Seal material manufacturing method, filling device and seal material manufacturing apparatus

Abstract

To provide a seal material manufacturing method which can suppress leakage of an ultraviolet curable seal material composition between an upper mold and a lower mold, in a method for manufacturing a seal material by an ultraviolet curing method, a filling device and a seal material manufacturing apparatus.SOLUTION: A seal material manufacturing method includes a filling step of filling a mold with an ultraviolet curable seal material composition using a filling machine, wherein the mold is composed of an upper mold and a lower mold, and in the filling step, a presser plate is arranged above the upper mold, and the mold is filled with the ultraviolet curable seal material composition while pressing the upper mold against the lower mold by the presser plate.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a sealing material, a filling device, and an apparatus for manufacturing a sealing material. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a method for producing a sealing material by filling a thermosetting rubber composition into a mold and subjecting it to hot press molding. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-177720 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] As a method for producing a sealant, an ultraviolet curing method has been considered in which an ultraviolet curable sealant composition is filled in a mold and cured by ultraviolet irradiation. Since the ultraviolet curing method cures an ultraviolet curable sealant composition by ultraviolet irradiation, the production time of the sealant is shorter and there is a tendency for no heat to be generated compared to the conventional thermal crosslinking method in which a thermosetting rubber composition is thermally crosslinked. The mold used for producing the sealant is often composed of multiple mold parts to make it easier to remove the cured sealant from the mold.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a sealant, a filling device, and an apparatus for producing a sealant, which can suppress leakage of an ultraviolet-curable sealant composition between an upper mold and a lower mold in a method for producing a sealant by an ultraviolet curing method. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention provides the following sealing material manufacturing method, filling device, and sealing material manufacturing apparatus. [1] A method for manufacturing a sealing material, comprising the steps of: A filling step of filling the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition into a mold using a filling machine. Including, The mold is composed of an upper mold and a lower mold, In the filling step, a pressure plate is placed above the upper mold, and the upper mold is pressed against the lower mold by the pressure plate. [2] The method for manufacturing a sealing material described in [1], further comprising applying a load to the pressure plate using the filling machine. [3] A method for manufacturing a sealing material described in [2], further comprising disposing a spring between the filling machine and the pressure plate. [4] The method further includes a mold preparation step of preparing the mold before the filling step; The method further includes, after the filling step, an irradiation step of irradiating the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition with ultraviolet light and a demolding step of removing the sealant from the mold, The mold filled with the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition in the filling step is transported to the irradiation step; The method for producing a sealing material according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the mold from which the sealing material was removed in the mold releasing step is returned to the mold preparing step. [5] The method for producing a sealing material according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the mold is formed from at least one material selected from the group consisting of glass, quartz, a polyester-based resin, a polycarbonate-based resin, an acrylic-based resin, a tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer, polyvinylidene fluoride, polyvinyl fluoride, a tetrafluoroethylene-ethylene copolymer, polychlorotrifluoroethylene, and a cycloolefin polymer. [6] A filling device for filling a mold with an ultraviolet-curable sealant composition, comprising: The mold is composed of an upper mold and a lower mold, A filling device comprising a means for pressing the upper die against the lower die by a pressing plate. [7] further comprising a filling machine; A filling device as described in [6], in which a spring is disposed between the filling machine and the pressure plate, and the filling machine is lowered to apply a load to the pressure plate via the spring. [8] A sealing material manufacturing apparatus comprising the filling device described in [6] or [7]. [9] A mold for use in the method for producing a sealing material according to any one of [1] to [5], the mold being made of at least one material selected from the group consisting of glass, quartz, polyester-based resins, polycarbonate-based resins, acrylic-based resins, tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymers, polyvinylidene fluoride, polyvinyl fluoride, tetrafluoroethylene-ethylene copolymers, polychlorotrifluoroethylene, and cycloolefin polymers. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a method for producing a sealant by an ultraviolet curing method, a filling device, and an apparatus for producing a sealant that can suppress leakage of an ultraviolet-curable sealant composition between an upper mold and a lower mold. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the filling step. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view for explaining an example of the filling step. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view for explaining another example of the filling step. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a method for manufacturing the sealing material. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a schematic method for continuously producing a sealing material. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view that illustrates a schematic diagram of a manufacturing apparatus for a sealing material. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment. In all of the drawings, the scale of each component is appropriately adjusted to make it easier to understand, and the scale of each component shown in the drawings does not necessarily match the scale of the actual component.

[0010] <Method of manufacturing the sealing material> The method for producing a sealant of the present invention includes a filling step of filling a mold with an ultraviolet-curable sealant composition using a filling machine. The mold is composed of an upper mold and a lower mold. In the filling step, a pressing plate is placed above the upper mold, and the upper mold is pressed against the lower mold by the pressing plate.

[0011] In the method for producing a sealant, a sealant can be produced by curing an ultraviolet-curable sealant composition in a mold. In addition to the filling step, the method for producing a sealant can further include a mold preparation step of preparing a mold, an irradiation step of irradiating the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition filled in the mold with ultraviolet light, and a demolding step of removing the sealant from the mold. When the mold is transportable, a plurality of molds can be used and transported between steps, thereby making it possible to carry out a plurality of steps independently and continuously, thereby making it possible to increase the productivity of the sealant.

[0012] The filling step can be performed by using a filling device. The filling step will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the filling step. The filling device 100 includes a filling machine 10 and a pressing plate 12.

[0013] In the filling step, as shown in FIG. 1, first, a pressing plate 12 and a mold 13 are placed under a filling machine 10. The mold 13 is composed of an upper mold 13a and a lower mold 13b. In FIG. 1, the upper mold 13a and the lower mold 13b of the mold 13 are placed in a state where they are separated from each other, but the upper mold 13a and the lower mold 13b may be placed in a state where they are combined with each other. The mold 13 is removable from the filling device 100. The mold 13 can be transported, for example, from a step (for example, a mold preparation step) prior to the filling step, installed in the filling device 100, filled with the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition, and then transported to the step following the filling step.

[0014] In the filling step, the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition can be filled into the mold 13 using a filling machine 10. The filling machine 10 includes a filling nozzle 11. The filling machine 10 can include one or more filling nozzles. The filling machine 10 can include a material filling port 14. The ultraviolet-curable sealant composition can be fed from the material filling port 14 to the filling nozzle 11. The tip shape of the filling nozzle 11 may be cylindrical (not having a tapered portion described below) or may be a truncated cone shape (the cross-sectional shape is shown as a trapezoid in FIG. 1). When the tip shape is cylindrical, it tends to be easier to improve the sealing between the filling nozzle 11 and the mold 13.

[0015] When the tip shape of the filling nozzle 11 is a truncated cone shape, the filling nozzle 11 may have a tapered portion 11a. When the filling nozzle 11 has the tapered portion 11a, the filling nozzle insertion portion 18 into which the filling nozzle 11 is inserted can be easily brought close to the cavity portion 17, so that the runner portion can be shortened. By pressing the upper mold 13a with the filling machine 10 and sealing with the tapered portion 11a and the tapered portion 18a of the filling nozzle insertion portion 18, the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition can be filled without leakage between the filling nozzle 11 and the upper mold 13a.

[0016] The filling nozzle 11 can be positioned to match the position of a filling nozzle insertion portion 18 so that it can be inserted into the filling nozzle insertion portion 18 described below.

[0017] A sealing mechanism may be provided at the tip 11b of the filling nozzle 11. As the sealing mechanism, for example, a sealing material (such as an O-ring) can be disposed.

[0018] When the diameter of stuffing nozzle 11 is a distance D shown in FIG. 1, diameter D of stuffing nozzle 11 may be, for example, 0.5 to 50 mm, preferably 1 to 20 mm, and more preferably 1 to 10 mm.

[0019] The pressing plate 12 may be made of, for example, a metal. Examples of metals include iron and stainless steel (SUS). The pressing plate 12 may be flat. The thickness of the pressing plate 12 may be, for example, 5 to 10 mm. If the thickness of the pressing plate 12 is within the above range, leakage of the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition to the outside of the cavity of the mold 13 can be easily suppressed.

[0020] Presser plate 12 may have a nozzle through-hole 15 for inserting filling nozzle 11 into mold 13. Stuffing nozzle 11 can be inserted through nozzle through-hole 15 into filling nozzle insertion portion 18 described below.

[0021] The upper mold 13a is pressed against the lower mold 13b by the pressing plate 12. The mold 13 can be filled with the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition while the upper mold 13a is pressed against the lower mold 13b by the pressing plate 12. In addition, the upper mold 13a and the lower mold 13b can be fixed with a clamping jig described later while the upper mold 13a is pressed against the lower mold 13b by the pressing plate 12, and the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition can be filled into the mold 13. By filling the mold 13 with the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition while the upper mold 13a is pressed against the lower mold 13b, it is possible to easily prevent the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition from leaking out of the cavity of the mold 13.

[0022] The pressure when the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition is filled into the mold (filling pressure) may be, for example, 0.05 to 15 MPa, and preferably 0.1 to 1 MPa.

[0023] Methods of pressing the upper die 13a against the lower die 13b with the pressure plate 12 include, for example, a method in which a linkage mechanism 24 is arranged to simultaneously lower the filling machine 10 and the pressure plate 12, and a load is applied to the pressure plate 12 by lowering the filling machine 10, or a method in which the pressure plate 12 is lowered using a mechanism (hereinafter also referred to as the second mechanism) for lowering the pressure plate 12 that is separate from the mechanism (hereinafter also referred to as the first mechanism) for lowering the filling machine 10.

[0024] When applying a load to the presser plate 12, the presser plate 12 and the mold 13 can be removed from the conveying system and placed on a stage having a larger load-bearing capacity. This allows a larger load to be applied to the presser plate 12, and the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition can be filled with a large force such as hydraulic pressure.

[0025] Fig. 2 shows a state in which the filling machine 10 is lowered from the state in Fig. 1, thereby pressing the upper die 13a against the lower die 13b while applying a load to the pressure plate 12. A spring can be disposed between the filling machine 10 and the pressure plate 12. By disposing the spring, the load applied to the pressure plate 12 by lowering the filling machine 10 can be made appropriate.

[0026] FIG. 3 shows a state in which the second mechanism 27 is used to lower the presser plate 12 in the direction of the arrow to press the upper die 13a against the lower die 13b.

[0027] The upper mold 13a is pressed against the lower mold 13b while applying a load to the pressing plate 12 by the filling machine 10 or the second mechanism 27, and then the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition can be filled into the mold 13. In order to facilitate the flow of the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition, the inside of the mold 13 can be evacuated from the exhaust port 25 while or before filling the mold 13 with the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition from the filling nozzle 11. A mold sealant 26 may be disposed to facilitate evacuation, and a sealant (e.g., an O-ring, etc.) may be disposed at the tip of the filling nozzle. The mold sealant 26 may be, for example, an O-ring, etc.

[0028] The load applied to the pressing plate 12 can be a force greater than the filling pressure of the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition. When the mold sealant 26 is disposed in the lower mold 13b, the load applied to the pressing plate 12 can be a force greater than the sum of the filling pressure of the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition and the repulsive force of the mold sealant 26. The load (MPa) applied to the pressing plate 12 can be, for example, 0.05 MPa higher than the filling pressure of the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition. When the load applied to the pressing plate 12 is within the above range, leakage of the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition out of the cavity 17 from the joint between the upper mold 13a and the lower mold 13b tends to be easily suppressed.

[0029] The upper mold 13a is pressed against the lower mold 13b while applying a load to the pressing plate 12 by the filling machine 10 or the second mechanism 27, and then the upper mold 13a and the lower mold 13b are clamped by a clamping jig (not shown) to fix them in that state. The mold in which the upper mold 13a and the lower mold 13b are clamped and fixed by the clamping jig maintains the state in which the upper mold 13a is pressed against the lower mold 13b even after the load by the pressing plate 12 is removed after filling with the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition, so that it is possible to transport the mold before the subsequent irradiation step while suppressing leakage of the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition to the outside of the cavity 17. The clamping jig may be, for example, a clamp or a screw. The clamping force by the clamping jig may be the same as or greater than the load applied to the pressing plate 12.

[0030] The upper mold 13a can usually have ultraviolet light transmittance in order to irradiate ultraviolet light to the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition filled in the mold 13 and cure it. The ultraviolet light transmittance of the upper mold 13a may be, for example, 80% or more in terms of light transmittance at a wavelength of 365 nm, and is preferably 90% or more, more preferably 95% or more, and usually 100% or less, from the viewpoint of the curability of the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition. The entire mold 13 may have ultraviolet light transmittance, or only a portion necessary for curing the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition may have ultraviolet light transmittance.

[0031] The upper mold 13a is formed of a material having ultraviolet light transmittance. The upper mold 13a may be formed of a material having ultraviolet light transmittance in a portion that needs to have ultraviolet light transmittance, and the other portion may be made of a material not having ultraviolet light transmittance. Examples of the material having ultraviolet light transmittance include glass, quartz, polyester resin, polycarbonate resin, acrylic resin, tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkylvinylether copolymer (PFA), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polyvinyl fluoride (PVF), tetrafluoroethylene-ethylene copolymer (ETFE), polychlorotrifluoroethylene (ECTFE), cycloolefin polymer (COP), and the like. Among them, tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkylvinylether copolymer (PFA) and acrylic resin are preferred from the viewpoint of handling and transparency, and acrylic resin is more preferred. The material having ultraviolet light transmittance may be used alone or in combination of two or more kinds. The material constituting the upper mold 13a is preferably an acrylic resin or a tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkylvinylether copolymer (PFA), and more preferably an acrylic resin.

[0032] The thickness of the upper mold 13a can be, for example, 20 mm or less. When the thickness of the upper mold 13a is within the above range, the ultraviolet transmittance can be easily increased, and the distance between the ultraviolet curable sealant composition filled in the mold and the light source of the ultraviolet light to be irradiated can be easily reduced, so that the ultraviolet curable sealant composition can be efficiently cured. When the thickness of the upper mold 13a is 20 mm or less, warping usually occurs due to the filling pressure of the ultraviolet curable sealant composition, and a gap tends to easily occur between the upper mold 13a and the lower mold 13b. However, according to the present invention, even when the thickness of the upper mold 13a is 20 mm or less, the upper mold 13a is pressed against the lower mold 13b while filling, so that warping of the upper mold 13a is suppressed, and it is possible to easily suppress the ultraviolet curable sealant composition from leaking out of the cavity of the mold 13. The thickness of the upper mold 13a is preferably 15 mm or less, more preferably 10 mm or less, and even more preferably 5 mm or less, and may be, for example, 1 mm or more. When the upper surface of the upper die 13a is flat, it tends to be easier to press down with the presser plate 12. In this specification, the thicknesses of the upper die and the lower die are the thicknesses of the thickest parts of the upper die 13a and the lower die 13b in the direction in which they are pressed down by the presser plate 12.

[0033] The materials exemplified as the materials for the upper mold 13a are applicable as examples of materials for forming the lower mold 13b. The materials for forming the upper mold 13a and the lower mold 13b may be the same type or different types. The thickness of the lower mold 13b may be a thickness that can withstand the load of the pressing plate 12 and the filling pressure of the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition.

[0034] As shown in Fig. 1, when the pressing plate 12 and the mold 13 are arranged under the filling machine 10, a substrate 16 that forms a sealant may be arranged between the upper mold 13a and the lower mold 13b. The substrate 16 may be, for example, one type selected from the group consisting of a film, a plate material, and a molded product. The substrate 16 may be, for example, a metal plate, etc., and may preferably be made of SUS or the like. The substrate 16 may be included in the product together with the sealant.

[0035] The mold 13 may have a cavity 17. The cavity 17 may be formed by an upper mold 13a and a lower mold 13b. When a substrate 16 is disposed as shown in FIG. 1, the cavity 17 is formed by the upper mold 13a and the substrate 16.

[0036] The cavity 17 can have a shape corresponding to the shape of the sealing material to be manufactured. The sealing material can be formed by curing the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition filled in the cavity 17.

[0037] The mold 13 can include a filling nozzle insertion section 18 into which the filling nozzle 11 for filling the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition is inserted. The shape of the filling nozzle insertion section 18 is preferably a shape that allows it to fit with the filling nozzle 11. As described above, when the filling nozzle 11 has the tapered section 11a, the filling nozzle insertion section 18 can have the tapered section 18a. When the filling nozzle 11 is cylindrical and does not have the tapered section 11a, the shape of the filling nozzle insertion section 18 can be cylindrical and does not have the tapered section.

[0038] The tapered portion 18a can have the same taper angle as the tapered portion 11a from the viewpoint of the sealing property between the filling nozzle 11 and the mold 13. As a result, when the filling nozzle 11 is pressed against the mold 13 and a load is applied, the surface that is in close contact between the filling nozzle 11 and the mold 13 becomes wider, and as a result, the sealing property between the filling nozzle 11 and the mold 13 is improved, and leakage of the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition between the filling nozzle 11 and the mold 13 tends to be easily suppressed. The taper angle of the tapered portion 18a (the smaller angle between the horizontal direction and the tapered portion 18a in FIG. 1) may be, for example, 0° or more and less than 90°, and is preferably 30° or more and 60° or less. The taper angle of the tapered portion 18a can be adjusted, for example, depending on the location where the cavity portion 17 is arranged.

[0039] The mold 13 may further include a runner portion 19. The filling nozzle insert 18 may be connected to the runner portion 19, which may be connected to the cavity portion 17.

[0040] The mold 13 may have one or more of each of the filling nozzle insertion portion 18, the cavity portion 17, and the runner portion 19. When the mold 13 has a plurality of filling nozzle insertion portions 18, it becomes possible to fill the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition from a plurality of positions, and the time for the filling step can be shortened. The filling nozzle insertion portion 18 may be arranged so as to be directly connected to the cavity portion 17, or may be arranged so as to be connected to the cavity portion 17 via the runner portion 19. The runner portion 19 can be a path through which the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition flows to the cavity portion 17.

[0041] If the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition remains in the runner, the remaining ultraviolet-curable sealant composition will be cured by ultraviolet irradiation, and the cured product will not be able to be removed from the runner, which may result in difficulty in molding the sealant continuously. Therefore, it is preferable to arrange the filling nozzle insertion part 18 and the hollow part 17 so that the runner part 19 is as short as possible.

[0042] The lower die 13b may have a protrusion 21 for fixing the presser plate 12 and the upper die 13a. The protrusion 21 can be inserted into the through hole 22 of the presser plate 12 and the through hole 23 of the upper die 13a to fix the lower die 13b, the presser plate 12, and the upper die 13a.

[0043] The ultraviolet-curable sealant composition filled in the mold 13 is a composition that has the property of being cured when irradiated with ultraviolet rays. The ultraviolet-curable sealant composition may contain an ultraviolet-curable resin component and a photopolymerization initiator.

[0044] Examples of the ultraviolet-curable resin component include rubber-based resins, polyolefin-based resins, acrylic-based resins, epoxy resins, silicone-based resins, urethane-based resins, vinyl alkyl ether-based resins, polyvinylpyrrolidone-based resins, polyacrylamide-based resins, and cellulose-based resins. The ultraviolet-curable resin component may include polyolefin-based resins, acrylic resins, or epoxy resins. These cured products have crosslinking points and can have rubber elasticity.

[0045] Examples of rubber-based resins include isoprene rubber, butadiene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, chloroprene rubber, nitrile rubber, ethylene propylene rubber, chlorosulfonated polyethylene rubber, acrylic rubber, fluororubber, epichlorohydrin rubber, urethane rubber, silicone rubber, etc. Examples of polyolefin-based resins include polyisobutylene, etc. Examples of commercially available ultraviolet-curable sealing material compositions containing polyolefin-based resins include ThreeBond3178 (manufactured by ThreeBond Co., Ltd.).

[0046] The content of the ultraviolet curable resin component in the solid content of the ultraviolet curable sealant composition may be, for example, 50% by mass or more, preferably 50% by mass or more, more preferably 60% by mass or more, even more preferably 70% by mass or more, particularly preferably 80% by mass or more, and extremely preferably 90% by mass or more. The content of the ultraviolet curable resin component in the solid content of the ultraviolet curable sealant composition may be, for example, 99% by mass or less, or 98% by mass or less.

[0047] Examples of the photopolymerization initiator include a photocationic polymerization initiator and a photoradical polymerization initiator.

[0048] The content of the photopolymerization initiator may be, for example, 0.001 parts by mass or more and 10 parts by mass or less, preferably 0.005 parts by mass or more and 10 parts by mass or less, and more preferably 0.01 parts by mass or more and 10 parts by mass or less, relative to 100 parts by mass of the ultraviolet-curable resin component.

[0049] The ultraviolet-curable sealant composition may further contain a crosslinking agent, other resin components, additives, fillers, and the like.

[0050] The viscosity of the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition may be, for example, 500 Pa·s or less, and from the viewpoint of filling, is preferably 300 Pa·s or less, more preferably 200 Pa·s or less. The viscosity of the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition is measured, for example, using a B-type viscometer. To facilitate filling, the viscosity of the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition may be reduced by heating.

[0051] The method for producing the sealant may be a method for continuously producing the sealant. As shown in FIG. 4, the method for producing the sealant may include a mold preparation step (S10), a filling step (S20), an irradiation step (S30), and a demolding step (S40). The mold filled with the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition in the filling step (S20) is transported to the irradiation step (S30), and the mold from which the sealant is removed in the demolding step can be returned to the mold preparation step. The method for producing the sealant shown in FIG. 4 further includes an inspection step (S50) for inspecting the removed sealant, a packaging step (S60) for packaging the sealant, a cleaning step (S70) for cleaning the mold returned to the mold preparation step (S10), and a release agent application step (S80) for applying a release agent to the mold after cleaning. The method for producing the sealant may be performed continuously from the mold preparation step (S10) to the release agent application step (S80). After the demolding step (S40), the mold is returned to the mold preparation step (S10), whereby the above steps can be repeatedly carried out continuously.

[0052] The method for continuously manufacturing the sealing material is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include a method in which the above steps are performed in series while the mold is conveyed in a straight line (hereinafter also referred to as the straight line method), a method in which the above straight line methods are performed in a line (hereinafter also referred to as the multi-line method), a method in which the above steps are performed while the mold is conveyed in a concentric circle (hereinafter also referred to as the rotation method), etc. In addition, a plurality of steps may be integrated and performed as a single process, or a plurality of steps may be performed in parallel.

[0053] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a method for continuously manufacturing a sealing material, with the direction of conveyance of the mold indicated by an arrow. The method shown in FIG. 5(a) is a linear method in which steps a1, a2, a3, and a4 are continuously performed in this order, the mold is collected in step a4 (e.g., demolding step), and the mold is returned to step a1 (e.g., mold preparation step). The method shown in FIG. 5(b) is a linear method in which steps a1, a2, a3, and a4 are continuously performed in this order, while step a2 is performed multiple times in parallel, the mold is collected in step a4 (e.g., demolding step), and the mold is returned to step a1 (e.g., mold preparation step). The method shown in FIG. 5(c) is a rotational method in which steps a1, a2, a3, and a4 are continuously performed in this order, and in step a2, the mold is treated while being conveyed concentrically in the order of 1 to 8. As shown in FIG. 5(c), for example, the product can be removed from the mold in step a3 (e.g., a demolding step), the mold can be returned to step a1 (e.g., a mold preparation step), and the product can be transported to the subsequent step a4 (e.g., an inspection step, etc.).

[0054] In the method for producing the sealing material, the time (takt time) from the mold preparation step, through the filling step and irradiation step, to the removal of the sealing material in the demolding step may be, for example, 60 seconds or less, preferably 50 seconds or less, more preferably 40 seconds or less, even more preferably 30 seconds or less, particularly preferably 20 seconds or less, and extremely preferably 10 seconds or less.

[0055] The type of the sealing material produced by the method for producing a sealing material is not particularly limited. The use of the sealing material produced by the method for producing a sealing material is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a vehicle, an aircraft, a ship, an internal combustion engine, a manufacturing device, a plant, a medical product, a building, a semiconductor, a food, a battery, etc. In addition, the sealing material of the present invention can be combined with a mold, a resin part, or various sheets to form an integrally molded product or a composite product.

[0056] <Filling equipment> A filling device according to another embodiment of the present invention is a filling device for filling a mold with an ultraviolet-curable sealant composition, the mold being composed of an upper mold and a lower mold, and including a means for pressing the upper mold against the lower mold by a pressing plate. The above-mentioned explanations apply to the filling device, the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition, the mold, the upper mold, the lower mold, and the pressing plate. The filling device can include the above-mentioned filling machine.

[0057] The means for pressing the upper die against the lower die by the pressure plate may be, for example, a means for lowering the filling machine, or a means capable of applying a load directly to the pressure plate other than lowering the filling machine.

[0058] When the means for pressing the upper die against the lower die by the pressure plate is a means for lowering the filling machine, a spring can be arranged between the filling machine and the pressure plate, and the filling machine can be lowered to apply a load to the pressure plate via the spring.

[0059] <Sealing material manufacturing equipment> The method for producing the sealing material can use a sealing material production apparatus. The sealing material production apparatus can include the above-mentioned filling apparatus. The sealing material production apparatus may have a plurality of devices used for carrying out the above-mentioned steps arranged linearly, any or all of the plurality of devices arranged in parallel, a plurality of devices arranged concentrically, or a combination of these arrangements.

[0060] FIG. 6 shows a linear type sealant manufacturing apparatus. The sealant manufacturing apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to the sealant manufacturing apparatus 200 shown in FIG. 6. The sealant manufacturing apparatus 200 includes a conveying device 201, a mold supplying device 202, a mold 13, a filling device 100, an ultraviolet ray irradiation device 203, and a mold releasing device 204 arranged in a linear manner. The mold 13 is supplied by the mold supplying device 202, the mold 13 is conveyed by the conveying device 201 to the filling device 100, the mold 13 is filled with an ultraviolet curable sealant composition by the filling device 100, and then ultraviolet rays are irradiated in the ultraviolet ray irradiation device 203. After curing, the sealant 205 is removed from the mold 13 in the mold releasing device 204. In the mold supplying device 202, a substrate 16 is placed between the upper mold 13a and the lower mold 13b. The mold 13 is returned to the mold supplying device 202 according to the arrow from the mold releasing device 204.

[0061] As the conveying device 201, for example, a belt conveyor, a free-flow conveyor, a linear conveyor module, a conveying roll, a conveying arm, or the like can be used.

[0062] The ultraviolet irradiation device 203 may be equipped with a light source such as a metal halide lamp or an LED. According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the thickness of the upper mold, so that the distance between the light source and the ultraviolet curable sealant composition filled in the mold can be easily reduced. When the distance between the ultraviolet curable sealant composition filled in the mold is short, the ultraviolet curable sealant composition filled in the mold tends to be easily cured in a short time even without irradiating ultraviolet light with high illuminance, for example. The distance between the light source and the ultraviolet curable sealant composition filled in the mold may be, for example, 30 mm or less, and is preferably 20 mm or less, more preferably 15 mm or less, even more preferably 10 mm or less, and particularly preferably 6 mm or less from the viewpoint of efficient curing of the ultraviolet curable sealant composition. EXAMPLES

[0063] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples. In the examples, "%" and "parts" are by mass % and parts by mass unless otherwise specified.

[0064] [Preparation of UV-curable sealant composition] Polyisobutylene and a photopolymerization initiator were mixed and stirred to prepare an ultraviolet-curable sealant composition.

[0065] <Example 1> In the mold preparation process, a SUS plate was placed between the upper and lower molds made of acrylic resin to prepare a mold. The upper mold had a filling nozzle insertion section, a runner section, and a gate section. The thickness of the upper mold was 5 mm. A SUS presser plate was placed on the upper mold of the mold transported to the filling process by the belt conveyor. By lowering the filling machine of the filling device, a load was applied to the presser plate via a spring arranged between the filling machine and the presser plate, and the upper mold was pressed against the lower mold and the filling nozzle of the filling device was inserted into the filling nozzle insertion section. With the upper mold pressed against the lower mold, the upper mold and the lower mold were fixed with a clamp, and the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition was filled into the cavity of the mold from the filling nozzle. Next, the filling nozzle was removed from the mold. Thereafter, the mold filled with the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition was transported to the irradiation process, where ultraviolet light was irradiated from an ultraviolet irradiation device having an LED as a source of ultraviolet light, and the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition was cured. Thereafter, it was transported to the demolding process, the clamp was removed, and the sealant was removed from the mold together with the SUS plate. No leakage of the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition was observed between the upper and lower molds. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 10 filling machine, 11 filling nozzle, 11a tapered portion, 11b tip, 12 pressing plate, 13 mold, 13a upper mold, 13b lower mold, 14 material filling port, 15 nozzle through hole, 16 substrate, 17 cavity, 18 filling nozzle insertion portion, 18a tapered portion, 19 runner portion, 21 protrusion, 22, 23 through hole, 24 interlocking mechanism, 25 exhaust port, 26 mold sealant, 27 second mechanism, 100 filling device, 200 sealing material manufacturing device, 201 conveying device, 202 mold supply device, 203 ultraviolet irradiation device, 204 demolding device, 205 sealant.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a sealing material, comprising the steps of: A filling step of filling the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition into a mold using a filling machine. Including, The mold is composed of an upper mold and a lower mold, In the filling step, a pressure plate is placed above the upper mold, and the upper mold is pressed against the lower mold by the pressure plate.

2. The method for producing a sealing material according to claim 1 , further comprising applying a load to the pressing plate by the filling machine.

3. The method for manufacturing a sealing material according to claim 2 , further comprising disposing a spring between the filling machine and the pressing plate.

4. The method further includes a mold preparation step of preparing the mold before the filling step, The method further includes, after the filling step, an irradiation step of irradiating the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition with ultraviolet light and a demolding step of removing the sealant from the mold, The mold filled with the ultraviolet-curable sealant composition in the filling step is transported to the irradiation step; The method for producing a sealing material according to claim 1 , wherein the mold from which the sealing material was removed in the mold releasing step is returned to the mold preparing step.

5. 2. The method for producing a sealing material according to claim 1, wherein the mold is formed from at least one selected from the group consisting of glass, quartz, a polyester-based resin, a polycarbonate-based resin, an acrylic-based resin, a tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymer, polyvinylidene fluoride, polyvinyl fluoride, a tetrafluoroethylene-ethylene copolymer, polychlorotrifluoroethylene, and a cycloolefin polymer.

6. A filling device for filling a mold with an ultraviolet-curable sealant composition, comprising: The mold is composed of an upper mold and a lower mold, A filling device comprising a means for pressing the upper die against the lower die by a pressing plate.

7. Further comprising a filling machine; 7. The filling device according to claim 6, further comprising a spring disposed between the filling machine and the pressure plate, and the filling machine is lowered to apply a load to the pressure plate via the spring.

8. A sealing material manufacturing apparatus comprising the filling device according to claim 6 or 7.

9. A mold used in the method for producing the sealing material according to claim 1, the mold being made of at least one material selected from the group consisting of glass, quartz, polyester-based resins, polycarbonate-based resins, acrylic-based resins, tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkyl vinyl ether copolymers, polyvinylidene fluoride, polyvinyl fluoride, tetrafluoroethylene-ethylene copolymers, polychlorotrifluoroethylene, and cycloolefin polymers.

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