Electrode connection method

Abstract

The present invention provides an electrode connection method that reduces the time and effort required for connection. [Solution] The electrode connection method includes a coarse position adjustment step of roughly adjusting the position of the electrode connection device 3 to a position where multiple guide holes 10 and electrodes to be connected 2 can be imaged by the imaging device 6; a positioning step of analyzing two images of the multiple guide holes 10 and electrodes to be connected 2 captured by the imaging device 6 after the coarse position adjustment step, and moving and rotating the electrode connection device 3 so that each of the guide rods 31 is positioned above the guide holes 10 based on the analysis results; a centering step of lowering the electrode connection device 3 after the positioning step and inserting each of the guide rods 31 into the guide holes 10; and a connection step of connecting the lower end 40 of a new electrode 4 to the upper end 20 of the electrodes to be connected 2 after the centering step.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electrode connection method for connecting the lower end of a new electrode held by an electrode connection device or the holding means of the electrode connection device to the upper end of a connected electrode vertically held by a holder.

Background Art

[0002] As this type of conventional electrode connection method, for example, the configurations shown in Patent Documents 1 to 4 below can be cited.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes an apparatus for screwing and connecting the lower end of a new upper electrode to the upper end of an upper electrode held by an electrode holder of an electric furnace. The apparatus has a main body flexibly suspended by a lifting drive means disposed on a suspension device, and a rotatable gripping portion that detachably grips the new upper electrode via a rotation drive means on the main body. A plurality of guide rods are disposed on the main body downward around the new upper electrode, and a plurality of guide tubes corresponding to the guide rods are respectively disposed on the electrode holder. The end of the guide rod is formed such that its diameter gradually decreases toward the end, and the guide tube is formed such that its diameter gradually increases toward the inlet of the guide rod, or only one of them is formed as described above. An upper electrode connection device is described.

[0004] Patent Document 2 describes an electrode connection method. When moving a new electrode to be added to an electrode mounted on an electric furnace to above the electrode of the electric furnace in a suspended state by a conveying device such as a crane and lowering the suspended electrode to connect the pair of electrodes, a display mark is provided on either one of the conveying device and a stationary member disposed near the electrode of the electric furnace, and a laser projector is provided on the other. The conveying device is moved and positioned so that the laser light from the projector is aimed at the display mark, thereby aligning the center positions of the pair of electrodes.

[0005] Patent Document 3 describes an upper electrode connecting device for screwing the lower end of a new upper electrode to the upper end of an upper electrode in use held in an electrode holder of an electric furnace, characterized in that a plurality of guide rods are arranged on the main body of the upper electrode connecting device toward downward around the new upper electrode, a horizontally installed centering guide that can slide vertically is provided at the lower end of the guide rods, a guide tube is provided on the upper surface of the electrode holder at a position corresponding to the guide rods, the guide tube is formed so that its diameter gradually increases toward the entrance of the guide rod, or the guide tube is formed so that its diameter gradually decreases toward the end of the guide rod, or only one of these is formed.

[0006] Patent Document 4 describes an electrode extension device comprising: an electrode connection device for holding a new electrode and connecting the new electrode to an existing electrode already attached to an electric furnace; a moving device for moving the electrode connection device horizontally and vertically while it is suspended; an electrode detection device attached to the electrode connection device for detecting the existing electrode; and a position fine-adjustment device attached to the moving device for fine-adjusting the position of the electrode connection device in the horizontal plane according to the detection result of the electrode detection device to position the new electrode relative to the existing electrode. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-242963 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-251177 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-060979 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-297466 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0008] Hereinafter, the upper electrodes etc. described in Patent Document 1 and the electrodes attached to the electric furnace etc. described in Patent Document 2 will be referred to as connected electrodes. Also, the new upper electrodes etc. described in Patent Document 1 and the new electrodes etc. described in Patent Document 2 will be referred to as new electrodes etc. As explained in Patent Document 2 etc., the connected electrodes are made of graphite or the like. For this reason, there is a risk of damage to the connected electrodes etc. if new electrodes etc. are brought into contact with the connected electrodes for alignment purposes.

[0009] By employing guide tubes and guide rods as described in Patent Documents 1 and 3, the position of a new electrode or the like can be aligned with the position of the electrode to be connected without contact with the electrode to be connected. However, since manual work is required to align the position of the guide rod with the position of the guide tube, there is room for improvement in terms of the time and effort required for connection.

[0010] The method using a laser projector and indicator marks as described in Patent Document 2 can only determine whether the position of the new electrode, etc., is the target position. Therefore, only rough alignment is possible, and ultimately, it is necessary to bring the new electrode, etc., into contact with the electrode to be connected in order to align it.

[0011] In the configuration described in Patent Document 4, positioning is achieved by repeatedly detecting electrodes and making minute movements of the electrode connection device based on the detection results, thereby fine-tuning for front-to-back and left-to-right positional misalignments. As a result, connection still takes a considerable amount of time.

[0012] This invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and one of its objectives is to provide an electrode connection method that can reduce the time and effort required for connection. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] The electrode connection method according to the present invention, in one embodiment, is an electrode connection method for connecting the lower end of a new electrode held by an electrode connection device or the holding means of an electrode connection device to the upper end of an electrode to be connected, which is held upright by a holder, wherein the electrode connection device is held by a moving device and is configured to be movable in the horizontal and vertical directions by the moving device and to be rotatable about a predetermined axis of rotation, the holder is provided with a plurality of guide holes, the electrode connection device is provided with the same number of guide rods as the guide holes extending downward, the guide holes and guide rods are arranged such that when each guide rod is inserted into a guide hole by the lowering of the electrode connection device, the position of the lower end of the new electrode or the position of the holding means of the electrode connection device aligns with the position of the upper end of the electrode to be connected, (1) a plurality of guides The electrode connection device includes a coarse position adjustment step of roughly adjusting the position of the electrode connection device to a position where the guide holes and the electrode to be connected, or (2) orientation and alignment markers provided around a plurality of guide holes and the electrode to be connected, can be imaged by an imaging device mounted on a moving device or electrode connection device; a positioning step of analyzing (1) two images of the plurality of guide holes and the electrode to be connected captured by the imaging device, or (2) images of the orientation and alignment markers, after the coarse position adjustment step, and moving and rotating the electrode connection device so that each of the guide rods is positioned above the guide holes based on the analysis results; a centering step of lowering the electrode connection device and inserting each of the guide rods into the guide holes after the positioning step; and a connection step of connecting the lower end of a new electrode or the holding means of the electrode connection device to the upper end of the electrode to be connected. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to one embodiment of the electrode connection method of the present invention, (1) images of two of the multiple guide holes and electrodes to be connected captured by an imaging device, or (2) images of orientation and alignment markers are analyzed, and based on the analysis results, the electrode connection device is moved and rotated so that each of the guide rods is positioned above the guide hole, thereby reducing the time and effort required for connection. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] It is a plan view schematically showing an electric furnace in which the electrode connection method according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention can be implemented. [Figure 2] It is a side view schematically showing the electrode connection device of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a side view schematically showing a state where a guide bar is inserted into the guide hole of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] It is an explanatory view showing a modified example of the guide hole and the guide bar of FIG. 3. [Figure 5] It is a perspective view schematically showing a moving device for holding the electrode connection device of FIG. 2. [Figure 6] It is an explanatory view schematically showing a first aspect of image analysis in the positioning process. [Figure 7] It is an explanatory view schematically showing a second aspect of image analysis in the positioning process. [Figure 8] It is an explanatory view schematically showing a third aspect of image analysis in the positioning process. [Figure 9] It is an explanatory view schematically showing a fourth aspect of image analysis in the positioning process. [Figure 10] It is an explanatory view showing the electrode connection method according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to each embodiment, and components can be modified and embodied without departing from the gist thereof. Also, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of components disclosed in each embodiment. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment. Furthermore, components of different embodiments may be appropriately combined.

[0017] Embodiment 1. Figure 1 is a schematic plan view showing an electric furnace in which the electrode connection method according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention can be implemented; Figure 2 is a schematic side view showing the electrode connection device 3 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic side view showing how the guide rod 31 is inserted into the guide hole 10 of Figure 2; Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a modified example of the guide hole 10 and guide rod 31 of Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view showing a moving device 5 that holds the electrode connection device 3 of Figure 2.

[0018] The electrode connection method according to this embodiment 1 is a method for connecting the lower end 40 of a new electrode 4, held by an electrode connection device 3, to the upper end 20 of an electrode to be connected, which is held upright by a holder 1.

[0019] In this embodiment, as an example, the case in which the connected electrode 2 is one of the electrodes (existing electrodes) of an electric furnace (arc furnace) will be described. The electrodes of the electric furnace are, for example, cylindrical members with an outer diameter of 14 inches to 32 inches, a length of 1400 mm to 2550 mm, and a weight of 253 kg to 2450 kg when not in use. The electrodes of the electric furnace are made of a material such as graphite. The electrodes of the electric furnace are held upright in a holder 1 located on the top of the lid of the electric furnace and are inserted into the inside of the electric furnace through an opening provided in the lid. When power is supplied to the electrodes, an arc is generated from the electrodes, and the heat of the arc melts the material to be molten inside the electric furnace. The material to be molten can be anything, but for example, steel materials such as scrap. Figure 1 shows the case in which there are three electrodes in the electric furnace, but the number of electrodes can be anything. The electric furnace may be AC ​​type or DC type.

[0020] The electrodes of an electric furnace wear down from the lower end during use. When the electrode of the electric furnace, which is the connected electrode 2, wears down, a new electrode 4 is added to the upper end 20 of the connected electrode 2. The new electrode 4 has the same configuration as the connected electrode 2.

[0021] As shown in particular in Figure 2, a recess 21 is provided at the upper end portion 20 of the electrode to be connected 2. Threads are cut into the inner circumferential surface of the recess 21. In other words, the recess 21 is configured to form a female threaded portion with threads formed on its inner circumferential surface. In Figure 2, the recess 21 is a frustoconical depression whose inner diameter narrows towards the bottom, and is located coaxially with the central axis of the electrode to be connected 2. The depth of the recess 21 is, for example, approximately 160 mm, the opening diameter of the recess 21 at the upper end surface of the electrode to be connected 2 is, for example, approximately 240 mm, and the opening diameter of the recess 21 at the bottom is, for example, approximately 190 mm. When the upper end surface of the electrode to be connected 2 is viewed in plan, the recess 21 is formed at the center of the upper end surface of the electrode to be connected 2. A protrusion 41 is provided at the lower end portion 40 of the new electrode 4. Threads are cut into the outer circumferential surface of the protrusion 41. In other words, the protrusion 41 is configured to form a male threaded portion with threads formed on its outer circumferential surface. In Figure 2, the convex portion 41 has an outer shape that fits into the recess 21, and is a frustoconical projection whose outer diameter narrows towards the bottom, and is provided coaxially with the central axis of the new electrode 4. The convex portion 41 may be integrated with the new electrode 4, or it may be a separate part. By bringing the convex portion 41 of the new electrode 4 into contact with the recess 21 of the electrode to be connected 2 and rotating the new electrode 4, the convex portion 41, which forms the male thread portion, is screwed into the recess 21, which forms the female thread portion, thereby connecting the new electrode 4 to the electrode to be connected 2.

[0022] The electrode connection device 3 has a holding means 30 below it for holding a new electrode. The holding means 30 is rotatably mounted on the main body 3b of the electrode connection device 3 and is rotationally driven by a drive device 30a such as a motor. In this embodiment shown in Figure 2, the holding means 30 has a male threaded portion that has the same shape as the convex portion 41 of the new electrode 4. As described above, the new electrode 4 has the same configuration (same shape) as the electrode to be connected 2, and has a female threaded portion (recessed portion 21) at its upper end 42. The new electrode 4 is held in the electrode connection device 3 by screwing the male threaded portion of the holding means 30 of the electrode connection device 3 into the female threaded portion (recessed portion 21) of the new electrode 4. The holding means 30 is not limited to this, and for example, it may be configured to grip and hold the body of the new electrode 4 using a clamp.

[0023] The electrode connection device 3 is held by a moving device 5 (see Figure 5), and is configured to be movable in the horizontal and vertical directions and rotatable around a predetermined axis of rotation. The position of the electrode connection device 3 is adjusted by horizontal movement, the height of the electrode connection device 3 is adjusted by vertical movement, and the orientation of the electrode connection device 3 is adjusted by rotation.

[0024] Figure 5 shows an example of the moving device 5. The moving device 5 in Figure 5 includes a pair of first rails 51 that extend in a first direction D1 and are spaced apart from each other in a second direction D2, a second rail 52 that extends in a second direction D2 between the first rails 51 and is supported by the first rails 51 so as to be movable in the first direction D1, a movable body 53 such as a hoist supported by the second rails 52 so as to be movable in the second direction D2, and a rotating support part 54 that can extend and retract or move back and forth from the movable body 53 in a third direction D3. The rotating support part 54 is provided so as to be rotatable about an axis that extends in the third direction D3. In Figure 5, the first direction D1 and the second direction D2 are mutually orthogonal directions in the horizontal plane, and the third direction D3 is the vertical direction. The electrode connection device 3 is supported by the rotating support part 54, so that it is movable in the horizontal direction (first direction D1 and second direction D2) and the vertical direction (third direction D3), and is rotatable around a predetermined rotation axis. However, the configuration of the moving device 5 is not limited to this, and various configurations may be used as the moving device 5. For example, the moving device 5 may be configured to perform a slewing motion, such as a slewing crane.

[0025] Returning to Figures 1 and 2, the holder 1 is provided with a plurality of guide holes 10. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, each holder 1 is provided with two guide holes 10, but the number of guide holes 10 per holder 1 may be three or more. The guide holes 10 are made up of, for example, tubes. Here, the holder 1 has an electrode holder 11 that holds the electrode to be connected 2, and one or more guide hole holders 12 provided with guide holes 10. The electrode holder 11 is, for example, a longitudinal member extending from a base (not shown), and the electrode to be connected 2 is held at the tip of the electrode holder 11. The guide hole holder 12 extends from the tip of the electrode holder 11, and the guide holes 10 are provided in the guide hole holder 12. The guide holes 10 are provided at the tip of the guide hole holder 12. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the guide hole holder 12 is made up of the same number (2) of rectangular plate-shaped members in plan view as the guide holes 10, but a single guide hole holder 12 may be provided with a plurality of guide holes 10.

[0026] The electrode connection device 3 is provided with guide rods 31 that extend downward. The number of guide rods 31 is the same as the number of guide holes 10. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, two guide rods 31 are provided in the electrode connection device 3 to match the number of guide holes 10 in each holder 1, but if the number of guide holes 10 in each holder 1 is three or more, three or more guide rods 31 may be provided in the electrode connection device 3.

[0027] The guide holes 10 and guide rods 31 are positioned such that, as shown particularly in Figure 3, when each guide rod 31 is inserted into the guide hole 10 by the descent of the electrode connection device 3, the position of the lower end 40 of the new electrode 4 aligns with the position of the upper end 20 of the electrode to be connected 2. More specifically, the center position of the convex portion 41 of the new electrode 4 aligns with the center position of the concave portion 21 of the electrode to be connected 2. In other words, the guide holes 10 and guide rods 31 are configured such that when each guide rod 31 is inserted into the guide hole 10, the convex portion 41 forming the male thread and the concave portion 21 forming the female thread are arranged coaxially. As described above, since the convex portion 41 is provided coaxially with the central axis of the new electrode 4 and the concave portion 21 is provided coaxially with the central axis of the electrode to be connected 2, when each guide rod 31 is inserted into the guide hole 10, the central axis of the new electrode 4 and the central axis of the electrode to be connected 2 are aligned on the same straight line. As shown in Figure 1, when viewed in plan, the positional relationship between the new electrode 4 and the guide rod 31 coincides with the positional relationship between the electrode to be connected 2 and the guide hole 10. As described above, when the position of the guide hole 10 in the circumferential direction of the electrode to be connected 2 differs for each holder 1, this difference is considered to be within a range that can be resolved by the orientation of the electrode connection device 3.

[0028] In the configurations shown in Figures 1 to 3, the guide hole 10 is configured such that its opening diameter widens as it moves upward. In other words, the opening diameter of the guide hole 10 narrows as it moves downward. Because the opening diameter of the guide hole 10 narrows as it moves downward, the position of the lower end 40 of the new electrode 4 is gradually aligned with the position of the upper end 20 of the electrode to be connected 2 by inserting the guide rod 31 into the guide hole 10. The alignment process using the guide hole 10 and the guide rod 31 is shown in Figures 3(a) and (b). In particular as shown in Figure 3(b), the length of the guide rod 31 is such that the guide rod 31 is inserted to the position of the minimum opening diameter of the guide hole 10 before the tip of the protrusion 41 of the new electrode 4 contacts the upper end 20 of the electrode to be connected 2 due to the descent of the electrode connection device 3. The outer diameter of the guide rod 31 is slightly smaller than the minimum opening diameter of the guide hole 10. For example, the minimum opening diameter of the guide hole 10 is 60 mm, and the outer diameter of the guide rod 31 is 50 mm. The maximum opening diameter at the upper end of the guide hole 10 is, for example, 100 mm.

[0029] As shown in Figure 4, by making the guide rod 31 tapered, the position of the lower end 40 of the new electrode 4 can be gradually aligned with the position of the upper end 20 of the electrode 2 to be connected by inserting the guide rod 31 into the guide hole 10. In the embodiment shown in Figure 4, the guide rod 31 has a tapered portion 31a and a base portion 31b provided above the tapered portion 31a. The opening diameter of the guide hole 10 is uniform in the vertical direction. The opening diameter of the guide hole 10 is slightly larger than the diameter of the base portion 31b. For example, the opening diameter of the guide hole 10 is 60 mm, and the diameter of the base portion 31b of the guide rod 31 is 50 mm. The length of the tapered portion 31a in the vertical direction is, for example, 30 mm.

[0030] An electrode connection method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a positioning step, a centering step, and a connection step.

[0031] The coarse position adjustment step is a step in which the position of the electrode connection device 3 is roughly adjusted so that the multiple guide holes 10 and the electrodes to be connected 2 can be imaged by the imaging device 6 mounted on the moving device 5 or the electrode connection device 3. As the imaging device 6, a camera or the like (such as a CCD camera) can be used.

[0032] Figure 1 shows an embodiment in which the imaging device 6 is mounted on the electrode connection device 3. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the imaging device 6 is attached to the lower end of the main body 3b of the electrode connection device 3. However, the mounting position of the imaging device 6 is not limited to this, and the imaging device 6 may also be mounted on the moving device 5. When the imaging device 6 is mounted on the moving device 5, it is preferable to attach the imaging device 6 to the part of the moving device 5 that moves horizontally together with the electrode connection device 3. In the case of the moving device 5 shown in Figure 5, it is preferable to attach the imaging device 6 to the movable body 53. The imaging device 6 is attached to the movable body 53 in a position where the object to be imaged is not obscured by the electrode connection device 3. As shown in Figure 5, by making the movable body 53 larger than the electrode connection device 3, it becomes easier to position the imaging device 6 in such a position.

[0033] For example, when the electrode to be connected 2 is one of several electrodes, the coarse position adjustment step includes selecting the electrode to be connected 2 from the several electrodes, and coarsely adjusting the position of the electrode connection device 3 to a position where the selected electrode to be connected 2 and the several guide holes 10 provided in the holder 1 that holds the electrode to be connected 2 can be imaged by the imaging device 6. Figure 1 shows the case where the lower right electrode is selected as the electrode to be connected 2 from among several electrodes. At this time, the electrode connection device 3, which was initially located in the position shown by the dashed line on the right side of the figure, is moved to the vicinity of the selected electrode (electrode to be connected 2), as shown by the solid line (see arrow A1). Figure 2 shows the electrode connection device 3, which was initially located in the position shown by the dashed line on the right side of the figure, being moved to the position shown by the solid line in the center of the figure (see arrow A1), and the position shown by the solid line shows that the several guide holes 10 and the electrode to be connected 2 are included in the field of view of the imaging device 6. The movement of the electrode connection device 3 during the coarse position adjustment step may or may not involve rotation (change of orientation) of the electrode connection device 3. Preferably, the movement of the electrode connection device 3 during the coarse position adjustment step involves rotation of the electrode connection device 3 so that its orientation corresponds to the orientation of the selected electrode to be connected 2 and the guide hole 10 to some extent. By aligning the orientation of the electrode connection device 3 to the orientation of the electrode to be connected 2 and the guide hole 10 to some extent during the coarse position adjustment step, the risk of the electrode connection device 3 coming into contact with other surrounding devices or other electrodes when the electrode connection device 3 is lowered in a later step can be reduced. During the coarse position adjustment step, the electrode connection device 3 may be moved to a predetermined area for each electrode. Also, during the coarse position adjustment step, the electrode connection device 3 may be moved from its initial position in a predetermined direction for each electrode until the image captured by the imaging device 6 includes multiple guide holes 10 and the electrode to be connected 2. A control device (not shown) may control the operation of the moving device 5 (i.e., the movement of the electrode connection device 3) according to a predetermined program.

[0034] The positioning step, after the coarse position adjustment step, involves analyzing two images from among the multiple guide holes 10 and connected electrodes 2 captured by the imaging device 6, and then moving and rotating the electrode connection device 3 so that each of the guide rods 31 is positioned above the guide hole 10, based on the analysis results. Figures 1 and 2 show how the electrode connection device 3, which was moved to the position indicated by the solid line in the coarse position adjustment step, is moved so that each of the guide rods 31 is positioned above the guide hole 10, as indicated by the fine dashed line on the left side of the figure (see arrow A2). Image analysis may be performed by an analysis device not shown. The analysis device may be composed of the same hardware as the control device that controls the operation of the moving device 5, or it may be composed of different hardware from the control device. Image analysis will be explained later with reference to figures.

[0035] In the positioning process, the electrode connection device 3 is moved and rotated so that, when viewed from above, each of the guide rods 31 is positioned within the range of the upper opening of the corresponding guide hole 10 (the radial center position of the guide hole 10 and the radial center position of the guide rod 31 do not need to coincide precisely). This state is achieved by positioning the electrode connection device 3 in a specific orientation at a specific location. In embodiments that do not use guide rods 31 and guide holes 10, as in Patent Documents 2 and 4, there is no need to position the electrode connection device 3 in a specific orientation. However, in a configuration that uses guide rods 31 and guide holes 10, as in the method of this embodiment, it is important to rotate the electrode connection device 3 to a specific orientation.

[0036] The alignment process is a step that follows the positioning process in which the electrode connection device 3 is lowered and each of the guide rods 31 is inserted into the guide hole 10 (see arrow A3 in Figure 2). As described above, the opening diameter of the guide hole 10 narrows as it goes downwards, so as the electrode connection device 3 is lowered and the guide rods 31 are inserted into the guide hole 10, the position of the lower end 40 of the new electrode 4 is gradually aligned with the position of the upper end 20 of the electrode to be connected 2, or more specifically, the center position of the convex portion 41 of the new electrode 4 is gradually aligned with the center position of the concave portion 21 of the electrode to be connected 2 (see Figures 3(a) and (b)). In other words, as the guide rod 31 gradually enters toward the center of the guide hole 10, the convex portion 41 forming the male thread and the concave portion 21 forming the female thread are arranged coaxially. This positions the lower end 40 of the new electrode 4 toward the upper end 20 of the electrode to be connected 2. Aligning the position of the lower end 40 of the new electrode 4 toward the position of the upper end 20 of the electrode to be connected 2 is sometimes called alignment.

[0037] The connection process, following the alignment process, involves connecting the lower end 40 of the new electrode 4 to the upper end 20 of the electrode 2 to be connected. By lowering the electrode connection device 3, the lower end 40 of the new electrode 4 comes into contact with the upper end 20 of the electrode 2 to be connected. Rotating the new electrode 4 causes the convex portion 41 forming the male thread to be screwed into the concave portion 21 forming the female thread, thereby connecting the lower end 40 of the new electrode 4 to the upper end 20 of the electrode 2 to be connected.

[0038] If a new electrode 4 or the like is brought into contact with the electrode to be connected 2 for alignment purposes, there is a risk of damage to the electrode to be connected 2 or the like. Also, for example, if the positioning of the lower end portion 40 (protrusion 41) of the new electrode 4 and the upper end portion 20 (recess 21) of the electrode to be connected 2 is not accurate, and the protrusion 41 forming the male thread portion is screwed into the recess 21 forming the female thread portion while the positions are misaligned, there is a risk of damage to the thread portion. By employing guide holes 10 and guide rods 31 as in the method of this embodiment, the position of the new electrode 4 or the like can be aligned with the position of the electrode to be connected 2 without contact with the electrode to be connected 2. In particular, manually aligning the position of the guide rods 31 with the position of the guide holes 10 requires a lot of time and effort. However, in the method of this embodiment, two images from among the multiple guide holes 10 and electrode to be connected 2 captured by the imaging device 6 are analyzed, and based on the analysis results, the electrode connection device 3 is moved and rotated so that each of the guide rods 31 is positioned above the guide holes 10. This reduces the time and effort required for electrode connection. Furthermore, it makes it possible to automate the entire electrode connection process. This configuration is particularly useful in embodiments where an electrode to be connected 2 is selected from multiple electrodes, and a new electrode 4 is connected to that electrode 2.

[0039] Next, Figure 6 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the first aspect of image analysis in the positioning process, and Figure 7 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the second aspect of image analysis in the positioning process. When analyzing two images from among the multiple guide holes 10 and the electrodes to be connected 2 in the positioning process, for example, two circular shapes from among the multiple guide holes 10 and the electrodes to be connected 2 can be detected, and the center positions of the two circular shapes can be detected, and the electrode connection device 3 can be moved and rotated based on the center positions of the two circular shapes.

[0040] In the first embodiment shown in Figure 6, the connected electrode 2 and one of the multiple guide holes 10 are detected, and the center position of each of these circular shapes is detected. In the second embodiment shown in Figure 7, two of the multiple guide holes 10 are detected, and the center positions of each of these circular shapes are detected. The detection of circular shapes may be performed based on arbitrary image processing, such as edge detection. The connected electrode 2 and the guide holes 10 have different sizes. Also, the pattern of the positional relationship between the connected electrode 2 and the guide holes 10 is known. Based on these size differences and positional relationship patterns, the target for detection of circular shapes may be identified in the image.

[0041] While not limited to this, by moving the electrode connection device 3 so that the position of one of the two circular shapes coincides with a specific position, and by rotating the electrode connection device 3 so that the direction of the straight line L passing through the center positions of each of the two circular shapes coincides with a specific direction, each of the guide rods 31 can be positioned above the guide hole 10.

[0042] Next, Figure 8 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing a third aspect of image analysis in the positioning process, and Figure 9 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing a fourth aspect of image analysis in the positioning process. In the first and second aspects described above, it was explained that two circular shapes among the multiple guide holes 10 and the electrodes to be connected 2 are detected, but instead of these multiple guide holes 10 and the electrodes to be connected 2, images of orientation and alignment markers 7 provided around the multiple guide holes 10 and the electrodes to be connected 2 may be analyzed. In this case, in the coarse position adjustment step, the position of the electrode connection device 3 is roughly adjusted to a position where the imaging device 6 can capture images of the orientation and alignment markers 7. In the positioning step, the images of the orientation and alignment markers 7 are analyzed, and based on the analysis results, the electrode connection device 3 is moved and rotated so that each of the guide rods 31 is positioned above the guide holes 10. In this way, the position and orientation of the electrode connection device 3 can also be adjusted using the orientation and alignment markers 7.

[0043] The orientation and alignment marker 7 may have a shape that does not match when rotated. In other words, the orientation and alignment marker 7 may not have a shape that always matches during a 360° rotation, like a single perfect circle, but rather a shape that allows the rotation angle to be recognized at least once during a 360° rotation.

[0044] For example, as the orientation and alignment marker 7, two circles spaced apart as shown in Figure 8 may be used, or an isosceles triangle may be used as shown in Figure 9.

[0045] As shown in Figure 8, when the orientation and alignment markers 7 are two circles, the electrode connection device 3 can be moved so that the position of one of the two circles coincides with a specific position, and the electrode connection device 3 can be rotated so that the direction of the straight line L passing through the centers of each of the two circles coincides with a specific direction, thereby positioning each of the guide rods 31 above the guide hole 10. When the orientation and alignment markers 7 are two circles, the two circles are treated as a single orientation and alignment marker 7. That is, the geometric shapes that make up the orientation and alignment marker 7 may be shapes that coincide when the individual marker is rotated.

[0046] As shown in Figure 9, when the orientation and alignment marker 7 is an isosceles triangle, the electrode connection device 3 can be moved to align the position of the isosceles triangle with a specific position, and the electrode connection device 3 can be rotated to align the height direction of the isosceles triangle with a specific direction, thereby positioning each of the guide rods 31 above the guide hole 10. When using a shape that does not align when rotated, such as an isosceles triangle, as the orientation and alignment marker 7, the orientation and alignment marker 7 may be composed of a single shape. The orientation and alignment marker 7 may also be other shapes, such as a cross shape (like a crucifix) with only one side longer.

[0047] The orientation and alignment marker 7 may have a different hue, brightness, and / or saturation from the multiple guide holes 10 and the connected electrodes 2. In particular, it is preferable that the orientation and alignment marker 7 has a different hue and / or saturation from the multiple guide holes 10 and the connected electrodes 2. Having a different hue and / or saturation allows for more reliable detection of the orientation and alignment marker 7 even in situations where the multiple guide holes 10 and the connected electrodes 2 blend into the background in the image.

[0048] Embodiment 2. Figure 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an electrode connection method according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Embodiment 1 described the case in which the lower end portion 40 of a new electrode 4 is connected to the upper end portion 20 of the electrode 2 to be connected. However, the method of the present invention may also be carried out in a situation in which the holding means 30 of the electrode connection device 3 is connected to the upper end portion 20 of the electrode 2 to be connected.

[0049] Figure 10 shows an electrode to be connected 2, which is held upright by a holder 80, and a configuration in which the holding means 30 of the electrode connection device 3 is connected to the upper end portion 20 of the electrode to be connected 2. After the holding means 30 is connected to the upper end portion 20 of the electrode to be connected 2, the electrode to be connected 2 is transported onto the electric furnace as a new electrode 4 as described in Embodiment 1. In other words, Figure 10 shows a configuration in which the new electrode 4 described in Embodiment 1 is set in the electrode connection device 3.

[0050] The holder 80 is provided with a plurality of guide holes 81 whose opening diameter widens as they move upward. The positional relationship between the electrode to be connected 2 held in the holder 80 and the guide holes 81 is the same as the positional relationship between the electrode to be connected 2 and the guide holes 10 in Embodiment 1.

[0051] In this embodiment as well, in the coarse positioning step, the position of the electrode connection device 3 is roughly adjusted to a position where (1) the plurality of guide holes 81 and the electrode to be connected 2, or (2) the orientation and alignment markers 7 provided around the plurality of guide holes 81 and the electrode to be connected 2 (see Figures 8 and 9) can be captured by the imaging device 6 (see arrow A4). In the positioning step, two images of (1) the plurality of guide holes 81 and the electrode to be connected 2, or (2) the image of the orientation and alignment markers 7 captured by the imaging device 6 are analyzed, and based on the analysis results, the electrode connection device 3 is moved and rotated so that each of the guide rods 31 is positioned above the guide hole 81 (see arrow A5). In the centering step, the electrode connection device 3 is lowered and each of the guide rods 31 is inserted into the guide hole 81 (see arrow A6). Then, in the connection step, the holding means 30 of the electrode connection device 3 is connected to the upper end portion 20 of the electrode to be connected 2. After the holding means 30 is connected to the upper end portion 20 of the electrode to be connected 2, the electrode to be connected 2 may be transported onto the electric furnace as a new electrode 4. The other configurations are the same as in Embodiment 1.

[0052] In addition to Embodiment 1, Embodiment 2 describes the case in which the holding means 30 of the electrode connection device 3 is connected to the upper end portion 20 of the electrode to be connected 2. Furthermore, the method of the present invention may also be implemented in the case where the lower end portion 40 of the new electrode 4 is returned to its original position after the connection of the lower end portion 20 of the electrode to be connected 2 has been completed. This makes it possible to automate a series of electrode connection operations.

[0053] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the attached drawings, the present invention is not limited to these examples. It is clear to any person with ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs that various modifications or alterations can be conceived within the scope of the technical idea described in the claims, and these are also understood to fall within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0054] For example, while embodiments 1 and 2 use electrodes in an electric furnace as an example, the method of the present invention may also be applied to other electrodes, such as electrodes placed on a ladle in a ladle furnace (LF). [Explanation of Symbols]

[0055] 1.80: Holder 10,81: Guide hole 2: Electrode to be connected 20: Upper end 3: Electrode connection device 30: Holding means 31: Guide rod 4: New electrodes 40: Bottom end 5: Mobile device 6: Imaging device 7: Markers for orientation and alignment

Claims

1. An electrode connection method for connecting the lower end of a new electrode held by an electrode connection device or the holding means of the electrode connection device to the upper end of an electrode to be connected, which is held upright by a holder, The electrode connection device is held by a moving device and is configured to be movable in the horizontal and vertical directions by the moving device, and to be rotatable about a predetermined axis of rotation. The holder is provided with a plurality of guide holes, and the electrode connection device is provided with the same number of guide rods as the guide holes that extend downward, and the guide holes and guide rods are arranged so that when the electrode connection device is lowered and each of the guide rods is inserted into the guide hole, the position of the lower end of the new electrode or the position of the holding means of the electrode connection device aligns with the position of the upper end of the electrode to be connected. (1) A position adjustment step of roughly adjusting the position of the electrode connection device to a position where the orientation and position markers provided around the plurality of guide holes and the electrode to be connected can be imaged by the moving device or the imaging device mounted on the electrode connection device, After the coarse position adjustment step, a positioning step is performed in which (1) two images of the plurality of guide holes and the electrodes to be connected captured by the imaging device, or (2) images of the orientation and alignment markers are analyzed, and based on the analysis results, the electrode connection device is moved and rotated so that each of the guide rods is positioned above the guide holes. After the positioning step, the electrode connecting device is lowered and each of the guide rods is inserted into the guide hole in a centering step, After the alignment step, a connection step is performed in which the lower end of the new electrode or the holding means of the electrode connection device is connected to the upper end of the electrode to be connected. including, Electrode connection method.

2. In the positioning step, when analyzing images of two of the multiple guide holes and the electrodes to be connected, the circular shapes of the two of the multiple guide holes and the electrodes to be connected are detected, and the center positions of the two circular shapes are detected, and the electrode connection device is moved and rotated based on the center positions of the two circular shapes. The electrode connection method according to claim 1.

3. Two of the aforementioned plurality of guide holes and the connected electrode are the connected electrode and one of the plurality of guide holes. The electrode connection method according to claim 1 or 2.

4. Two of the aforementioned plurality of guide holes and the electrodes to be connected are two of the aforementioned plurality of guide holes. The electrode connection method according to claim 1 or 2.

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