Paint supply system

Abstract

To provide a paint supply system that makes the finish uniform in the construction of demarcation lines.SOLUTION: A paint supply system 2 according to the present invention includes: a melting pot 11 for storing paint; a coating device 12 with a paint hopper 12a for housing paint supplied from the melting pot 11; a paint supply device 13 having a flow path 13a for supplying paint from the melting pot 11 to the paint hopper 12a and a second shutter 13b located in the middle of the flow path 13a for adjusting an amount of paint supplied; a distance measuring sensor 14 installed at an upper part of the coating device 12 for measuring a distance to a liquid surface of the paint in the paint hopper 12a; and a control device 15 for adjusting an amount of paint supplied by controlling the second shutter 13b based on the distance measured by the distance measuring sensor 14. The control device 15 continuously adjusts the amount of paint supplied without stopping the supply of paint.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a paint supply system that supplies paint for lane marking to an application device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, markings on road surfaces have been carried out using vehicles (trucks, etc.) equipped with an applicator, which is a device for applying paint for marking. Specifically, markings are applied by moving the vehicle while spraying molten paint heated to approximately 200°C from an applicator with a spraying mechanism onto the road surface. The paint sprayed from the applicator hardens rapidly as it cools on the road surface.

[0003] For example, a technology for applying paint to a road surface using a vehicle equipped with an application device that stores paint for applying markings is disclosed in Patent Document 1 below as a road marking installation machine.

[0004] Patent document 1 describes that the road marking installation machine comprises a truck that moves on the road surface, a paint applicator that is attached to the truck and applies markings to the road surface, a paint melting device that is mounted on the truck bed and stores paint to be used by the paint applicator, and a paint supply shutter and paint supply gutter that supply paint from the paint melting device to the paint applicator.

[0005] In the road marking machine, a paint melting device is used to heat and melt powder paint material, and the molten paint is supplied to the paint applicator through a paint supply trough. At this time, a paint amount detector attached to the paint applicator detects the amount of paint in the paint applicator, and based on the detection result, a paint supply shutter is automatically opened and closed, thereby supplying paint from the paint melting device to the paint applicator. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-137403 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] In other words, the road marking installation machine described in Patent Document 1, when it detects that the amount of paint in the paint applicator (hereinafter referred to as the applicator) has decreased by a certain amount during marking installation, opens the paint supply shutter to replenish the paint, and when the amount of paint has returned to its original amount, closes the paint supply shutter to stop the supply of paint, and by repeating this operation, controls the amount of paint in the applicator to stay within a predetermined range.

[0008] However, when the paint supply is repeatedly replenished and stopped as described above, when the paint supply is stopped and then refilled again, the paint falls from the paint supply gutter into the applicator, causing waves and splashes on the liquid surface, making the liquid surface unstable and reducing the accuracy of detecting the amount of paint. Furthermore, because the amount of paint cannot be accurately determined, the timing of opening and closing the paint supply shutter may be off, which could cause the amount of paint in the applicator to exceed a predetermined range.

[0009] Furthermore, because the amount of paint in the applicator fluctuates frequently (increases or decreases) due to repeated refilling and stopping of paint supply, the pressure on the nozzle of the applicator also changes frequently. As a result, it is not possible to spray a constant amount of paint from the nozzle of the applicator. In other words, when the pressure on the nozzle is high, the amount of paint sprayed increases, and when the pressure on the nozzle is low, the amount of paint sprayed decreases, resulting in an inconsistent finish in the construction of the markings.

[0010] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a paint supply system that can stabilize the liquid surface state of the paint contained in the application device while suppressing fluctuations (increases or decreases) in the amount of paint, thereby making it possible to achieve a uniform finish in the construction of marking lines. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The paint supply system of the present invention is mounted on a vehicle used for marking roads and includes, for example, a melting pot (a tank for melting and storing the melted paint), a paint hopper for storing the paint supplied from the melting pot, and an applicator having a spraying mechanism for spraying the paint onto a road surface, a paint supply device having a flow path for supplying paint from the melting pot to the paint hopper in the applicator and a supply rate adjustment shutter in the flow path for adjusting the amount of paint (supply rate) supplied to the paint hopper, a distance measuring sensor installed on top of the applicator and measuring the distance to the liquid surface of the paint in the paint hopper, and a control device that adjusts the amount of paint supplied from the melting pot to the applicator by controlling the supply rate adjustment shutter based on the distance measured by the distance measuring sensor. The control device is characterized in that the control device continuously adjusts the amount of paint supplied from the melting pot to the applicator without stopping the paint supply.

[0012] The paint supply system of the present invention eliminates the need to repeatedly replenish paint and stop the paint supply as in the conventional system. Instead, the paint supply is continuously supplied without interruption during marking work. This reduces the occurrence of ripples and splashes on the liquid surface and stabilizes the paint level. This significantly improves the accuracy of measuring the liquid level (amount of paint) compared to the conventional system. Furthermore, the improved accuracy of measuring the liquid level (amount of paint) allows the supply rate adjustment shutter to be opened and closed at the correct timing, allowing for precise adjustment of the paint supply rate through slow control. This allows, for example, the amount of paint in a paint hopper to be accurately maintained within a predetermined range.

[0013] Therefore, according to the paint supply system of the present invention, it is possible to stabilize the liquid surface state of the paint contained in the application device while suppressing fluctuations (increases or decreases) in the amount of paint, thereby making it possible to achieve a uniform finish in the construction of markings.

[0014] In the paint supply system according to the present invention, the control device stores information on an upper limit level distance, which is the distance between the paint level in the paint hopper and the distance measuring sensor when the amount of paint in the paint hopper reaches its upper limit, and information on the correspondence between vehicle speed and the amount of paint sprayed. After starting to supply paint to the paint hopper, when the distance measured by the distance measuring sensor matches the upper limit level distance, the control device reads the amount of paint sprayed corresponding to the planned traveling speed and controls the opening width of the supply rate adjustment shutter so that an amount of paint equal to this amount is supplied to the paint hopper. This ensures that the amount of paint supplied to the paint hopper is approximately the same as the amount sprayed by the spray mechanism of the applicator, thereby suppressing fluctuations in the amount of paint in the paint hopper during marking work.

[0015] In the paint supply system according to the present invention, the control device further stores a lower limit liquid level distance, which is the distance between the liquid level and the distance measuring sensor when the amount of paint in the paint hopper reaches the lower limit.The control device then monitors whether the upper limit liquid level distance and the lower limit liquid level distance match the distance measured by the distance measuring sensor, and based on the monitoring results, keeps the paint level in the paint hopper within the range from the upper limit to the lower limit.This makes it possible to suppress fluctuations in the amount of paint in the paint hopper and stabilize the paint level in the paint hopper within the range from the upper limit to the lower limit.

[0016] In the paint supply system according to the present invention, the melting pot has a paint outlet on its side, and a paint outlet shutter attached to the paint outlet that fully opens when paint supply starts and fully closes when paint supply ends. The control device performs high-speed control to fully open the paint outlet shutter and the supply rate adjustment shutter in response to a command to start paint supply, and to fully close the paint outlet shutter and the supply rate adjustment shutter in response to a command to stop paint supply. This enables paint supply and stopping to be done quickly.

[0017] In the paint supply system according to the present invention, the applicator has an opening at the top for supplying paint, and the paint hopper has a shape in which the paint drop point directly below the opening is inclined diagonally downward toward the spray mechanism. The paint supply device also has a structure in which the tip of the flow path is located directly above the opening, and a certain amount of paint flowing through the flow path along a specific inclination falls naturally from the tip of the flow path toward the opening. This structure prevents paint from splashing from the tip of the flow path of the paint supply device toward the opening, and further, by allowing the paint to flow downward along the inclination of the drop point, paint can be stored from above the spray mechanism located below the applicator. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the paint supply system of the present invention, it is possible to stabilize the liquid surface state of the paint contained in the application device while suppressing fluctuations (increases or decreases) in the amount of paint, thereby making it possible to achieve a uniform finish in the construction of marking lines. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the general configuration of a vehicle (marker vehicle) equipped with a paint supply system according to the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing an example of the configuration of a paint supply system according to the present invention. [Figure 3]FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of a computer that operates as a control device. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the paint supply control process according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A paint supply system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment.

[0021] <Paint supply system configuration> Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the general configuration of a vehicle (marker vehicle) equipped with a paint supply system according to this embodiment, where (a) is a view of the vehicle from above and (b) is a view of the vehicle from the right side. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view (excluding the control device) showing an example configuration of the paint supply system according to this embodiment, where (a) is a top view and (b) is a side view. Note that this embodiment assumes a right-hand drive vehicle (traffic on the left), and the paint supply system is configured to be located on the right side of the vehicle, but this is not limiting and the paint supply system may also be located on the left side.

[0022] In FIG. 1, a vehicle 1 used in this embodiment is a vehicle for constructing lane markings, and the components that characterize this embodiment are illustrated in a schematic manner.

[0023] Also, in Figures 1 and 2, the paint supply system 2 of this embodiment mounted on the vehicle 1 is a paint supply system for supplying paint to a paint hopper to be sprayed onto the road surface during marking work, and is equipped with, for example, a melting pot 11 which is a tank for dissolving paint and storing this dissolved paint, an application device 12 having a paint hopper 12a which stores the paint supplied from the melting pot 11 and a spraying mechanism 12b which sprays the paint onto the road surface, a paint supply device 13 having a flow path 13a for supplying paint from the melting pot 11 to the application device 12 (paint hopper 12a), a distance measuring sensor 14 installed on the top of the application device 12 which measures the distance to the liquid surface of the paint in the paint hopper 12a, and a control device 15 which controls the amount of paint (supply amount) supplied from the melting pot 11 to the application device 12 based on the distance measured by the distance measuring sensor 14.

[0024] The melting tank 11 is mounted and fixed on the bed of the vehicle 1, and is a tank for heating and melting powdered paint materials and storing the melted paint. A first shutter 11b (corresponding to a paint outlet shutter) is attached to the paint outlet 11a on the side of the melting tank 11. This first shutter 11b is fully opened when paint starts to be supplied and fully closed when paint supply is completed. A pneumatic cylinder (not shown) operates the first shutter 11b at high speed, enabling paint supply and stopping to be performed at high speed.

[0025] The applicator 12 has a structure in which an opening 12c for supplying paint is provided at the top and a paint nozzle 12d (the nozzle of the spray mechanism 12b) is provided at the bottom, and is held by a slide mechanism installed on the loading platform so that the paint nozzle 12d is on the outside of the loading platform (so that it protrudes outward from the right side of the vehicle 1) (see FIG. 1(a)). This slide mechanism is installed so that it can move back and forth horizontally, perpendicular to the traveling direction of the vehicle 1, and slides the applicator 12 it holds to fine-tune the position where the paint is sprayed.

[0026] Furthermore, the paint hopper 12a has a shape in which the paint drop point (see FIG. 2(b)) directly below the paint supply opening 12c provided at the top of the coating device 12 is gently inclined diagonally downward toward the spray mechanism 12b. This makes it possible to prevent the paint from splashing as it drops from the tip of the paint supply device 13 toward the opening 12c when the paint supply starts (before the paint is accumulated). Furthermore, the spray mechanism 12b has a structure that sprays and stops the paint stored in the paint hopper 12a.

[0027] The paint supply device 13 has a structure in which one end (rear end) of a paint flow path 13a is connected to the paint outlet 11a of the melting pot 11, which is provided with a first shutter 11b, and the other end (front end) of the flow path 13a is located directly above the opening 12c (paint inlet) provided in the coating device 12, so that a certain amount of paint flowing through the flow path 13a along a specific slope flows down from the front end of the flow path 13a toward the opening 12c of the coating device 12 (naturally falling into the paint hopper 12a). Also, a second shutter 13b (corresponding to a supply amount adjustment shutter) is provided midway along the flow path 13a to adjust the amount of paint supplied to the coating device 12 (paint hopper 12a). This second shutter 13b can be controlled at high speed by a pneumatic cylinder (not shown) or at low speed by a hydraulic cylinder (not shown). For example, the operation of fully opening in response to an instruction to start supplying paint and the operation of fully closing in response to an instruction to stop supplying paint are performed by high speed control using a pneumatic cylinder, and the operation of controlling the amount of paint supplied is performed by low speed control using a hydraulic cylinder. This makes it possible to speed up the supply and stop of paint and to finely control the amount of paint supplied.

[0028] The distance sensor 14 is not particularly limited and can be any sensor that can measure the distance to the liquid surface. In this embodiment, for example, a digital fiber sensor manufactured by Keyence Corporation (product name: FU-84C) is used.

[0029] The control device 15 adjusts the amount of paint supplied to the paint hopper 12a by controlling the pneumatic cylinder that is the power source for the first shutter 11b and the pneumatic cylinder and hydraulic cylinder that are the power sources for the second shutter 13b. In other words, the control device 15 controls the opening and closing of the first shutter 11b and the second shutter 13b, thereby adjusting the amount of paint supplied.

[0030] For example, if the amount of paint in the paint hopper 12a of the applicator 12 fluctuates, the pressure applied to the spray mechanism 12b (spray nozzle 12d) of the applicator 12 changes, which in turn fluctuates the amount of paint sprayed from the spray mechanism 12b (spray amount), resulting in an inconsistent finish in the marking work. In other words, to perform marking work with a consistent finish accuracy, it is necessary to suppress fluctuations (increases or decreases) in the amount of paint in the applicator 12 (paint hopper 12a).

[0031] Therefore, in this embodiment, the control device 15 performs detailed control of the opening and closing of the second shutter 13b to suppress fluctuations (increases and decreases) in the amount of paint in the coating device 12 (paint hopper 12a). Specifically, by controlling the opening and closing of the second shutter 13b based on the distance measured by the distance measuring sensor 14, for example, the amount of paint supplied is finely adjusted while continuing to supply paint to the paint hopper 12a (without ever stopping the supply) so that the amount of paint in the paint hopper 12a remains within a certain range, thereby suppressing fluctuations (increases and decreases) in the amount of paint in the paint hopper 12a (details will be described later).

[0032] As a result, according to this embodiment, unlike the conventional system, the repeated refilling and stopping of paint supply is not required, which reduces the occurrence of waves and splashes on the liquid surface and stabilizes the paint liquid level. As a result, the accuracy of measuring the liquid level (amount of paint) can be significantly improved compared to the conventional system. Furthermore, the improved accuracy of measuring the liquid level (amount of paint) allows the second shutter 13b to be opened and closed at the correct timing, allowing for precise adjustment of the amount of paint supplied. For example, the amount of paint in the paint hopper 12a can be accurately maintained within a predetermined range.

[0033] It should be noted that, for the sake of convenience, the various component devices and components installed on the vehicle 1 described above describe only the configuration related to the main operation of the paint supply system 2 of this embodiment, and do not describe all the configurations and functions required to carry out marking construction.

[0034] <Other configurations> In addition to the components of the paint supply system 2 of this embodiment (such as the melting tank 11), the cargo bed of the vehicle 1 is loaded with, for example, a generator, a power supply unit that uses this generator as a power source to power the paint supply system 2 of this embodiment and other electrical machinery, a compressor that supplies compressed air, and an LPG cylinder that serves as a heat source for the melting tank 11 (see Figure 1).

[0035] In addition, although not shown as they are not components related to the paint supply system 2 of this embodiment, the vehicle 1 may also be equipped with a cleaning device for cleaning the dividing lines on the road surface, a primer spraying device for spraying a primer (adhesive) to improve adhesion of the paint to the road surface, a bead spraying device for spraying beads supplied from a bead tank onto the sprayed paint, a stripping agent spraying device for spraying a stripping agent toward the end position of the dividing line, and a downward camera for capturing images of the road surface including the position where the paint is applied by the applicator 12.

[0036] Additionally, a front camera (not shown) that captures images of the road surface ahead in the direction of travel, a guide rod (not shown) that serves as a guide for the driver to drive the vehicle 1 along existing markings, and the like may be attached to the front of the vehicle 1. For example, when constructing markings, the image from this front camera is captured as data for image processing to cause the applicator 12, cleaning device, primer sprayer, bead sprayer, stripping agent sprayer, and downward camera, etc., to follow the markings, and is used to control the slide mechanism.

[0037] <Control device configuration> Next, the configuration of the control device 15 in the paint supply system 2 of this embodiment will be specifically described. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a computer that operates as the control device 15. The control device 15 in the paint supply system 2 of this embodiment operates as a host computer that performs a process (hereinafter referred to as a paint supply control process) for controlling the amount of paint supplied from the melting pot 11 to the coating device 12 (paint hopper 12a).

[0038] In Figure 3, the control device 15 includes a paint supply control unit 31 consisting of a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), a storage unit 32 including various memories such as ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory), and a communication unit 33 that communicates with the outside via a predetermined network.

[0039] 3, in the paint supply system 2 of this embodiment, the paint supply control unit 31 executes a paint supply control program for controlling, for example, the amount of paint (supply amount) supplied from the melting tank 11 to the coating device 12 in order to realize the paint supply control process by the control device 15. The memory unit 32 stores a program (paint supply control program) related to the paint supply control process of this embodiment, various information (such as an upper limit liquid level distance, a lower limit liquid level distance, and information on the correspondence between vehicle speed and the amount of paint sprayed, which will be described later), and various data obtained during the process (such as the distance measured by the distance sensor 14 (distance data)). The paint supply control unit 31 executes the paint supply control process of this embodiment by reading out the paint supply control program stored in the memory unit 32.

[0040] For ease of explanation, the hardware configuration of the paint supply control unit 31 of this embodiment is a list of the configuration related to the paint supply control process of this embodiment, and does not represent all the functions of the computer that constitutes the paint supply control unit 31. Furthermore, although the control device 15 is assumed to be the dedicated computer described above, it is not limited to this and may be, for example, a general-purpose PC such as a desktop computer or a laptop computer, or a portable terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal.

[0041] <Paint supply control processing> Next, the paint supply control process performed by the paint supply control unit 31 will be described in detail.

[0042] In this embodiment, it is assumed that the pre-application liquid level distance (sometimes referred to as the upper limit liquid level distance), which is the distance between the liquid level when a predetermined amount of paint is contained in the paint hopper 12a as the amount immediately before application begins (corresponding to the liquid level when the amount of paint in the paint hopper 12a has reached its upper limit) and the distance measuring sensor 14, and the lower limit liquid level distance, which is the distance between the liquid level when the amount of paint in the paint hopper 12a has reached its lower limit and the distance measuring sensor 14, are stored in advance in the memory unit 32. Here, the upper and lower limits of the amount of paint that can be contained are set in advance in association with the paint hopper 12a (see FIG. 2(b)).

[0043] In this embodiment, information regarding the correspondence between the speed of the vehicle 1 and the amount of paint sprayed from the applicator 12 when traveling at that speed (information regarding the correspondence between vehicle speed and amount of paint sprayed), i.e., the amount of paint sprayed corresponding to the planned traveling speed of the vehicle 1, is pre-stored in the storage unit 32. In this embodiment, as an example, it is assumed that the planned traveling speed of the vehicle 1 is 50 km / h and that lane markings will be installed on the expressway at this speed. Note that these lane marks are continuous diagonal boundary lines with a white line section of 8 m and spaced 12 m apart, drawn to separate lanes on the expressway, and are a type of dividing line.

[0044] It is also assumed that before the control device 15 is started, the first shutter 11b of the melting pot 11 and the second shutter 13b of the paint supply device 13 are both fully closed.

[0045] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the paint supply control process of this embodiment.

[0046] For example, when the paint supply start instruction is received (Step S1, Yes) after waiting for a paint supply start instruction (Step S1, No), the paint supply control unit 31 first controls both the first shutter 11b of the melting pot 11 and the second shutter 13b of the paint supply device 13 to be fully open (Step S2). At this time, the paint supply control unit 31 controls the pneumatic cylinders that serve as the power sources to operate the first shutter 11b and the second shutter 13b at high speed. As a result, the melted paint flows out from the paint outlet 11a provided on the side of the melting pot 11, and the paint flows along the slope through the flow path 13a of the paint supply device 13. The paint then flows down from the tip of the flow path 13a toward the opening 12c of the coating device 12 (gravity falls into the paint hopper 12a). The paint that falls naturally into the paint hopper 12 a flows downward along the slope of the falling point and is accumulated above the spray mechanism 12 b provided at the bottom of the coating device 12 .

[0047] Thereafter, the paint supply control unit 31 monitors whether the measured distance (the distance between the distance measuring sensor 14 and the liquid level) measured by the distance measuring sensor 14, which has been continuously obtained since startup, matches the pre-application liquid level distance (upper limit liquid level distance) stored in the memory unit 32, i.e., whether the amount of paint in the paint hopper 12a has reached the upper limit shown in Figure 2 (step S3, No).

[0048] When the distance measured by the distance sensor 14 matches the pre-application liquid level distance, i.e., when the amount of paint in the paint hopper 12a reaches the upper limit shown in FIG. 2 (step S3, Yes), the paint supply control unit 31 reads from the memory unit 32 the amount of paint sprayed from the applicator 12 (spray mechanism 12b) when traveling at 50 km / h and controls the opening width of the second shutter 13b so that the same amount of paint is supplied to the paint hopper 12a (step S4). At this time, the paint supply control unit 31 fine-tunes the opening width of the second shutter 13b by controlling the hydraulic cylinder, which serves as the power source. This ensures that approximately the same amount of paint is constantly supplied to the paint hopper 12a as the amount sprayed from the spray mechanism 12b of the applicator 12, thereby suppressing fluctuations in the amount of paint in the paint hopper 12a during lane marking (demarcation line) application. The spray mechanism 12b of the coating device 12 starts spraying paint when the amount of paint in the paint hopper 12a reaches the upper limit (Yes in step S3).

[0049] Thereafter, the paint supply control unit 31 monitors, based on the distance measured by the distance measuring sensor 14, whether the measured distance matches the upper limit liquid level distance (whether it has reached the upper limit shown in Figure 2), whether it matches the lower limit liquid level distance (whether it has reached the lower limit shown in Figure 2), or whether it has received an instruction to stop paint supply (steps S5, S6, S7).

[0050] For example, if none of the above applies (step S5, No, step S6, No, step S7, No), the paint supply control unit 31 continues the above monitoring without changing (adjusting) the amount of paint supplied to the paint hopper 12a, since the paint level in the paint hopper 12a is stable within the range from the upper limit to the lower limit (steps S5, S6, S7).

[0051] Furthermore, if the measured distance matches the upper limit liquid level distance (i.e., the liquid level reaches the upper limit) during monitoring (step S5, No, step S6, No, step S7, No), the paint supply control unit 31 controls the second shutter 13b to narrow the opening width by a certain amount (step S8). At this time, the paint supply control unit 31 controls the hydraulic cylinder, which serves as the power source, to fine-tune the opening width of the second shutter 13b in the narrowing direction. This fine adjustment reduces fluctuations in the amount of paint in the paint hopper 12a and stabilizes the paint level in the paint hopper 12a again within the range from the upper limit to the lower limit (keep it within the range from the upper limit to the lower limit). Thereafter, the paint supply control unit 31 continues the above monitoring while maintaining the opening width of the second shutter 13b finely adjusted by the narrowing control (steps S5, S6, S7).

[0052] Furthermore, if the measured distance matches the lower limit liquid level distance (i.e., the liquid level reaches the lower limit) during monitoring (step S5, No, step S6, No, step S7, No), the paint supply control unit 31 controls the second shutter 13b to widen the opening width by a certain amount (step S9). At this time, the paint supply control unit 31 controls the hydraulic cylinder, which serves as the power source, to fine-tune the opening width of the second shutter 13b in the widening direction. This fine adjustment reduces fluctuations in the amount of paint in the paint hopper 12a and allows the paint level in the paint hopper 12a to be stabilized again within the range from the upper limit to the lower limit (keep it within the range from the upper limit to the lower limit). Thereafter, the paint supply control unit 31 continues the above monitoring while maintaining the opening width of the second shutter 13b finely adjusted by the widening control (steps S5, S6, S7).

[0053] On the other hand, if a command to stop the supply of paint is received (step S7, Yes) during monitoring (step S5, No, step S6, No, step S7), the paint supply control unit 31 controls both the first shutter 11b of the melting pot 11 and the second shutter 13b of the paint supply device 13 to be fully closed (step S10). At this time, the paint supply control unit 31 controls the respective pneumatic cylinders, which are the power sources, to operate the first shutter 11b and the second shutter 13b at high speed. This stops the supply of paint to the paint hopper 12a.

[0054] Although not shown, if the amount of paint in the paint hopper 12a does not improve (does not fall within the range from the upper limit to the lower limit) even after the fine adjustment and the amount of paint exceeds the upper or lower limit and reaches the corresponding limit surface position (a preset position), the paint supply control unit 31 generates and outputs a signal to notify the outside, for example, via the communication unit 33. Then, other devices (various display devices, etc.: not shown) that receive this signal perform processing to warn the driver or operator of the situation (e.g., by turning on an LED or making an audio notification). Furthermore, if the amount of paint exceeds the upper or lower limit and reaches the limit surface position as described above, the paint supply control unit 31 may forcibly stop the supply of paint to the paint hopper 12a (by fully closing the first shutter 11b and the second shutter 13b).

[0055] In this embodiment, as an example, the case where the amount of paint supplied is controlled based on the distance measured by one distance measuring sensor 14 has been described, but this is not limited to this. For example, multiple distance measuring sensors 14 may be installed so as to be able to measure multiple liquid level positions, and the amount of paint supplied may be controlled based on the multiple measured distances. In this case, for example, the average value of the multiple measured distances is monitored.

[0056] <Effects> As described above, the paint supply system 2 of this embodiment mounted on a vehicle 1 for marking construction includes, for example, a melting pot 11 which is a tank for melting paint and storing the melted paint, an application device 12 having a paint hopper 12a for storing the paint supplied from the melting pot 11 and a spraying mechanism 12b for spraying the paint onto the road surface, a paint supply device 13 having a flow path 13a for supplying paint from the melting pot 11 to the paint hopper 12a in the application device 12 and a second shutter (supply amount adjustment shutter) 13b in the middle of the flow path 13a for adjusting the amount of paint (supply amount) supplied to the paint hopper 12a, a distance measuring sensor 14 installed on the top of the application device 12 for measuring the distance to the liquid surface of the paint in the paint hopper 12a, and a control device 15 for adjusting the amount of paint supplied from the melting pot 11 to the application device 12 by controlling the second shutter 13b based on the distance measured by the distance measuring sensor 14. The control device 15 adjusts the amount of paint supplied continuously without stopping the supply of paint.

[0057] According to this embodiment, instead of repeatedly refilling and stopping the paint supply as in the conventional system, the paint supply is continuously supplied without interruption during marking work. This reduces the occurrence of ripples and splashes on the liquid surface and stabilizes the paint level. This significantly improves the accuracy of measuring the liquid level (amount of paint) compared to the conventional system. Furthermore, the improved accuracy of measuring the liquid level (amount of paint) allows the second shutter 13b to be opened and closed at the correct timing, allowing for precise adjustment of the amount of paint supplied at low speeds. For example, the amount of paint in the paint hopper 12a can be accurately maintained within a predetermined range.

[0058] Therefore, according to the paint supply system 2 of this embodiment, it is possible to stabilize the liquid surface state of the paint contained in the application device 12 while suppressing fluctuations (increases or decreases) in the amount of paint, thereby making it possible to achieve a uniform finish in the construction of marking lines. [Explanation of symbols]

[0059] 1 vehicle 2. Paint supply system 11 Melting pot 11a Paint outlet 11b First shutter (paint spill shutter) 12 Coating equipment 12a Paint hopper 12b Spraying mechanism 12c opening 12d spout 13 Paint supply device 13a Flow path 13b Second shutter (supply amount adjustment shutter) 14 Ranging sensor 15 Control device 31 Paint supply control unit 32 Storage section 33 Communications Department

Claims

1. A paint supply system mounted on a vehicle for marking construction, A melting pot is a tank for melting paint and storing the melted paint, an application device having a paint hopper for storing the paint supplied from the melting pot and a spraying mechanism for spraying the paint onto the road surface; a paint supply device having a flow path for supplying paint from the melting pot to a paint hopper in the coating device, and a supply amount adjustment shutter located midway through the flow path for adjusting the amount of paint (supply amount) supplied to the paint hopper; a distance measuring sensor installed on an upper portion of the coating device for measuring a distance to a liquid surface of the paint in the paint hopper; a control device that controls the supply amount adjustment shutter based on the distance measured by the distance measuring sensor to adjust the amount of paint supplied from the melting pot to the coating device; Equipped with The control device continuously adjusts the amount of paint supplied without stopping the supply of paint. A paint supply system characterized by:

2. The control device storing information on an upper limit liquid level distance, which is the distance between the liquid level when the amount of paint in the paint hopper reaches the upper limit and the distance measuring sensor, and information on the correspondence relationship between the vehicle speed and the amount of paint sprayed; After starting to supply paint to the paint hopper, when the distance measured by the distance measuring sensor coincides with the upper limit liquid level distance, the amount of paint sprayed corresponding to the planned traveling speed is read out, and the opening width of the supply amount adjusting shutter is controlled so that the same amount of paint as this spray amount is supplied into the paint hopper.

2. The paint supply system according to claim 1.

3. The control device Furthermore, a lower limit liquid level distance, which is the distance between the liquid level when the amount of paint in the paint hopper reaches the lower limit and the distance measuring sensor, is stored in memory; It is monitored whether the upper limit liquid level distance and the lower limit liquid level distance match the distance measured by the distance measuring sensor, and based on the monitoring result, the liquid level of the paint in the paint hopper is kept within the range from the upper limit to the lower limit.

3. The paint supply system according to claim 2.

4. The melting pot is A paint outlet is provided on the side, and a paint outlet shutter is attached to the paint outlet, which is fully opened when paint supply starts and fully closed when paint supply ends. The control device a control for fully opening the paint outflow shutter and the supply amount adjustment shutter in response to an instruction to start supplying paint, and a control for fully closing the paint outflow shutter and the supply amount adjustment shutter in response to an instruction to stop supplying paint; 4. The paint supply system according to claim 3.

5. The coating device has an opening at the top for supplying paint, The paint hopper has a shape in which the paint drop point directly below the opening is inclined obliquely downward toward the spray mechanism, 5. A paint supply system according to claim 1, wherein the paint supply system comprises: a paint supply member;

6. The paint supply device has a structure in which a tip of the flow path is disposed directly above the opening, and a certain amount of paint flowing through the flow path along a specific inclination falls naturally from the tip of the flow path toward the opening.

6. The paint supply system according to claim 5.

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