Molded product manufacturing apparatus

Abstract

To improve easiness of taking out a molded article while securing stability of quality of the molded article.SOLUTION: A powder and granular material such as casting sand is filled into a forming space between an upper forming die and a lower forming die (31) from a filling port (11b) formed in the upper forming die (11), and the powder and granular material is solidified in the forming space to produce a formed product such as a sand core. When the manufactured molded product is taken out, the lower molding die is lowered and separated from the upper molding die, and then the lower molding die is moved in the horizontal direction. In this way, the molded product can be easily removed from the lower mold. However, since it is not necessary to move the upper molding die, there is no possibility that the filling port of the upper molding die is displaced. As a result, the powdery or granular material can be filled into the molding space through the filling port under the same conditions every time, so that the quality of the molded product can be stabilized.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a technology for producing a molded product by filling a space between two molds with granular or powdered granular material, such as casting sand, and then solidifying the filled granular material. [Background technology]

[0002] It is common to manufacture molded products such as sand cores by filling the space between two molds with granular or powdered granular material, such as casting sand, and allowing it to solidify. The two molds have recesses of a specific shape, and by combining the two molds so that they face each other, a space (hereinafter referred to as the molding space) is formed between the two molds. The molded product is then manufactured by filling this molding space with powdered granular material and allowing it to solidify.

[0003] To stabilize the quality of the molded product, the powder or granular material must be filled into the molding space as uniformly as possible, and to achieve this, the powder or granular material that flows into the molding space through the filling port of the mold must be distributed evenly throughout the molding space. For this reason, the conditions for filling the powder or granular material (for example, the direction in which the powder or granular material is sprayed toward the filling port of the mold, the flow rate at which the powder or granular material is sprayed, and the relative positions of the powder or granular material outlet and the filling port of the mold) are set to optimal conditions.

[0004] After the powder and granules are filled into the molding space, they are solidified by heating the powder and granules together with the molding die using a gas burner or the like. Alternatively, the powder and granules may be solidified by supplying a reactive gas into the molding space. When the powder and granules in the molding space are solidified, the powder and granules in the filling port of the molding die also solidify. However, if the powder and granules inside the nozzle that supplies the powder and granules to the filling port solidify at this time, the powder and granules cannot be properly filled the next time. To avoid this, after filling the powder and granules, the nozzle for the powder and granules is retracted from the filling port of the molding die. Then, at the next time of filling, the nozzle is aligned with the filling port of the molding die to fill the powder and granules under optimal conditions.

[0005] After producing the molded product in this manner, one mold is separated from the other mold, and the molded product is removed from the gap between the two molds. However, because there is a limit to the distance that the two molds can be separated, it is difficult to ensure a sufficient gap between the two molds, and the molded product is not always easily removed. Therefore, a technology has been proposed in which, after one mold is separated from the other mold, one mold is moved in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the other mold is separated, thereby making it possible to easily remove the molded product (Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2001-516658 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, with the above-mentioned conventional technology, although the molded product is easy to remove, there is a problem in that the quality of the molded product is difficult to stabilize. The reason for this is as follows: First, with the conventional technology, in order to make it easy to remove the solidified molded product, one mold is separated from the other mold, and then one mold is moved in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the other mold is separated. Therefore, both molds are moved.

[0008] In addition, one of the two molds is necessarily formed with a filling port for the powder or granular material. When filling the powder or granular material, the nozzle for ejecting the powder or granular material must be aligned with the filling port. However, with conventional technology, the mold in which the filling port is formed also moves, which can lead to misalignment when the mold is returned to its original position. The powder or granular material nozzle must then be aligned with the misaligned filling port. This can result in a large misalignment due to the overlapping of the positional misalignment of the filling port and the positional misalignment of the nozzle, making it difficult to consistently fill the molding space with the powder or granular material uniformly.

[0009] This invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional technology, and aims to provide a technology that can improve the ease of removing molded products without compromising the stability of the quality of the molded products. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the molding manufacturing apparatus of the present invention employs the following configuration: 1. A molding manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a molded product, which manufactures a molded product from a powder or granular material by filling a molding space formed between a first molding die and a second molding die with granular or powdered granular material and then solidifying the granular material in the molding space, a filling port that opens on an outer surface of the first mold and communicates with the molding space; an approaching / separating movement means for moving the second molding die closer to the first molding die to form the molding space, and for moving the second molding die away from the first molding die after the powder or granule in the molding space has solidified, thereby forming a gap between the first molding die and the second molding die; a cross-movement means for moving the second molding die in a direction crossing a direction in which the approaching / separating movement means moves the second molding die while the second molding die is spaced apart from the first molding die; The present invention is characterized by comprising:

[0011] In the molded product manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, after the powder or granular material is solidified in the molding space between the first and second molds, the second mold is moved away from the first mold to form a gap between the first and second molds. The second mold is then moved in a direction intersecting the direction of movement to form the gap. This allows the second mold to move from a position below the first mold, making it easy to remove the molded product from the second mold. Furthermore, since the first mold, which has a filling port formed therein, does not need to be moved, there is no need to displace the filling port. Therefore, when the powder or granular material is filled into the molding space through the filling port, the powder or granular material can be filled uniformly and stably, thereby stabilizing the quality of the molded product.

[0012] In the molded product manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, the powder or granular material may be stored inside a storage tank, and the storage tank may be provided with an outlet for ejecting the powder or granular material. The storage tank may be moved to switch its position between a tank position where the outlet faces the filling port of the first molding die and a tank position where the outlet does not face the filling port. By moving the storage tank to a tank position where the outlet faces the filling port of the first molding die, the molding space can be filled with the powder or granular material. After the powder or granular material is filled, the storage tank can be moved to a tank position where the outlet does not face the filling port of the first molding die, preventing the powder or granular material in the outlet or storage tank from solidifying.

[0013] Furthermore, in the molded product manufacturing apparatus of the present invention described above, a vertically movable lift plate may be mounted below the first mold, and a support member for supporting the second mold may be mounted on the lift plate in a state where it can be moved horizontally.The second mold may be approached to the first mold by raising the lift plate, and separated from the first mold by lowering the lift plate, and the second mold may be moved horizontally by moving the support member horizontally on the lift plate.

[0014] This makes it possible to move the second molding die vertically to move it closer to or away from the first molding die, and to move the second molding die horizontally, with a simple structure.

[0015] Furthermore, in the above-described molding manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, a horizontally movable moving member may be provided, and the support member may be provided with a fitting portion that fits into the moving member. When the lift plate is lowered, the fitting portion of the support member may fit into the moving member, and when the lift plate is raised, the fitting between the moving member and the fitting portion may be released.

[0016] In this way, when the lift plate is lowered, the engaging portion of the support member engages with the moving member, so the support member and the second mold can be moved horizontally using the moving member. Furthermore, when the support member is returned to above the lift plate and the lift plate is raised, the engagement between the moving member and the engaging portion is released. Therefore, the lift plate, support member, and second mold can be raised, eliminating the need to raise the moving member. Furthermore, when lowering, the lift plate, support member, and second mold can be lowered, eliminating the need to lower the moving member. This allows for the miniaturization of the actuator that moves the second mold closer to or farther away from the first mold.

[0017] The present invention can also be applied to a molding manufacturing apparatus that produces a molded product by solidifying a fluid such as resin, or a fluid such as a flour liquid or an egg liquid in a molding space instead of a powder or granular material. 1. A molded product manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a molded product using a fluid as a raw material by filling a molding space formed between a first molding die and a second molding die with a fluid and then solidifying the fluid in the molding space, a filling port that opens on an outer surface of the first mold and communicates with the molding space; an approaching / separating movement means for moving the second molding die closer to the first molding die to form the molding space, and for moving the second molding die away from the first molding die after the powder or granule in the molding space has solidified, thereby forming a gap between the first molding die and the second molding die; a cross-movement means for moving the second molding die in a direction crossing a direction in which the approaching / separating movement means moves the second molding die while the second molding die is spaced apart from the first molding die; The present invention is characterized by comprising:

[0018] In the molded product manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, a molded product is produced by solidifying a fluid in the molding space between the first and second molds. For example, if a heated resin material is used as the fluid, the molded product can be produced by cooling the fluid in the molding space. Alternatively, if a mixture of multiple chemicals that solidifies through a chemical reaction is used as the fluid, the molded product can be produced by causing a chemical reaction in the molding space. Furthermore, if the fluid is a flour liquid mixture containing flour and water, or an egg liquid mixture containing eggs, the molded product can be produced by heating the fluid in the molding space. After producing a molded product using the fluid as a raw material in this manner, the second mold is separated from the first mold and then moved in a direction intersecting the direction of movement from the first mold. This allows for easy removal of the molded product, and since there is no need to move the first mold, there is no need to misalign the filling port. This allows for uniform and stable filling of the molding space through the filling port with the fluid, thereby stabilizing the quality of the molded product. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0019] [Figure 1] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the general structure of a sand core manufacturing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment. [Figure 2] 10 is an explanatory view showing a state in which the support frame 30 is lowered to separate the lower molding die 31 from the upper molding die 11. FIG. [Figure 3] 10 is an explanatory view showing how the support frame 30 to which the lower molding die 31 is attached is moved in the horizontal direction. FIG. [Figure 4] 10 is an explanatory diagram showing why three or more wheels 33 are attached to each row of the support frame 30. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a sand core manufacturing apparatus 1 according to a first modified example in which a first base 61 and a second base 62 are separable. [Figure 6] 10 is an explanatory view showing how the second base 62 is moved with the support frame 30 placed thereon in the sand core manufacturing apparatus 1 of the first modified example. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing why the sand core manufacturing apparatus 1 of the first modified example makes it easy to replace the upper molding die 11 and the lower molding die 31. [Figure 8] 10 is an explanatory diagram of a sand core manufacturing apparatus 1 according to a second modified example, which is capable of preventing the support frame 30 from coming off. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] A. This Example: In the following, a sand core manufacturing apparatus 1 that manufactures sand cores by solidifying foundry sand into a predetermined shape using a mold will be described as an embodiment of the molded product manufacturing apparatus of the present invention. Therefore, the foundry sand of this embodiment corresponds to the "granular material" of the present invention, and the sand core of this embodiment corresponds to the "molded product" of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the general structure of a sand core manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment. The sand core manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment is equipped with an upper molding die 11 having a recess 11a formed on its lower surface and a lower molding die 31 having a recess 31a formed on its upper surface. A molding space formed by the combination of these recesses 11a, 31a is filled with casting sand, and the casting sand in the molding space is then solidified to produce a sand core. In this embodiment, the "upper molding die 11" corresponds to the "first molding die" of the present invention, and the "lower molding die 31" corresponds to the "second molding die" of the present invention.

[0022] The molding space is filled with casting sand from a storage tank 14, which is supplied from a hopper 12. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the storage tank 14 is mounted on a carriage 15, and the carriage 15 is moved by a horizontal cylinder 16 to a position directly below the hopper 12. The hopper 12 contains a large amount of casting sand, and an open / close shutter 13 is attached to its lower end. When the open / close shutter 13 is opened, the casting sand in the hopper 12 is supplied to the storage tank 14. The carriage 15 is then moved in the opposite direction by the horizontal cylinder 16, and the storage tank 14 is moved to a position directly above the upper mold 11. FIG. 1 shows the storage tank 14 in its position directly above the upper mold 11. In this state, a pressure cap 17 is mounted directly above the storage tank 14, supplying pressurized air into the storage tank 14. When the pressurizing cap 17 is lowered using the pressing cylinder 19 , the storage tank 14 is pressed downward by the pressurizing cap 17 , and the lower surface of the storage tank 14 is pressed against the upper surface of the upper molding die 11 .

[0023] The bottom surface of the storage tank 14 has an ejection port 14a for ejecting casting sand, and the top surface of the upper mold 11 has a filling port 11b that penetrates to the recess 11a. When the bottom surface of the storage tank 14 is pressed against the top surface of the upper mold 11, the ejection port 14a of the storage tank 14 and the filling port 11b of the upper mold 11 are connected to each other. In this state, when pressurized air is supplied from the pressurized hose 18 into the pressurizing cap 17, the casting sand in the storage tank 14 is ejected together with the pressurized air from the ejection port 14a and passes through the filling port 11b, filling the molding space between the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 31. After the filling of the casting sand is completed, the pressurizing cap 17 is raised, and the storage tank 14 returns to its original position.

[0024] Once the molding space is filled with the foundry sand, it is solidified. An upper burner 20 that produces a downward flame is attached to the carriage 15, and the carriage 15 is moved so that the upper burner 20 is positioned directly above the upper mold 11. A lower burner 32 that produces an upward flame is mounted directly below the lower mold 31. Therefore, when the upper burner 20 is moved to a position directly above the upper mold 11, the upper burner 20 and the lower burner 32 can heat the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 31. In this way, the foundry sand in the molding space is baked and solidified, forming a sand core.

[0025] In this embodiment, the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 31 are heated to bake the casting sand. However, other methods may be used as long as they can solidify the casting sand. For example, the casting sand may be solidified by compressing it under high pressure, or by applying a predetermined reactive gas that reacts with the material coated on the casting sand. Furthermore, the material filled into the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 31 and solidified does not have to be casting sand, as long as it is granular or powdery. Furthermore, the molded product to be produced does not have to be a sand core.

[0026] Once the sand core has been formed as described above, the upper molding die 11 and the lower molding die 31 are separated from each other to remove the sand core from the molding space. In the sand core manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the upper molding die 11 is not moved (remains fixed), and the lower molding die 31 is moved downward to separate the upper molding die 11 from the lower molding die 31. As will be described in detail later, in the sand core manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the lower molding die 31 is attached to a support frame 30, which is mounted on a lifting plate 52. Therefore, by lowering the lifting plate 52, the lower molding die 31 is lowered together with the support frame 30. An elevator cylinder 54 for lowering the elevator plate 52 is attached to an iron base 51. As will be described in detail later, a horizontal slider 55 is also attached to the base 51 to move the lower molding die 31 horizontally together with the support frame 30. In this embodiment, a ball screw type linear actuator is used as the horizontal slider 55. A cylindrical fitted pole 56 protrudes upward from the top surface of the horizontal slider 55, and when the horizontal slider 55 is driven, the fitted pole 56 moves horizontally.

[0027] In this embodiment, a ball screw type linear actuator is used as the horizontal slider 55, but other actuators may be used as long as they can move the fitted pole 56 horizontally. For example, an actuator that moves the fitted pole 56 by rotating a belt, a actuator that moves the fitted pole 56 using a linear motor, or an actuator that moves the fitted pole 56 using hydraulic pressure may be used. Also, in this embodiment, the "support frame 30" corresponds to the "support member" of the present invention, and the "lifting cylinder 54" corresponds to the "approaching / separating movement means" of the present invention. Furthermore, the "horizontal slider 55" corresponds to the "crossing movement means" of the present invention, and the "fitted pole 56" corresponds to the "moving member" of the present invention.

[0028] 1, the support frame 30 cannot be moved horizontally before the lower molding die 31 is separated from the upper molding die 11. However, when the lifting plate 52 is lowered to separate the lower molding die 31 from the upper molding die 11, the support frame 30 can be moved horizontally using the horizontal slider 55.

[0029] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating why the support frame 30 can be moved horizontally by lowering the lifting plate 52. FIG. 2(a) shows the state before the lifting plate 52 is lowered. The support frame 30 is a roughly box-shaped member formed by combining iron members. A large opening is formed on the top surface, and a lower molding die 31 is attached to cover the opening. A lower burner 32 is attached below the lower molding die 31. The lower burner 32 generates a flame directed upward, allowing the lower molding die 31 to be heated from below. Furthermore, a plurality of wheels 33 arranged in two rows are attached to the underside of the support frame 30. Two rails 53 are also attached to the top surface of the lifting plate 52, and the support frame 30 is mounted on the lifting plate 52 with the wheels 33 resting on these rails 53. Furthermore, a plate-shaped fitting portion 34 protrudes horizontally from the side surface of the support frame 30, and a through hole 34a is formed at the tip of the fitting portion 34. When the lifting plate 52 is lowered, the support frame 30 also lowers together with the lifting plate 52, and the fitted pole 56 is inserted into the through hole 34a of the fitting portion 34.

[0030] Furthermore, the upper surface 51a of the portion where the lift plate 52 descends on the base 51 is formed lower than the upper surface 51b of the other portion by the thickness of the lift plate 52. Therefore, when the lift plate 52 is lowered to the lowest position, the upper surface of the lift plate 52 and the upper surface 51b of the base 51 are at the same height.

[0031] 2(b) shows the state in which the lift plate 52 has been lowered to its lowest position. As shown in the figure, when the lift plate 52 is lowered to its lowest position, the fitting portion 34 of the support frame 30 fits into the fitting pole 56 of the horizontal slider 55, and further, the upper surface of the lift plate 52 and the upper surface 51b of the base 51 are at the same height. Two rails 57 are attached to the upper surface 51b of the base 51 at positions that are on extensions of the two rails 53 on the lift plate 52 when the lift plate 52 is lowered to its lowest position. Therefore, by driving the horizontal slider 55 with the lift plate 52 lowered to its lowest position, the support frame 30 can be moved horizontally.

[0032] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the support frame 30 has been moved horizontally. Moving the support frame 30 as shown in the figure allows for easy removal of the sand core from the lower mold 31. While it is possible to remove the sand core from the lower mold 31 even when the lifting plate 52 is lowered to its lowest position as shown in FIG. 2(b), other components mounted above the lower mold 31, such as the upper mold 11 and the carriage 15 (see FIG. 1), often get in the way, making it difficult to remove the sand core. Furthermore, even if an automated machine such as a robotic hand is used to remove the sand core, it is difficult because the hand must be inserted through the gap between the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 31. Furthermore, even if various devices for driving the robotic hand are installed, installation is often difficult due to other components, such as the carriage 15 and the horizontal cylinder 16 (see FIG. 1). In contrast, as shown in Figure 3, if the support frame 30 is moved to a position where the upper molding die 11 does not get in the way, the sand core can be easily removed, and even when installing various devices to drive the robot hand, it is possible to avoid a situation where other components such as the carriage 15 and horizontal cylinder 16 get in the way. In addition, as shown in Figure 3, if the support frame 30 is moved so that the lower molding die 31 is completely removed from the position below the upper molding die 11, an image of the sand core can be taken from a camera installed directly above the lower molding die 31, making it possible to remotely (and even automatically) determine whether the manufactured sand core has any defects.

[0033] In addition, a plurality of wheels 33 are attached in two rows to the underside of the support frame 30 in this embodiment, and the number of wheels 33 in each row is at least three (four in this embodiment) for the following reason.

[0034] When the support frame 30, which is located on the lift plate 52 as shown in FIG. 2(b), is moved to the upper surface 51b of the base 51 as shown in FIG. 3, the wheels 33 of the support frame 30 inevitably transfer from the rails 53 on the lift plate 52 to the rails 57 on the base 51. As described above, the rails 53 on the lift plate 52 and the rails 57 on the base 51 are installed on the same straight line. However, because the lift plate 52 is configured to be movable in the vertical direction, it is difficult to avoid a gap between the rails 53 on the lift plate 52 and the rails 57 on the base 51. Therefore, when the wheels 33 of the support frame 30 transfer from the rails 53 to the rails 57, the wheels 33 are lifted for a short time. For this reason, if each row of wheels 33 has only two, the support frame 30 will tilt. However, if each row of wheels 33 has three or more, the support frame 30 can be prevented from tilting.

[0035] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing why tilting of the support frame 30 during movement can be avoided by providing three or more wheels 33 in each row of the support frame 30. FIG. 4(a) shows a state in which the leading wheel 33 reaches the gap between the rails 53 and 57 while moving the support frame 30 of this embodiment, which has four wheels 33 in each row. FIG. 4(b) shows a state in which the leading wheel 33 reaches the gap between the rails 53 and 57 while moving two support frames 30 of the reference example, which has two wheels 33 in each row. As described above, when a wheel 33 reaches the gap between the rails 53 and 57, that wheel 33 is in a floating state. Therefore, if there are two wheels 33 in each row, when the leading wheel 33 reaches the gap between the rails 53 and 57, as shown in FIG. 4(b), the support frame 30 will tilt in a direction that lowers the front side. If the support frame 30 moves further and the rear wheels 33 reach the gap between the rails 53 and 57, the support frame 30 will tilt in a direction that lowers the rear side.

[0036] In contrast, when there are four wheels 33 in each row as in this embodiment, even if the leading wheel 33 reaches the gap between the rails 53 and 57 as shown in FIG. 4(a), the three wheels 33 behind it can support the support frame 30, so the support frame 30 does not tilt. Furthermore, even if the support frame 30 moves and the following wheel 33 reaches the gap between the rails 53 and 57, the support frame 30 is supported by the remaining three wheels 33, so the support frame 30 does not tilt. Note that although the above description is based on the case where there are four wheels 33 in each row, the same explanation applies if there are three or more wheels 33 in each row. For these reasons, four wheels 33 are attached to the underside of the support frame 30 in this embodiment.

[0037] As described above in detail, in the sand core manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, after the casting sand filled in the molding space between the upper mold 11 and the lower mold 31 has solidified, the lower mold 31 is lowered to separate it from the upper mold 11, and then the lower mold 31 can be moved horizontally. This makes it easy to remove the sand core from the lower mold 31, and it is also easy to automatically remove the sand core using a robot hand or the like. However, the upper mold 11, which has the filling port 11b formed therein, does not need to be moved. Therefore, by stopping the storage tank 14 at the correct position when moving it using the horizontal cylinder 16, the positional relationship between the discharge port 14a of the storage tank 14 and the filling port 11b of the upper mold 11 can be reproduced with high precision. As a result, the molding space between the upper molding die 11 and the lower molding die 31 can be filled with casting sand under the same conditions every time, making it possible to stabilize the quality of the sand core.

[0038] B. Variation: There are various modified examples of the sand core manufacturing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment described above. Below, the various modified examples will be explained, focusing on the differences from the present embodiment described above. In the following explanation, the same reference numerals will be used to designate the same components as in the present embodiment, and detailed explanations will be omitted.

[0039] B-1. First variant: In the sand core manufacturing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment described above, the lifting cylinder 54 and the horizontal slider 55 are attached to one base 51. However, the base 51 may be configured so that the portion to which the lifting cylinder 54 is attached and the portion to which the horizontal slider 55 is attached are separable.

[0040] Fig. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a first modified example in which the base 51 is separable into a portion where the lifting cylinder 54 is attached and a portion where the horizontal slider 55 is attached. As shown in Fig. 5, in the first modified example, the base where the lifting cylinder 54 is attached (hereinafter referred to as the first base 61) and the base where the horizontal slider 55 is attached (hereinafter referred to as the second base 62) are formed as separate bodies, and the first base 61 and the second base 62 are separable. Furthermore, wheels 63 are attached to the underside of the second base 62, making the second base 62 easily movable.

[0041] Therefore, by placing the second base 62 next to the first base 61 under normal circumstances, after molding a sand core in the same manner as in the present embodiment described above, the support frame 30 can be moved above the second base 62 to remove the sand core. Furthermore, if a component such as the horizontal slider 55 attached to the second base 62 breaks down, the entire second base 62 can be replaced with a spare second base 62, allowing sand core production to be resumed quickly. Furthermore, if maintenance of components attached to the support frame 30 (such as the lower molding die 31 and the lower burner 32) becomes necessary, the support frame 30 can be moved to the second base 62, and the second base 62 can be moved to a location where maintenance is easier, as shown in FIG. 6 . Furthermore, if the second base 62 can be moved, the time required to replace the upper molding die 11 and the lower molding die 31 can be shortened.

[0042] 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a method for replacing the upper molding die 11 and the lower molding die 31 in the sand core manufacturing apparatus 1 of the first modified example. When replacing the upper molding die 11 and the lower molding die 31, first the lifting plate 52 is raised to bring the lower molding die 31 into contact with the upper molding die 11 (see FIG. 7(a)). In this case, the lower burner 32 can be turned off. Then, in this state, the upper molding die 11 is removed from the machine frame 40 to which it was attached. Because the upper molding die 11 is supported by the lower molding die 31, it can be easily (and therefore quickly) removed from the machine frame 40.

[0043] Next, with the removed upper molding die 11 still placed on the lower molding die 31, the lift plate 52 is lowered to its lowest position, thereby fitting the fitting portion 34 of the support frame 30 into the fitting pole 56 of the horizontal slider 55 (see FIG. 7(b)). In this way, the upper molding die 11 and the lower molding die 31 can be easily removed from the support frame 30 by using the horizontal slider 55 to move the support frame 30 onto the second base 62. Furthermore, after the upper molding die 11 and the lower molding die 31 have been removed, a new lower molding die 31 can be attached to the support frame 30, and the new upper molding die 11 can be placed on the lower molding die 31.

[0044] Then, after replacing the upper molding die 11 and the lower molding die 31 on the support frame 30 with new upper molding die 11 and lower molding die 31, the upper molding die 11 can be easily attached to the machine frame 40 by following the procedure in reverse of that used to remove the upper molding die 11. That is, after using the horizontal slider 55 to move the support frame 30 onto the first base 61 (see FIG. 7(b)), the lift plate 52 is raised to lift the upper molding die 11 to the position of the machine frame 40 (see FIG. 7(a)). Then, in this state, the upper molding die 11 is attached to the machine frame 40. In this way, the upper molding die 11 can be attached to the machine frame 40 while being supported by the lower molding die 31, allowing for simple (and therefore short) attachment.

[0045] Furthermore, in the first modified example, the second base 62 can be moved (see FIG. 6 (see)), so that the second base 62 can be moved to a storage location for the upper molding die 11 and the lower molding die 31 while the upper molding die 11 and the lower molding die 31 are still placed on the support frame 30, and the upper molding die 11 and the lower molding die 31 on the support frame 30 can be replaced at that location. Furthermore, a spare support frame 30 can be mounted on a spare second base 62, and new upper molding die 11 and lower molding die 31 can be attached to that support frame 30 in preparation. When replacing the upper molding die 11 and the lower molding die 31 that are in use, the upper molding die 11 can be removed from the machine casing 40 by the method described above with reference to Figure 7, the support frame 30 carrying the upper molding die 11 and the lower molding die 31 can be moved to the second base 62, and then the entire second base 62 can be replaced with a second base 62 that has been prepared in advance. In this way, the upper molding die 11 and the lower molding die 31 can be replaced in an even shorter time.

[0046] B-2. Second variant: In the sand core manufacturing apparatus 1 of the first modified example described above, when the second base 62 is placed next to the first base 61, it is necessary to place it so that the rails 57 on the second base 62 are aligned with the rails 53 on the first base 61 side (i.e., the rails 53 on the lifting plate 52 when the lifting plate 52 is in the lowest position). However, this is not an easy task. If the rails 53 on the first base 61 side and the rails 57 on the second base 62 are not aligned, the wheels 33 of the support frame 30 may come off the rails 57 or 53 when the support frame 30 is moved from the first base 61 to the second base 62 or when the support frame 30 is returned from the second base 62 to the first base 61. Therefore, protective fences to prevent wheels from coming off may be attached to the upper surfaces of the first base 61 and the second base 62, and a wheel-off prevention member may be attached to the support frame 30 to prevent wheels from coming off by interfering with the protective fences before the wheels come off.

[0047] 8 is an explanatory diagram of a sand core manufacturing apparatus 1 of a second modified example, which is equipped with protective fences 64, 65 for preventing wheels from coming off and a wheel derailment prevention member 35. As shown in FIG. 8(a), horizontally elongated protective fences 64 are attached to the upper surface of the lifting plate 52 at positions on both sides of the movement path of the support frame 30. Similarly, horizontally elongated protective fences 65 are attached to the upper surface of the second base 62 at positions on both sides of the movement path of the support frame 30. Note that the protective fence 65 on the second base 62 is shown with a portion of the protective fence 65 removed. Furthermore, horizontally elongated wheel derailment prevention members 35 with an L-shaped cross section are attached to both sides of the support frame 30, parallel to the movement direction of the support frame 30.

[0048] Figure 8(b) shows the positional relationship between the wheel derailment prevention member 35 and the protective fence 65 or protective fence 64 when viewed from the direction of arrow P in Figure 8(a). As shown in the figure, the wheel derailment prevention member 35 protrudes downward from the underside of the support frame 30 and has a shape in which the tip portion is bent outward. In addition, the protective fence 65 on the second base 62 or the protective fence 64 on the lifting plate 52 is attached with a predetermined small gap between the inner surface of the protective fence 65 or protective fence 64 and the outward-facing end surface 35a of the wheel derailment prevention member 35.

[0049] In the sand core manufacturing apparatus 1 of the second modified example, even if the rail 53 on the first base 61 side and the rail 57 on the second base 62 are not aligned, the end face 35a of the wheel derailment prevention member 35 will interfere with the inner surface of the protective fence 65 or 64 before the wheels 33 of the support frame 30 come off the rail 57 or 53. This will result in some kind of symptom, such as the generation of abnormal noise or difficulty in moving the support frame 30, making it possible to prevent situations in which the support frame 30 comes off the wheel or becomes unable to move horizontally.

[0050] The above describes the sand core manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment and various modified examples, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and modified examples, and can be implemented in various forms within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

[0051] For example, in this embodiment and various modified examples, the present invention has been described as being applied to a sand core manufacturing apparatus 1 that manufactures sand cores using casting sand. However, the present invention can also be applied to a molded product manufacturing apparatus that produces molded products by solidifying a fluid such as heated resin, or a fluid such as flour liquid or egg liquid in a molding space. [Explanation of symbols]

[0052] 1...sand core manufacturing apparatus, 11...upper mold, 11a...recess, 11b...filling port, 12...hopper, 13...opening / closing shutter, 14...storage tank; 14a...spout; 15...carriage; 16...Horizontal cylinder, 17...Pressure cap, 18...Pressure hose, 19...pressing cylinder; 20...upper burner; 30...support frame; 31...lower molding die, 31a...recess, 32...lower burner, 33...wheel, 34... fitting portion, 34a... through hole, 35... wheel derailment prevention member, 35a... end surface, 40...machine frame, 51...base, 51a, 51b...upper surface, 52...lifting plate, 53...rail, 54...lifting cylinder, 55...horizontal slider, 56... mating pole, 57... rail, 61... first base, 62...Second base, 63...Wheel, 64,65...Protective fence.

Claims

1. 1. A molding manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a molded product, comprising: a first molding die; a second molding die; a molding space formed between the first molding die and the second molding die; a molding space formed between the first molding die and the second molding die; a filling port that opens on an outer surface of the first mold and communicates with the molding space; an approaching / separating movement means for moving the second molding die closer to the first molding die to form the molding space, and for moving the second molding die away from the first molding die after the powder or granule in the molding space has solidified, thereby forming a gap between the first molding die and the second molding die; a cross-movement means for moving the second molding die in a direction crossing a direction in which the approaching / separating movement means moves the second molding die while the second molding die is spaced apart from the first molding die; A molded product manufacturing apparatus comprising:

2. The molding manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, a lift plate mounted below the first mold in a state capable of moving up and down; a support member that is mounted on the lift plate in a horizontally movable state and supports the second molding die; Equipped with the approaching / separating movement means is means for moving the lifting plate in a vertical direction to move the second molding die toward or away from the first molding die, The cross movement means is a means for moving the second mold in the horizontal direction by moving the support member in the horizontal direction. A molding manufacturing apparatus characterized by:

3. The molding manufacturing apparatus according to claim 2, the cross movement means includes a moving member that is horizontally movable; The support member is formed with a fitting portion that fits into the moving member when the lift plate is lowered, but is released from the fitting with the moving member when the lift plate is raised. A molding manufacturing apparatus characterized by:

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