Cutting device and cutting method

Abstract

The present invention provides a cutting apparatus and cutting method that can supply a cutting blade support means supporting a replacement cutting blade without stopping the apparatus. [Solution] The cutting device EA includes a cutting means 10 that retrieves the cutting blade 11 from a cutting blade support means 12 on which the cutting blade 11 is supported, and cuts an object to be cut with the cutting blade 11, and a replacement means 20 that replaces the cutting blade support means 12. The cutting blade support means 12 is provided with a connecting portion 12A that connects to the replacement means 20. The replacement means 20 connects to the connecting portion 12A of the used cutting blade support means 12 to retrieve the cutting blade support means 12, and connects to the connecting portion 12A of the replacement cutting blade support means 12 to supply the cutting blade support means 12 to the cutting means 10.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cutting device and a cutting method.

Background Art

[0002] A cutting device is known that acquires a cutting blade from a cutting blade support unit that supports the cutting blade, and cuts an object to be cut with the cutting blade (for example, see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the cutting device 19 (cutting device) described in Patent Document 1, when the replacement cutter blade 20 (cutting blade) supported by the cutter blade support member 74 (cutting blade support unit) is used and there are no unused cutting blades left in the cutting blade support unit, the operator of the device supplies a replacement cutting blade and sets it in the cutting blade support unit, so the device has to be stopped during that process.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a cutting device and a cutting method capable of recovering a cutting blade support unit from which the supported cutting blade has been acquired by a cutting means (hereinafter simply referred to as "used cutting blade support unit") and supplying a cutting blade support unit that supports a replacement cutting blade (hereinafter simply referred to as "replacement cutting blade support unit") without stopping the device.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present invention adopts the configuration described in the claims.

Effects of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, the replacement means connects to the connection portion of the used cutting blade support means to retrieve the cutting blade support means, and connects to the connection portion of the replacement cutting blade support means to supply the cutting blade support means to the cutting means, so that the replacement cutting blade support means can be supplied without stopping the device. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] An explanatory diagram of a cutting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the X, Y, and Z axes are orthogonal to each other. The X and Y axes are axes within a predetermined plane, and the Z axis is an axis perpendicular to the predetermined plane. Furthermore, in this embodiment, when directions are indicated based on a view from the front direction of Figure 1, which is parallel to the Y axis, "up" is the direction of the Z-axis arrow and "down" is the opposite direction, "left" is the direction of the X-axis arrow and "right" is the opposite direction, and "front" is the front direction in Figure 1, which is parallel to the Y axis and "back" is the opposite direction.

[0010] The cutting device EA comprises a cutting means 10 that performs a cutting process in which the cutting blade 11 is retrieved from the cutting blade support means 12 on which the cutting blade 11 is supported and the cutting object to be cut is cut with the cutting blade 11, a replacement means 20 that performs a replacement process in which the cutting blade support means 12 is replaced, and a processing means 30 that performs a processing process in which predetermined processing is performed on the object to be cut, and thus constitutes the processing device EA1. In this embodiment, the processing means 30 is an attachment means that feeds out a sheet member such as an adhesive sheet or a sticky sheet to be cut and attaches the sheet member to the object to be attached as a predetermined process, and the cutting device EA is configured to cut the sheet member that the processing means 30 has attached to the object to be attached into a predetermined shape using the cutting means 10.

[0011] The cutting means 10 includes a cutting blade 11, a cutting blade support means 12, a linear motor 13 as a drive device, a table 14 supported by a slider 13A of the linear motor 13 and having a holding surface 14A capable of holding the cutting blade support means 12 by suction using a depressurization means (holding means) not shown, such as a depressurization pump or a vacuum ejector, a multi-joint robot 15 as a drive device capable of connecting the cutting blade 11 to a work arm 15A, and a detection means 16 composed of imaging means such as a camera or projector, and various sensors such as optical sensors or ultrasonic sensors, which detect when all the cutting blades 11 supported by the cutting blade support means 12 have been used. The cutting blade 11 is equipped with a connecting portion 11A that connects to the working arm 15A of the articulated robot 15. The cutting blade support means 12 includes a connecting portion 12A that connects to the replacement means 20, and a plurality of housing holes 12B that can accommodate the blade portion of the cutting blade 11, and is configured to support a plurality of cutting blades 11. The articulated robot 15 is a so-called 6-axis robot in which the part connected to the work arm 15A can be displaced to any position and angle within its working range.

[0012] The replacement means 20 includes a support base 21 as a replacement support means capable of supporting multiple cutting blade support means 12 when replacing a cutting blade support means 12; a multi-joint robot 22 as a drive device, which is a supply means that connects the connection part 12A of a used cutting blade support means 12 to a work arm 22A to retrieve the cutting blade support means 12, and connects the connection part 12A of a replacement cutting blade support means 12 to a work arm 22A to supply the cutting blade support means 12 to the cutting means 10; a self-propelled trolley 23 as a moving means that supports the multi-joint robot 22 and moves the multi-joint robot 22; and a transmission means that, when the detection means 16 detects that all cutting blades 11 supported by the cutting blade support means 12 have been used, transmits a command to replace the cutting blade support means 12 wirelessly to the multi-joint robot 22 and the trolley 23, which is a control means 24 such as a personal computer or sequencer that controls the multi-joint robot 22 and the trolley 23. The articulated robot 22 is equipped with a receiving means 25, such as an antenna or receiver, that receives replacement instructions transmitted from the control means 24, and a battery (not shown) that stores power for driving, and is configured to replace the cutting blade support means 12 based on the replacement instructions received by the receiving means 25. The trolley 23 is equipped with a receiving means 26, such as an antenna or receiver, that receives replacement instructions transmitted from the control means 24, and a battery (not shown) that stores power for self-propulsion. Based on the replacement instructions received by the receiving means 26, the trolley is configured to move the articulated robot 22 to the replacement position of the cutting blade support means 12.

[0013] The operation of the processing unit EA1 described above will now be explained. First, the user of the processing device EA1 (hereinafter simply referred to as "user") inputs a signal to start automatic operation to the processing device EA1, which has its components positioned in the initial positions shown by the solid lines in Figure 1, via an operating means (not shown) such as an operation panel or a personal computer. Then, the cutting means 10 drives the pressure reducing means and holds the cutting blade support means 12 by suction on the holding surface 14A. Next, the cutting means 10 drives the articulated robot 15 and connects the work arm 15A to the connection part 11A of the cutting blade 11 supported by the cutting blade support means 12 on the holding surface 14A, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 1. After that, when the processing means 30 feeds out the sheet member and attaches it to the object to be attached, the cutting means 10 drives the articulated robot 15 to retrieve the cutting blade 11 from the cutting blade support means 12 and cut the sheet member into a predetermined shape with the cutting blade 11.

[0014] Next, when the cutting operation of the sheet member by the cutting means 10 is repeated a predetermined number of times, or when the user inputs a signal requesting the replacement of the cutting blade 11 via an operating means (not shown), the cutting means 10 drives the articulated robot 15 to move the cutting blade 11 connected to the work arm 15A and house it in the empty housing hole 12B of the cutting blade support means 12, and then releases the connection between the connection part 11A of the cutting blade 11 and the work arm 15A. Then, the cutting means 10 drives the articulated robot 15 to connect the work arm 15A to the connection part 11A of another cutting blade 11 supported by the cutting blade support means 12 to acquire the other cutting blade 11, and the same operation is repeated thereafter.

[0015] The same operation as described above is repeated until the articulated robot 15 acquires the last unused cutting blade 11, and the detection means 16 detects that all cutting blades 11 supported by the cutting blade support means 12 have been used. At this point, the control means 24 sends an instruction to the articulated robot 22 and the trolley 23 to replace the cutting blade support means 12. Next, the replacement means 20 drives the trolley 23, calculates the distance to the replacement position of the cutting blade support means 12, and moves the articulated robot 22, to which the replacement cutting blade support means 12 is attached, to the vicinity of the support base 21 while avoiding obstacles. After that, the replacement means 20 drives the articulated robot 22 and, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 1, lowers the replacement cutting blade support means 12 and places it on the support base 21, and then disconnects the connection part 12A of the cutting blade support means 12 from the work arm 22A. Next, the cutting means 10 drives the linear motor 13 and moves the cutting blade support means 12, which is held by suction on the holding surface 14A, to the left as shown by the dashed line in Figure 1, to its replacement position. Then, it stops driving the depressurization means (not shown) and releases the suction hold of the cutting blade support means 12 on the holding surface 14A. Then, the replacement means 20 drives the articulated robot 22 and connects the work arm 22A to the connection part 12A of the cutting blade support means 12 on the holding surface 14A as shown by the dashed line in Figure 1. After that, it retrieves the cutting blade support means 12 from the cutting means 10 and places it on the support base 21.

[0016] Next, the replacement means 20 drives the articulated robot 22 to disconnect the connection part 12A of the retrieved cutting blade support means 12 from the work arm 22A, and then connects the work arm 22A to the connection part 12A of the replacement cutting blade support means 12 which was placed on the support base 21. After that, the replacement means 20 drives the articulated robot 22 to move the replacement cutting blade support means 12 to the right and place it on the holding surface 14A, at which point the cutting means 10 drives a depressurization means (not shown) to hold the replacement cutting blade support means 12 by suction on the holding surface 14A. Next, the replacement means 20 drives the articulated robot 22 to disconnect the connection part 12A of the replacement cutting blade support means 12 from the work arm 22A, and then the cutting means 10 drives the linear motor 13 to move the replacement cutting blade support means 12 to the right and position it in the initial position where the cutting means 10 acquires the cutting blade 11. Then, the replacement means 20 drives the articulated robot 22 and connects the work arm 22A to the connection part 12A of the cutting blade support means 12 that has been recovered and placed on the support base 21. After that, the articulated robot 22 and the trolley 23 are driven to transport the cutting blade support means 12 to the next process, such as cleaning the cutting blade support means 12 or replacing the cutting blade 11. Next, the replacement means 20 drives the articulated robot 22 and connects the work arm 22A to the connection part 12A of the new cutting blade support means 12 that supports the replacement cutting blade 11, and the same operation as above is repeated thereafter.

[0017] According to the above embodiment, the replacement means 20 connects to the connection portion 12A of the used cutting blade support means 12 to retrieve the cutting blade support means 12, and connects to the connection portion 12A of the replacement cutting blade support means 12 to supply the cutting blade support means 12 to the cutting means 10. Therefore, a replacement cutting blade support means 12 can be supplied without stopping the device.

[0018] As described above, the best configurations, methods and the like for carrying out the present invention have been disclosed in the foregoing description, but the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, although the present invention has been particularly illustrated and described primarily with reference to specific embodiments, those skilled in the art may make various modifications to the above-described embodiments in terms of shape, material, quantity, and other detailed configurations without departing from the scope of the technical idea and purpose of the present invention. In addition, the descriptions limiting the shapes, materials and the like disclosed above are provided by way of example to facilitate understanding of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention. Therefore, descriptions using the names of members that omit some or all of the limitations on such shapes, materials and the like are included in the present invention. Further, the means and steps in the present invention are not limited in any way as long as they can achieve the operations, functions or steps described for those means and steps, and are in no way limited to the configurations or steps of the mere single embodiment shown in the above embodiments. For example, the cutting means may be any device that obtains a cutting blade from a cutting blade support means that supports the cutting blade and cuts an object to be cut with the cutting blade, and is not limited in any way as long as it falls within the technical scope in light of the common general technical knowledge at the time of filing (the same applies to other means and steps).

[0019] In the cutting means 10, the cutting blade support means 12 may support a single cutting blade 11, two cutting blades 11, or four or more cutting blades 11, the cutting blade support means 12 may be configured as a shelf, a bag or the like, a table 14 that cannot perform suction holding with the holding surface 14A may be adopted, the detection means 16 may be omitted, and when a user inputs a signal requesting replacement of the cutting blade support means 12 via an operating means (not shown), the transmitting means may transmit a replacement instruction to the articulated robot 22 and the carriage 23. The used cutting blade 11 used in the cutting step may be discarded to a discarding means (not shown) such as a disposal box or a conveyor without being stored in the empty storage hole 12B of the cutting blade support means 12, and the replacing means 20 may collect the used cutting blade support means 12 that does not support any cutting blade 11.

[0020] The replacement means 20 may or may not hold the cutting blade support means 12 by suction on a support base 21, or it may not be held by suction, and the support base 21 may not be necessary, and the articulated robot 22 may be equipped with a plurality of individually driveable work arms 22A, and the replacement process may be carried out by connecting each work arm 22A to the connection part 12A of the used cutting blade support means 12 and the connection part 12A of the replacement cutting blade support means 12 respectively, or a supply means may be adopted in which the drive device for collecting the used cutting blade support means 12 and the drive device for supplying the replacement cutting blade support means 12 are independent and separate, or the moving means may be an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) that automatically calculates the distance to the replacement position of the cutting blade support means 12 and moves, or an automated guided vehicle (AGV) that moves along a predetermined distance to the replacement position of the cutting blade support means 12 while being guided by a guide It may be a vehicle, or the cart 23 may not be self-propelled and the articulated robot 22 may be moved by manually pushing the cart 23, or there may be no means of movement, and a supply means may be provided near the cutting means 10 and a transmitting means may transmit a replacement instruction signal to the supply means by wire or wireless to carry out the replacement process, or when the articulated robot 22 acquires the last unused cutting blade 11, or while it is acquiring it, or the supply means and the moving means and the transmitting means may be connected by wire to send and receive replacement instruction signals.

[0021] The processing means 30 may affix a strip-shaped sheet member to an adherend, or may affix a sheet-shaped sheet member to an adherend. When affixing a strip-shaped sheet member to an adherend, the original roll in which the strip-shaped sheet member is temporarily affixed to a strip-shaped release sheet may be unwound before the strip-shaped sheet member is peeled off and affixed, or a strip-shaped sheet member that is not temporarily affixed to the strip-shaped release sheet may be unwound before the strip-shaped sheet member is affixed. When affixing a sheet-shaped sheet member to an adherend, a closed-loop-shaped cut or a cut extending across the entire short width direction is formed in the strip-shaped sheet member temporarily affixed to the strip-shaped release sheet, so that a predetermined region partitioned by the cut serves as the sheet-shaped sheet member. The original roll may be unwound before the corresponding sheet-shaped sheet member is peeled off and affixed. Alternatively, an original roll in which a strip-shaped sheet member is temporarily affixed to a strip-shaped release sheet may be adopted, and while the original roll is being unwound, a closed-loop-shaped cut or a cut extending across the entire short width direction is formed in the strip-shaped sheet member by the cutting means 10, and the original roll in which the predetermined region partitioned by the cut is the sheet-shaped sheet member may be unwound before the corresponding sheet-shaped sheet member is peeled off and affixed. For example, a configuration in which a sheet-shaped sheet member is peeled off from a release sheet and affixed to an adherend with a pressing roller as a pressing means (for example, the configuration exemplified in the embodiment of JP-A-2019-117834, etc.) may be adopted. Alternatively, instead of the pressing roller, a configuration may be adopted in which the sheet member is held by a holding member that is supported on the output shaft of a direct-acting motor as a driving device and capable of suction holding by a non-illustrated pressure reducing means such as a pressure reducing pump or a vacuum ejector, and the sheet member held by the holding member is pressed against and affixed to the adherend. The processing means 30 may, without being wound, for example, unwind the original roll from the original roll that has been fan-folded before peeling off and affixing the sheet member, or may adopt a recovery means for recovering the release sheet without winding, for example, by fan-folding, shredding with a shredder, or randomly accumulating, or may not adopt the recovery means. After the cutting means 10 cuts the sheet member, the sheet member may be affixed to the adherend, and the processing means 30 may be provided in the cutting apparatus EA or the processing apparatus EA1 of the present invention, or may not be provided therein. The processing means 30 may be any means that performs a predetermined processing on the sheet member, such as an adhesive means for attaching the sheet member to the adherend, an adhesive means for feeding out a raw material in which a strip-shaped sheet member is temporarily attached to a strip-shaped release sheet, or a strip-shaped sheet member that is not temporarily attached to a release sheet, as a predetermined processing method, or a positioning means for positioning the sheet member as a predetermined processing method. The processing means 30 may be a peeling means that welds a release tape to an adhesive sheet attached to a substrate and applies tension to the release tape to peel the adhesive sheet from the substrate. In this case, at least one of the adhesive sheet and the release tape is the object to be cut, and the cutting means 10 may cut the release tape to a desired length, or cut the peeled adhesive sheet into a desired shape. The processing means 30 may be a connecting means for connecting a connecting tape to the rear end of a strip-shaped sheet member that has been unwound in advance and the front end of another strip-shaped sheet member. In this case, one of the strip-shaped sheet member that has been unwound in advance, another strip-shaped sheet member, or the connecting tape may be used as the object to be cut, and the cutting means 10 may cut the preceding strip-shaped sheet member to form the rear end, or cut the other strip-shaped sheet member to form the front end, or cut the connecting tape to a desired length.

[0022] The material, type, shape, etc., of the object to be cut, the sheet member, and the adherend in the present invention are not particularly limited. For example, the object to be cut, the sheet member, and the adherend may be circular, elliptical, polygonal (such as triangle or square), or have other shapes. The sheet member may have an adhesive form such as pressure-sensitive adhesive or heat-sensitive adhesive. If a heat-sensitive sheet member is used, it may be bonded by an appropriate method, such as providing a suitable heating means, such as a suitable coil heater or the heating side of a heat pipe, to heat the sheet member. Furthermore, such a sheet member may be any type, such as a single layer consisting only of an adhesive layer, a two-layer sheet with a base material and an adhesive layer laminated together, a three-layer or three-or-more-layer sheet with one or more intermediate layers laminated between the base material and the adhesive layer, a three-layer or three-or-more-layer sheet with one or more cover layers laminated on the upper surface of the base material, a sheet in which the base material, intermediate layer, or cover layer is peelably provided, a single-layer double-sided adhesive sheet consisting only of an adhesive layer, or a double-sided adhesive sheet with adhesive layers laminated on both outermost surfaces of one or more intermediate layers. Furthermore, the adherend may be a single object such as food, a resin container, a semiconductor wafer such as a silicon semiconductor wafer or a compound semiconductor wafer, a circuit board, an information recording substrate such as an optical disc, a glass plate, a steel plate, a ceramic, a wooden board, or a resin, or a composite object formed from two or more of these, and any form of component or article can also be included. The sheet component may be any sheet, film, tape, etc., such as an information label, decorative label, protective sheet, dicing tape, die attach film, die bonding tape, or recording layer forming resin sheet.

[0023] The drive equipment in the above embodiment may be electric motors such as rotary motors, linear motors, single-axis robots, and so-called articulated robots with two or three or more joints, or actuators such as air cylinders, hydraulic cylinders, rodless cylinders, and rotary cylinders, either individually or in combination directly or indirectly. Furthermore, the drive equipment may be capable of or incapable of torque control or speed control of the output section of the electric motors or actuators.

[0024] In the above embodiment, an object (hereinafter referred to as "object A") and an object moving relative to object A (hereinafter referred to as "object B"), i.e., object A and object B moving relative to each other, object B may move relative to object A which does not move, object A may move relative to object B which does not move, both object A and object B may move, or either object A or object B may move as long as the result achieved by the movement is the same, if a rotating member such as a roller is used, a drive device for rotating the rotating member may be provided, the surface of the rotating member or the rotating member itself may be made of a deformable material such as rubber or resin, or the surface of the rotating member or the rotating member itself may be made of a non-deformable material, or other rotating or non-rotating shafts, blades, etc. may be used instead of rollers The above components may be used, and if a means or member that presses the object to be pressed, such as a pressing roller or pressing head, is used, in addition to rollers, round bars, blade materials, brush-like members, or a method of blowing gas such as air or gas may be used instead of or in combination with those exemplified above, the pressing material may be made of a deformable material such as rubber, resin, or sponge, or it may be made of a non-deformable material such as metal or glass, and if a means or member that supports (holds) the supported member (held member), such as a support (holding) means or member, is used, a configuration may be adopted in which the supported member is supported (held) by a gripping means such as a mechanical chuck or chuck cylinder, Coulomb force, adhesive (adhesive sheet, adhesive tape), adhesive agent (adhesive sheet, adhesive tape), magnetic force, Bernoulli adsorption, suction adsorption, drive equipment, etc. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0025] EA…cutting device 10...Cutting means 11...Cutting blade 12...Cutting blade support means 12A…Connection part 16...Detection means (transmission means) 20…Means of exchange 22…Articulated robot (supply means) 23... Trolley (means of transport) 24... Control means (receiving means)

Claims

1. A cutting means that retrieves the cutting blade from a cutting blade support means on which the cutting blade is supported, and cuts an object to be cut with the cutting blade, The system includes a replacement means for replacing the cutting blade support means, The cutting blade support means includes a connecting portion that is connected to the replacement means, The cutting apparatus is characterized in that the replacement means includes a supply means for connecting to the connection portion of the used cutting blade support means to retrieve the cutting blade support means, and connecting to the connection portion of the replacement cutting blade support means to supply the cutting blade support means to the cutting means.

2. The replacement means comprises a moving means for moving the supply means and a transmitting means for transmitting an instruction to replace the cutting blade support means. The cutting device according to claim 1, wherein the moving means includes a receiving means for receiving the replacement instruction, and moves the supply means based on the replacement instruction received by the receiving means.

3. A cutting step of obtaining the cutting blade from a cutting blade support means on which the cutting blade is supported, and cutting an object to be cut with the cutting blade, The process involves replacing the cutting blade support means with a replacement means, The cutting blade support means includes a connecting portion that is connected to the replacement means, The cutting method is characterized in that, in the replacement step, the used cutting blade support means is recovered by connecting it to the connecting portion, and the replacement cutting blade support means is supplied to the position where the cutting blade is acquired in the cutting step by connecting it to the connecting portion.

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