Method and system for implanting hair into springs

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and system for implanting bristles into springs that can shorten the transport path for drying. [Solution] The method for flocking a spring according to the present invention comprises: a first step of attaching a spring to a conveyor moving along a transport path; a second step of moving the spring to an adhesive application section on the transport path and applying adhesive to the spring by electrostatic coating; a third step of moving the spring to an electrostatic flocking section on the transport path and flocking the area on the spring to which the adhesive has been applied by electrostatic flocking; a fourth step of moving the spring to a primary drying section on the transport path and performing primary drying on the flocked spring; and a fifth step of removing the spring from the conveyor, placing it in a secondary drying section, and performing secondary drying in the secondary drying section for a longer time than the primary drying.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for planting hairs on a spring and a spring hair planting system.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a method for planting hairs on a spring. In this method, while the spring is being conveyed by a conveying chain, adhesive application, hair planting, drying, and deburring are performed, and after deburring, the spring is removed from the conveyor and packed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the hair planting method described in the above document, drying is performed while the spring is attached to the conveyor. However, since it takes time to sufficiently dry the adhesive, it is necessary to lengthen the conveying path for drying. Therefore, the hair planting method described in the above document has a problem that a space for securing a conveying path for drying is required.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve this problem, and an object thereof is to provide a method for planting hairs on a spring and a spring hair planting system that can shorten the conveying path for drying.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] Step 1 of attaching a spring to a conveyor that moves along a conveying path, Step 2 of moving the spring to an adhesive application portion on the conveying path and applying an adhesive to the spring by electrostatic coating, A third step involves moving the spring to the electrostatic flocking section on the transport path, and applying flocking to the area of ​​the spring on which the adhesive has been applied by electrostatic flocking. A fourth step involves moving the spring to the primary drying section on the transport path and performing primary drying on the spring with the flocking applied. A fifth step involves removing the spring from the conveyor, placing it in a secondary drying section, and performing secondary drying in the secondary drying section for a longer period than the primary drying. A spring-loaded hair implantation method that incorporates this feature.

[0007] Section 2. In the fifth step described above, The multiple springs removed from the conveyor are placed on a moving device. After placing the moving device in the secondary drying section, the secondary drying is performed with the multiple springs still positioned inside the moving device. The method of implanting spring hair as described in item 1.

[0008] Item 3. The device further comprises a sixth step of removing the spring from the secondary drying section after the secondary drying is complete and performing hair removal. A method for implanting spring hair as described in item 1 or 2.

[0009] Section 4. In the sixth step described above, Excess hair attached to the spring is removed by at least one of a brush and / or air, and the removed hair is collected by suction. The method of implanting spring hair as described in item 3.

[0010] Section 5. Step 6 above is configured to remove hair using a hair removal device, The hair removal device is A cylindrical brush, A drive unit that rotates the brush around its axis, A holding part that holds the spring in contact with the brush, An air supply unit that blows air onto the spring held by the brush by the holding unit, It is equipped with The method for implanting bristles on a spring according to item 3 or 4.

[0011] Item 6. Prior to the first step, an attachment is attached to the spring, In the first step, the attachment is attached to the conveyor, The method for implanting bristles on a spring according to any one of items 1 to 5.

[0012] Item 7. In the first step, a first moving mechanism attaches the attachment to the conveyor, In the fifth step, a second moving mechanism removes the attachment from the conveyor and places it on a moving device. After placing the moving device in the secondary drying section, the secondary drying is performed while the spring remains placed in the moving device. The method for implanting bristles on a spring according to any one of items 1 to 6.

[0013] Item 8. After the fifth step, the moving device is taken out of the secondary drying section, A third moving mechanism removes the attachment from the moving device and moves it to a deburring device, Deburring is performed by the deburring device. The method for implanting bristles on a spring according to item 7.

[0014] Item 9. The adhesive application section is provided with at least one ejection device for ejecting an adhesive, The ejection device is configured to eject the adhesive against the spring while moving in the axial direction of the spring and to eject the adhesive from a plurality of positions around the axis. The method for implanting bristles on a spring according to any one of items 1 to 8.

[0015] Item 10. After the fourth step, the method further includes a seventh step of applying the paint to the spring by bringing the spring into contact with a paint for identification. The method for implanting bristles on a spring according to any one of items 1 to 9.

[0016] Item 11. A conveyor that moves along a conveyance path and conveys springs, An adhesive application unit that is disposed on the conveyance path and applies an adhesive to the spring by electrostatic painting; An electrostatic flocking unit that is disposed on the conveyance path and performs flocking on the area of the spring where the adhesive is applied by electrostatic flocking; A primary drying unit that is disposed on the conveyance path and primarily dries the spring on which the flocking has been performed; A secondary drying unit that removes the spring from the conveyance conveyor and performs secondary drying for a longer time than the primary drying; A spring flocking system comprising: [Effect of the Invention]

[0017] According to the present invention, the conveyance path for drying can be shortened. [Brief Description of the Drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] It is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a spring flocking system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a front view showing a state where a hook is attached to a spring. [Figure 3] It is a view showing an operation of placing a spring on a conveyor by a spring supply unit. [Figure 4] It is a front view (a) and a plan view (b) showing an operation for applying an adhesive in an adhesive application unit. [Figure 5] It is a front view (a) and a plan view (b) showing an operation for applying an adhesive in an adhesive application unit. [Figure 6] It is a view of the electrostatic flocking unit as seen from the advancing direction of the spring. [Figure 7] It is a view showing a marking unit. [Figure 8] It is a view showing the movement of a hook and a spring from a conveyor to a delivery unit. [Figure 9] It is a view showing the movement of a hook and a spring from a delivery unit to a cart. [Figure 10] It is a cross-sectional view of a deflashing unit. [Figure 11] It is a front view of a deflashing unit. [Figure 12] This is a cross-sectional view showing the operation of the spring after hair removal. [Figure 13] This diagram shows the movement of the spring from the trolley to the transfer section. [Figure 14] This diagram shows the holding part of the transfer unit in the second embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0019] <1. Overview of the hair transplant system> Hereinafter, an embodiment of the spring flocking system and spring flocking method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a plan view showing the schematic configuration of the spring flocking system. As shown in Figure 1, this flocking system is a system for flocking a metal spring 10, and comprises a spring supply unit 1, a static elimination and dust removal unit 2, an adhesive application unit 3, an electrostatic flocking unit 4, a primary drying unit 5, and a marking unit 6, and furthermore, a conveyor 7 is provided that circulates between these units. The conveyor 7 is configured to suspend the springs 10 at predetermined intervals along its entire length, and the springs 10 before processing are placed on the conveyor 7 from in front of the static elimination and dust removal unit 2 by the spring supply unit 1.

[0020] The springs 10, after being processed in each section, are lowered from the conveyor 7 at the transfer section 8, which is located before the static elimination and dust removal section 2. The springs 10 lowered from the conveyor 7 are then placed on a trolley 9 at the transfer section 8, and subsequently transported by an operator to the secondary drying section 110 for secondary drying. After secondary drying, the springs 10 are transported by the trolley 9 to the hair removal section 120, where any excess hair is removed. After hair removal, the springs 10 are inspected in the inspection section 130 and then packaged in the packaging section 140. The following describes each section in detail.

[0021] <1-1. Conveyor> The conveyor 7 comprises a conveyor line 71 extending over the static elimination and dust removal section 2, the adhesive application section 3, the electrostatic flocking section 4, the primary drying section 5, and the marking section 6, and a plurality of conveyor hooks 72 that move along this conveyor line 71. The conveyor hooks 72 are transported by a chain or the like provided on the conveyor line 71. As will be described later, a hook 100 attached to a spring 10 is hooked onto the conveyor hooks 72. In this way, the conveyor hooks 72 are configured to circulate through the static elimination and dust removal section 2, the adhesive application section 3, the electrostatic flocking section 4, the primary drying section 5, and the marking section 6 while suspending the spring 10.

[0022] <1-2. Spring Supply Section> The spring supply unit (first moving mechanism) 1 is located near the static elimination and dust removal unit 2. Prior to supplying the spring 10 to the spring supply unit 1, the operator attaches a hook (attachment) 100 to the axial end of the spring 10, as shown in Figure 2. The upper and lower ends of the hook 100 are provided with U-shaped engaging parts 101 and 102, respectively, and the engaging part 101 on the lower end engages with the upper end of the spring 10. The engaging part 102 on the upper end is then hooked onto a supply device 11 provided on the spring supply unit 1, as shown in Figure 3. The supply device 11 is formed in the shape of a horizontally extending rod, and a spiral groove is formed on its surface.

[0023] As shown in Figure 3, when the feeder 11 is rotated around its axis by a motor (not shown), the hook 100, which is hooked onto the feeder 11, moves axially along a groove. The end of the feeder 11 is positioned close to the conveyor line 71. This is configured so that when the spring 10 moves to the end of the feeder 11 and then detaches from the end of the feeder 11, the engaging portion 102 of the hook 100 of the spring 10 catches on the conveyor hook 72. In this way, the spring 10 is transferred from the spring feeder 1 to the conveyor 7 and transported by the conveyor 7. At this time, the spring 10 is suspended from the conveyor 7 and transported with its axial direction facing vertically.

[0024] <1-3. Static elimination / dust removal section> As shown in Figure 1, the spring 10 suspended from the conveyor 7 passes through the static elimination and dust removal section 2. The static elimination and dust removal section 2 includes a processing chamber 21 and a static elimination and dust removal device 22 provided within the processing chamber 21. For example, a known ionizer can be used as the static elimination and dust removal device 22. The ionizer blows positive and negative ions onto the spring 10, thereby neutralizing the potential of the surface of the spring 10. In addition, dust adhering to the spring 10 is removed by the blowing of ions. It is also possible to use multiple ionizers to blow ions onto the spring 10 from different directions.

[0025] <1-4. Adhesive application area> As shown in Figure 1, the adhesive application section 3 is a processing section for electrostatically coating the spring 10 with adhesive, and includes a processing chamber 31 and a coating gun 32 provided within the processing chamber 31. Each coating gun 32 is a device that sprays adhesive onto the spring 10, and as shown in Figure 4(b), it is positioned laterally (for example, on the right side) with respect to the direction of travel of the spring 10. The coating gun 32 can change direction relative to the spring 10 and is configured to reciprocate parallel to the direction of travel of the spring 10. In addition, the coating gun 32 is configured to reciprocate in the vertical direction.

[0026] To electrostatically apply the adhesive, the spring 10 is grounded, and the paint gun 32 is connected to the negative electrode. Specifically, the spring 10 is grounded by being connected to the conveyor body 71 via the hook 100 and the conveyor hook 72. When a high voltage is applied between the two, an electrostatic field is generated. In addition, the adhesive discharged from the paint gun 32 is negatively charged and adheres to the entire surface of the spring 10. The type of adhesive is not particularly limited, but for example, thermosetting acrylic adhesives, urethane adhesives, etc., can be used.

[0027] Next, the method of applying the adhesive will be described. When the spring 10 enters the processing chamber 31, the paint gun 32 is moved in the direction of the spring's movement at the same speed as the spring 10, while dispensing the adhesive. In the initial state, as shown in Figure 4(a), the paint gun 32 is positioned near the lower end of the spring 10 and dispenses the adhesive upwards. Subsequently, the paint gun 32 is moved near the upper end of the spring 10 and dispenses the adhesive downwards. After that, the paint gun 32 returns to near the lower end of the spring. In this way, the adhesive is applied from the upper end to the lower end of the spring 10. Also, as shown in Figure 4(b), by changing the orientation of the paint gun 32 relative to the spring 10 after the up and down reciprocating motion of the paint gun 32, the adhesive can be applied to the spring 10 from multiple directions.

[0028] Next, as shown in Figure 5(b), a device installed on the conveyor line 71 rotates the conveyor hook 72 180 degrees vertically so that the left side, which does not have adhesive applied, faces to the right. Once the rotation of the spring 10 is complete, as shown in Figure 5(a), the paint gun 32 is moved back and forth vertically to apply adhesive to the unpainted portion using the procedure described above. When the paint gun 32 moves downward, it is moved to the opposite side of the direction of travel and left in its initial position. Then, when the next spring 10 enters the processing chamber 31, adhesive is applied using the procedure described above. In the above process, for example, an adhesive with a thickness of 10 to 150 μm can be applied to the surface of the spring.

[0029] <1-5. Electrostatic flocking section> As shown in Figure 1, the electrostatic flocking unit 4 is a processing unit for flocking a spring 10 coated with adhesive, and has a processing chamber 41 and a pair of electrode units 42 arranged inside the processing chamber 41. As shown in Figure 6, each electrode unit 42 is arranged on both sides in the direction of travel, sandwiching the spring 10, and multiple linear electrodes extending vertically are stretched within a rectangular frame. A negative electrode is connected to the electrode of each electrode unit 42. On the other hand, the spring 10 is grounded by being connected to the conveyor body 71 as described above. When a high voltage is applied between the two electrodes, an electrostatic field is generated. Also, the flocking hair (short fibers) is housed in a storage unit (not shown) on the bottom side of the processing chamber 41. The storage unit has an opening on the spring side. The flocking hair in the storage unit is scattered inside the processing chamber 41 by known techniques such as air or scattering electrodes. As a result, the hair housed in the storage unit 42 flies towards the spring 10 and adheres to the surface of the spring 10 coated with adhesive. Furthermore, by rotating spring 10 around its axis while electrostatic flocking is being performed, the flocking can be applied more uniformly.

[0030] The length of the bristles can be, for example, 0.3 to 1.2 mm, and the fineness of the bristles can be, for example, 1 to 10 dtex. The material of the bristles is not particularly limited, but for example, nylon, polyester, etc. can be used.

[0031] <1-6.Primary drying section> The spring 10, which has been electrostatically flocked, enters the primary drying section 5. As shown in Figure 1, the primary drying section 5 has a processing chamber 51 and a plurality of heaters (not shown) arranged within the processing chamber 51. As the spring 10 passes through the processing chamber 51, the adhesive dries and the bristles are fixed to the spring 10. However, since this is primary drying, the adhesive is not completely dried, but mainly the solvent contained in the adhesive is evaporated. This dries the spring 10 to the extent that it does not peel off the adhesive or detach the bristles from the adhesive until the spring 10 moves to the secondary drying section 120. Therefore, to that extent, the heater temperature in the primary drying section 5 and the passage time of the spring 10 are not particularly limited and can be, for example, 60 to 200°C and 3 to 10 minutes. However, these are just examples and can be changed depending on the type of spring 10 and adhesive.

[0032] <1-7. Marking Section> The spring 10, having emerged from the primary drying section 5, is cooled before reaching the marking section 6. For example, if the marking described below were performed while the spring 10 was still warm, there is a risk of peeling or deformation of the adhesive or flocking. However, cooling in this manner prevents such problems from occurring. In the marking section 6, various colored paints are applied to identify the spring 10 and indicate its type. As shown in Figure 7, the marking section 6 has a roller 61 that carries the paint and a storage section 62 that contains the paint. The roller 61 is rotatable by a horizontally extending pivot axis, and recesses 611, such as flat grooves, extending in the circumferential direction are formed on the surface of the roller 61. These recesses 611 are formed in a circular arc shape in cross-section to accumulate the paint. The storage section 62 is formed in a box shape with an opening at the top and contains the paint. The lower part of the roller 61 is immersed in the paint in the storage section 62. This causes the paint to accumulate in the recesses 611 of the roller 61.

[0033] In the marking section 6, the spring 10 passes so that its lower end is in contact with the upper end of the roller 61. As a result, paint is applied to the lower end of the spring 10. At this time, as the spring 10 passes while in contact with the upper end of the roller 61, the roller 61 rotates, and the recess 611 where the paint has accumulated moves upward. This allows paint to be applied to the next spring 10 to be transported.

[0034] <1-8. Handover Section> Next, the transfer unit (second moving mechanism) 8 will be described. As shown in Figure 8, the spring 10 that has passed through the marking unit 6 is lowered from the conveyor hook 72 of the conveyor 7 by the transfer unit 8 in front of the static elimination and dust removal unit 2. The transfer unit 8 has a pressing unit 81 that presses the conveyor hook 72 and a transport device 82 that hooks the hook 100 of the spring 10 and transports the spring 10 to the trolley 9. The pressing unit 81 presses the conveyor hook 72 while it is being transported, tilting the conveyor hook 72. This causes the hook 100 of the spring 10 to detach from the conveyor hook 72. The detached hook 100 is then placed on the transport device 82. After the hook 100 has been removed, the conveyor hook 72 is transported along the conveyor line 71 towards the static elimination and dust removal unit 2.

[0035] The conveying device 82 is formed in the shape of a rod extending diagonally downward toward the trolley 9, and has a spiral groove formed on its surface. The conveying device 82 is also designed to rotate around an axis by a motor (not shown). This causes the hook 100 to move along the groove to the end on the trolley 9 side. Alternatively, the conveying device 82 may not have a groove, and the hook 100 may be moved to the end on the trolley 9 side by sliding along the diagonally positioned conveying device 82.

[0036] <1-9. Trolley> As shown in Figure 9, the trolley (mobile device) 9 has a base 91 and a plurality of support members 92 extending horizontally above the base 91. The support members 92 are supported by a frame (not shown). A plurality of casters 911 are provided on the underside of the base 91, allowing the trolley 9 to be moved by an operator. Each support member 92 is formed in a rod shape on which a hook 100 can be attached, and a spiral groove is formed on its surface. The plurality of support members 92 are arranged at predetermined intervals in the horizontal direction (the plane of the paper in Figure 9). A motor 93 is provided at the end of each support member 92, which allows the support member 92 to rotate around its axis.

[0037] The hook 100, having moved to the end of the conveying device 82 of the transfer section 8 described above, detaches from the conveying device 82 and is then transferred to the support 92. The hook 100, now on the support 92, moves axially along the groove due to the rotation of the support 92. As the hooks 100 are sequentially transferred to the support 92, multiple springs 10 are suspended from the support 92 at predetermined intervals.

[0038] Then, once a predetermined number of springs 10 are placed on one support 92, the trolley 9 is moved to bring the adjacent support 92 closer to the conveying device 82 of the transfer section 8. In this way, the springs 10 are placed on the support 92 as described above. Once all the support 92 have springs 10 on them, the operator moves the trolley 9 to the secondary drying section 110.

[0039] <1-10.Secondary drying section> As shown in Figure 1, the secondary drying section 110 has a housing section 111 for housing the trolley 9 and a heater (not shown) provided inside the housing section 111. A pair of doors 112 are provided on the front of the housing section 111, and by opening these doors 112, the trolley 9 is moved into the housing section 111. Once the trolley 9 is housed inside the housing section 111, the doors 112 are closed to seal the housing section 111, and the heater is activated. This allows the adhesive on the spring 10 placed on the trolley 9 to be dried. The heating temperature and heating time are not particularly limited, but the heating time should be at least longer than that of the primary drying. Specifically, for example, heating can be done at 60 to 200°C for 15 to 60 minutes. However, these are just examples and may be changed depending on the type of spring 10 and adhesive. In this way, the adhesive attached to the spring 10 is dried.

[0040] <1-11. Hair removal section> The spring 10, dried in the secondary drying section 110, is moved to the hair removal section 120 where hair removal is performed. At this time, the spring 10 is moved to the hair removal section (hair removal device) 120 while mounted on the trolley 9 and supplied to the hair removal section 120 via the transfer section 150 adjacent to the hair removal section 120. The hair removal section 120 will be described first, followed by the transfer section 150.

[0041] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the hair removal unit, and Figure 11 is a front view of the hair removal unit. As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the hair removal unit 120 is a device for removing excess hair attached to the spring 10 that is not sufficiently fixed to the spring 10 with adhesive. The hair removal unit 120 has a housing 121 formed in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped with openings at the top and front, and a dust collector 122 connected to the housing 121. A table 129 on which the spring 10 is placed after hair removal is provided at the front of the housing 121. Multiple suction ports 123 are formed at predetermined intervals along the left-right direction at the bottom of the housing 121. These suction ports 123 are connected to the dust collector 122. Therefore, the hair removed from the spring 10 within the housing 121 is collected in the dust collector 122 via the suction ports 123.

[0042] A brush roll 124 is provided in the lower part of the housing 121, above the suction port 123. The brush roll 124 is formed in a cylindrical shape with brushes on its surface and has a rotating shaft 125 extending in the left-right direction. A motor (not shown) is connected to the rotating shaft 125. Therefore, when the motor is driven, the brush roll 124 is configured to rotate around the rotating shaft 125. The brush roll 124 is also positioned with a gap between it and the rear wall 126 of the housing 121.

[0043] A spring 10 fall prevention device 127 is provided above the brush roll 124. The fall prevention device 127 is formed in the shape of a rod extending horizontally, and the spring 10 is positioned in the space between this fall prevention device 127 and the rear wall 126 of the housing 121 (hereinafter referred to as the positioning space). That is, the spring 10 is positioned on the brush roll 124 between the fall prevention device (holding part) 127 and the rear wall (holding part) 126 of the housing 121 such that the axis of the spring 10 extends horizontally. As a result, when the brush roll 124 rotates, the spring 10 also rotates along with it, and the surface of the spring 10 is rubbed by the brush roll 124. As a result, excess hairs attached to the surface of the spring 10 are removed.

[0044] At this time, the distance between the fall prevention device 127 and the rear wall 126 of the housing 121, as well as the vertical position of the fall prevention device 127, are adjusted so that the spring 10 is held in place and rotated in the designated space.

[0045] Furthermore, above the placement space, multiple nozzles (air supply units) 128 are provided horizontally, and each nozzle 128 is configured to blow air downwards. The blown air is directed towards the spring 10, which causes excess hair to flow towards the bottom of the housing 121 and be collected by the dust collector 122.

[0046] As shown in Figure 12, once hair removal is complete, the fall prevention device 127 is moved upward. In this state, when the brush roll 124 is rotated, the spring 10 moves forward due to the rotation of the brush roll 124 and is positioned on the table 129.

[0047] Next, the transfer section (third moving mechanism) 150 will be described. Figure 13 is a front view of the transfer section. As described above, the trolley 9 is provided with a support 92 for suspending the spring 10, and as this rotates, the spring 10 moves in the axial direction of the support 92. The spring 10, having moved to the end of the support 92, is then transferred to the transfer section 150. As shown in Figure 13, the transfer section 150 has a support hook 151, a moving mechanism 152 for moving the hook, and a holding section 153 for holding the spring 10.

[0048] The support hook 151 is configured to reciprocate between the support 92 and the holding part 153 by a moving mechanism 152. The holding part 153 is formed from a plate material with an L-shaped cross-section, and a magnet (not shown) is provided on its surface. The holding part 153 is positioned above the housing 121 of the hair removal unit 120 and is configured to take on a first configuration that extends vertically and a second configuration that is inclined diagonally from the first configuration. The holding part 153 is in the first configuration in its initial state. The magnet of the holding part 153 can fix the spring 10 to the holding part 153, but when the holding part 153 is in the second configuration, it does not have enough magnetic force to prevent the spring 10 from sliding downward due to the inclination.

[0049] With the above configuration, when the hook 100 of the spring 10, which has moved to the end of the support 92, is hooked onto the support hook 151, the support hook 151 is moved together with the spring 10 to the holding part 153 by the moving mechanism 152. Then, when the spring 10 is fixed to the holding part 153 by the magnet, the holding part 153 transitions to a second state, as shown in Figure 14. As a result, the spring 10 held by the holding part 153 slides downward due to the incline and is positioned in the space for the hair removal part 120. After that, as described above, the spring 10 is rubbed by the brush roll 124 and excess hair is removed.

[0050] <1-12. Inspection Department and Packaging Department> After the hair removal process is complete, the spring 10 is removed from the hair removal unit 120 by the worker and transported to the inspection unit 130. In the inspection unit 130, the hook 100 is removed from the spring 10 by the worker, and the spring 10 is visually inspected. The visual inspection checks whether the hair is attached to the entire surface of the spring 10, whether the mark (paint) is applied, etc. If there are no problems, it is transported to the packaging unit 140.

[0051] In the packaging section 140, the springs 10 are packed into boxes by the workers.

[0052] <2. Operation of the hair transplant system> Next, the operation of the hair implantation system configured as described above will be explained. First, in the spring supply unit 1, the worker attaches a hook 100 to each spring 10 and, as shown in Figure 3, hooks 100 one by one onto the supply device 11 of the spring supply unit 1. As a result, the hooks 100 move together with the springs 10 to the conveyor 7 side by the supply device 11 and are transferred to the conveyor hooks 72 of the conveyor 7 (first step).

[0053] The spring 10 is transported by the conveyor 7 to the static electricity removal and dust removal section 2, where static electricity and foreign matter are removed as described above. Next, the spring 10 is transported to the adhesive application section 3, where adhesive is electrostatically applied to the surface of the spring 10 as described above (second step). After that, the spring 10 is transported to the electrostatic flocking section 4, where bristles are attached to the adhesive as described above. In other words, electrostatic flocking is performed (third step).

[0054] After electrostatic flocking, the springs 10 enter the primary drying section 5 and undergo primary drying (step 4). After primary drying, paint is applied to the springs 10 at the marking section 6. That is, marks are applied according to the type of spring 10 to identify it (step 7). After that, the springs 10 are lowered from the conveyor 7 at the transfer section 8 and placed on the trolley 9. Once a predetermined number of springs 10 are placed on the trolley 9, the worker moves the trolley 9 to the secondary drying section 110 and performs secondary drying (step 5). This dries the adhesive.

[0055] Once the secondary drying is complete, the worker removes the trolley 9 from the storage section 111 of the secondary drying section 110 and moves it to the transfer section 150 adjacent to the hair removal section 120. Then, the spring 10 from the trolley 9 is placed in the hair removal section 120 via the transfer section 150, and hair removal is performed as described above (step 6). Once hair removal is complete, the worker removes the spring 10 from the hair removal section 120 and moves it to the inspection section 130. After the spring 10 is visually inspected in the inspection section 130 as described above, if there are no problems, the spring 10 is packed into a box in the packaging section 140.

[0056] By repeating the above process, the hairs are sequentially implanted onto spring 10.

[0057] <3. Features> The spring-type hair implantation system and hair implantation method configured as described above can achieve the following effects. (1) For example, if secondary drying is performed with the spring 10 still attached to the conveyor, drying takes time, so the transport path needs to be made longer for secondary drying. Therefore, space is required to secure the transport path. In contrast, according to this embodiment, the flocked spring 10 is removed from the conveyor 7 and then secondary drying is performed in the secondary drying section 110. Therefore, there is no need to make the transport path longer, and secondary drying of the spring 10 can be performed. In addition, since multiple springs 10 can be dried simultaneously in the secondary drying section 110, production efficiency can be improved and power consumption can be reduced.

[0058] In conventional technology, if drying is performed during transport, the drying time is determined by the length of the transport path, thus limiting the types of springs that can be manufactured. In contrast, in this embodiment, primary drying and secondary drying are separated, so if the adhesive is dried during the primary drying stage, the time and temperature of the secondary drying can be appropriately changed according to the shape and size of the spring and the type of adhesive. Therefore, the flocking system of this embodiment can be applied to flocking various springs and other materials.

[0059] (2) In the secondary drying section 110, the trolley 9 is housed in the storage section 111 and sealed for secondary drying. In contrast, the primary drying section 5 has an opening for the conveyor 7, allowing outside air to enter and exit. Thus, since the secondary drying in this embodiment is performed in a sealed space, it has the effect of providing more stable temperatures than primary drying or drying in conventional techniques. Therefore, the time required for secondary drying can be shortened.

[0060] (3) Since the spring 10 is suspended and transported with its axial direction facing vertically, only the upper end of the spring 10 needs to be fixed, making transport easy. Therefore, it is also easy to transfer it to the trolley 9.

[0061] <4. Variation> Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. The following modifications can be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, the following modifications can be combined as appropriate with the above-described embodiment.

[0062] (1) The fur flocking system according to the above embodiment has an antistatic dust removal section 2, an adhesive application section 3, an electrostatic fur flocking section 4, a primary drying section 5, a marking section 6, a secondary drying section 110, a hair removal section 120, an inspection section 130, and a packaging section 140. However, in the fur flocking system according to the present invention, it is sufficient to have at least the adhesive application section 3, the electrostatic fur flocking section 4, the primary drying section 5, and the secondary drying section 110. Therefore, other parts may be provided as needed.

[0063] (2) In the above embodiment, a spring supply unit 1 for placing the hook 100 on the conveyor 7 and a transfer unit 8 for removing the hook 100 from the conveyor 7 are provided. However, the means for placing the hook 100 on the conveyor 7 and removing the hook 100 from the conveyor 7 are not limited to those described above, and various modifications are possible, such as employing other mechanisms. For example, an operator can manually attach and detach the spring 10 to the conveyor. The same applies to the transfer unit 150 for moving the spring 10 from the trolley 9 to the hair removal unit 120, and various mechanisms or manual labor can be employed.

[0064] The transfer unit 150 that moves the spring 10 from the trolley 9 to the hair removal unit 120 can also be configured as follows. For example, multiple parallel support members 92 can be attached to a moving mechanism such as an endless chain or endless belt, and a motor (not shown) can be used to move them in a direction perpendicular to the support members 92. In addition, the motor 93 can be attached not to all of the support members 92, but only to the support members 92 that are positioned in a location corresponding to the transport device 82.

[0065] Then, after the support 92 is moved to a position corresponding to the transport device 82 by the moving mechanism, the motor 93 is driven, for example, as shown in Figure 9, to move the hooks 100 of the springs 10 received from the transport device 82 onto the transport device 92. When a predetermined number of hooks 10 are suspended from the support 92, the motor 93 is removed from the support 92, and an endless chain or the like is driven to move the next support 92 to a position corresponding to the transport device 82. Subsequently, the motor 93 is attached to that support 92, and then the hooks 100 are received from the transport device 82 as described above. By repeating the above steps, a predetermined number of springs 10 can be suspended from all the support 92s.

[0066] (3) In the above embodiment, the springs 10 lowered from the conveyor 7 are moved to the secondary drying section 110 by the trolley 9, but the configuration of the trolley 9 is not particularly limited and only needs to be configured to move at least a number of springs 10 to the secondary drying section 110. Alternatively, the trolley 9 can be not used, and the springs 10 can be moved to the secondary drying section 110 by an operator.

[0067] (4) In the above embodiment, the adhesive is applied to the spring 10 using a paint gun 32, but the method of applying the adhesive is not particularly limited, and it is sufficient that the adhesive is applied to the spring 10 by electrostatic painting at least. Therefore, the operation of the paint gun may be other than as described above, and the adhesive can also be applied using two or more paint guns.

[0068] (5) In the above embodiment, hair is discharged from two housing sections 41 and 42 and electrostatic hair implantation is performed, but the method is not particularly limited as long as static electricity is used to implant hair onto the spring 10. Therefore, the number and position of the hair housing sections can be changed as appropriate. Furthermore, known technologies such as those described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 4-284870 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 11-57592 can be applied as techniques utilizing static electricity.

[0069] (6) The configuration of the hair removal unit 120 shown in the above embodiment is just one example, and the means for removing excess hair from the spring 10 are not particularly limited. For example, either a brush or air blowing may be used. Also, the rotation direction of the brush roll 124 and the spring 10 of the hair removal unit 120 is not limited to the direction shown in Figure 12, and the rotation direction can be appropriately set by the shape of the hook 100 attached to the spring 10, etc.

[0070] (7) The spring 10, while being transported by the conveyor, can be rotated around its axis at a predetermined timing. For example, by rotating the conveyor hook 72 around its axis using a predetermined device, the spring 10 can be rotated around its axis. This allows the orientation of the hook 100 to be changed, for example, to easily transfer the hook 100 to the transfer section 8,150. Also, by changing the orientation of the spring 10 during primary drying, the outer surface of the spring 10 can be heated uniformly.

[0071] (8) The route of the conveyor 7 and the arrangement of each part shown in Figure 1 are examples and can be changed as appropriate.

[0072] (9) In the above embodiment, the hook 100 is attached to the spring 10 and then to the conveyor hook 72. However, as long as the spring 10 is suspended and transported by the conveyor 7, the means of attaching the spring 10 to the conveyor 7 are not particularly limited, and it can be attached to the conveyor 7 in various ways. For example, the spring 10 can be attached to the conveyor 7 by either the hook 100 or the conveyor hook 72.

[0073] (10) The configuration of the marking section 6 described in the above embodiment is just one example, and the means are not particularly limited as long as the configuration can be used to mark the spring. For example, the recess 611 of the roller 61 can be made into a flat structure without a recess, and a small amount of paint can be applied to the surface of the roller 61 that extends in the circumferential direction by surface tension to mark it. Therefore, this configuration is suitable for marking with a small amount of paint. The roller 61 may also be configured to be rotated by a motor, thereby allowing adjustment of the amount of paint applied to mark. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0074] 3: Adhesive application area 4: Electrostatic flocking area 5: Primary drying section 7: Conveyor 9: Trolley (mobilization device) 10: Spring 100: Hook (mounting device) 110:Secondary drying section 120: Hair removal department

Claims

1. The first step is to attach a spring to the conveyor that moves along the transport path, The second step involves moving the spring to the adhesive application section on the transport path and applying adhesive to the spring by electrostatic coating. A third step involves moving the spring to the electrostatic flocking section on the transport path, and applying flocking to the area of ​​the spring on which the adhesive has been applied by electrostatic flocking. A fourth step involves moving the spring to the primary drying section on the transport path and performing primary drying on the spring with the flocking applied. A fifth step involves removing the spring from the conveyor, placing it in a secondary drying section, and performing secondary drying in the secondary drying section for a longer period than the primary drying. A spring-loaded hair implantation method that incorporates this feature.

2. In the fifth step described above, The multiple springs removed from the conveyor are placed on a moving device. After placing the moving device in the secondary drying section, the secondary drying is performed with the multiple springs still positioned inside the moving device. The method for implanting hair into a spring according to claim 1.

3. The system further includes a sixth step of removing the spring, after the secondary drying has been completed, from the secondary drying section and performing hair removal. A method for implanting hair into a spring according to claim 1 or 2.

4. In the sixth step described above, Excess hair attached to the spring is removed by at least one of a brush and / or air, and the removed hair is collected by suction. The method for implanting hair into a spring according to claim 3.

5. In the sixth step described above, hair removal is performed by a hair removal device, The hair removal device is A cylindrical brush, A drive unit that rotates the brush around its axis, A holding part that holds the spring in contact with the brush, An air supply unit that blows air onto the spring held by the brush by the holding unit, It is equipped with The method for implanting hair into a spring according to claim 3.

6. Prior to the first step, attach the mounting bracket to the spring, In the first step, the mounting fixture is attached to the conveyor. The method for implanting hair into a spring according to claim 1.

7. In the first step, the mounting fixture is attached to the conveyor by the first moving mechanism. In the fifth step, the second moving mechanism removes the mounting fixture from the conveyor and places it on the moving device, positions the moving device in the secondary drying section, and then performs the secondary drying with the spring still inside the moving device. The method for implanting hair into a spring according to claim 6.

8. After the fifth step, remove the moving device from the secondary drying section. The third moving mechanism removes the attachment from the moving device and moves it to the hair removal device. Hair removal is performed using the hair removal device. The method for implanting hair into a spring according to claim 7.

9. The adhesive application section is provided with at least one dispensing device for dispensing adhesive. The dispensing device is configured to dispensing the adhesive onto the spring while moving in the axial direction of the spring, and to dispensing the adhesive from multiple positions around the axis. A method for implanting hair into a spring according to claim 1 or 2.

10. The method further comprises a seventh step of applying the paint to the spring by bringing the spring into contact with the identification paint, after the fourth step. A method for implanting hair into a spring according to claim 1 or 2.

11. A conveyor that moves along a transport path and transports springs, An adhesive application unit is positioned on the aforementioned transport path and applies adhesive to the spring by electrostatic coating, An electrostatic flocking unit is positioned on the transport path and applies flocking to the area of ​​the spring to which the adhesive has been applied by electrostatic flocking, A primary drying section is arranged on the aforementioned transport path and performs primary drying on the springs to which the bristles have been applied, A secondary drying section is used to dry the springs removed from the conveyor belt for a longer period than the primary drying time. A spring-loaded hair implantation system equipped with [a specific feature].

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