side of the metal wire, and in the shape-conserving portion cutting step, the nozzle action and the metal wire action are performed simultaneously.

[0054] In the coating method, in the process of forming the conformal portion, when the fluid is ejected from the nozzle toward the coating surface of the workpiece, the nozzle is set to an inclined state. The inclined state is a state in which the nozzle is arranged in an inclined manner so that the gap with the coating surface of the workpiece is the largest on the sliding start side of the metal wire. Therefore, a conformal portion is formed between the nozzle outlet of the inclined nozzle and the coating surface of the workpiece. In the subsequent conformal portion cutting process, while the nozzle action is performed so that the nozzle in the inclined state moves away from the coating surface of the workpiece along the nozzle axis, a metal wire action is performed to cut the conformal portion subjected to a tensile load due to the nozzle action by the metal wire. That is, the nozzle action and the metal wire action are performed simultaneously. Thus, the time required for the conformal portion cutting process can be shortened. If the nozzle is configured so that the nozzle axis is perpendicular to the coating surface of the workpiece when the nozzle action and the metal wire action are performed simultaneously, the thickness of the conformal portion that is finally left attached to the coating surface of the workpiece becomes thicker on the sliding end side of the metal wire than on the sliding start side of the metal wire. On the other hand, if the nozzle is operated in the above-mentioned inclined state, a shape-keeping portion having a constant thickness can be formed even when the nozzle operation and the wire operation are performed simultaneously.

[0055] In the method for applying a fluid material according to the above aspect, preferably, the application surface of the workpiece is an open surface.

[0056] According to this coating method, when the coating surface is an open surface having an opening, the opening can be sealed by the flow member.

[0057] Hereinafter, a specific embodiment of the technology for applying a sealant to a substrate constituting a vehicle body to seal an opening thereof will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0058] In the drawings for explaining the present embodiment, unless otherwise specified, the vertical direction is indicated by an arrow X, and the horizontal direction is indicated by an arrow Y. In addition, two directions in which the nozzle axis extends and which face in opposite directions to each other are referred to as a first direction X1 and a second direction X2, and two directions in which the nozzle axis is orthogonal and which face in opposite directions to each other are referred to as a first direction Y1 and a second direction Y2.

[0059] like Figure 1 As shown, the sealing device 1 involved in this embodiment is a device for sealing an opening 4 formed in a substrate 3 constituting a vehicle body 2. At this time, the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3 as a workpiece becomes an opening surface having the opening 4. Therefore, the sealant S is applied to the coating surface 3a in a manner to block the opening 4, and the opening 4 is sealed. Here, as the substrate 3, a substrate such as a member or a reinforcement member constituting the bottom of the vehicle body 2 can be cited.

[0060] In the operation of applying the sealant S to the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3, the vehicle body 2 is pre-configured so that the portion corresponding to the substrate 3 extends substantially in the horizontal direction Y. As the opening 4, typically, an opening hole, a through hole, a recess, etc. can be cited. In this embodiment, a through hole with a circular cross-sectional shape and an opening diameter d1 is exemplified as the opening 4. On the other hand, the cross-sectional shape of the opening 4 is not limited to a circle, and the cross-sectional shape of the opening 4 can also be set to a shape other than a circle as needed.

[0061] 1. Overall structure of sealing device 1

[0062] like Figure 1 As shown, the sealing device 1 according to the first embodiment mainly includes a nozzle device 10 , a robot 20 , and a control device 30 as its constituent elements.

[0063] The nozzle device 10 includes a nozzle 11, a pump 14, and a supply pipe 15 connecting the nozzle 11 and the pump 14. The pump 14 is used to pressurize the sealant S, which is a high-viscosity fluid, and eject it. The sealant S ejected from the pump 14 is pressure-sent to the nozzle 11 through the supply pipe 15, and ejected to the outside in a manner protruding from the ejection port 11a of the nozzle 11. The details will be described later. In this method, after the nozzle 11 is brought close to the opening 4 from below in the vertical direction X of the substrate 3, the sealant S ejected from the ejection port 11a of the nozzle 11 is applied to the opening 4.

[0064] In addition, when the first direction X1 (refer to Figure 2 ) is taken as the "protruding direction" of the sealant S, and the opposite direction of the protruding direction, that is, the second direction X2 (refer to Figure 2 ) is used as the "introduction direction", the pump 14 of this embodiment is constructed to alternately perform a first operation of ejecting the sealant S in a manner that a portion of the sealant S is squeezed out from the ejection port 11a of the nozzle 11 along the protrusion direction X1 to form a protrusion, and a second operation of sucking the sealant S in a manner that the protrusion of the sealant S flows toward the introduction direction X2.

[0065] The nozzle device 10 is held by an arm tip 22 of a robot arm 21 of a robot 20. The robot 20 is configured as a multi-axis robot in which a plurality of drive axes are provided in the robot arm 21. The robot 20 and the pump 14 are both electrically connected to a control device 30.

[0066] The control device 30 is composed of a known CPU, a memory, an input / output unit, etc. The control device 30 includes a robot control unit 31 and a pump control unit 32 .

[0067] The robot control unit 31 has a function of controlling the robot 20. According to the robot control unit 31, the robot 20 is controlled so that the arm tip 22 of the robot arm 21 moves according to the movement trajectory taught in advance. In this way, the nozzle device 10 can be adjusted to a desired posture. In addition, the pump control unit 32 has a function of controlling the pump 14. According to the pump control unit 32, the ejection flow rate of the sealant S ejected from the ejection port 11a of the nozzle 11 is controlled.

[0068] 2. Structure of the front end portion of the nozzle device 10

[0069] like Figure 2 As shown, the nozzle device 10 of the first embodiment includes a guide member 12 and a wire 13 in addition to the nozzle 11 .

[0070] The size of the nozzle 11 is set so that its inner diameter d2 is equal to the opening diameter d1 of the opening 4 (see Figure 1 ) or more. Here, the relationship between the opening diameter d1 and the inner diameter d2 is preferably specified so that the overlap amount between the sealant S and the opening edge of the opening portion 4 can be ensured to be 0.1 [mm] or more. As an example, assuming that the nozzle 11 and the opening portion 4 are arranged so that their centers coincide with each other, the inner diameter d2 of the nozzle 11 can be set to be a value greater than the value obtained by adding 0.2 [mm] to the opening diameter d1 of the opening portion 4. In this way, the sealant S can be prevented from passing through the opening portion 4, and the sealant S can be reliably retained on the coating surface 3a side of the substrate 3. The guide member 12 is a cylindrical member having a larger diameter than the nozzle 11, and is arranged around the nozzle 11 in a core-like manner with the nozzle 11. Therefore, the axes of the nozzle 11 and the guide member 12 are consistent with each other. In addition, the flow path cross-sectional shape of the nozzle 11 is not particularly limited, and any flow path cross-sectional shape can be adopted as needed.

[0071] The guide member 12 has a function of defining the vertical positional relationship between the opening 4 of the substrate 3 and the ejection outlet 11a of the nozzle 11. This function is achieved by the front end 12a of the guide member 12 being pressed against the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3. At this time, the guide member 12 is configured such that the front end 12a protrudes from the ejection outlet 11a of the nozzle 11 in the first direction X1 by a protrusion height A. The protrusion height A is constant over the entire circumference of the nozzle 11. In addition, the guide member 12 is configured to be able to Figure 2 The nozzle 11 is supported so as to be relatively movable in the first direction X1 and the second direction X2.

[0072] The metal wire 13 is disposed near the ejection port 11a of the nozzle 11. Typically, the metal wire 13 is a member in the form of a metal wire or a fishing line with the same cross-sectional shape. The cross-sectional shape of the metal wire 13 is not particularly limited, and any cross-sectional shape such as a circle, an ellipse, or a polygon can be adopted. The metal wire 13 is configured to be able to reciprocate in directions (the first direction Y1 and the second direction Y2) transverse to the ejection port 11a by a metal wire driving mechanism (not shown). According to this configuration, the sealant S protruding from the ejection port 11a of the nozzle 11 can be cut off by the metal wire 13. At this time, the metal wire 13 preferably slides along the ejection port 11a in an abutting state in which no gap is formed between the metal wire 13 and the ejection port 11a of the nozzle 11, in a so-called "zero contact" state. Thereby, the cut surface of the sealant S can be made smooth.

[0073] 3. Characteristics of sealant S

[0074] The sealant S used in this embodiment is a highly viscous fluid material. The sealant S is a resin (e.g., a resin such as polyvinyl chloride) sealant that has fluidity at room temperature and a static viscosity at room temperature for maintaining the shape after coating. The sealant S preferably has thixotropy in order to improve fluidity at room temperature. The "room temperature" mentioned here typically includes a temperature in the range of about 5 to 40 [°C].

[0075] like Figure 3 As shown in FIG. 1 , the "thixotropy" of the sealant S refers to the property that the viscosity decreases as the shear rate increases, and the viscosity increases as the shear rate decreases or as time passes after the shear force is stopped. For example, the sealant S has a shear rate of 60 to 10,000 [S / s] at room temperature of 20 [°C]. -1 ] range, and a thixotropic property of a viscosity in the range of 30 to 2 [Pa·S]. According to the thixotropic property as described above, the viscosity becomes low in the area where the shear rate of the sealant S is relatively high, and the viscosity becomes high in the area where the shear rate of the sealant S is relatively low. When the sealant S is ejected from the nozzle 11, the shear rate of the sealant S flowing in the nozzle 11 becomes high by applying the ejection pressure based on the pump 14. At this time, the viscosity of the sealant S temporarily becomes low, so that a certain level of fluidity of the sealant S can be maintained. Therefore, the ejection performance of the sealant S in the nozzle 11 can be improved. On the other hand, the external force does not act on the sealant S ejected from the ejection port 11a of the nozzle 11 and attached to the coating surface of the substrate 3, so the shear rate of the sealant S becomes lower than when ejected. At this time, the viscosity of the sealant S becomes high, so the desired adhesion performance and shape maintenance performance of the sealant S can be ensured. Therefore, once the sealant S is attached to the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3, it is not easy to peel off or droop from the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3.

[0076] Next, refer to Figure 1 , Figures 4 to 10 The coating method of the first embodiment is described below. The coating method is a method of coating the sealant S on the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3 in a manner of sealing the opening 4 using the sealing device 1 having the above-mentioned structure, and is roughly divided into a shape-keeping portion forming step, a shape-keeping portion cutting step, and a recovery step.

[0077] (Shape-retaining portion forming step)

[0078] The shape-retaining portion forming step can be performed according to Figure 5 The time schedule is carried out in sequence Figure 4 The steps from the first step S101 to the third step S103 are performed.

[0079] The first step S101 is to move the nozzle 11 from an initial position (not shown) to Figure 6 In the case of using the sealing device 1 with the above structure, the robot control unit 31 of the control device 30 outputs a control signal to the robot 20 to adjust the posture of the robot arm 21, thereby enabling the first step S101 (see Figure 1 In the following description, this control is simply referred to as "robot control". According to the first step S101, the nozzle 11 moves to a position P1 directly below the substrate opening, and its nozzle 11a is arranged upwardly in a state of being spaced a predetermined distance from the opening 4 and facing the opening 4 (refer to Figure 6 ).

[0080] The second step S102 is a sealant delivery step in which the sealant S is made to protrude from the discharge port 11a of the nozzle 11 to a certain height. When the sealing device 1 having the above-mentioned structure is used, a control signal is output from the pump control unit 32 of the control device 30 to the pump 14 to discharge a certain amount of the sealant S from the discharge port 11a of the nozzle 11, thereby enabling the second step S102 to be executed. At this time, the aforementioned first operation of the pump 14 is executed. According to the second step S102, the nozzle 11 is kept at the position P1 directly below the substrate opening, and the sealant S protrudes upward from the discharge port 11a at a protruding height B (refer to Figure 7 The protruding height B of the protruding portion Sb of the sealant S is preferably set to a dimension that allows the sealant S to protrude higher than the front end portion 12a of the guide member 12. Thus, the sealant S can be reliably attached to the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3 in the subsequent third step S103.

[0081] In addition, if Figure 5As shown in the timing chart, in the first step S101, the second step S102 is preferably performed before the nozzle 11 reaches the position P1 directly below the substrate opening. In this embodiment, the first step S101 and the second step S102 are planned to be completed substantially at the same time. Thus, the time required to complete the second step S102 can be shortened.

[0082] The third step S103 is to follow the second step S102 to move the nozzle 11 in the first direction X1 from Figure 7 The position P1 directly below the substrate opening in the Figure 8 The third step S103 can be performed by the aforementioned robot control. Figure 8 As shown, according to the third step S103, the nozzle 11 is positioned relative to the opening 4 of the substrate 3 by the front end 12a of the guide member 12 abutting against the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3, and the height of the gap G in the vertical direction is set to a predetermined height. At this time, the nozzle 11 is arranged so that its nozzle axis L is perpendicular to the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3. In addition, when the nozzle 11 reaches the sealant attachment position P2, the sealant S is attached to the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3 in a state where the sealant S enters the opening 4 in an amount of the protruding height C from the front end 12a of the guide member 12. Then, the protruding portion Sb of the sealant S protruding from the ejection port 11a of the nozzle 11 forms a shape-keeping portion Sa extending from the ejection port 11a to the coating surface 3a while maintaining a certain shape.

[0083] As described above, the conformal portion forming process of the present method is the following process: the sealant S is sprayed from the nozzle 11 arranged at a gap G from the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3 so that it adheres to the coating surface 3a, thereby forming a conformal portion Sa formed by a protrusion Sb of the sealant S extending from the ejection port 11a of the nozzle 11 to the coating surface 3a.

[0084] (Shape-keeping part cutting process)

[0085] The shape-keeping portion cutting step is a step after the shape-keeping portion forming step, and can be performed according to Figure 5 The time schedule is carried out in sequence Figure 4 The steps from the fourth step S104 to the seventh step S107 are performed.

[0086] The fourth step S104 is to make the nozzle 11 move from the Fig. 9 The step of lowering the sealant attachment position P2 (the position indicated by the double-dashed line) to the cutting position P3 (the position indicated by the solid line). At this time, the nozzle 11 is lowered along the nozzle axis L in the second direction X2 relative to the guide member 12 while maintaining the contact between the front end portion 12a of the guide member 12 and the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3. Fig. 9As shown, according to the fourth step S104 , the shape-conforming portion Sa of the sealant S is slightly elongated by a tensile load according to the amount of descent of the nozzle 11 .

[0087] The fifth step S105 is a step of sliding the metal wire 13 toward the road following the fourth step S104. Fig.10 As shown, according to the fifth step S105, the metal wire 13 is connected in the first direction Y1 from the first position Q1 (refer to Fig. 9 ) slides toward the second position Q2 to cut the shape-keeping portion Sa and separate from the nozzle 11 side. At this time, the shape-keeping portion Sa is cut in a state of being subjected to a tensile load, so that the cut shape-keeping portion Sa can be prevented from being re-bonded with the sealant S on the nozzle 11 side. Therefore, the shape-keeping portion Sa remains on the substrate 3 side in a state of being attached to the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3. As a result, the opening 4 is sealed by the shape-keeping portion Sa remaining on the substrate 3 side.

[0088] In addition, in the above description, Figure 8 to Figure 10 As shown, an example is shown in which a part of the shape-keeping portion Sa is formed to enter the opening portion 4 in the shape-keeping portion forming process (hereinafter referred to as the "entered state"), and then the shape-keeping portion Sa is maintained in the entered state, but forming the entered state and maintaining the entered state are not necessary. For example, a state in which the front end surface of the shape-keeping portion Sa and the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3 are roughly in the same plane (hereinafter referred to as the "non-entered state") can also be formed in the shape-keeping portion forming process, and then the non-entered state of the shape-keeping portion Sa can be maintained. Alternatively, after the shape-keeping portion Sa is formed in the entered state in the shape-keeping portion forming process, the state of the shape-keeping portion Sa is changed from the entered state to the non-entered state in the shape-keeping portion cutting process. If the shape-keeping portion Sa is finally in the above-mentioned entered state, the protruding portion of the shape-keeping portion Sa toward the opening portion 4 is attached to the inner peripheral surface of the opening portion 4, thereby obtaining the effect that the shape-keeping portion Sa is not easily peeled off from the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3. In contrast, if the shape-keeping portion Sa is finally in the above-mentioned non-entered state, the shape-keeping portion Sa is prevented from being excessively thickened, and the quality of the shape-keeping portion Sa is suppressed to a low level.

[0089] The sixth step S106 is to follow the fifth step S105 and move the nozzle 11 from the second direction X2 to the Fig.10 The sixth step S106 is performed by the robot control. According to the sixth step S106, the effect of preventing the cut shape retaining portion Sa from rejoining with the sealant S on the nozzle 11 side can be further improved.

[0090] The seventh step S107 is to move the metal wire 13 from the second position Q2 (refer to Fig.10 ) The circuit slides to the first position Q1 (refer to Figure 6 According to the seventh step S107, the metal wire 13 can be set to a state that satisfies the next cutting.

[0091] As described above, the shape-keeping portion cutting step of the present embodiment is a step of sliding the metal wire 13 in the first direction Y1 that crosses the ejection port 11a of the nozzle 11 relative to the shape-keeping portion Sa formed in the shape-keeping portion forming step, thereby cutting the shape-keeping portion Sa and leaving it attached to the coating surface 3a side. In addition, the shape-keeping portion cutting step of the present embodiment is characterized in that, following the nozzle action of moving the nozzle 11 away from the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3, the metal wire action of sliding the metal wire 13 in the first direction Y1 is performed in conjunction. The "in conjunction" mentioned here means that, as in the first embodiment, after the nozzle action is completed, the metal wire action is performed in conjunction with the nozzle action.

[0092] (Restoration process)

[0093] The recovery process is a process after the shape-preserving part cutting process, which can be performed by Figure 5 The time schedule is carried out in sequence Figure 4 The eighth step S108 and the ninth step S109 are performed.

[0094] The eighth step S108 is a step for determining whether to end the coating process based on a predetermined operation schedule. If the coating process is ended (if it is "yes" in the eighth step S108), the ninth step S109 is entered, and if the coating process is not ended (if it is "no" in the eighth step S108), the process returns to the first step S101. By returning to the first step S101, the nozzle 11 is moved to the position P1 directly below the substrate opening at the next predetermined position. After that, the process from the second step S102 to the seventh step S107 is performed similarly on this position.

[0095] The ninth step S109 is a step of returning the nozzle 11 at the retreat position to the initial position by the aforementioned robot control. According to the ninth step S109, the nozzle 11 and the metal wire 13 are both set to a waiting state that satisfies the next coating process.

[0096] According to the above-mentioned first embodiment, the following effects are obtained.

[0097] In the coating method of the first embodiment, in the conformal portion forming step, a high-viscosity sealant S is ejected from a nozzle 11 disposed at a gap G from the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3 to adhere to the coating surface 3a. Thus, a conformal portion Sa in which the high-viscosity sealant S extends from the ejection port 11a of the nozzle 11 to the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3 is formed. In addition, in the conformal portion cutting step, the metal wire 13 is slid forward in a first direction Y1 that crosses the ejection port 11a of the nozzle 11 relative to the conformal portion Sa formed in the conformal portion forming step. Thus, the conformal portion Sa is cut off and remains in a state of being attached to the coating surface 3a side of the substrate 3. At this time, if the gap size between the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3 and the nozzle 11 is changed according to the purpose, the coating thickness of the conformal portion Sa can be arbitrarily adjusted.

[0098] The sealant S is a highly viscous fluid, and therefore in the shape-keeping portion forming step, it adheres to the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3 due to its adhesion properties to form a shape-keeping portion Sa extending from the ejection port 11a of the nozzle 11 to the coating surface 3a, and exhibits a characteristic of being able to maintain the shape of the shape-keeping portion Sa. In addition, the sealant S with high viscosity as described above exhibits a characteristic that once the shape-keeping portion Sa cut off in the shape-keeping portion cutting step adheres to the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3, the shape-keeping portion Sa is not likely to fall off from the coating surface 3a. Therefore, even if the shape-keeping portion Sa is affected by gravity, vibration, etc. over time, it is not likely to peel off or fall off from the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3. As a result, the coating state of the sealant S on the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3 can be maintained.

[0099] According to the coating method of the first embodiment, the sealant S can be applied by cutting the shape-conforming portion Sa extending from the ejection port 11a of the nozzle 11 to the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3 with the metal wire 13. Thus, the operator can easily perform the coating of the sealant S. In addition, since the sealant S is applied with the gap G between the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3 and the nozzle 11, the coating of the sealant S is not easily affected by the shape of the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3, and the versatility is high.

[0100] As described above, according to the first embodiment, it is possible to provide a technique that is effective in easily applying the high-viscosity sealant S to the application surface 3 a of the substrate 3 .

[0101] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, it is not necessary to prepare and use a sealing member such as a plug for each type of the opening 4 , so that multiple types of sealing members are not required, and the component cost of the sealing member can be reduced.

[0102] Hereinafter, other aspects related to the first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In other aspects, the same elements as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description of the same elements is omitted.

[0103] (Second Embodiment)

[0104] like Fig.11 As shown, in the second embodiment, a nozzle device 10A having a different structure from the nozzle device 10 of the first embodiment is used. The other configurations of the sealing device 1 except the nozzle device 10A are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0105] In the nozzle device 10A, the nozzle 11 is arranged in an inclined state relative to the guide member 12. That is, the nozzle axis L of the nozzle 11 and the guide axis M of the guide member 12 form an inclined angle θ. In this case, the protruding height from the ejection port 11a of the nozzle 11 to the front end portion 12a of the guide member 12 is different in the circumferential direction of the nozzle 11. Fig.11 In the nozzle device 10A, the protrusion height is a maximum protrusion height A1 on the sliding start side of the metal wire 13 and a minimum protrusion height A2 on the sliding end side of the metal wire 13, and the protrusion height changes between the maximum protrusion height A1 and the minimum protrusion height A2 according to the change of the circumferential position.

[0106] Next, refer to Figures 12 to 18 Next, a coating method according to a second embodiment is described. As in the case of the first embodiment, this coating method is roughly divided into a shape retaining portion forming step, a shape retaining portion cutting step, and a recovery step.

[0107] (Shape-retaining portion forming step)

[0108] The shape-retaining portion forming step can be performed according to Fig.13 The time schedule is carried out in sequence Fig.12 The steps from the first step S201 to the third step S203 are performed.

[0109] The first step S201 is similar to the first step S101 of the first embodiment, in which the nozzle 11 is moved from the initial position (not shown) to the position of the nozzle 11 by the aforementioned robot control. Fig.14 According to the first step S201, the nozzle 11 is arranged so that, at the position P1 directly below the substrate opening, its nozzle axis L is perpendicular to the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3. In addition, the second step S202 is a sealant delivery step in which the sealant S protrudes from the discharge port 11a of the nozzle 11 to a certain height, similarly to the first step S101 of the first embodiment. Fig.13 As shown in the timing chart of , the second step S202 is preferably performed before the nozzle 11 reaches the position P1 directly below the substrate opening in the first step S201, thereby shortening the time required to complete the second step S202.

[0110] The third step S203 is a continuation of the second step S202, in which the nozzle 11 is moved from the first direction X1 to the second direction X2 by the aforementioned robot control. Fig.15 The position P1 directly below the substrate opening in the Fig.16 Step of attaching the sealant at position P2. Fig.16 As shown, in the third step S203, the nozzle 11 is positioned relative to the opening 4 of the substrate 3 by the front end 12a of the guide member 12 abutting against the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3. At this time, the nozzle 11 is arranged so that its nozzle axis L is inclined at an angle θ (refer to FIG. 1 ) relative to the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3 due to the inclined structure between the nozzle 11 and the guide member 12. Fig.11 ). In addition, when the nozzle 11 reaches the sealant attachment position P2, the sealant S enters the opening portion 4 by the amount of the protruding height C from the front end portion 12a of the guide member 12 and is attached to the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3 to form the conformal portion Sa. In this way, according to the third step S203, the sealant S is attached to the coating surface 3a to form the conformal portion Sa in an inclined state in which the nozzle 11 is arranged with respect to the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3 in such a manner that the gap G is maximized on the sliding start side (first position Q1 side) of the metal wire 13.

[0111] (Shape-keeping part cutting process)

[0112] The shape-keeping portion cutting step is a step after the shape-keeping portion forming step, and can be performed according to Fig.13 The time schedule is carried out in sequence Fig.12 The steps from the fourth step S204 to the eighth step S208 are performed.

[0113] The fourth step S204 is to start moving the nozzle 11 in the second direction X2 from Fig.16 The sealant attachment position P2 in Fig.17 The middle position P2' in the Fig.18 At this time, the nozzle 11 is lowered along the nozzle axis L relative to the guide member 12 in the second direction X2 while maintaining the front end 12a of the guide member 12 in contact with the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3.

[0114] The fifth step S205 is to start from the fourth step S204 after a predetermined time Δt (refer to Fig.13 ), the step of sliding the metal wire 13 forward is started. According to the fourth step S204 and the fifth step S205, by performing the nozzle operation of the nozzle 11 and the wire operation of the metal wire 13 simultaneously, the shape-keeping portion Sa can be slowly cut while increasing the tensile load applied to the shape-keeping portion Sa. At this time, the shape-keeping portion Sa is cut while being subjected to the tensile load, so that the cut shape-keeping portion Sa can be prevented from being re-bonded with the sealant S on the nozzle 11 side.

[0115] The sixth step S206 is to lower the nozzle 11 to Fig.18 The cutting position P3 in the embodiment of the present invention is as follows: Fig.18 The nozzle movement of the fourth step S204 and the wire movement of the fifth step S205 are stopped at the timing of the second position Q2 in the substrate 3. Through the sixth step S206, the shape-keeping portion Sa separated from the nozzle 11 side remains on the substrate 3 side in a state of being attached to the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3, as in the case of the first embodiment. At this time, the shape-keeping portion Sa may be in a state of entering relative to the opening 4, as in the case of the first embodiment, or may be in a state of not entering relative to the opening 4.

[0116] The seventh step S207 is a continuation of the sixth step S206, in which the nozzle 11 is moved from the second direction X2 to the second direction X3 through the aforementioned robot control. Fig.18 The eighth step S208 is the same as the seventh step S107 of the first embodiment.

[0117] As described above, the shape-keeping portion cutting process of the present embodiment is the following process, similarly to the case of the first embodiment: the metal wire 13 is slid in the first direction Y1 that crosses the ejection port 11a of the nozzle 11 relative to the shape-keeping portion Sa formed in the shape-keeping portion forming process, thereby cutting the shape-keeping portion Sa and leaving it in a state of being attached to the coating surface 3a side. In addition, the shape-keeping portion cutting process of the present embodiment is characterized in that the nozzle action of moving the nozzle 11 away from the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3 and the metal wire action of sliding the metal wire 13 in the first direction Y1 are simultaneously and linkedly performed. The "linked" mentioned here means a method of linking the nozzle action and the metal wire action in a manner of performing the nozzle action and the metal wire action at the same time at the exact same timing.

[0118] (Restoration process)

[0119] The recovery process is a process after the shape-preserving part cutting process, which can be performed by Fig.13 The time schedule is carried out in sequence Fig.12 The ninth step S209 and the tenth step S210 are performed in the embodiment. The ninth step S209 and the tenth step S210 are the same as the eighth step S108 and the ninth step S109 of the first embodiment.

[0120] According to the second embodiment described above, the following effects are obtained.

[0121] In the coating method of the second embodiment, in the shape-keeping portion forming step, when the sealant S is ejected from the nozzle 11 toward the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3, the nozzle 11 is set to an inclined state. This inclined state is a state in which the nozzle 11 is tilted and arranged so that the gap G between the nozzle 11 and the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3 is maximized on the sliding start side of the metal wire 13. Therefore, the shape-keeping portion Sa is formed between the ejection port 11a of the nozzle 11 in the inclined state and the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3. In the subsequent shape-keeping portion cutting step, while the nozzle action is performed to move the nozzle 11 in the inclined state away from the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3 along the nozzle axis L, the metal wire action is performed to cut the shape-keeping portion Sa subjected to a tensile load by the metal wire 13. That is, the nozzle action and the metal wire action are performed simultaneously. If the nozzle 11 is arranged so that the nozzle axis L is perpendicular to the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3 when the nozzle operation and the wire operation are performed simultaneously, the thickness of the shape-keeping portion Sa finally remaining after being attached to the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3 becomes thicker on the side where the sliding of the wire 13 ends than on the side where the sliding of the wire 13 begins. In contrast, if the nozzle 11 is set to the inclined state as described above and the nozzle operation is performed, the shape-keeping portion Sa of a certain thickness can be formed even when the nozzle operation and the wire operation are performed simultaneously.

[0122] Otherwise, the same operational effects as those of the first embodiment are achieved.

[0123] (Third Embodiment)

[0124] In the third embodiment, the nozzle device 10 of the first embodiment (see Figure 2 ). The coating method of the third embodiment is roughly divided into a shape-keeping portion forming step, a shape-keeping portion cutting step, and a recovery step, similarly to the case of the first embodiment. Figure 19 to Figure 24 , the coating method of the third embodiment is described.

[0125] (Shape-retaining portion forming step)

[0126] The shape-retaining portion forming step can be performed by sequentially Fig.19 The steps from the first step S101 to the third step S103 are performed.

[0127] The shape retaining portion forming process of the third embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a second step S102a is added between the second step S102 and the third step S103. The first step 101 is the same as that of the first embodiment, and therefore its detailed description is omitted.

[0128] The second step 102 is a step of sending out the sealant S so that the sealant S protrudes from the discharge port 11a of the nozzle 11 to a certain height. Fig. 20As shown, in the second step 102, the protrusion height B is set based on the predetermined protrusion height D that is finally predetermined for the protrusion portion Sb of the sealant S. At this time, the protrusion height B is set to be higher than the predetermined protrusion height D, and there is a height difference E between the predetermined protrusion height D. Then, the above-mentioned first operation of the pump 14 is performed so that the protrusion portion Sb protrudes from the discharge port 11a of the nozzle 11 at the protrusion height B, and the sealant S is discharged in the protrusion direction X1. In addition, the operating conditions (for example, the operation time of the pump 14, the discharge pressure, etc.) during the first operation of the pump 14 at this time are preferably set based on the test operation results performed in advance by appropriately changing the operating conditions.

[0129] When the highly viscous sealant S is ejected in the protruding direction X1 in the second step 102, adhesion resistance acts between the sealant S and the inner surface 11b of the nozzle 11. At this time, the second portion Sd of the sealant S on the nozzle outer peripheral side is more susceptible to the adhesion resistance than the first portion Sc near the nozzle center.

[0130] Therefore, according to the second step 102, in the protruding portion Sb of the sealant S, the first portion Sc first protrudes in the protruding direction X1, and the second portion Sd flows in the protruding direction X1 with delay. As a result, the protruding portion Sb is formed to be inclined downward from the first portion Sc toward the second portion Sd. At this time, the front end surface Se of the protruding portion Sb becomes a curved surface with the protruding side as a convex portion.

[0131] Step 2a 102a is a step of attracting the sealant S. Fig.21 As shown, in the second step 102a, the aforementioned second operation of the pump 14 is performed to suck the sealant S in the introduction direction X2 until the front end surface Se of the protrusion Sb becomes flat. In addition, the timing of switching the pump 14 from the first operation to the second operation and the operating conditions during the second operation (for example, the operation time of the pump 14, the discharge pressure, etc.) are preferably set based on the test operation results performed in advance by appropriately changing the operating conditions.

[0132] When the highly viscous sealant S is sucked in the introduction direction X2 in step 2a 102a, the first portion Sc of the protruding portion Sb of the sealant S, which is less affected by the adhesion resistance, is first introduced in the introduction direction X2, so its flow degree (sinking amount) is large. That is, in the protruding portion Sb, the first portion Sc moves back to the introduction direction X2 early and sinks greatly. In contrast, in the protruding portion Sb, the second portion Sd, which is more affected by the adhesion resistance, is introduced in the introduction direction X2 late, so its flow degree is small.

[0133] Therefore, according to step 102a, by utilizing the adhesion resistance between the highly viscous sealant S and the inner surface 11b of the nozzle 11, the protrusion height of the protrusion Sb becomes the predetermined protrusion height D, and the front end surface Se of the protrusion Sb can be changed from the bent state ( Fig.21 The state indicated by the double-dashed line in the figure) changes to a flat state ( Fig.21 The shape of the protrusion Sb is adjusted in the manner indicated by the solid line in FIG.

[0134] The “flat state” referred to here means a state in which the front end surface Se of the protrusion Sb is a substantially flat surface. Therefore, a state in which the front end surface Se of the protrusion Sb has minute irregularities is also included in the flat state referred to here.

[0135] The third step 103 is to move the nozzle 11 from Fig.21 The position P1 directly below the substrate opening in the Fig. 22 According to the third step 103, the front end surface Se of the protruding portion Sb of the sealant S can be pressed against the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3 to make it adhere. Thus, the protruding portion Sb of the sealant S extends from the ejection port 11a of the nozzle 11 to the coating surface 3a to form a shape-keeping portion Sa.

[0136] However, in the third step 103 of the third embodiment, if Fig. 22 As shown in FIG. 1 , the nozzle 11 is moved upward so that the protrusion Sb enters the opening 4 by a small height difference F corresponding to the downward tilt dimension of the second portion Sd. As a result, the second portion Sd of the protrusion Sb of the sealant S can be reliably attached to the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3. In addition, the height difference F at this time is smaller than the height difference E (see FIG. 1 ). Fig. 20 ).

[0137] (Shape-keeping part cutting process)

[0138] The shape-preserving portion cutting process can be performed in sequence Fig.19 The fourth step S104 to the seventh step S107 are performed.

[0139] like Fig.23 As shown in FIG. 1 , the fourth step S104 is a step of lowering the nozzle 11 from the sealant attachment position P2 (a position indicated by a two-dot chain line) to the cutting position P3 (a position indicated by a solid line) in the same manner as in the first embodiment. According to the third step 103, by lowering the nozzle 11 to the cutting position P3, the shape-retaining portion Sa of the sealant S is slightly extended by a tensile load according to the amount of lowering of the nozzle 11 until it reaches a predetermined protruding height D.

[0140] like Fig.24As shown in the fifth step S105, the metal wire 13 is moved from the first position Q1 (see Fig.23 ) The step of sliding the nozzle 100 to the second position Q2. According to the fifth step S105, the shape-keeping portion Sa is cut off and separated from the nozzle 11 side. In this embodiment, the shape-keeping portion Sa remains on the substrate 3 side while being attached to the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3 in a state of a certain thickness.

[0141] In addition, other steps and processes are the same as those in the first embodiment, and therefore their detailed descriptions are omitted.

[0142] According to the third embodiment described above, the following effects are obtained.

[0143] In the coating method of the third embodiment, when the highly viscous sealant S is ejected from the nozzle 11, adhesion resistance acts between the sealant S and the inner surface 11b of the nozzle 11. Therefore, the protrusion Sb of the sealant S is formed so that the first part Sc near the center of the nozzle first protrudes in the protrusion direction X1, and the second part Sd is inclined downward from the first part Sc toward the outer peripheral side of the nozzle. Thereafter, when the sealant S is attracted, adhesion resistance also acts between the sealant S and the inner surface 11b of the nozzle 11. At this time, in the protrusion Sb of the sealant S, the first part Sc is first introduced into the introduction direction X2. Therefore, the degree of unevenness of the front end face Se of the protrusion Sb can be suppressed to a small level, and the adhesion performance of the sealant S when the front end face Se of the protrusion Sb is pushed to the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3 can be improved.

[0144] In summary, in this embodiment, the front end surface Se of the protruding portion Sb of the sealant S is flattened and pressed against the coating surface 3a of the substrate 3. This can further improve the adhesion performance of the sealant S. In addition, by making the front end surface Se of the protruding portion Sb of the sealant S flat, the protruding portion Sb can be adjusted to a predetermined protruding height D (see FIG. 1 ) without excessively protruding from the ejection port 11a of the nozzle 11. Fig.24 ). Thus, the cutting performance of the shape-keeping portion Sa by the metal wire 13 can be stabilized, and poor cutting of the shape-keeping portion Sa can be prevented.

[0145] In addition, according to the coating method of the third embodiment, the sealant S is sucked in such a way that the front end surface Se of the protrusion Sb becomes flat, thereby eliminating the need to excessively press the front end surface Se of the protrusion Sb against the opening surface in order to ensure the desired sealing performance. Fig.21 ) It is sufficient to push the protrusion Sb to the opening surface, and there is no need to increase the height difference E by an amount greater than the height difference F (refer to Fig. 20) is pushed to the opening surface. Thus, it is possible to prevent the sealant S from excessively entering the opening 4 of the substrate 3 and sinking in. Furthermore, by preventing the protrusion Sb from sinking into the opening 4 of the substrate 3, the shape-keeping portion Sa remaining on the coating surface 3a side of the substrate 3 after cutting can be formed into a beautiful shape with a certain thickness. As a result, the opening 4 of the substrate 3 can be blocked with a minimum of sealant S, the material cost of the sealant S can be reduced, and the weight increase of the substrate 3 can be prevented.

[0146] Otherwise, the same operational effects as those of the first embodiment are achieved.

[0147] Furthermore, the characteristic parts of the shape retaining portion forming step of the third embodiment may be applied to the shape retaining portion forming step of the second embodiment.

[0148] The present invention is described based on the above-mentioned embodiments, but it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned modes and structures. The present invention includes various modifications and variations within the scope of equality. On this basis, various combinations and modes, further including only combining one element in various combinations and modes, combining other combinations and modes above or below them, also fall into the category and scope of thought of the present invention. For example, the following modes of applying the above-mentioned modes can also be implemented.

[0149] In the above embodiment, the sealant S is sprayed upward from the nozzle 11a. However, the spraying direction of the sealant S may be appropriately changed to downward, horizontal, obliquely upward, obliquely downward, etc. depending on the shape and configuration of the substrate 3.

[0150] In the above-described embodiment, the case where the nozzle 11 is moved by robot control is exemplified. However, the nozzle 11 may be moved by mechanical control instead of or in addition to this, or the operator may directly move the nozzle 11 by holding the nozzle 11 with fingers.

[0151] In the above-mentioned method, the technology of sealing the opening portion 4 of the substrate 3 constituting the bottom of the vehicle body 2 with the sealant S is exemplified, but the sealing location is not limited thereto, and the technology can be applied to the technology of sealing the opening portion of the component constituting the element other than the bottom of the vehicle body 2 with the sealant S, and the technology of sealing the opening portion of the component provided in the object other than the motor vehicle with the sealant S.

[0152] In the above embodiment, the coating method of coating the sealant S on the opening surface, that is, the coating surface 3 a of the substrate 3 is exemplified. However, the coating method can of course be applied to a technique of coating the sealant S on a flat surface or a surface with uneven surfaces.

Claims

1. A method for coating a fluid, which is a method for coating a fluid with high viscosity on a coating surface of a workpiece, wherein: The coating method of the flowable object has the following characteristics: a shape-keeping portion forming step, in which the fluid is attached to the coating surface by ejecting the fluid from a nozzle disposed at a gap from the coating surface, thereby forming a shape-keeping portion in which the fluid extends from the ejection port of the nozzle to the coating surface; as well as A shape-keeping portion cutting process, in which the metal wire is slid relative to the shape-keeping portion formed in the shape-keeping portion forming process in a transverse direction of the ejection outlet of the nozzle, thereby cutting off the shape-keeping portion and leaving the shape-keeping portion attached to the coating surface side.

2. The method for coating a flowing object according to claim 1, wherein: In the shape-keeping portion forming process, after the fluid is ejected in a manner that the protrusion of the fluid protrudes from the nozzle outlet, the fluid is attracted in a manner that the protrusion flows in an introduction direction, and the front end surface of the protrusion is pushed to the coating surface so that the front end surface of the protrusion adheres to the coating surface.

3. The method for coating a flowing object according to claim 2, wherein: In the shape retaining portion forming step, the fluid is sucked until the front end surface of the protrusion becomes flat.

4. The method for coating a flowing object according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: In the shape retaining portion cutting step, after the shape retaining portion is formed, a nozzle operation of moving the nozzle away from the coating surface of the workpiece along a nozzle axis and a wire operation of sliding the wire in the transverse direction are performed in conjunction with each other.

5. The method for coating a flowing object according to claim 4, wherein: In the shape-keeping portion forming step, the shape-keeping portion is formed by attaching the fluid to the coating surface in an inclined state in which the nozzle is arranged with respect to the coating surface of the workpiece in such a manner that the gap is largest on the sliding start side of the metal wire, In the shape retaining portion cutting step, the nozzle operation and the wire operation are performed simultaneously.

6. The method for coating a flowing object according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The coating surface of the workpiece is an open surface.

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