Coating apparatus

Abstract

To provide a coating apparatus capable of properly applying a coating agent to an object to be coated.SOLUTION: The coating apparatus 5 includes a tank 40 that stores the coating liquid 101, a nozzle 30 that ejects the coating liquid 101 toward the coating target 100, a pipe 50 that supplies the coating liquid 101 from the tank 40 to the nozzle 30, a relay 60 that connects the pipe 50 and the nozzle 30, and a controller 7 that controls the temperature of the coating liquid 101. The nozzle unit 30, the tank unit 40, and the relay unit 60 respectively include temperature acquiring units 30B, 40B, and 60B that acquire the temperature of the coating liquid 101, and temperature adjusting units 30A, 40A, and 60A that adjust the temperature of the coating liquid 101. The control unit 7 operates the temperature adjustment unit in each of the nozzle unit 30, the tank unit 40, and the relay unit 60 so that the temperature of the coating liquid 101 acquired by the temperature acquisition unit in each of the nozzle unit 30, the tank unit 40, and the relay unit 60 coincides with the target temperature.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a coating device that applies a liquid coating agent to a coating target. [Background technology]

[0002] Electric wires with terminals have been proposed for use in communication between devices mounted on vehicles, power supply, etc. For example, in one conventional electric wire with terminal, the connection between the conductor core wire of the electric wire and the terminal is covered with an anticorrosive agent to prevent corrosion due to water ingress at such a connection (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-129067 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] One example of a method for covering a connection point between a conductor core wire and a terminal of an electric wire with an anticorrosive agent is to apply a liquid anticorrosive agent (hereinafter also referred to as an anticorrosive agent) to the connection point and then harden the anticorrosive agent. In an applicator used in such a method, the liquid anticorrosive agent is generally supplied from a tank storing the liquid anticorrosive agent to a nozzle that discharges the agent. To ensure proper application of the agent, the temperature of the agent in the tank is maintained by a heater or the like at a temperature at which the agent has an appropriate viscosity. However, depending on the environmental temperature in which the applicator is actually used, the temperature of the agent may decrease while the agent is being supplied from the tank to the nozzle, increasing the viscosity of the agent, which may prevent the agent from being properly applied to the connection point.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a coating device that can properly apply a coating agent to a coating object. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the coating device according to the present invention has the following features.

[0007] An application device that applies a liquid application agent to an application target, a tank portion for storing the coating agent; a nozzle portion that ejects the coating material toward the coating target; a piping section for supplying the coating agent from the tank section toward the nozzle section; a relay section that is disposed between the piping section and the nozzle section and transfers the coating material that has passed through the piping section to the nozzle section; a control unit for controlling the temperature of the coating material, The tank portion, the nozzle portion, and the relay portion each include: a temperature acquisition unit that acquires a temperature of the coating material; and a temperature adjustment unit that adjusts the temperature of the coating material, The control unit and actuating the temperature adjusting unit in each of the tank unit, the nozzle unit, and the relay unit so that the temperatures of the coating material acquired by the temperature acquiring unit in each of the tank unit, the nozzle unit, and the relay unit coincide with the respective target temperatures. It is a coating device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the coating device of the present invention, the coating material stored in the tank section is supplied to the nozzle section via the piping section and the relay section, and then dispensed from the nozzle section onto the coating target. In this coating device, not only is the temperature of the coating material controlled in the tank section where the coating material is stored, but the temperature of the coating material is also controlled in the nozzle section and the relay section. As a result, even if the temperature of the coating material drops while passing through the piping section, the temperature adjustment section of the relay section and the temperature adjustment section of the nozzle section can adjust the temperature of the coating material to match a target temperature suitable for dispensing. Generally, the nozzle section is small in size, making it difficult to provide a high-output temperature adjustment section. However, by adjusting the temperature of the coating material in advance in the relay section, it is not necessary to provide an excessively high-output temperature adjustment section in the nozzle section. Therefore, the temperature of the coating material can be adjusted more easily and reliably in the nozzle section than when the temperature of the coating material is not adjusted in the relay section. Therefore, the coating device of this configuration can properly apply the coating material to the coating target.

[0009] The present invention has been briefly described above. The details of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description of the invention set forth below, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a corrosion prevention treatment device incorporating an application device of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the conveying section shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a top view of the transport unit shown in FIG. [Figure 4] 4(a) to 4(d) are diagrams for explaining the flow of processing when the corrosion prevention processing device shown in FIG. 1 performs corrosion prevention processing on an electric wire with a terminal. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the entire application unit shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the area enclosed by the dashed square in FIG. 5, viewed from a different angle. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of each device included in the applicator unit shown in FIG. 1, which is electrically connected to the control unit shown in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a view corresponding to FIG. 7 in accordance with a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] <Embodiment> Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. For convenience of explanation, "front," "rear," "left," "right," "upper," and "lower" are defined as shown in Fig. 1 etc. The "front-rear direction," "left-right direction," and "upper-lower direction" are mutually orthogonal.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a corrosion prevention treatment device 1 incorporating an application device (application unit 5) of the present invention. The corrosion prevention treatment device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a device that applies a coating agent (corrosion prevention agent) 101 made of an ultraviolet-curable resin (UV-curable resin) to an end of a terminal-attached electric wire 100 (a so-called workpiece; see also FIG. 4). As shown in FIG. 4(a), the terminal-attached electric wire 100 includes an electric wire 102 and a terminal 103 attached to the end of the electric wire 102. The electric wire 102 has a coating 102A stripped from the end to expose a conductor core wire 102B. The terminal 103 is crimped to the coating 102A exposed at the end and the conductor core wire 102B. The corrosion prevention treatment device 1 covers a connection point between the conductor core wire 102B and the terminal 103 with the coating agent 101, thereby preventing corrosion at the connection point between the conductor core wire 102B and the terminal 103.

[0013] The corrosion prevention treatment device 1 includes a conveying unit 2, an electric wire supplying unit 3 that sets the electric wire with terminal 100 on the conveying unit 2, an imaging unit 4 that images the electric wire with terminal 100 conveyed by the conveying unit 2, an application unit 5 (see also Figure 4(b)) that applies an application agent 101 to the end of the electric wire with terminal 100 conveyed by the conveying unit 2, a UV irradiation unit 6 (see also Figure 4(c)) that irradiates the applied application agent 101 with ultraviolet light 104, a control unit 7 that controls each of these units, and a display unit 8.

[0014] The above-mentioned electric wire supply unit 3, imaging unit 4, coating unit 5, and UV irradiation unit 6 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction. From right to left, the electric wire supply unit 3, imaging unit 4, coating unit 5, and UV irradiation unit 6 are arranged in this order.

[0015] The configuration of the transfer unit 2 will be described. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the transfer unit 2 has four rear electric wire chucks 21 and four front electric wire chucks 22. The four rear electric wire chucks 21 are arranged side by side at equal intervals in the left-right direction. The four rear electric wire chucks 21 are provided so as to be movable in the left-right direction between a first position and a second position.

[0016] 2 and 3 , at the first position, the four rear electric wire chucks 21 face the electric wire supply unit 3, the imaging unit 4, the coating unit 5, and the UV irradiation unit 6 in the front-rear direction. At the second position, the rightmost rear electric wire chuck 21 faces the imaging unit 4 in the front-rear direction, the second rightmost rear electric wire chuck 21 faces the coating unit 5 in the front-rear direction, the second leftmost rear electric wire chuck 21 faces the UV irradiation unit 6 in the front-rear direction, and the leftmost rear electric wire chuck 21 is located to the left of the UV irradiation unit 6.

[0017] 3, the four front electric wire chucks 22 are arranged further forward in the front-rear direction than the four rear electric wire chucks 21 (on the side of the electric wire supply unit 3, the imaging unit 4, the coating unit 5, and the UV irradiation unit 6). The four front electric wire chucks 22 are arranged side by side at equal intervals in the left-right direction, and face the electric wire supply unit 3, the imaging unit 4, the coating unit 5, and the UV irradiation unit 6 in the front-rear direction. The four front electric wire chucks 22 do not move in the left-right direction.

[0018] Next, we will explain the configurations of the rear electric wire chuck 21 and the front electric wire chuck 22. The four rear electric wire chucks 21 have the same configuration. The rear electric wire chuck 21 has a cubic main body 23 and a pair of chucks 24, 24 that are attached to the main body 23 so as to be able to open and close freely and that clamp and hold the terminal-fitted electric wire 100 from the left and right directions.

[0019] The chuck portion 24 has an arm 24A attached to the main body 23 so that a first end thereof is rotatable about an axis along the front-rear direction, and chuck claws 24B attached to a second end of the arm 24A. When the second ends of the pair of arms 24A are rotated so that they protrude in the left-right direction from the main body 23, the pair of chuck claws 24B open, releasing the hold of the terminal-fitted electric wire 100. When the second ends of the pair of arms 24A are rotated so that they protrude upward from the main body 23, the pair of chuck claws 24B close, allowing the terminal-fitted electric wire 100 to be clamped and held from the left-right direction.

[0020] The front electric wire chuck 22 has a similar configuration to the rear electric wire chuck 21, and therefore a detailed description of the front electric wire chuck 22 will be omitted here. The main body 23 of the rear electric wire chuck 21 is attached to a slider (not shown) that moves in the left-right direction.

[0021] The conveying operation of the conveying unit 2 configured as described above will be described. The electric wire with terminals 100 is set (held in the correct position) in the rightmost rear electric wire chuck 21 and front electric wire chuck 22 by the electric wire supplying unit 3. Next, the front electric wire chuck 22 is opened, and the rear electric wire chuck 21 is moved from the first position to the second position. As a result, the electric wire with terminals 100 is conveyed to the imaging unit 4, and can be held by the front electric wire chuck 22, which is the second from the right and arranged opposite the imaging unit 4. Thereafter, the rear electric wire chuck 21 is opened and returned from the second position to the first position, and the electric wire with terminals 100 can be held by the rear electric wire chuck 21, which is the second from the right. By repeating this process, the electric wire with terminals 100 can be conveyed in order to the electric wire supplying unit 3, the imaging unit 4, the coating unit 5, and the UV irradiation unit 6.

[0022] The electric wire supply unit 3 has a work setting jig (not shown). When an operator inserts an end of the terminal-fitted electric wire 100 into the work setting jig and the end abuts against a positioning wall inside the work setting jig, the front electric wire chuck 22 closes. This allows the terminal 103 of the terminal-fitted electric wire 100 to be positioned in the front-rear direction.

[0023] The imaging unit 4 has a camera (not shown) and a ring-shaped illumination unit (not shown) arranged below the camera. The camera is attached facing downward. When the electric wire with terminal 100 is transported to the imaging unit 4 and held by the front electric wire chuck 22 facing the imaging unit 4 in the front-rear direction, the terminal 103 comes within the imaging range of the camera.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 5, the applicator 5 has a nozzle 30 (see also FIGS. 4(b) and 6) that ejects the coating agent 101 toward an object to be coated (i.e., a connection point between the terminal 103 of the terminal-attached electric wire 100 and the conductor core wire 102B), a tank 40 that stores the coating agent 101, a piping 50 having one end connected to the tank 40, and a relay 60 (see also FIG. 6) that connects the other end of the piping 50 to the nozzle 30. The relay 60 is fixed integrally to an upper portion of the nozzle 30. The liquid coating agent 101 stored in the tank 40 is supplied to the nozzle 30 via the piping 50 (hollow portion) and the relay 60 (hollow portion) in this order, and is then ejected from the nozzle 30. The nozzle unit 30 (more specifically, the relay unit 60 integrated with the nozzle unit 30) is provided so as to be movable in the left-right and front-rear directions by a left-right cylinder 31 and a front-rear cylinder 32. When the terminal-fitted electric wire 100 is transported to the coating unit 5 and held by the front electric wire chuck 22 facing the coating unit 5 in the front-rear direction, the terminal 103 enters the discharge range of the nozzle unit 30. The coating unit 5 may further include an ultraviolet light source (not shown) that provisionally irradiates ultraviolet light. If the terminal-fitted electric wire 100 cannot be transported to the UV irradiation unit 6 within a predetermined time after the coating material 101 is discharged onto the terminal-fitted electric wire 100, ultraviolet light may be provisionally irradiated by the ultraviolet light source to prevent dripping of the coating material 101.

[0025] The UV irradiation unit 6 has an ultraviolet light source (not shown) that irradiates ultraviolet light 104 (see FIG. 4(c)). When the terminal-fitted wire 100 is transported to the UV irradiation unit 6 and held by the front wire chuck 22 that faces the UV irradiation unit 6 in the front-rear direction, the terminal 103 comes within the irradiation range of the ultraviolet light source.

[0026] The control unit 7 is composed of a microcomputer that operates according to a program stored in the memory unit and controls the entire corrosion prevention treatment device 1. The control unit 7 transports the terminal-attached electric wire 100 through the electric wire supply unit 3, the imaging unit 4, the coating unit 5, and the UV irradiation unit 6 in this order, and sequentially sets the terminal-attached electric wire 100 (see FIG. 4(a)), applies the coating agent 101 (see FIG. 4(b)), and irradiates with ultraviolet light (see FIG. 4(c)). The coating agent 101, which is made of a UV-curable resin, is cured by the irradiation with ultraviolet light. The control unit 7 measures the terminal position from an image of the terminal 103 captured by the imaging unit 4, determines the application position of the coating agent 101 based on the measured terminal position, and controls the movement of the nozzle unit 30 of the applicator 5 to apply the coating agent 101 to the determined application position (i.e., the position that covers the exposed conductor core wire 102B). The display unit 8 sequentially displays the control status of the corrosion prevention treatment device 1 by the control unit 7 on a monitor or the like (not shown).

[0027] Next, a description will be given of the heat retention function of the coating agent 101 in the applicator 5. As described above, the coating agent 101 applied to the electric wire with terminal 100 is solid at room temperature, and therefore, in the applicator 5, the temperature of the tank 40 storing the coating agent 101 is controlled to be maintained at a temperature (for example, about 40°C) at which the coating agent 101 is a liquid with an appropriate viscosity. The applicator 5 according to this embodiment prevents a problem that occurs when the temperature of the coating agent 101 decreases and the viscosity of the coating agent 101 increases while the coating agent 101 is being supplied from the tank 40 to the nozzle 30, regardless of the environmental temperature at which the applicator 5 is actually used, making it impossible to properly apply the coating agent 101 to the electric wire with terminal 100.

[0028] Specifically, in the applicator 5 according to the present embodiment, the control unit 7 controls the temperature of the coating agent 101 not only in the tank 40 that stores the coating agent 101, but also in the piping 50, the relay 60, and the nozzle 30. As shown in FIG. 7 , in the applicator 5, the nozzle 30 is provided with a heater 30A and a temperature sensor 30B, the tank 40 is provided with a heater 40A and a temperature sensor 40B, the piping 50 is provided with a heater 50A and a temperature sensor 50B, and the relay 60 is provided with a heater 60A and a temperature sensor 60B. Each of the heaters 30A, 40A, 50A, and 60A is made of, for example, a heat insulating sheet material in which an electric heating wire is embedded, and is provided so as to cover the surface of each temperature control target (the nozzle 30, the tank 40, the piping 50, and the relay 60). Each of the temperature sensors 30B, 40B, 50B, and 60B is, for example, a thermocouple and is attached to the surface of the corresponding temperature-control target. Based on information from each of the temperature sensors 30B, 40B, 50B, and 60B, the control unit 7 controls each of the heaters 30A, 40A, 50A, and 60A so that the temperature of each temperature-control target (i.e., the temperature of the coating material 101 located within each temperature-control target) coincides with each target temperature.

[0029] As a result, along the path of the coating agent 101 from the tank 40 through the piping 50 and relay 60 to the nozzle 30, the temperature of the coating agent 101 can be adjusted to a temperature suitable for discharge at each of the tank 40, piping 50, relay 60, and nozzle 30. Here, since the nozzle 30 is generally small in size, it is difficult to provide a heater 30A with a high output. However, by adjusting the temperature of the coating agent 101 in advance in the relay 60, it is not necessary to provide a heater 30A with an excessively high output in the nozzle 30. The target temperatures of the nozzle 30, tank 40, piping 50, and relay 60 may be the same or different. The target temperature of the tank 40 (e.g., 40°C) may be set lower than the target temperatures of the nozzle 30, piping 50, and relay 60 (e.g., 60°C). This allows the target temperature of the tank section 40, which has a relatively small external contact area, to be lower than the target temperatures of the nozzle section 30, the piping section 50, and the relay section 60, thereby reducing the power, etc. required to control the temperature of the coating material 101.

[0030] <Other aspects> It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be adopted within the scope of the present invention. For example, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and modifications, improvements, etc. are possible as appropriate. Furthermore, the material, shape, dimensions, number, location, etc. of each component in the above-described embodiments are arbitrary as long as they can achieve the present invention, and are not limited thereto.

[0031] According to the above-described embodiment, in the coating unit 5, as shown in Fig. 7, the nozzle unit 30 is provided with a heater 30A and a temperature sensor 30B, the tank unit 40 is provided with a heater 40A and a temperature sensor 40B, the piping unit 50 is provided with a heater 50A and a temperature sensor 50B, and the relay unit 60 is provided with a heater 60A and a temperature sensor 60B. In contrast, as shown in Fig. 8, the heater 50A and the temperature sensor 50B in the piping unit 50 may be omitted from the embodiment shown in Fig. 7. In this way, although the temperature of the coating material 101 may decrease while passing through the piping unit 50, the heater 60A in the relay unit 60 and the heater 30A in the nozzle unit 30 can adjust the temperature of the coating material 101 to a temperature suitable for discharge.

[0032] Here, the features of the above-described embodiment of the coating device (coating unit 5) according to the present invention will be briefly summarized and listed below in [1] to [4].

[0033] [1] An application device (5) that applies a liquid application agent (101) to an application target (100), a tank portion (40) for storing the coating material (101); a nozzle portion (30) that ejects the coating material (101) toward the coating target (100); a piping section (50) that supplies the coating material (101) from the tank section (40) toward the nozzle section (30); a relay section (60) disposed between the piping section (50) and the nozzle section (30) to transfer the coating material (101) that has passed through the piping section (50) to the nozzle section (30); a control unit (7) for controlling the temperature of the coating material (101), Each of the tank portion (40), the nozzle portion (30), and the relay portion (60) is a temperature acquisition unit (30B, 40B, 60B) that acquires the temperature of the coating material (101), and a temperature adjustment unit (30A, 40A, 60A) that adjusts the temperature of the coating material (101), The control unit (7) and actuating the temperature adjustment units (30A, 40A, 60A) in the tank unit (40), the nozzle unit (30), and the relay unit (60), respectively, so that the temperatures of the coating material (101) acquired by the temperature acquisition units (30B, 40B, 60B) in the tank unit (40), the nozzle unit (30), and the relay unit (60), respectively, coincide with the respective target temperatures. Application device (5).

[0034] According to the coating device having the configuration [1] above, the coating material stored in the tank is supplied to the nozzle via the piping and relay section and then dispensed onto the coating target from the nozzle. In this coating device, not only is the temperature of the coating material controlled in the tank where the coating material is stored, but the temperature of the coating material is also controlled in the nozzle and relay section. As a result, even if the temperature of the coating material drops while passing through the piping, the temperature adjustment section of the relay section and the temperature adjustment section of the nozzle can adjust the temperature of the coating material to match a target temperature suitable for dispensing. Generally, the nozzle section is small in size, making it difficult to provide a high-output temperature adjustment section. However, by adjusting the temperature of the coating material in advance in the relay section, an excessively high-output temperature adjustment section is not required in the nozzle. Therefore, the temperature of the coating material can be more easily and reliably adjusted in the nozzle than when the temperature of the coating material is not adjusted in the relay section. Therefore, the coating device having this configuration can properly apply the coating material to the coating target.

[0035] [2] In the coating device (5) described in [1] above, The piping section (50) The temperature acquisition unit (50B) and the temperature adjustment unit (50A) are included, The control unit (7) and actuating the temperature adjustment units (30A, 40A, 60A, 50A) in the tank unit (40), the nozzle unit (30), the relay unit (60), and the piping unit (50), respectively, so that the temperatures of the coating material (101) acquired by the temperature acquisition units (30B, 40B, 60B, 50B) in the tank unit (40), the nozzle unit (30), the relay unit (60), and the piping unit (50) each match the respective target temperatures. Application device (5).

[0036] According to the coating device having the configuration [2] above, the piping section is also provided with a temperature acquisition section and a temperature adjustment section, which allows the temperature of the coating material to be adjusted in the piping section as well, thereby enabling the coating material to be applied more appropriately to the coating target.

[0037] [3] In the coating device (5) described in [1] above, the target temperature in the tank portion (40) is lower than the target temperatures in the nozzle portion (30) and the relay portion (60); Application device (5).

[0038] [4] In the coating device (5) described in [2] above, the target temperature in the tank portion (40) is lower than the target temperatures in the nozzle portion (30), the relay portion (60), and the piping portion (50); Application device (5).

[0039] According to the coating device having the configurations [3] and [4] above, the target temperature of the tank section, which has a relatively small contact area with the outside, is set lower than the target temperatures of the nozzle section, relay section, and piping section, thereby reducing the power, etc. required to control the temperature of the coating agent. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 5. Coating section (coating device) 7 Control Unit 30 Nozzle section 30A heater (temperature control unit) 30B Temperature sensor (temperature acquisition part) 40 Tank section 40A heater (temperature control unit) 40B Temperature sensor (temperature acquisition part) 50 Piping section 50A heater (temperature control unit) 50B Temperature sensor (temperature acquisition part) 60 Relay Section 60A heater (temperature control unit) 60B Temperature sensor (temperature acquisition part) 100 Wires with terminals (applicable) 101 liniment

Claims

1. An application device that applies a liquid application agent to an application target, a tank portion for storing the coating agent; a nozzle portion that ejects the coating material toward the coating target; a piping section for supplying the coating agent from the tank section toward the nozzle section; a relay section that is disposed between the piping section and the nozzle section and transfers the coating material that has passed through the piping section to the nozzle section; a control unit for controlling the temperature of the coating material, The tank portion, the nozzle portion, and the relay portion each include: a temperature acquisition unit that acquires a temperature of the coating material; and a temperature adjustment unit that adjusts the temperature of the coating material, The control unit and actuating the temperature adjusting unit in each of the tank unit, the nozzle unit, and the relay unit so that the temperatures of the coating material acquired by the temperature acquiring unit in each of the tank unit, the nozzle unit, and the relay unit coincide with the respective target temperatures. Coating equipment.

2. The coating device according to claim 1 , The piping section includes: the temperature acquisition unit and the temperature adjustment unit, The control unit and actuating the temperature adjusting units in the tank unit, the nozzle unit, the relay unit, and the piping unit so that the temperatures of the coating agent acquired by the temperature acquiring units in the tank unit, the nozzle unit, the relay unit, and the piping unit each match the target temperatures. Coating equipment.

3. The coating device according to claim 1 , the target temperature in the tank section is lower than the target temperatures in the nozzle section and the relay section; Coating equipment.

4. The coating device according to claim 2, the target temperature in the tank section is lower than the target temperatures in the nozzle section, the relay section, and the piping section; Coating equipment.

Images