Painting machine

Abstract

The present invention aims to suppress the hardening of a mixture of water-based paint and a hardener. [Solution] A paint gun 1 comprising a gun body 2 equipped with a bell cup 17 for discharging a mixture of water-based paint and a hardener, and a cartridge 30 detachably attached to the gun body 2 and containing water-based paint, wherein the gun body 2 is provided with a paint path 11 which is a path for water-based paint, a hardener path 12 which is a path for hardener, and a mixing section 14 for mixing the water-based paint and the hardener.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a painting machine.

Background Art

[0002] For each member such as a side outer that constitutes a vehicle, painting is carried out by a painting gun (painting machine) according to the required painting specifications. And in this painting, by mixing a curing agent with the paint, the paint adhered to the object to be painted can be appropriately cured.

[0003] For example, in the painting device of Patent Document 1, an aqueous paint and a curing agent liquid are supplied to a mixing part through separate paths and mixed in the mixing part. The mixed liquid is supplied to a painting gun through a hose and sprayed from the painting gun onto the object to be painted.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] As a future measure for carbon neutrality, reduction of the temperature of a drying oven, which is one of the factors for CO2 emissions, is being considered. For example, it is required to cure the paint adhered to the object to be painted at a low temperature such as 120 degrees or less. For this reason, it is necessary to use a curing agent that can be cured in a lower temperature range.

[0006] However, on the other hand, when the curing temperature of the curing agent decreases, it becomes easier to cure even at room temperature. As a result, there is a problem that the mixed liquid of the paint and the curing agent hardens on the path until it is sprayed from the painting machine, and the path becomes clogged.

[0007] Furthermore, in the case of components with a clear coating layer, such as resin bumpers, it is possible to achieve low-temperature curing in the base coating layer by mixing a hardening agent into the clear coating layer, which is heated to a higher temperature, and allowing the hardening component to permeate from the clear coating layer to the base coating layer. However, in the case of components without a clear coating layer, curing of the base coating layer alone is necessary, and it was necessary to use a hardening agent that hardens at low temperatures.

[0008] Given these circumstances, the objective of the present invention is to suppress the hardening of a mixture of water-based paint and a hardener. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a painting machine comprising: a painting machine body equipped with a discharge port for discharging a mixed liquid of water-based paint and a hardener; and a cartridge detachably provided on the painting machine body and containing the water-based paint, wherein the painting machine body is provided with a paint path which is a path for the water-based paint; a hardener path which is a path for the hardener; and a mixing section for mixing the water-based paint and the hardener.

[0010] In this invention, by mixing the water-based paint and hardener within the painting machine body, the path from the mixing solution to the discharge port can be shortened. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the water-based paint and hardener mixture from hardening inside the painting machine and clogging the path. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, the hardening of a mixture of water-based paint and a hardener can be suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of the paint painting machine. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view showing the layer structure of the object to be painted. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram of the paint machine with the cleaning unit connected. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

[0014] Figure 1 shows a schematic configuration diagram of a painting machine according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] As shown in Figure 1, the paint gun 1, as a painting machine, mainly comprises a gun body 2 as the painting machine body and a cartridge 30 that can be attached to or removed from the gun body 2. Inside the gun body 2 are a paint path 11, a hardener path 12, an extrusion liquid path 13, a mixing section 14, a voltage application device 15, an air motor 16, and a bell cup 17 as a discharge section. The paint gun 1 is supported at the tip of the arm of the painting robot 3. The bell cup 17 of the gun body 2 has multiple discharge ports on its side for discharging a mixed liquid of water-based paint and hardener.

[0016] A laminate pack 32 for holding water-based paint is provided in the inner space 31 of the cartridge 30. When the cartridge 30 is attached to the gun body 2, the laminate pack 32 and the paint path 11 inside the gun body 2 are connected via a check valve 21. In addition, the inner space 31 of the cartridge 30 is connected to the extrusion liquid path 13 of the gun body 2. Check valves 22 and 33 are provided in both the gun body 2 and the cartridge 30 between the inner space 31 and the extrusion liquid path 13, and when these check valves push against each other and open, the inner space 31 and the extrusion liquid path 13 communicate with each other.

[0017] The extrusion liquid is supplied to the inner space 31 via the extrusion liquid path 13, filling the inner space 31, which in turn extrudes the water-based paint in the laminate pack 32 and supplies it to the paint path 11. Additionally, a hardener is supplied from outside the paint gun 1 to the hardener path 12. The water-based paint and hardener are mixed by a mixing unit 14 located downstream of each path. In this embodiment, the mixing unit 14 is a static mixer. The hardener path 12 is connected to the mixing unit 14 via a check valve 23.

[0018] The mixed liquid passing through the mixing unit 14 is ejected (discharged) radially by the centrifugal force caused by the rotation of the bell cup 17 while a voltage is applied by the voltage application device 15. Thereby, painting is performed on the object to be painted. The bell cup 17 rotates by the driving force of the air motor 16.

[0019] Thus, in this embodiment, the paint path 11, the hardener path 12, and the mixing unit 14 are provided in the gun body 2, and the aqueous paint and the hardener are mixed inside the gun body 2. Thereby, the mixing unit 14 can be provided at a position closer to the discharge position on the discharge path, and the mixed liquid is discharged from the discharge port of the bell cup 17 through a shorter path. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the mixed liquid from curing in the middle of the path through which the mixed liquid flows and discharges, thereby clogging the path. Therefore, a hardener that cures at a lower temperature can be used, and it is possible to reduce CO2 at a low temperature in the drying furnace for drying the object to be painted. Particularly in this embodiment, the air motor 16 and the bell cup 17 are provided directly below the mixing unit 14, and the flow path of the mixed liquid is shortened.

[0020] Particularly in this embodiment, a hardener that can be cured at a low temperature of about 80 to 100 degrees is used, and since it is easy to cure even at room temperature, it is preferable to apply the above configuration.

[0021] By adopting a configuration in which a voltage is applied by the voltage application device 15 inside the painting gun 1, voltage application can be performed efficiently, and the electrostatic effect of the paint can be enhanced.

[0022] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the layer structure of the object to be painted that is painted by the painting gun 1 of this embodiment.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 2, an electrodeposition coating layer 52 and a base coating layer 53 are formed on a steel plate 51 as an object to be coated. The steel plate 51 is a member on the back door side such as a back door panel, for example, and has different coating specifications from the outer appearance part of the vehicle and the inner part exposed when the side door of the side outer panel is opened, and an intermediate coating layer and a clear coating layer are not provided. The base coating layer 53 is formed of, for example, a melamine resin, and its curing temperature is 120 degrees or higher. Therefore, when drying at a heating temperature lower than 120 degrees, curing of the paint with a curing agent is required. Therefore, it is preferable to perform coating by the coating machine of the present embodiment.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 1, the coating gun 1 has a bifurcated shape branched into a supported part 2A side of a gun body 2 supported by an arm of a coating robot 3 and a side where a cartridge 30 is mounted.

[0025] Since the aqueous paint has a smaller electric resistance compared to the conventional solvent paint, when a voltage is applied to the paint by a voltage application device, a current leak may occur upstream through the aqueous paint in the paint path, resulting in electrical problems. However, in the present embodiment, the voltage application device 15 is provided on the supported part 2A side, separating the cartridge 30 and the paint path 11 side and insulating the cartridge 30 side. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the voltage applied by the voltage application device from being transmitted to the cartridge 30 side.

[0026] Also, the curing agent path 12 and the extrusion liquid path 13 are provided on the supported part 2A side and are connected to respective supply tanks provided outside through the arm part of the coating robot 3.

[0027] In the present embodiment, a solvent with a high electric resistance is used for the curing agent passing through the curing agent path and the extrusion liquid passing through the extrusion liquid path 13. Therefore, even when the voltage application device 15 is arranged adjacent to the curing agent path 12 or the extrusion liquid path 13, it is possible to prevent current from leaking from the voltage application device 15 side to the curing agent path 12 or the extrusion liquid path 13 side.

[0028] The mixing section 14 is located above the bell cup 17, at the point where the supported section 2A side and the cartridge 30 side meet.

[0029] By supplying water-based paint to the gun body 2 via a detachable cartridge 30, the color of the water-based paint can be changed efficiently, improving the productivity of the paint gun 1. Furthermore, the cleaning operation and the paint color change operation described later can be performed simultaneously.

[0030] Figure 3 illustrates how the cleaning unit 60 is connected to the paint gun 1 to clean the paint path 11 and other components.

[0031] As shown in Figure 3, the cleaning unit 60 is connected to the gun body 2 on the side opposite to the supported part 2A, with the mixing unit 14 and paint path 11 in between. By connecting the cleaning unit 60 to the gun body 2, the cleaning unit 60 communicates with the cleaning liquid path 19 of the gun body 2 via a check valve 24. As a result, cleaning liquid is supplied from the cleaning unit 60 to the cleaning liquid path 19. The supplied cleaning liquid cleans the entire paint path 11 and then is discharged to the outside of the gun body 2 through the outlet of the bell cup 17 via the mixing unit 14. This allows the entire path through which the water-based paint passes to be cleaned, preventing different water-based paints from mixing inside the gun body 2. In addition, by cleaning the mixing unit 14 and the downstream side of the mixed liquid discharge path, it is possible to prevent the mixed liquid from hardening and clogging the path. The configuration of attaching and detaching the cartridge 30 makes it possible to clean water-based paint simply by cleaning the paint path 11 on the side of the paint gun 1, making the cleaning operation easy.

[0032] By providing check valves 24, 21, and 23 between the cleaning unit 60 and the cleaning liquid path 19, between the cartridge 30 and the paint path 11, and between the mixing unit 14 and the hardener path 12, it is possible to prevent the cleaning liquid from flowing back into the cleaning unit 60 or outflowing into the cartridge 30 or the hardener path 12.

[0033] The mixing unit 14 in this embodiment is a static mixer in which the mixer portion is made of Teflon®. This prevents current leakage and facilitates cleaning of the mixing unit 14.

[0034] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0035] 1. Paint gun (painting machine) 2. Gun body (painting machine body) 11 Paint Path 12. Curing agent pathway 14 Mixing section 17 Bell cup (dispensing part) 30 cartridges

Claims

[Claim 1] A painting machine body equipped with a discharge section that dispenses a mixture of water-based paint and hardener, A painting machine comprising a cartridge containing the water-based paint, which is detachably attached to the painting machine body, Inside the painting machine body, The paint path, which is the water-based paint path, The curing agent pathway, which is the pathway for the curing agent, A painting machine characterized by being provided with a mixing section for mixing the water-based paint and the hardener.

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