Mold cleaning device

Abstract

The present invention provides a mold cleaning apparatus that allows for easy and continuous operation of chemical cleaning using a circulating chemical solution, followed by water rinsing and mold drying, enabling safe mold cleaning without human intervention. [Solution] The system comprises a mold rotation displacement unit 20, a chemical cleaning unit 30 that uses a circulating chemical solution to clean the recess 11a of the mold 11 supported by the mold rotation displacement unit 20 with the chemical solution, a cleaning water cleaning unit 50 that uses cleaning water to wash the recess 11a of the mold 11 after the chemical cleaning, a cleaning water discharge unit 60 that drains the cleaning water used to wash the recess 11a, and a drying unit 70 that dries the recess 11a of the mold 11 supported by the mold rotation displacement unit 20. The cleaning water discharge unit 60 is located below the mold 11 supported by the mold rotation displacement unit 20 and has a cleaning water receiving unit 62 that receives the cleaning water flowing down from the recess 11a of the mold 11 that has been displaced to one side by the mold rotation displacement unit 20, and a drainage channel 63 that drains the cleaning water from the cleaning water receiving unit 62 via a different route than the circulating chemical solution.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a mold cleaning device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in order to remove dirt adhering to recesses such as the molding surface of a mold, chemical solution cleaning using a chemical solution such as a strong alkaline solution has been performed. The chemical solution is a liquid that requires special management to ensure safety for the human body and the environment, and is circulated and used. After chemical solution cleaning, the mold is reused by washing with water and drying. The low-concentration chemical solution generated by washing with water is appropriately disposed of. Such chemical solution cleaning requires workers to wear protective clothing for each operation to ensure safety for the human body, which is troublesome. Cleaning that peels off dirt using blast particles that are easier to ensure safety than chemical solutions is also performed, but the cleaning power is weak, and dirt easily remains in the fine irregularities of the molding surface.

[0003] In Patent Document 1 below, a mold cleaning device that performs chemical solution cleaning by circulating a chemical solution between a chemical solution tank section and a mold has been proposed. In this device, by providing a chemical solution injection nozzle, a chemical solution suction nozzle, and respective piping routes, chemical solution circulation is facilitated, and by providing a liquid level sensor that detects the liquid level of the cleaning chemical solution, an abnormality in the amount of chemical solution in the mold is monitored. A heater and a temperature sensor are provided in the chemical solution tank section, and the chemical solution is kept at about 80°C.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Conventional mold cleaning equipment requires chemical cleaning to achieve sufficient cleaning effectiveness, and while efforts have been made to reuse the chemicals as much as possible, the rinsing with water after chemical cleaning has not been adequately considered. As a result, there was room for improvement in areas such as the time-consuming process of rinsing with water after chemical cleaning, the time-consuming process of drying the molds after cleaning, and the time-consuming process of handling the cleaning water after use.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a mold cleaning apparatus that can easily and continuously perform chemical cleaning using a circulating chemical solution, water rinsing, and mold drying, and can safely clean molds without human intervention. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The mold cleaning apparatus of the present invention, which achieves the above objective, comprises: a mold rotation displacement unit that supports the mold and can be tilted or inverted; a chemical cleaning unit that uses a circulating chemical solution to clean the recesses of the mold supported by the mold rotation displacement unit with the chemical solution; a cleaning water cleaning unit that uses cleaning water to wash the recesses of the mold supported by the mold rotation displacement unit after the chemical cleaning; a cleaning water discharge unit for draining the cleaning water used to wash the recesses; and a drying unit for drying the recesses of the mold supported by the mold rotation displacement unit. The cleaning water discharge unit is located below the mold supported by the mold rotation displacement unit and includes a cleaning water receiving unit that receives the cleaning water flowing down from the recesses of the mold that have been displaced to one side by the mold rotation displacement unit, and a drainage channel that drains the cleaning water from the cleaning water receiving unit via a different path from the circulating chemical solution.

[0008] According to the mold cleaning apparatus of the present invention, with the mold supported in the mold rotation displacement section, the mold's recesses are cleaned using a circulating chemical solution in the chemical solution cleaning section, the mold can be rinsed with cleaning water in the cleaning water cleaning section, and the mold can be dried in the drying section. Therefore, since the chemical solution cleaning, rinsing with water, and drying are performed while the mold remains supported in the mold rotation displacement section, these processes can be automated and performed safely and continuously without human intervention. Furthermore, in the cleaning water discharge section for draining the cleaning water used to wash the recesses of the mold, a cleaning water receiving section is positioned below the mold, which is supported by the mold rotation displacement section. By displacing the mold to one side using the mold rotation displacement section, the cleaning water from the recesses can be allowed to flow out. The cleaning water flowing out of the recesses is received by the cleaning water receiving section and can be drained through a different path than the chemical solution. Therefore, even when chemical cleaning and water rinsing are performed continuously without human intervention, when rinsing the mold with water after chemical cleaning, the mold can be displaced to one side by the mold rotation displacement unit, allowing the cleaning water to be drained through a different path than the chemical solution. This prevents the cleaning water from mixing with the chemical solution, which can lead to a decrease in functionality such as deterioration of the chemical solution's pH, and allows the chemical solution to be circulated and used for mold cleaning.

[0009] Therefore, a mold cleaning apparatus is provided that allows for easy and continuous chemical cleaning using a circulating chemical solution, water rinsing, and mold drying, enabling safe mold cleaning without human intervention.

[0010] The mold cleaning apparatus preferably comprises a chemical cleaning unit that supplies chemical solution from a chemical solution tank to the recesses of the mold for chemical cleaning, and a chemical recovery unit that recovers the chemical solution after cleaning into the chemical solution tank. The chemical cleaning unit stores chemical solution in the recesses of the mold with the recesses open upward by a mold rotation displacement unit for chemical cleaning. The chemical recovery unit has a chemical solution suction nozzle that sucks up the chemical solution stored in the recesses of the mold, and a first chemical solution recovery path that transfers the chemical solution from the chemical solution suction nozzle to the chemical solution tank. It also comprises a chemical solution receiving unit positioned below the mold supported by the mold rotation displacement unit, which receives the chemical solution remaining in the recesses after suction by the chemical solution suction nozzle by displacing the mold to the other side by the mold rotation displacement unit, and a second chemical solution recovery path that transfers the chemical solution from the chemical solution receiving unit to the chemical solution tank.

[0011] In this way, after cleaning the mold by storing the chemical solution in the recesses, the large amount of chemical solution stored in the recesses can be sucked up by the chemical solution suction nozzle and transferred to the chemical solution tank. After sucking up the large amount of chemical solution in the recesses with the chemical solution suction nozzle, the remaining chemical solution in the recesses is displaced by the mold rotation displacement part and flows down to the chemical solution receiving part for collection. This minimizes the amount of chemical solution remaining in the mold recesses after chemical cleaning, thereby increasing the efficiency of chemical solution recovery. Furthermore, because a large amount of chemical solution is transferred from the chemical solution suction nozzle through the first chemical solution recovery path, the chemical solution temperature does not drop easily, making it easier to maintain the temperature of the chemical solution when using the chemical solution in a circulating manner for chemical cleaning. Moreover, since the chemical solution flows down by displacing the mold to the opposite side from the cleaning water discharge part, it is prevented from flowing into the cleaning water discharge part, making it possible to circulate and reuse more chemical solution, and both chemical cleaning and rinsing become easier.

[0012] The above-mentioned mold rotation displacement section has a rotation displacement axis that serves as the center for tilting or inverting the mold, and may support the mold such that one upper edge of the mold from which cleaning water flows and the other upper edge of the mold from which chemical solution flows are offset above the rotation displacement axis.

[0013] In this mold cleaning apparatus, the cleaning water discharge section and the chemical solution recovery section are preferably separated by a partition section that is provided in a V-shape, with an upward convexity, directly below the rotational displacement axis. This allows the cleaning water discharge section, which drains the cleaning water, and the chemical solution recovery section, which drains the chemical solution, to be placed below the mold rotational displacement section. By partitioning the inside of a single drain pan with the partition section, it is possible to provide a cleaning water receiving section and a chemical solution receiving section, thereby simplifying the configuration.

[0014] In the mold cleaning apparatus of the present invention, it is preferable that a common robot arm is equipped with a chemical supply nozzle for supplying chemical solution to recesses in the mold, a chemical suction nozzle, a liquid level sensor for detecting the liquid level of the chemical solution stored in the recesses, a cleaning water supply nozzle for supplying cleaning water to the recesses, and a blow nozzle for supplying drying air to dry the mold, and that the robot arm automatically moves along the recesses while performing chemical cleaning and water rinsing. In this way, since each nozzle is automatically operated by a common robot arm, after the mold is placed in the mold rotation displacement section, chemical cleaning, water rinsing and drying can be performed automatically and efficiently without changing the tip of the robot arm, thereby improving the work efficiency of the operator. Moreover, since the chemical cleaning and water rinsing are performed while moving along the recesses of the mold, the cleaning effect of each is improved.

[0015] In this case, it is preferable that a robot arm having a cleaning water supply nozzle and a chemical solution supply nozzle, a chemical solution tank for storing the chemical solution supplied to the chemical solution supply nozzle, a mold rotation displacement unit, a cleaning water receiving unit, a chemical solution receiving unit, a blow nozzle, and an exhaust unit for exhausting internal air are housed within a cover, and that the chemical cleaning and water washing are performed within this cover. This ensures that the cover reliably prevents the chemical solution from splashing into the surrounding area, thereby significantly improving safety for the operator.

[0016] The mold cleaning apparatus of the present invention, which achieves the above objective, can also be understood as comprising: a mold rotation displacement unit that supports and can invert the mold; a chemical solution tank that stores and circulates chemical solution within a predetermined temperature range and a chemical solution circulation system connected to the chemical solution tank; a chemical solution nozzle that discharges and sucks the chemical solution from the chemical solution tank at any position; a chemical solution recovery unit located below the mold rotation displacement unit that returns the chemical solution to the chemical solution tank; and a cleaning water discharge unit that discharges the cleaning water when the chemical solution adhering to the mold is washed away with water from the chemical solution recovery unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the present invention, it is possible to easily and continuously perform chemical solution cleaning, water cleaning, and mold drying in which the chemical solution is circulated and used, and it is possible to provide a mold cleaning device capable of safely performing mold cleaning without the intervention of human hands.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018] [Figure 1] The schematic arrangement of the mold cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown, where (a) is a schematic plan view and (b) is a schematic side view. [Figure 2] It is a side view showing an enlarged view of the mold rotation displacement part and the robot arm of the mold cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a schematic side view showing a state in which a mold is carried into and out of the mold rotation displacement part according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] (a) and (b) are cross-sectional views schematically showing a state in which a mold is displaced in an inclined or inverted direction by the mold rotation displacement part of the mold cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] It is a schematic side view showing a chemical solution cleaning state in the mold cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] (a) to (c) are diagrams schematically showing the operation of the chemical solution nozzles in the chemical solution cleaning state of the mold cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] It is a schematic side view showing a chemical solution recovery state in the mold cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] It is a schematic side view showing a water cleaning state in the mold cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] It is a schematic side view showing a drying state in the mold cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] It is a perspective view showing a modification example of various nozzles in the mold cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0019] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The mold 11 to be cleaned in the mold cleaning device 10 of this embodiment is a mold for resin molding, in which a molding surface is provided in a recess 11a. The mold is preferably made of a material such as nickel that is resistant to deterioration by chemicals and cleaning water. In this embodiment, an example of a mold for slush molding will be used for explanation.

[0020] Figures 1(a) and 1(b) show a schematic arrangement of the mold cleaning apparatus of this embodiment, and Figure 2 is an enlarged side view of the mold rotation displacement unit and the robot arm. The mold cleaning apparatus 10 comprises a mold rotation displacement unit 20 that supports the mold 11, a chemical cleaning unit 30 and a chemical recovery unit 40 having a plurality of chemical nozzles 31, a cleaning water cleaning unit 50 having a cleaning water supply nozzle 51, a cleaning water discharge unit 60, and a drying unit 70 having a blow nozzle 71. Each nozzle 31, 51, and 71 of this mold cleaning apparatus 10 can be commonly attached to the tip of a robot arm 80 made of a multi-joint robot, and each unit and the robot arm 80 are housed in an openable and closable cover 90.

[0021] In this embodiment, the multiple chemical nozzles 31 include a chemical supply nozzle and a chemical suction nozzle, and details will be described later. The cover 90 is also provided with an exhaust section 95 for discharging air containing the chemical that is scattered inside the cover 90 to the outside, and the exhaust hood 95a of the exhaust section 95 is housed inside the cover 90.

[0022] The mold rotation displacement unit 20 is a device that supports the mold 11 and can tilt or invert it to displace it in the rotational direction. As shown in Figures 1(a), (b) and 2, the mold rotation displacement unit 20 has leg portions 21 and a mold support portion 22 that fixes the mold 11 and supports it above the leg portions 21 so as to be tiltable or invertable. The mold support section 22 is installed on the leg section 21 so as to be able to tilt or reverse around a rotational displacement axis 23 which is provided in a substantially horizontal direction. A servo motor 24 is attached to the mold support section 22, and the mold support section 22, which fixes and supports the mold 11, can be displaced by the servo motor 24 so as to tilt or reverse to one side and the other side of the rotational displacement axis 23.

[0023] The support structure for the mold 11 in the mold support section 22 is not particularly limited, but as will be described later, it is preferable that the structure does not obstruct the supply and discharge of chemical and cleaning solutions from the recess 11a during chemical cleaning and water washing. The dimensions of the mold support section 22 in plan view are preferably the same as or slightly larger than those of the mold 11. However, if it is too large, it may hinder rotation, and if it is too small, there is a concern that it will not be able to support the mold. The mold support section 22 of this embodiment includes a support body 25 that is tiltably or rotatably connected to the leg section 21, and fixing devices 26 provided at both ends of the support body 25 to fix the mold 22 so as to prevent the mold 11 from falling even if the support body 25 is positioned below the mold 11 due to rotational movement. In this mold support section 22, the mold 11 is fixed by the fixing devices 26 so that, during chemical cleaning, the recess 11a is open upward and the mold 11 is positioned below the support body 25.

[0024] In the mold rotation displacement unit 20, when loading or unloading the mold 11, the mold 11 can be attached to or removed from the mold support unit 22 in an inverted state with the recess 11a opening downwards, as shown in Figure 3. On the other hand, when cleaning the mold 11, the mold 11 can be positioned with the recess 11a opening upwards or sideways by displacing the mold 11 in an inclined or inverted direction around the rotation displacement axis 23. This is to allow any chemicals or cleaning liquids present in the recess 11a of the mold 11 to flow out.

[0025] For example, in the case of a mold 11 with the cross-sectional shape shown in Figures 4(a) and (b), as will be described later, in order to allow the liquid chemical to flow out of the recess 11a of the mold, the mold rotation displacement unit 20 displaces one upper edge 11b of the mold 11 upward and the other upper edge 11c downward, as shown in Figure 4(a), thereby allowing the liquid chemical to flow down from the other upper edge 11c.

[0026] As will be described later, in order to drain the cleaning water from the recess 11a, as shown in Figure 4(b), the mold rotation displacement unit 20 displaces one upper edge 11b of the mold 11 downward and the other upper edge 11c upward, thereby causing the cleaning water to flow down from the upper edge 11b.

[0027] The chemical cleaning section 30 is a part for cleaning the recesses 11a of the mold 11 supported by the mold rotation displacement section 20 using a circulating chemical solution. In this embodiment, a strong alkaline solution such as potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide can be used as the chemical solution.

[0028] In this embodiment, the chemical cleaning unit 30 performs chemical cleaning by storing chemical solution in the recess 11a of the mold 11 while the recess 11a of the mold 11 is opened upward by the mold rotation displacement unit 20. This chemical cleaning unit 30 includes a chemical tank 32 for storing chemical solution and a chemical circulation system 37 connected to the chemical tank 32 so that the chemical solution stored in the chemical tank 32 can be circulated. The chemical circulation system 37 includes a chemical pump 33 and a chemical hose 34 for transferring chemical solution from the chemical tank 32 and a chemical nozzle 31 for discharging the supplied chemical solution.

[0029] A heater 35 is provided in the chemical tank 32 to maintain the chemical solution within a predetermined temperature range. Multiple chemical nozzles 31 are mounted on the robot arm 80, allowing them to be moved to any position to suction and discharge the liquid. The chemical hose 34 is supported at an intermediate position by a balancer 81 so that it can follow the robot arm 80. A liquid level sensor 36 for detecting the liquid level of the chemical solution stored in the recess 11a is mounted on the robot arm 80 in the same orientation as the chemical nozzles 31.

[0030] In the chemical cleaning unit 30, as shown in Figure 5, with the recess 11a of the mold 11 positioned vertically upward, multiple chemical nozzles 31 attached to the robot arm 80 can be inserted into the recess 11a to supply chemical solution from the chemical tank 32 to the recess 11a. When the amount of chemical solution stored in the recess 11a of the mold reaches a predetermined amount, it is detected by the liquid level sensor 36 and the supply is stopped. In this embodiment, two chemical nozzles 31 are mounted on the robot arm 80. Until the chemical solution reaches a predetermined amount, the two chemical nozzles 31 function as chemical supply nozzles, supplying the chemical solution to the recess 11a from both sides. After the predetermined amount is reached, one of the two chemical nozzles 31 switches to functioning as a chemical supply nozzle, while the other functions as a chemical suction nozzle. This switching is performed by the operation of the chemical pump 33. As a result, the chemical solution is supplied to the recess 11a from one of the two chemical nozzles 31, and the chemical solution in the recess 11a is suctioned and recovered from the other, so that the supply amount and the recovery amount are equal, and the amount of chemical solution in the recess 11a is maintained. The reason for this operation is to maintain the cleaning power of the chemical solution by constantly controlling the temperature of the chemical solution stored in the recess 11a to a predetermined temperature range, and to continuously supply the chemical solution at a predetermined temperature range. If the chemical solution is held in the recess 11a when the supply is stopped, the temperature of the chemical solution will drop, and the cleaning power cannot be maintained. In this way, the surface of the recess 11a, including the entire molding surface, is immersed in a heated chemical solution, thereby performing chemical cleaning and removing dirt from the surface of the mold 11.

[0031] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 6(a) to (c), two chemical nozzles 31 are moved along the recess 11a by a robot arm 80. While supplying the chemical solution, or after storing the chemical solution, the two chemical nozzles 31 can be moved from the central position shown in (a) to one side position shown in (b), and then to the other side position shown in (c), and this operation can be performed one or more times. This can agitate or flow the cleaning solution stored in the recess 11a, thereby improving the effectiveness of the chemical cleaning.

[0032] The chemical solution recovery unit 40 recovers the chemical solution used for cleaning during or after chemical solution cleaning into the chemical solution tank 32. This chemical solution recovery unit 40 is provided with a structure for recovering the chemical solution stored in the recess 11a. That is, as shown in Figure 5, this chemical solution recovery unit 40 has a plurality of chemical solution nozzles 31 for suction and a first chemical solution recovery passage 48 for transferring the chemical solution from the chemical solution nozzles 31 to the chemical solution tank 32. In this embodiment, the plurality of chemical solution nozzles 31 are used when supplying the chemical solution to the recess 11a, and they function as chemical solution suction nozzles by switching the members connected to the same chemical solution nozzle 31. The plurality of chemical solution nozzles 31 are mounted on the robot arm 80 so that they all protrude in the same direction. The first chemical solution recovery passage 48 has a chemical solution recovery hose 48a connected to the chemical solution nozzle 31 and a chemical solution suction pump 48b.

[0033] In this chemical solution recovery unit 40, during or after chemical solution cleaning, the chemical solution stored in the recess 11a of the mold 11 can be sucked up by the multiple chemical solution nozzles 31 while the nozzles are inserted into the recess 11a of the mold 11.

[0034] The chemical solution drawn in from the chemical solution nozzle 31 is collected in the chemical solution tank 32 via the chemical solution recovery hose 48a. The chemical solution collected in the chemical solution tank 32 is heated and maintained at a predetermined temperature and reused in a recirculating manner.

[0035] In the chemical solution recovery unit 40 of this embodiment, after the chemical solution stored in the recess 11a is sucked up by a plurality of chemical solution nozzles 31, the chemical solution remaining in the recess 11a is recovered. As shown in Figure 7, the unit includes a chemical solution receiving unit 42 positioned below the mold 11 to receive the chemical solution flowing down from the recess 11a of the mold 11, and a second chemical solution recovery passage 43 for transferring the chemical solution from the chemical solution receiving unit 42 to the chemical solution tank 32. The second chemical solution recovery passage 43 includes a chemical solution recovery pipe 43a and a chemical solution recovery pump 43b for transferring the chemical solution from the chemical solution receiving unit 42 to the chemical solution tank 32.

[0036] In the chemical recovery unit 40, the mold rotation displacement unit 20 displaces the mold 11 in an inclined direction so that one upper edge 11b of the mold 11 is positioned upward and the other upper edge 11c is positioned downward, thereby positioning the mold 11 so that the recess 11a opens laterally. This allows the chemical solution present in the recess 11a to flow out from the other upper edge 11c side.

[0037] The chemical liquid receiving section 42 is installed with an upward opening below the entire length of the upper edge 11c on the other side, so as to receive the chemical liquid that flows down from the upper edge 11c on the other side of the mold 11 when the mold 11 is displaced to the other side, that is, when it is displaced in an inclined direction so that the upper edge 11c on the other side is downward.

[0038] In this embodiment, the chemical solution receiving section 42, together with the washing water receiving section 62 (described later), is formed in a common drain pan 45. A partition section 46 extends from this drain pan 45 directly below the rotational displacement axis 23, along the direction of the rotational displacement axis 23. In this embodiment, the partition section 46 is formed in a mountain shape, convex upwards. The washing water discharge section 60 and the chemical solution recovery section 40 are separated by this partition section 46.

[0039] The cleaning water unit 50 uses cleaning water to wash the recesses 11a in the mold 11 after chemical cleaning, supported by the mold rotation displacement unit 20. In this embodiment, the cleaning water may be, for example, tap water (water supply) or pure water.

[0040] The cleaning water unit 50 cleans the recess 11a of the mold by spraying cleaning water into it, with the recess 11a of the mold opened laterally by the mold rotation displacement unit 20. The cleaning water unit 50 includes a high-pressure washer 52 that sends out cleaning water at high pressure, a cleaning water hose 53 that pumps the high-pressure cleaning water from the high-pressure washer 52, and a cleaning water supply nozzle 51 that sprays the pumped high-pressure cleaning water. The cleaning water supply nozzle 51 is mounted on a robot arm 80 which is the same as the chemical nozzle 31. The cleaning water hose 53 is supported at an intermediate position by a balancer 81 so that it can follow the robot arm 80.

[0041] To perform water washing in the water washing section 50, as shown in Figure 8, the mold rotation displacement section 20 displaces the mold 11 in the inclined direction to one side so that the recess 11a of the mold opens laterally. The mold rotation displacement section 20 positions one upper edge 11b of the mold 11 downwards and the other upper edge 11c upwards. This allows the cleaning liquid present in the recess 11a during water washing, i.e., the cleaning water supplied to the recess 11a during washing, to flow down from the upper edge 11b without remaining there.

[0042] In the cleaning water unit 50, cleaning water from a high-pressure washer 52 is sprayed from a cleaning water supply nozzle 51 attached to a robot arm 80 toward the inner surface of the recessed area 11a, which is opened laterally, thereby cleaning with cleaning water. In this embodiment, the robot arm 80 can automatically move the cleaning water supply nozzle 51 along the recessed area 11a of the mold, while spraying cleaning water onto the mold surface of the recessed area 11a to perform water washing.

[0043] The cleaning water discharge section 60 drains the cleaning water used to wash the recess 11a. As shown in Figure 8, the cleaning water discharge section 60 includes a cleaning water receiving section 62 positioned below the mold 11 to receive the cleaning water that flows down from the recess 11a of the mold 11 during washing, a drainage channel 63 that drains the cleaning water from the cleaning water receiving section 62 via a different route than the chemical solution used for circulation, a drainage basin 64 that collects the wastewater from the drainage channel 63, a pH sensor 65 that measures the pH of the wastewater, and a discharge channel 66 that discharges the wastewater from the drainage basin 64 to the outside of the system. As described above, the cleaning water receiving section 62 is provided inside the drain pan 45, separated from the chemical solution receiving section 42 by a partition section 46.

[0044] During washing, the mold 11 is displaced in an inclined direction by the mold rotation displacement unit 20 so that the recess 11a opens laterally. As a result, the washing water sprayed into the recess 11a flows down through the recess 11a and flows directly down from the upper edge 11b on one side of the mold 11, where it is collected in the washing water receiving unit 62. The washing water in the washing water receiving unit 62 is transferred from the drainage channel 63 to the drainage basin 64 and discharged. In the drainage basin 64, the pH of the wastewater is detected by the pH sensor 65, and if it is within a predetermined range, the wastewater is discharged outside the system. If the pH is outside the predetermined range, discharge from the drainage basin 64 and washing may be stopped.

[0045] The drying unit 70 dries the recess 11a of the mold 11 after washing. As shown in Figure 9, the drying unit 70 dries the recess 11a by blowing drying air into it while the recess 11a is opened laterally by the mold rotation displacement unit 20. The drying unit 70 is equipped with an air supply unit for supplying drying air, which specifically includes an air pipe 73 for transporting drying air from an air source (not shown) and a blow nozzle 71 for injecting the drying air transported by the air pipe.

[0046] The blow nozzle 71 is mounted on a robot arm 80 that is shared with the chemical nozzle 31 and the cleaning water supply nozzle 51. In this embodiment, it is mounted so as to be able to discharge drying air in the same direction as the spray direction of the cleaning water supply nozzle 51. The air piping 73 is flexible so as to be able to follow the robot arm 80 and is supported by a balancer 81 at an intermediate position. In this drying section 70, similar to the washing water supply nozzle 51 during washing, the blow nozzle 71 is moved along the recess 11a of the mold 11 after washing by the robot arm 80, facing the recess 11a, while air blowing is performed, thereby drying the surface of the mold 11 including the recess 11a.

[0047] In this embodiment of mold cleaning apparatus, although not particularly limited, as shown in Figure 10, a composite nozzle 15 may be formed by integrally combining a chemical nozzle 31 of the chemical cleaning unit 30, a liquid level sensor 36 consisting of an upper limit liquid level sensor 36a and a lower limit liquid level sensor 36b, a chemical nozzle 31 of the chemical recovery unit 40, a cleaning water supply nozzle 51 of the cleaning water cleaning unit 50, and a blow nozzle 71 for drying the mold 11 after cleaning, all of which are assembled in a manifold 16, and this composite nozzle 15 may be mounted on the tip of the robot arm 80.

[0048] In the combined nozzle 15, the chemical solution nozzle 31, the chemical solution nozzle 31, and the liquid level sensor 36 are provided protruding in the same direction. The cleaning water supply nozzle 51 and the blow nozzle 71 are provided protruding in the same direction, at approximately 90 degrees different from these. In addition, the hoses and other piping connected to each nozzle 31, 41, 51, and 71 are connected to the manifold 16, thereby connecting to each nozzle 31, 41, 51, and 71.

[0049] To clean the mold 11 using the mold cleaning device 10 described above, you can, for example, perform the following: First, as shown in Figure 3, with the robot arm 80 positioned at the standby position 82, the door 91 of the cover 90 is opened, and the used, dirty mold 11 is loaded into the mold rotation displacement unit 20 in an inverted state with the recess 11a opening downwards. The inverted mold 11 is then fixed to the mold support unit 22 of the mold rotation displacement unit 20.

[0050] As shown in Figure 5, the mold rotation displacement unit 20 positions the mold 11 with the recess 11a opening upward. The robot arm 80 inserts the chemical nozzle 31, the chemical nozzle 31 attached to its tip, and the liquid level sensor 36 into the recess 11a. The chemical pump 33 and chemical hose 34 send the chemical solution, which has been heated to a predetermined temperature range, from the chemical tank 32 and supply it to the recess 11a through the chemical nozzle 31. When the liquid level sensor 36 detects that the amount of chemical solution stored in the recess 11a exceeds a predetermined amount, the supply of the chemical solution is adjusted or stopped.

[0051] Along with the supply of the chemical solution from the chemical solution nozzle 31, or after the chemical solution has been stored in the recess 11a, the robot arm 80 is operated to move the chemical solution nozzle 31 along the recess 11a, as shown in Figures 6(a) to (c). This allows the chemical solution to be sprayed under pressure over a wide area of ​​the recess 11a and to come into contact with it, or the chemical solution stored in the recess 11a to be agitated and flowed, thereby improving the effectiveness of chemical cleaning with the chemical solution. This state is maintained for a predetermined period, after which the chemical cleaning is terminated.

[0052] During or after chemical cleaning, the chemical solution stored in the recess 11a of the mold 11 is collected into the chemical solution tank 32, thereby making the chemical solution available for reuse. As shown in Figure 5, with the chemical solution stored in the recess 11a of the mold 11, the chemical solution nozzle 31 is positioned within the stored chemical solution. The chemical solution in the recess 11a is drawn in through the chemical solution nozzle 31 and collected in the chemical solution tank 32 via the first chemical solution recovery passage 48. In the chemical solution tank 32, the chemical solution is heated by the heater 35 to maintain a predetermined temperature range and is used for circulating use. After chemical cleaning, it is preferable to draw in as much of the chemical solution stored in the recess 11a as possible through the chemical solution nozzle 31 and collect it in the chemical solution tank 32.

[0053] After the chemical solution in the recess 11a has been sufficiently collected by the chemical solution nozzle 31, as shown in Figure 7, the mold 11 is rotated around the rotational displacement axis 23 by the mold rotational displacement unit 20, and the mold 11 is displaced in an inclined or inverted direction so that the recess 11a opens sideways.

[0054] As a result, the chemical solution remaining in the recess 11a after suction by the chemical solution nozzle 31 flows down from the other upper edge 11c of the mold into the chemical solution recovery section 40 provided in the drain pan 45. The drain pan 45 has a V-shaped partition 46 provided along the rotational displacement axis 23, so that the chemical solution that has flowed down from the mold 11 can flow down into the chemical solution receiving section 42. The chemical solution that flows out of the mold 11 and is collected in the chemical solution receiving section 42 is recovered into the chemical solution tank 32 via the second chemical solution recovery path 43.

[0055] After the chemical solution is collected in the chemical solution tank 32 in this manner, the recessed part 11a of the mold 11 is washed with water. As shown in Figure 8, the mold 11 is displaced in an inclined or reversed direction by the mold rotation displacement unit 20, and is positioned with the recess 11a opening laterally. Next, the robot arm 80 positions the cleaning water supply nozzle 51, which is attached to its tip, facing the recess 11a of the mold 11. High-pressure cleaning water is supplied from the high-pressure washer 52 to the cleaning water supply nozzle 51 via the cleaning water hose 53. The cleaning water is sprayed from the cleaning water supply nozzle 51 toward the recess 11a, and the cleaning water supply nozzle 51 is then moved along the recess 11a to wash the recess 11a.

[0056] During rinsing, a large amount of cleaning solution sprayed into the recess 11a flows down through the recess 11a and down from the recess 11a of the mold 11 into the cleaning water receiving section 62. As a result, the cleaning solution in the cleaning water receiving section 62 is discharged from the drainage channel 63 to the drainage manhole 64, where it is neutralized as appropriate and released outside the system with the pH of the wastewater within a predetermined range.

[0057] After rinsing with water, as shown in Figure 9, drying air is blown from the blow nozzle 71 of the drying section 70 while moving the blow nozzle 71 along the recess 11a to dry the surface of the mold 11 including the recess 11a. After drying, an appropriate release agent may be applied to the molded surface of the recess 11a.

[0058] Referring again to Figure 3, with the robot arm 80 positioned in the robot standby position, the mold 11 after cleaning is inverted by the mold rotation displacement unit 20 so that the recess 11a opens downwards, and the door 91 of the cover 90 is opened to remove the mold 11 from the mold cleaning device 10, thereby completing the cleaning of the mold.

[0059] According to the mold cleaning apparatus 10 of this embodiment, with the mold 11 supported by the mold rotation displacement unit 20, the recess 11a can be cleaned with a chemical solution by circulating the chemical solution cleaning unit 30, the recess can be washed with cleaning water by the cleaning water cleaning unit 50, and the recess can be dried by the drying unit 70. Therefore, chemical cleaning, water rinsing, and drying can be performed while the mold 11 remains supported by the mold rotation displacement unit 20. These processes can be automated, enabling safe and continuous mold cleaning without human intervention. Furthermore, because human intervention is eliminated, the cleaning quality of the mold 11 is consistently maintained without inconsistencies in the work. In addition, the time spent by workers can be used for other tasks, leading to improved productivity. Furthermore, in the cleaning water discharge section 60 for draining the cleaning water used to wash the recess 11a, a cleaning water receiving section 62 is positioned below the mold 11 supported by the mold rotation displacement section 20. By displacing the mold 11 to one side using the mold rotation displacement section 20, the cleaning water from the recess 11a can be drained. This cleaning water flowing down from the recess 11a is received by the cleaning water receiving section and can be drained through the drainage channel 63 via a different route than the chemical solution that is circulated and reused.

[0060] Therefore, even if chemical cleaning and water rinsing are performed consecutively without human intervention, when rinsing the mold 11 with water after chemical cleaning, the mold rotation displacement unit 20 can displace the mold 11 to one side, allowing the cleaning water to be drained through a different path than the chemical solution. This prevents cleaning water from mixing with the chemical solution, which can lead to a deterioration of the chemical solution's pH and other functional degradations, and allows for easy mold cleaning using the circulating chemical solution.

[0061] The mold cleaning apparatus 10 of this embodiment includes a chemical cleaning unit 30 that supplies a chemical solution to the recess 11a for chemical cleaning and a chemical recovery unit 40. The chemical recovery unit 40 is positioned below the mold 11 supported by the mold rotation displacement unit 20 and has a chemical receiving unit 42 that receives the chemical solution flowing down from the recess 11a of the mold 11 which has been displaced to the other side by the mold rotation displacement unit 20, and a second chemical recovery passage 43 that transfers the chemical solution to the chemical tank 32.

[0062] Therefore, after chemical cleaning by supplying chemical solution to the recess 11a in the chemical cleaning unit 30, the chemical recovery unit 40 displaces the mold using the mold rotation displacement unit 20 to allow the chemical solution in the recess 11a to flow down into the chemical solution receiving unit 42. This minimizes the amount of chemical solution remaining in the recess 11a after cleaning. Furthermore, since the mold 11 is displaced to the opposite side from the cleaning water discharge unit 60 to allow the chemical solution to flow down, it is prevented from flowing into the cleaning water discharge unit 60, allowing for the reuse of more chemical solution and making chemical cleaning and rinsing easier.

[0063] In the mold cleaning apparatus 10 of this embodiment, the chemical cleaning unit 30 stores chemical solution in the recess 11a with the recess 11a open upward and performs chemical cleaning, and the chemical recovery unit 40 has a chemical nozzle 31 that sucks up the chemical solution stored in the recess 11a before the mold is displaced and the chemical solution flows out, and a first chemical recovery passage 48 that transfers the chemical solution to the chemical tank 32.

[0064] Therefore, after storing the chemical solution in the recess 11a for chemical cleaning, the large amount of chemical solution stored in the recess 11a is sucked up by the chemical solution nozzle 31 and transferred to the chemical solution tank 32. Then, the mold 11 is displaced by the mold rotation displacement unit 20, allowing the chemical solution remaining in the recess 11a to flow down into the chemical solution receiving unit 42. This significantly reduces the amount of chemical solution that flows down into the chemical solution receiving unit 42, preventing or suppressing the drop in chemical solution temperature caused by the flow. Consequently, the temperature of the chemical solution is reliably maintained when performing chemical cleaning using a circulating chemical solution.

[0065] In this mold cleaning device 10, the cleaning water discharge section 60 and the chemical solution recovery section 40 are separated by a partition section 46 that is provided in a mountain shape, convex upwards, directly below the rotational displacement shaft 23. Therefore, the cleaning water discharge section 60, which drains the cleaning water, and the chemical solution recovery section 40, which drains the chemical solution, can be easily placed below the mold rotational displacement section 20, and the cleaning water receiving section 62 and the chemical solution receiving section 42 can be easily provided by partitioning the inside of a single drain pan 45 with the partition section 46, thereby simplifying the configuration.

[0066] The mold cleaning apparatus 10 of this embodiment is configured such that a chemical solution nozzle 31 for supplying a chemical solution to a recess 11a, a liquid level sensor 36 for detecting the liquid level of the chemical solution stored in the recess 11a, a cleaning water supply nozzle 51 for supplying cleaning water to the recess 11a, and a blow nozzle 71 for supplying drying air to dry the mold 11 are all mounted on a common robot arm 80, and the robot arm 80 is configured to automatically move along the recess 11a while performing chemical cleaning and water washing.

[0067] With this configuration, each nozzle, such as the chemical solution nozzle 31, the cleaning water supply nozzle, and the blow nozzle 71, can be automatically operated by a common robot arm 80. Therefore, after the mold 11 is placed in the mold rotation displacement unit 20, chemical cleaning, rinsing, and drying can be performed automatically and efficiently without changing the tip of the robot arm 80, improving the worker's work efficiency. Moreover, since the chemical cleaning and rinsing are performed by moving along the recess 11a, the cleaning effect of each is improved.

[0068] In particular, this mold cleaning device 10 houses a robot arm 80 having a cleaning water supply nozzle 51 and a chemical solution nozzle 31, a chemical solution tank 32, a mold rotation displacement unit 20, a cleaning water receiving unit 62, a chemical solution receiving unit 42, a blow nozzle 71, and an exhaust unit 95 for exhausting internal air, all within a cover 90. Chemical cleaning and water washing are performed within the cover 90. Therefore, the splashing of chemical solution into the surrounding area is reliably prevented by the cover 90, and safety for the operator is greatly improved.

[0069] The above embodiments can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment, a mold 11 for slush molding was used as the mold to be cleaned, but other molds may also be used. Any mold that has a molding surface in a recess, such as a mold for vacuum forming, can be applied. In that case, it is preferable that the mold does not have electrical components attached and is made of a material such as nickel that is less prone to rusting during cleaning.

[0070] Furthermore, in the mold rotation displacement section 20 of the embodiment, when the mold 11 is positioned with the recess 11a opening vertically upward, both the upper edge 11b on one side and the upper edge 11c on the other side of the mold 11 may be offset upward from the rotation displacement axis 23. This allows the position where the cleaning water flows down to the cleaning water receiving section 62 and the position where the chemical solution flows down to the chemical solution receiving section 42 to be separated as much as possible, thereby preventing the cleaning water drained by the cleaning water receiving section 62 and the chemical solution used for circulation from mixing. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0071] 10 Mold cleaning device 11 molds 11a Recess 11b One side upper edge 11c Other side upper edge 15 Compound nozzles 16 Manifold 20 Mold rotational displacement section 21 Legs 22 Mold support part 23 Rotational displacement axis 24 servo motors 25 Support body 26 Fixtures 30 Chemical cleaning section 31 Chemical solution nozzle 32 chemical tanks 33 Chemical solution pump 34 Chemical solution hose 35 Heater 36 Liquid level sensor 36a Liquid level sensor (upper limit) 36b Liquid level sensor (lower limit) 37. Chemical solution circulation system 40 Chemical Solution Recovery Section 42. Drug solution receiving section 43. Second chemical solution recovery path 43a Chemical recovery piping 43b Chemical recovery pump 45 Drain pan 46 Partition 48. First chemical solution recovery route 50 Washing water washing section 51 Washing water supply nozzle 52 High-pressure washers 53. Cleaning water hose 60 Washing water discharge section 62 Washing water receiving section 63 Drainage Channel 64 Drainage manhole 65 pH sensor 66 Release channel 70 Drying section 71 Blow nozzle 73 Air Piping 80 Robot Arms 81 Balancer 82 Standby position 90 Cover 91 Door 95 Exhaust section 95a Exhaust Hood

Claims

1. A mold rotation displacement section that supports the mold and can be tilted or reversed, A chemical cleaning unit that uses a circulating chemical solution to clean the recesses of the mold supported by the mold rotation displacement section, A cleaning water cleaning unit that uses cleaning water to wash the recesses in the mold after the chemical cleaning, which is supported by the mold rotation displacement unit, The washing water discharge section for draining the washing water used to wash the recessed area, The system includes a drying section that dries the recess of the mold, which is supported by the mold rotation displacement section, The aforementioned washing water discharge section is A cleaning water receiving section is positioned below the mold supported by the mold rotation displacement section and receives the cleaning water flowing down from a recess in the mold that has been displaced to one side by the mold rotation displacement section. A mold cleaning apparatus having a drainage channel for draining the cleaning water from the cleaning water receiving section via a different route than the chemical solution that is circulated and used.

2. The system comprises a chemical cleaning unit that supplies the chemical solution from a chemical solution tank to the recesses of the mold to perform chemical cleaning, and a chemical recovery unit that recovers the chemical solution after cleaning into the chemical solution tank, The chemical cleaning unit performs chemical cleaning by storing the chemical solution in the recess of the mold while the recess of the mold is opened upward by the mold rotation displacement unit. The chemical solution recovery unit includes a chemical solution suction nozzle for suctioning the chemical solution stored in the recess, and a first chemical solution recovery path for transferring the chemical solution from the chemical solution suction nozzle to the chemical solution tank, The mold cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, comprising: a liquid chemical receiving section positioned below the mold supported by the mold rotation displacement section, which displaces the mold to the other side by the mold rotation displacement section to receive the liquid chemical remaining in the recess after suction by the liquid chemical suction nozzle; and a second liquid chemical recovery path for transferring the liquid chemical from the liquid chemical receiving section to the liquid chemical tank.

3. The mold cleaning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the cleaning water discharge section and the chemical solution recovery section are separated by a partition section provided in a mountain shape so as to be convex upward directly below the rotational displacement axis.

4. A chemical supply nozzle for supplying the chemical solution to the recess of the mold, a chemical suction nozzle, a liquid level sensor for detecting the liquid level of the chemical solution stored in the recess, a cleaning water supply nozzle for supplying cleaning water to the recess, and a blow nozzle for supplying drying air to dry the mold are all mounted on a common robot arm. The mold cleaning apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the robot arm automatically moves along the recess while performing the chemical cleaning and water washing.

5. The mold cleaning apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the robot arm having the cleaning water supply nozzle and the chemical solution supply nozzle, the chemical solution tank for storing the chemical solution to be supplied to the chemical solution supply nozzle, the mold rotation displacement unit, the cleaning water receiving unit, the chemical solution receiving unit, the blow nozzle, and the exhaust unit for exhausting internal air are housed in a cover, and the chemical solution cleaning and water washing are performed inside the cover.

6. A mold rotation displacement section that supports the mold and allows it to be reversed, A chemical solution tank capable of storing and circulating chemical solutions within a predetermined temperature range, and a chemical solution circulation system connected to the chemical solution tank, A chemical solution nozzle for discharging and aspirating the chemical solution from the chemical solution tank at any position, A chemical solution recovery unit is located below the mold rotation displacement unit and returns the chemical solution to the chemical solution tank, A mold cleaning apparatus having a chemical solution recovery unit and a cleaning water discharge unit for discharging cleaning water when the chemical solution adhering to the mold is washed away with water.

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