Method for manufacturing cone-shaped foam

Abstract

To provide a manufacturing method of conical-shaped foams capable of expensively and efficiently manufacturing the conical-shaped foams by arraying and transporting them to a post-molding process, and a transport apparatus of the same.SOLUTION: A foam raw material injected into a cavity formed in a molding die is foam-cured to form tapered conical-shaped foams 100 each having a large diameter portion 102 on one end side in a longitudinal direction and a small diameter portion 104 on the other end side. Vibrations are applied to the conical-shaped foams 100 stored in a storage unit so as to be arrayed and transported in a lying posture so that the longitudinal direction is directed in a transportation direction on a transportation chute 24. The conical-shaped foam 100 in the lying posture is dropped from an end of the transport chute 24 on a pair of transport belts 32 separately located in an insertion direction to the transportation direction at intervals capable of receiving the large diameter portion 102, and the posture thereof is converted into a suspended posture in which the small diameter portion 104 is located between the transport belts 32 with a weight of the conical-shaped foam 100.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing a cone-shaped foam that is tapered from one end to the other end in the longitudinal direction, and to a conveying device for the same. [Background technology]

[0002] In vehicles such as automobiles, for example, cone-shaped foam formed to taper from one end toward the other end in the longitudinal direction is used, such as a bump stopper provided in a shock absorber of a suspension for the purpose of absorbing the impact when the vehicle body sinks (for example, Patent Document 1). The bump stopper, which is an example of this cone-shaped foam, is made from a foamed resin material such as polyurethane resin so as to be elastically compressible and deformable in the longitudinal direction, and is interposed in the cylinder rod of a hydraulic damper that constitutes the shock absorber. When the cylinder rod moves into the cylinder as the vehicle body sinks, the bump stopper is compressed in the longitudinal direction, thereby cushioning the impact.

[0003] A series of manufacturing processes is completed for such cone-shaped foams such as bump stoppers by performing post-processing in a post-molding process such as removing burrs generated during molding and quality inspection. In order to efficiently perform post-processing of such cone-shaped foams, it is necessary to align the molded cone-shaped foams in a certain direction. The orientation alignment of such cone-shaped foams may be performed by temporarily storing the cone-shaped foams in a specified storage case, etc., and having a worker check each one. Such manual work is not efficient and is prone to work errors. Therefore, as a means for automatically performing such work, a picking robot as in Patent Document 2 is used to check the orientation of the cone-shaped foams in the storage case with a camera and take them out in a specified direction. As another means, a parts feeder as in Patent Document 3 is used to align the cone-shaped foams in a specified direction. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4712235 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 5533727 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-2653 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, when using a picking robot to pick up the cone-shaped foam as in Patent Document 2, cameras and various sensors are required to identify the posture of the cone-shaped foam stored in the storage case and its position and height in the case, which results in high equipment costs. In addition, due to physical constraints such as the size and shape of the hand of the picking robot, it is difficult to pick up the cone-shaped foam in the corner of the case, and it is not realistic to align the orientation of all the cone-shaped foam. In addition, there is a problem with work efficiency because the cone-shaped foam is picked up one by one by the picking robot. In addition, in the case of a parts feeder as in Patent Document 3, it is difficult to naturally align the cone-shaped foam in a certain direction, so the orientation of the aligned cone-shaped foam must be confirmed using cameras and various sensors, as in the case of a picking robot, and cone-shaped foam in an inappropriate position must be recirculated until it is aligned in an appropriate position. For this reason, even when aligning the cone-shaped foam using a parts feeder, there is a problem that equipment costs are high due to cameras and various sensors, as in the case of a picking robot, and there is also a problem that the cycle time until the orientation is aligned is extended by recirculating the cone-shaped foam.

[0006] That is, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing cone-shaped foams, which can inexpensively and efficiently align cone-shaped foams and transport them to a post-molding process, and a transport device for the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to overcome the above problems and achieve the desired objective, the invention of claim 1 of the present application relates to a method for manufacturing a cone-shaped foam that is tapered from one end in the longitudinal direction to the other end, wherein foam raw material is injected into a cavity formed in a molding mold and foamed and hardened to form a tapered cone-shaped foam that has a large diameter portion at one end in the longitudinal direction and a small diameter portion at the other end, wherein an alignment and conveying means aligns and conveys the cone-shaped foam on a conveying chute so that the foam is in a lying position with its longitudinal direction facing the conveying direction, wherein the cone-shaped foam in the lying position is dropped from the end of the conveying chute onto a pair of conveying belts that are spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction at a distance sufficient to receive the large diameter portion, and wherein the cone-shaped foam is changed by its own weight to a hanging position in which the small diameter portion is positioned between the conveying belts, and the cone-shaped foam in the hanging position is conveyed by the pair of conveying belts. In this way, the cone-shaped foam stored in the storage section is vibrated by the aligning and conveying means to align the cone-shaped foam on the conveying chute so that the longitudinal direction faces the conveying direction. Even if the cone-shaped foam is conveyed in a state in which the large diameter portion faces the front side of the conveying direction and the small diameter portion faces the front side of the conveying direction, the cone-shaped foam dropped from the end of the conveying chute can naturally hang on the conveying belt due to its own weight. Therefore, it is not necessary to individually identify the posture of the cone-shaped foam with a camera or the like, and the cone-shaped foam can be manufactured by conveying it inexpensively and efficiently. In addition, by aligning the cone-shaped foam stored in the storage section of the aligning and conveying section in a lying position by vibration, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of cone-shaped foam that cannot be conveyed, as in the case of picking robots or the like being taken out, and to improve manufacturing efficiency. Furthermore, since it is only necessary to place the cone-shaped foam in a position that allows it to be transported by the transport chute (lying down with its longitudinal direction facing the transport direction), there is no need to monitor the position of the cone-shaped foam, and the amount of cone-shaped foam transported per hour can be increased, thereby improving production efficiency.

[0008] The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that the cone-shaped foams having different sizes of the large diameter portion can be aligned and conveyed in a lying position on the conveying chute, and the separation distance between the pair of conveying belts is changed according to the size of the large diameter portion of the cone-shaped foams dropping from the end of the conveying chute. In this way, cone-shaped foams having different sizes can be conveyed using the same conveying belt, so that cone-shaped foams of various sizes can be conveyed and manufactured efficiently at low cost.

[0009] The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that when the cone-shaped foam is transported in an upright position with the large diameter portion or the small diameter portion facing the transport surface of the transport chute, the movement of the tip end of the upright position of the cone-shaped foam is restricted during the transport process to assume the lying position. In this way, by turning the upright cone-shaped foam into a lying position during the transport process on the transport chute, the weight of the cone-shaped foam that has fallen from the end of the transport chute can naturally make it hang down on the transport belt, even in a state where not only the lying position where the large diameter portion faces forward in the transport direction or the lying position where the small diameter portion faces forward in the transport direction, but also a mixture of upright positions. Therefore, there is no need to individually identify the position of the cone-shaped foam using a camera or the like, and the cone-shaped foam can be transported and manufactured inexpensively and efficiently.

[0010] The invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that the cone-shaped foam in the hanging position conveyed by the conveyor belt is regulated by a regulating means from moving downstream from the transfer position, and the cone-shaped foam is lifted above the conveyor belt by a lifting means and held by a holding means for transfer after the conveyor belt stops conveying the cone-shaped foam to the transfer position. By lifting the cone-shaped foam above the conveyor belt in this way, inconveniences such as the cone-shaped foam getting caught on the conveyor belt can be avoided, and the cone-shaped foam can be produced by conveying the cone-shaped foam at a low cost and efficiently. In addition, by stopping the conveyor belt when the cone-shaped foam moves to the transfer position, the cone-shaped foam at the transfer position is prevented from coming into contact with the cone-shaped foam that is at the transfer position, and the cone-shaped foam can be reliably positioned at the transfer position.

[0011] The invention according to claim 5 is characterized in that the outer peripheral surface of the cone-shaped foam lifted above the conveyor belt is sandwiched and held by the holding means while inserting the push-up member of the lifting means into the through-hole of the cone-shaped foam formed to penetrate in the longitudinal direction. In this way, by inserting the push-up member of the lifting means into the through-hole of the cone-shaped foam, the cone-shaped foam can be lifted while maintaining the cone-shaped foam in a suspended position. And by maintaining the cone-shaped foam in a suspended position, the holding means can accurately sandwich and hold the outer peripheral surface, and the cone-shaped foam can be delivered reliably in a short time.

[0012] In order to overcome the above problems and achieve the desired objective, the invention of claim 6 of the present application provides a conveying device for conveying cone-shaped foam that is formed to taper from one end in the longitudinal direction to the other end, comprising: an alignment and conveying means for vibrating the cone-shaped foam stored in a storage section in an arbitrary position, and aligning and conveying the cone-shaped foam on a conveying chute in a lying position with its longitudinal direction facing the conveying direction; and a pair of conveying belts provided at the terminal side of the conveying chute and spaced apart in a direction transverse to the conveying direction at a distance sufficient to receive the large diameter portion of the cone-shaped foam at one end in the longitudinal direction, wherein the large diameter portion of the cone-shaped foam falling from the terminal side of the conveying chute is received by the pair of conveying belts, and the cone-shaped foam is changed by its own weight to a hanging position in which the small diameter portion at the other end is positioned between the conveying belts, and the cone-shaped foam in the hanging position is conveyed by the pair of conveying belts. In this way, the cone-shaped foam stored in the storage section is vibrated by the aligning and conveying means to align the cone-shaped foam on the conveying chute so that the longitudinal direction faces the conveying direction. Even if the cone-shaped foam is conveyed in a state in which the large diameter portion faces the front side in the conveying direction and the small diameter portion faces the front side in the conveying direction, the cone-shaped foam dropped from the end of the conveying chute can naturally hang on the conveying belt due to its own weight. Therefore, there is no need to individually identify the position of the cone-shaped foam using a camera or the like, and the cone-shaped foam can be conveyed inexpensively and efficiently to produce the cone-shaped foam. In addition, by aligning the cone-shaped foam stored in the storage section of the aligning and conveying section in a lying position by vibration, the occurrence of cone-shaped foam that cannot be conveyed can be prevented, and the production efficiency can be improved. Furthermore, since it is only necessary to place the cone-shaped foam in a position that allows it to be transported by the transport chute (lying down with its longitudinal direction facing the transport direction), there is no need to monitor the position of the cone-shaped foam, and the amount of cone-shaped foam transported per hour can be increased, thereby improving production efficiency.

[0013] The invention according to claim 7 is characterized in that the aligning and conveying means is configured to align and convey the cone-shaped foams having different sizes of the large diameter portion in a lying position on the conveying chute, and the pair of conveying belts are configured to be able to change the separation distance between the pair of conveying belts so that the separation distance between the pair of conveying belts is changed according to the size of the large diameter portion of the cone-shaped foams dropping from the end of the conveying chute. In this way, cone-shaped foams of different sizes can be conveyed using the same conveying belt, so that cone-shaped foams of various sizes can be conveyed and manufactured inexpensively and efficiently.

[0014] The invention according to claim 8 is characterized in that a movement restricting means capable of contacting the tip end of the cone-shaped foam transported in an upright position with the large diameter portion or the small diameter portion facing the transport surface of the transport chute is provided above the transport chute, and the movement of the tip end of the cone-shaped foam transported in the upright position is restricted by the movement restricting means, so that the cone-shaped foam assumes the lying position. In this way, by causing the upright cone-shaped foam to assume a lying position during transport on the transport chute, the weight of the cone-shaped foam that has fallen from the end of the transport chute can naturally hang on the transport belt, even in a state where the upright positions are mixed, and not only in a lying position where the large diameter portion faces forward in the transport direction or a lying position where the small diameter portion faces forward in the transport direction. Therefore, it is not necessary to individually identify the orientation of the cone-shaped foam using a camera or the like, and the cone-shaped foam can be produced by transporting the foam efficiently at low cost.

[0015] The invention according to claim 9 is characterized in that the device includes a restricting means for restricting the cone-shaped foam in the hanging position conveyed by the conveyor belt from moving downstream from the transfer position, a lifting means for lifting the cone-shaped foam moved to the transfer position above the conveyor belt, and a holding means for holding the cone-shaped foam lifted by the lifting means. By lifting the cone-shaped foam above the conveyor belt in this way, it is possible to avoid inconveniences such as the cone-shaped foam getting caught on the conveyor belt, and it is possible to convey the cone-shaped foam inexpensively and efficiently to produce the cone-shaped foam. In addition, by stopping the conveyor belt when the cone-shaped foam moves to the transfer position, it is possible to prevent the subsequent cone-shaped foam from contacting the cone-shaped foam at the transfer position, and it is possible to reliably position the cone-shaped foam at the transfer position.

[0016] The invention according to claim 10 is characterized in that the lifting means has a push-up member that can be inserted into a through hole of the cone-shaped foam formed to penetrate in the longitudinal direction, and the outer peripheral surface of the cone-shaped foam lifted above the conveyor belt while inserting the push-up member into the through hole is gripped by the holding means. In this way, by inserting the push-up member of the lifting means into the through hole of the cone-shaped foam, the cone-shaped foam can be lifted while maintaining the cone-shaped foam in a hanging position. And by maintaining the cone-shaped foam in a hanging position, the holding means can accurately hold and hold the outer peripheral surface, and the cone-shaped foam can be delivered reliably in a short time. Effect of the Invention

[0017] According to the present invention, a cone-shaped foam that tapers from one end to the other end in the longitudinal direction can be formed, and the foam can be transported in a predetermined hanging position. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a conveying section according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2]1A is a schematic diagram showing a molding die, in which (a) shows the molding die in an open state, (b) shows the molding die in a closed state, and (c) shows the foam raw material having been foamed and cured within the cavity. [Diagram 3] 4 is a schematic perspective view showing a terminal end of the conveying chute and a belt conveying section. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2(a) is a cross-sectional view of the conveying chute, and FIG. 2(b) is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the cone-shaped foam moves through the conveying chute. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram showing a cone-shaped foam in a hanging position held by a pair of conveyor belts, and FIG. 2B is a schematic diagram showing a mechanism for changing the distance between the pair of conveyor belts. [Figure 6] 1A is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the large diameter portion moves from the conveying chute to the conveying belt with the large diameter portion facing forward in the conveying direction, and FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the small diameter portion moves from the conveying chute to the conveying belt with the small diameter portion facing forward in the conveying direction. [Figure 7] 4 is a schematic diagram showing a terminal end of a belt conveying section and a lifting section; FIG. [Figure 8] 11A and 11B are explanatory diagrams showing the state in which the insertion portion of the push-up member is inserted into cone-shaped foam bodies of different sizes. [Figure 9] (a) is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the cone-shaped foam has been moved to the transfer position by the conveying belt, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the push-up member has been moved upward and the insertion portion has been inserted into the through hole of the cone-shaped foam at the transfer position. [Figure 10] 1(a) is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the cone-shaped foam, which has been lifted above the conveying belt by the push-up member, is held by the holding part of the holding and conveying section, and FIG. 1(b) is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the push-up member is moved for processing and the cone-shaped foam is conveyed to a post-molding process by the holding and conveying section. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] Next, a method for producing a cone-shaped foam and a conveying device thereof according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, taking a bump stopper used in a shock absorber of a vehicle such as an automobile as an example of the cone-shaped foam.

[0020] The cone-shaped foam 100 according to the embodiment is a foamed resin molded body formed of a foam such as polyurethane resin so as to taper from one end to the other end in the longitudinal direction, as shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 8. Specifically, the cone-shaped foam 100 includes a plurality of cylindrical parts 100a whose outer diameter gradually decreases from one end to the other end in the longitudinal direction, and annular grooves 100b provided between the cylindrical parts 100a. A through hole 106 is formed to pass through the center of each cylindrical part 100a in the longitudinal direction, and a cylinder rod of a shock absorber (neither shown) is inserted through the through hole 106. That is, the outer peripheral surface of the cone-shaped foam 100 is an approximately cone-shaped article in which a plurality of cylindrical parts 100a and annular grooves 100b having different diameters are formed in a stepped shape that is alternately continuous in the longitudinal direction, and the entirety of the cone-shaped foam 100 is tapered from one end to the other end in the longitudinal direction. Here, the cone-shaped foam 100 is interposed in the cylinder rod of the shock absorber in such a position that the cylindrical portion 100a with the largest diameter, located at one end in the longitudinal direction, is positioned upward and the cylindrical portion 100a with the smallest diameter, located at the other end, is positioned downward, and when the cylinder rod moves into the cylinder, the cone-shaped foam 100 is compressed in the longitudinal direction, thereby cushioning the impact.

[0021] In the following description, for convenience of explanation, the cylindrical portion 100a with the maximum diameter in the cone-shaped foam 100 may be referred to as the large diameter portion 102, and the cylindrical portion 100a with the minimum diameter may be referred to as the small diameter portion 104. In addition, annular grooves 100b are formed at a plurality of positions spaced apart in the longitudinal direction on the inner circumference of the cone-shaped foam 100 so as to correspond to the positions of the cylindrical portions 100a, so that the cone-shaped foam 100 can be compressed and deformed well. Here, the cone-shaped foam 100 is formed in a plurality of sizes (outer diameter of each cylindrical portion 100a, diameter of the through hole 106, or length) so as to exhibit the shock absorbing performance required for the shock absorber to which it is attached. In this embodiment, three cone-shaped foams 100 with different sizes are illustrated (see FIG. 8).

[0022] As shown in Fig. 1 or 2, the manufacturing apparatus for the cone-shaped foam 100 of this embodiment is composed of a mold (molding section) 10 for molding the cone-shaped foam 100 from foam raw material, and transport sections 20, 30, 50, and 60 for transporting the cone-shaped foam 100 molded by the mold 10 to post-molding processes such as burr removal and quality inspection. This mold 10 is composed of multiple dies (split dies) that can be displaced between a closed state and an open state, and when the mold 10 is in the closed state, a cavity having the same spatial shape as the shape of the cone-shaped foam 100 is defined inside. The number of dies constituting the mold 10 is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, it is composed of three dies, a lower die 12, an upper die 14, and a middle die 16.

[0023] Here, the upper die 14 is rotatably supported on the side edge of the lower die 12, so that when the upper die 14 and the lower die 12 are closed, the mold surfaces 12a, 14a of the lower die 12 and the upper die 14 form a spatial shape identical to the outer surface of the cone-shaped foam 100. The middle die 16 forms the through hole 106 of the cone-shaped foam 100, and is rotatably supported on the side edge of one end side in the longitudinal direction of the cone-shaped foam 100 to be molded with respect to the lower die 12. In FIG. 2, the upper die 14 is rotatably supported on the edge of the lower die 12 on the far side in the figure, and the middle die 16 is rotatably supported on the edge of the lower die 12 on the right side in the figure. The middle mold 16 has a rod-shaped molded body 16a that matches the shape of the through-hole 106, and in the mold closed state, both ends of the molded body 16a are held in a fitted state in the recesses 12b, 14b formed in the lower mold 12 and the upper mold 14. That is, in the mold closed state, the molded body 16a of the middle mold 16 is positioned away from the mold surfaces 12a, 14a of the lower mold 12 and the upper mold 14, and the molded body 16a extends across the space formed by the lower mold 12 and the upper mold 14, forming a cavity in the mold 10 that has the same spatial shape as the cone-shaped foam 100, and the cone-shaped foam 100 is molded by foaming and hardening the foam material in the cavity.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 1, the conveying section is equipped with an alignment conveying section (alignment conveying means) 20 which aligns the cone-shaped foam 100 stored in the storage section in an arbitrary (disorderly) position on the conveying chute 24 so that the cone-shaped foam 100 is in a recumbent position with its longitudinal direction facing the conveying direction, and a belt conveying section (belt conveying means) 30 which is provided at the end side of the conveying chute 24 of the alignment conveying section 20 and conveys the cone-shaped foam 100 in a hanging position, and is configured to convert the cone-shaped foam 100 in a recumbent position conveyed to the end of the conveying chute 24 by the alignment conveying section 20 to a hanging position in the belt conveying section 30 and convey it to a predetermined transfer position. Furthermore, this conveying section is equipped with a lifting section (lift means) 50 that lifts the cone-shaped foam 100 conveyed to the delivery position by the belt conveying section 30 above the conveying belt 32, and a holding and conveying section (holding means) 60 that holds the cone-shaped foam 100 lifted by the lifting section 50 and conveys it to a post-molding process, so that the cone-shaped foam 100 that has been changed to a hanging position in the belt conveying section 30 can be conveyed to the post-molding process by the holding and conveying section 60 while still in the hanging position.

[0025] The alignment and conveyance unit 20 is a so-called bowl-type parts feeder, and includes a cylindrical storage unit 22 capable of storing the cone-shaped foam 100 in any position, a spiral passage (not shown) provided on the periphery of the bottom plate of the storage unit 22 and expanding outward from the center, a conveyance chute 24 connected to the spiral passage, and a vibration unit 26 for vibrating the bottom plate of the storage unit 22. The spiral passage is formed so that one end is continuous with the bottom plate of the storage unit 22, so that the cone-shaped foam 100 can move from the storage unit 22 to the spiral passage, and is formed so as to slope upward (upwardly inclined) toward the upper end of the side wall of the storage unit 22, and is connected to the conveyance chute 24 at the upper end side of the side wall of the storage unit 22. By applying vibrations using vibration unit 26, a force in the outer circumferential direction is applied to cone-shaped foam 100 stored in storage unit 22, causing cone-shaped foam 100 to move through the spiral passage toward conveying chute 24. The bottom plate of storage unit 22 may be flat, or may be formed in a raised shape with a raised center and a downward slope toward the periphery.

[0026] Here, the passage width of the spiral passage is formed larger than the large diameter portion 102 of the cone-shaped foam 100, so that the cone-shaped foam 100 can move in a lying position with its length oriented in the conveying direction (pathway extension direction) of the spiral passage, or in an upright position with the large diameter portion 102 or the small diameter portion 104 facing the conveying surface of the spiral passage. The passage width of the spiral passage is formed narrower than the length dimension of the cone-shaped foam 100 in the longitudinal direction, and the inner periphery side of the spiral passage is formed to open to the storage portion 22, so that in a lying position in which the longitudinal direction intersects with the conveying direction of the spiral passage, the cone-shaped foam 100 protruding from the spiral passage returns to the storage portion 22 by its own weight. As a result, the cone-shaped foam 100 reaches the conveying chute 24 from the spiral passage in a lying or standing position with its longitudinal direction facing the conveying direction, and moves on the conveying chute 24 in the lying or standing position.

[0027] The conveying chute 24 is provided at an outer position of the side wall of the storage section 22, with an inclination that slopes downward from the connection end of the spiral passage toward the terminal end, so that the cone-shaped foam 100 can slide down the conveying chute 24. Here, the conveying surface 24a of the conveying chute 24 is formed so as to slope downward from both side walls 24b of the conveying chute 24 toward the center in the width direction, as shown in FIG. 4(a). In other words, even when cone-shaped foams 100 of different sizes move on the conveying chute 24, the cone-shaped foams 100 can be moved with the conveying surface 24a positioned approximately in the center in the width direction. The conveying surface 24a of the conveying chute 24 having such a shape is formed such that the cross section of the width direction of the conveying chute 24 is V-shaped. This can be achieved by making it into a concave curved shape.

[0028] 1, 3, 4(b) and 6, the alignment / conveyance section 20 is provided with a movement restriction member (movement restriction means) 28 that comes into contact with the tip end of the cone-shaped foam 100 moving in an upright position on the conveyance chute 24. The movement restriction member 28 is a bent rod-like member having a fixed portion 28a that extends in the extension direction of the conveyance chute 24 and is fixed to the conveyance chute 24, and a contact portion 28b that is provided so as to be connected to the upstream end side of the fixed portion 28a in the conveyance direction and can come into contact with the upright cone-shaped foam 100.

[0029] The fixing portion 28a is provided at a height position through which the cone-shaped foam 100 lying on the conveying surface 24a of the conveying chute 24 can pass, while the cone-shaped foam 100 standing cannot pass, and the contact portion 28b is formed in an inclined shape that moves away from the conveying surface 24a of the conveying chute 24 from the connection end side of the fixing portion 28a toward the upstream side in the conveying direction. The pair of movement restricting members 28 are arranged at a distance that allows the cone-shaped foam 100 in the standing position to come into contact with them. That is, when the cone-shaped foam 100 moves on the conveying chute 24 in the standing position, the tip side of the cone-shaped foam 100 comes into contact with the contact portion 28b of the movement restricting member 28, so that the cone-shaped foam 100 is tilted on the conveying chute 24 and put into a lying position. In addition, the movement-control member 28 is not limited to being formed by a pair of rod-shaped members, but may be formed by a plate-shaped member, and any appropriate form may be adopted as long as it is capable of contacting the cone-shaped foam 100 moving in an upright position on the conveying chute 24.

[0030] 3, the belt conveying section 30 includes a pair of conveying belts 32 spaced apart in a direction intersecting the conveying direction of the conveying chute 24. The conveying belts 32 are configured by winding an endless belt around pulleys 36 rotatably supported at positions spaced apart in the conveying direction on each of the frames 34 spaced apart in the intersecting direction. The pulleys 36 are rotated by a driving means such as a motor (not shown) in a direction in which the upper sides of the conveying belts 32 wound around the pulleys 36 move in a direction away from the conveying chute 24.

[0031] Here, the belt conveying section 30 is disposed so that the conveying belt 32 faces a position capable of receiving the cone-shaped foam 100 that moves to the terminal end of the conveying chute 24 and drops from the conveying chute 24. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 6, the upstream end of the conveying belt 32 in the conveying direction is positioned so as to overlap below the terminal end of the conveying chute 24, so that the cone-shaped foam 100 drops from the terminal end of the conveying chute 24 onto the conveying belt 32.

[0032] 5(a), the belt conveying section 30 is configured so that the pair of conveying belts 32 are spaced apart at an interval narrower than the dimension of the large diameter portion 102 of the cone-shaped foam 100 and wider than the dimension of the small diameter portion 104 of the cone-shaped foam 100. Furthermore, the middle position of both conveying belts 32 and the middle position in the width direction of the conveying surface 24a of the conveying chute 24 are configured to coincide in the conveying direction. That is, when the cone-shaped foam 100 falls from the end of the conveying chute 24, the large diameter portion 102 of the cone-shaped foam 100 gets caught on the pair of conveying belts 32, and the cone-shaped foam 100 changes its position to a hanging position in which the small diameter portion 104 is located between the pair of conveying belts 32 due to its own weight. Furthermore, the midpoint between the two conveying belts 32 and the midpoint in the width direction of the conveying surface 24a of the conveying chute 24 do not have to be completely aligned in the conveying direction. As long as the large diameter portion 102 of the cone-shaped foam 100 that falls from the end of the conveying chute 24 can be hooked on the pair of conveying belts 32 and changed to a hanging position, the midpoint between the conveying belts 32 and the conveying chute 24 may be shifted in the intersecting direction.

[0033] The belt conveying section 30 is configured so that the frame 34 can be moved in the cross direction, and the separation distance between the pair of conveying belts 32 can be changed. Here, the frame 34 is configured so that the pair of conveying belts 32 can be moved toward and away from each other as a unit, and when the separation distance between the conveying belts 32 is changed, the middle position of both conveying belts 32 is kept in the conveying direction in agreement with the middle position in the width direction of the conveying surface 24a of the conveying chute 24. That is, by changing the separation distance between the conveying belts 32 according to the size of the cone-shaped foam 100 to be conveyed, it becomes possible to receive the cone-shaped foam 100 with the common conveying belt 32 and change its position to a hanging position. The configuration for making the frame 34 movable in the cross direction is not particularly limited, but for example, as shown in FIG. 5(b), it can be realized by providing rack gears 34a extending in the cross direction at the lower end of each frame 34 so as to face each other, and configuring gears 38 provided to mesh with both rack gears 34a to be driven by a driving means such as a motor.

[0034] 1, 7, 9, and 10, the belt conveyor 30 is provided with a stopper (regulating means) 40 between the conveyor belts 32 on the downstream side of conveyance by the conveyor belts 32 to regulate the downstream movement of the cone-shaped foam 100 in a suspended position. The belt conveyor 30 is also provided with a detection sensor (detecting means) 44 for detecting the cone-shaped foam 100 that has moved to the transfer position where its movement is regulated by the stopper 40, and the rotation of the conveyor belt 32 is stopped upon detection by the detection sensor 44. The stopper 40 and the detection sensor 44 are attached to the frame 34 of the belt conveyor 30.

[0035] That is, the cone-shaped foam 100 conveyed by the conveyor belt 32 comes into contact with the stopper 40, so that the cone-shaped foam 100 is positioned at the transfer position, and the detection sensor 44 detects the cone-shaped foam 100 that has moved to the transfer position and stops the rotation of the conveyor belt 32, so that the cone-shaped foam 100 positioned at the transfer position is prevented from being displaced due to contact with the following cone-shaped foam 100. Here, the detection sensor 44 can be any of various conventionally known sensors such as a photoelectric sensor or a contact-type switch sensor, as long as it can detect the cone-shaped foam 100 that has moved to the transfer position. In this embodiment, the photoelectric sensor is attached to the frame 34 of the belt conveyor 30.

[0036] As shown in Fig. 7, the stopper 40 is formed so as to restrict the movement of a plurality of different sizes of cone-shaped foams 100 at a position where the center positions of the through holes 106 are aligned. Specifically, the stopper 40 is provided with step portions 42 in a stepped manner so as to protrude toward the conveying chute 24 as it moves downward from the top, and the step portions 42 that come into contact with the cone-shaped foams 100 are different for each size. In this embodiment, three step portions 42 are provided in the stopper 40 to correspond to three types of cone-shaped foams 100, and the cone-shaped foams 100 that have moved to the delivery position come into contact with the corresponding step portions 42, so that the movement of the cone-shaped foams 100 of all sizes is restricted at the same center position of the through holes 106.

[0037] 7, the lifting section 50 includes a push-up member 52 that can be inserted into the through-hole 106 of the cone-shaped foam 100, and a drive section (driving means) 58 that moves the push-up member 52 up and down, and is configured so that the push-up member 52 can be moved between a standby position below the cone-shaped foam 100 at the delivery position and an elevated position above the conveyor belt 32 by driving the drive section 58. Note that, as the drive section 58, various conventionally known configurations can be adopted as long as they are configured to lift and lower the push-up member 52 in the vertical direction, but in this embodiment, a cylinder 58 with a cylinder rod 58a that moves up and down is used as the drive section, and the push-up member 52 is attached to the tip of the cylinder rod 58a. This push-up member 52 has an insertion portion 54 formed with an outer diameter that allows it to be inserted into the through hole 106 of the cone-shaped foam 100, and an abutment base portion 56 extending outward from the lower end of the insertion portion 54, and is configured so that by inserting the insertion portion 54 of the push-up member 52 into the through hole 106, the lower end portion (small diameter portion 104) of the cone-shaped foam 100 abuts against the abutment base portion 56.

[0038] With the push-up member 52 in the standby position, the cone-shaped foam 100 conveyed by the conveyor belt 32 can move to the delivery position without contacting the push-up member 52, and by moving the push-up member 52 from the standby position to the lifting position with the cone-shaped foam 100 in the delivery position, the cone-shaped foam 100 can be lifted up to above the conveyor belt 32. Also, with the cone-shaped foam 100 not in the delivery position (not detected by the detection sensor 44), the push-up member 52 is positioned in the standby position, and is controlled to move to the lifting position as the cone-shaped foam 100 moves to the delivery position and is detected by the detection sensor 44.

[0039] Here, as shown in Fig. 8, the push-up member 52 is configured to be able to lift up a plurality of types of cone-shaped foams 100 having different inner diameters of the through-hole 106. Specifically, the push-up member 52 is formed with a plurality of insertion parts 54 in a stepped shape so that the outer diameter increases from the top to the bottom, and the positions at which the insertion parts 54 are inserted are varied according to the inner diameter of the through-hole 106 of the cone-shaped foam 100. In this embodiment, three insertion parts 54 are provided in the push-up member 52 according to three types of cone-shaped foams 100, and the push-up member 52 is capable of lifting up cone-shaped foams 100 having any inner diameter of the through-hole 106 with the insertion parts 54 inserted in the through-hole 106. That is, the boundary between the insertion portions 54 of different diameters is the abutment base portion 56, and when the inner diameter of the through hole 106 formed to have the smallest inner diameter is used to lift the cone-shaped foam 100, the upper insertion portion 54 of the push-up member 52 is inserted into the through hole 106 of the cone-shaped foam 100 and the lower end of the cone-shaped foam 100 abuts against the abutment base portion 56 located at the lower end of the upper insertion portion 54. When the inner diameter of the through hole 106 formed to have an intermediate inner diameter is used to lift the cone-shaped foam 100, the upper and When the middle insertion portion 54 is inserted into the through hole 106 of the cone-shaped foam 100, the lower end of the cone-shaped foam 100 abuts against the abutment base portion 56 located at the lower end of the middle insertion portion 54, and when lifting the cone-shaped foam 100, in which the through hole 106 has been formed to have the maximum inner diameter, the upper, middle and lower insertion portions 54 of the push-up member 52 are inserted into the through hole 106 of the cone-shaped foam 100, and the lower end of the cone-shaped foam 100 abuts against the abutment base portion 56 located at the lower end of the lower insertion portion 54.

[0040] As shown in Figs. 1 and 10, the holding and conveying unit 60 includes a holding unit 62 capable of holding the cone-shaped foam 100 lifted by the lifting unit 50, and a moving means (not shown) for moving the holding unit 62. The moving means can move the cone-shaped foam 100 between a holding position where the cone-shaped foam 100 is held and a post-molding process. The moving means is not particularly limited as long as it is configured to move the holding unit to a post-molding process, and various conventionally known means such as an articulated arm robot or a ceiling crane can be used. The holding unit 62 has a pair of arms 62a that can move radially toward and away from the large diameter portion 102 of the cone-shaped foam 100, and is configured to hold the outer circumferential surface of the cone-shaped foam 100 (large diameter portion 102) between the pair of arms 62a. The lifting unit 50 operates to return the push-up member 52 to a standby position at the timing when the cone-shaped foam 100 lifted above the conveyor belt 32 is held by the holding unit 62 of the holding and conveying unit 60.

[0041] Next, a method for manufacturing the cone-shaped foam 100 of this embodiment will be described. First, a foam raw material such as polyurethane resin is injected onto the mold surfaces 12a and 14a of the lower mold 12 in the mold open state shown in FIG. 2(a), and then the intermediate mold 16 is closed on the lower mold 12 to extend the molded body 16a of the intermediate mold 16 so as to cross the space formed by the lower mold 12 in the longitudinal direction. Then, by closing the upper die 14 from this state, a cavity having the same spatial shape as the shape of the cone-shaped foam 100 is formed in a closed mold state. Then, by foaming and hardening the foam raw material in this state, the cone-shaped foam 100 is formed having a plurality of cylindrical parts 100a tapered in shape with the outer diameter gradually decreasing from one end to the other end in the longitudinal direction, annular grooves 100b provided between each cylindrical part 100a, and a through hole 106 formed to pass through the center of each cylindrical part 100a in the longitudinal direction (see FIG. 2(c)). The foam raw material may be injected after closing the middle die 16, or it is also possible to inject the foam raw material in the closed mold state by providing an injection hole communicating with the cavity in the molding die 10 (e.g., the upper die 14, etc.).

[0042] After the foam raw material is foamed and hardened, the mold 10 is opened in the reverse order of the mold closing, and the cone-shaped foam 100 attached to the molded body 16a of the middle mold 16 so that the through hole 106 fits is removed and stored in the storage section 22 of the alignment conveyor 20. Here, the means for storing the cone-shaped foam 100 in the storage section 22 of the alignment conveyor 20 is not particularly limited, but the cone-shaped foam 100 may be automatically sent to the storage section 22 of the alignment conveyor 20 using a transfer device (not shown) such as a belt conveyor, or the cone-shaped foam 100 temporarily stored in a predetermined storage case may be transferred to the storage section 22 of the alignment conveyor 20 by an operator as necessary. Here, the cone-shaped foam 100 may be stored in the storage section 22 of the alignment conveyor 20 in any (disorderly) position, which is an advantage in that the storage work of the cone-shaped foam 100 in the alignment conveyor 20 can be extremely simplified. When the cone-shaped foam 100 is fed by a transport device such as a belt conveyor, it is preferable to provide a chute member at the end of the transport device for guiding the cone-shaped foam 100 toward the storage section 22.

[0043] Then, while the cone-shaped foam 100 is stored in the storage section 22 of the aligning and conveying section 20, the bottom plate of the storage section 22 is vibrated by the vibration section 26, and the cone-shaped foam 100 is conveyed onto the conveying chute 24 through the spiral passage of the aligning and conveying section 20 so as to be aligned in a lying or standing position with the longitudinal direction facing the conveying direction (see Figs. 1 and 4(b)). When conveyed to the conveying chute 24, the cone-shaped foam 100 moves down in a lying or standing position due to the inclination of the conveying chute 24. Then, as shown in Fig. 4(b), when the cone-shaped foam 100 moves in the standing position on the conveying chute 24, the tip side of the cone-shaped foam 100 comes into contact with the contact portion 28b of the movement restriction member 28, so that the cone-shaped foam 100 is tilted on the conveying chute 24 and put into a lying position. That is, in the aligning and conveying section 20, the cone-shaped foam 100 moves to the end of the conveying chute 24 in a lying position with either the large diameter section 102 or the small diameter section 104 facing forward in the conveying direction.

[0044] When the cone-shaped foam 100 reaches the end of the conveying chute 24, it falls from the conveying chute 24 onto the conveying belt 32 of the belt conveying section 30, as shown in Fig. 6. The large diameter portion 102 of the fallen cone-shaped foam 100 is received by the conveying belt 32 of the belt conveying section 30, and the cone-shaped foam 100 is changed to a hanging position in which the small diameter portion 104 is positioned between the pair of conveying belts 32 due to its own weight. Here, the conveying belts 32 of the belt conveying section 30 are set so as to position the pair of conveying belts 32 at an interval according to the size of the cone-shaped foam 100 to be conveyed, prior to aligning and conveying the cone-shaped foam 100 in the aligning and conveying section 20. That is, as shown in Fig. 6(a), when the cone-shaped foam 100 falls in a horizontal position with the large diameter portion 102 facing forward in the conveying direction, both sides of the large diameter portion 102 get caught by the pair of conveyor belts 32, and the small diameter portion 104, lowered by its own weight, faces between the two conveyor belts 32 and assumes a hanging position. When the cone-shaped foam 100 falls in a horizontal position with the small diameter portion 104 facing forward in the conveying direction, both sides of the large diameter portion 102 get caught by the pair of conveyor belts 32 after the small diameter portion 104 passes between the two conveyor belts 32, and assumes a hanging position, as shown in Fig. 6(b).

[0045] The cone-shaped foam 100 supported in a hanging position is transported toward the transfer position by the rotation of the transport belt 32. As shown in FIG. 9(a), when the cone-shaped foam 100 reaches the transfer position, it abuts against the stopper 40 and is restricted from moving downstream from the transfer position. Then, as the cone-shaped foam 100 is transported to the transfer position, the detection sensor 44 detects the cone-shaped foam 100, and the rotation of the transport belt 32 (transport of the cone-shaped foam 100) is stopped, and the cone-shaped foam 100 is positioned at the transfer position. At this time, the cone-shaped foam 100 abuts against the step portion 42 of the stopper 40 that is matched to the size of the cone-shaped foam 100, and the movement is restricted with the through hole 106 positioned at a predetermined position regardless of the size of the transported cone-shaped foam 100.

[0046] When the conveyance of the cone-shaped foam 100 by the belt conveyor 30 stops, as shown in FIG. 9(b), the push-up member 52 of the lifting unit 50 is moved upward from the standby position, whereby the insertion portion 54 is inserted into the through hole 106 of the cone-shaped foam 100 in the hanging position, and the lower end (small diameter portion 104) of the cone-shaped foam 100 is brought into contact with the abutment base portion 56 of the push-up member 52. By raising the push-up member 52 to the raised position in this state, as shown in FIG. 10(a), the cone-shaped foam 100 hanging from the conveyor belt 32 is pushed up by the push-up member 52 and moves to above the conveyor belt 32. At this time, the insertion portion 54 of the push-up member 52 is inserted into the through hole 106 of the cone-shaped foam 100, so that the cone-shaped foam 100 can be lifted while maintaining the hanging position. Here, as described above, the cone-shaped foam 100 is restricted in movement with the through hole 106 positioned in a predetermined position regardless of its size, so that it can be inserted into the through hole 106 simply by moving the push-up member 52 upward.

[0047] The cone-shaped foam 100 lifted above the conveyor belt 32 by the lifting unit 50 is held by the holding unit 62 of the holding and conveying unit 60, and the lifting unit 50 operates to lower the push-up member 52 toward the waiting position at the timing when the cone-shaped foam 100 is held by the holding unit 62, thereby delivering the cone-shaped foam 100 to the holding and conveying unit 60 (see FIG. 10(b)). The holding and conveying unit 60 operates to move the holding unit 62 to a predetermined post-molding process at the timing after the insertion portion 54 of the push-up member 52 comes out of the through hole 106 of the cone-shaped foam 100. The push-up member 52 moves downward to the waiting position, and the belt conveying unit 30 operates to resume conveying the cone-shaped foam 100 by the conveyor belt 32. This operation is repeated, and the cone-shaped foam 100 is sequentially sent to the post-molding process.

[0048] In this manner, the manufacturing method and conveying device for the cone-shaped foam 100 of this embodiment aligns the cone-shaped foam 100 on the conveying chute 24 so that the cone-shaped foam 100 is in a lying position with its longitudinal direction facing the conveying direction by applying vibration to the cone-shaped foam 100 stored in the storage section 22 by the aligning and conveying section 20, so that even if the cone-shaped foam 100 is conveyed in a state in which the large diameter section 102 faces the front side in the conveying direction and the small diameter section 104 faces the front side in the conveying direction, the weight of the cone-shaped foam 100 that has fallen from the end of the conveying chute 24 allows it to naturally assume a certain hanging position on the conveying belt 32. Therefore, there is no need to individually identify the position of the cone-shaped foam 100 by a camera or the like, and the cone-shaped foam 100 can be manufactured by conveying it to a post-molding process at low cost and efficiently. Furthermore, by aligning the cone-shaped foam 100 stored in the storage section 22 of the alignment and conveying section 20 in a lying position by vibration, the entire amount of cone-shaped foam 100 in the storage section 22 can be conveyed, preventing the occurrence of cone-shaped foam 100 that cannot be conveyed, as occurs when the cone-shaped foam 100 is removed by a picking robot or the like, and also making it possible to continuously align and convey the cone-shaped foam 100, thereby improving production efficiency.

[0049] In addition, as long as the cone-shaped foam 100 is in a lying position with its longitudinal direction facing the conveying direction, either the large diameter portion 102 or the small diameter portion 104 may face the front side in the conveying direction, so that the selection of the position of the cone-shaped foam 100 can be omitted, and the amount of the cone-shaped foam 100 conveyed per hour can be increased to improve the production efficiency. Furthermore, by changing the upright cone-shaped foam 100 to a lying position during the conveying process in the conveying chute 24, the cone-shaped foam 100 that has fallen from the end of the conveying chute 24 can naturally assume a certain hanging position on the conveying belt 32 due to its own weight, even in a state in which not only the lying position in which the large diameter portion 102 or the small diameter portion 104 faces the front side in the conveying direction, but also the upright position is mixed. Therefore, there is an advantage in that the selection of the position of the cone-shaped foam 100 can be further omitted, and the amount of the cone-shaped foam 100 conveyed per hour can be increased. Furthermore, cone-shaped foam 100 in a position where it cannot naturally change to a hanging position on conveying belt 32 (a position where the longitudinal direction intersects with the conveying direction) is made to return to storage section 22 by its own weight as it passes through the spiral passage, thereby preventing cone-shaped foam 100 in such a position from being sent onto conveying belt 32.

[0050] In addition, when the cone-shaped foam 100 in a suspended position is transported from the transfer position by the conveyor belt 32, the stopper 40 restricts the movement downstream, so that the cone-shaped foam 100 can be positioned at the transfer position. Then, at this transfer position, the lifting unit 50 lifts the cone-shaped foam 100 above the conveyor belt 32, so that when the cone-shaped foam 100 is transferred to the holding and conveying unit 60, inconveniences such as the cone-shaped foam 100 getting caught on the conveyor belt 32 can be avoided, and the cone-shaped foam 100 can be produced by transporting it cheaply and efficiently. In addition, the detection sensor 44 detects the cone-shaped foam 100 that has moved to the transfer position and stops the transport by the conveyor belt 32, so that the following cone-shaped foam 100 can be prevented from contacting the cone-shaped foam 100 positioned at the transfer position, so that the cone-shaped foam 100 can be reliably positioned at the transfer position.

[0051] Furthermore, by inserting the insertion portion 54 of the push-up member 52 of the lifting unit 50 into the through hole 106 to lift the cone-shaped foam 100 above the conveyor belt 32, the cone-shaped foam 100 can be stably lifted while maintaining the suspended posture, and the outer peripheral surface of the lifted cone-shaped foam 100 can be accurately clamped and held by the holding portion 62 of the holding and conveying unit 60. Furthermore, because the insertion portion 54 of the push-up member 52 is positioned in the through hole 106 of the cone-shaped foam 100, the push-up member 52 does not interfere with the holding of the outer peripheral surface of the cone-shaped foam 100 by the holding portion 62.

[0052] Furthermore, the spacing between the pair of conveyor belts 32 is made changeable, and the spacing between the pair of conveyor belts 32 is changed according to the size of the large diameter portion 102 of the cone-shaped foam 100 dropping from the end of the conveyor chute 24, so that the cone-shaped foam 100 of different sizes can be conveyed using the same conveyor belt 32, and cone-shaped foams 100 of various sizes can be conveyed and manufactured inexpensively and efficiently. In addition, by providing the stopper 40 with a plurality of step portions 42 and making the step portion 42 that contacts the cone-shaped foam 100 different for each size, when the stopper 40 restricts the movement of the cone-shaped foam 100, the through hole 106 can be positioned at a predetermined position regardless of the size of the conveyed cone-shaped foam 100. Therefore, even if the cone-shaped foam 100 has various sizes, the insertion portion 54 can be inserted into the through hole 106 of the cone-shaped foam 100 simply by raising and lowering the push-up member 52, and it becomes possible to convey and manufacture the cone-shaped foam 100 inexpensively and efficiently. Similarly, by providing multiple stages of insertion portions 54 in the push-up member 52 and inserting different insertion portions 54 according to the inner diameter of the through hole 106 of the cone-shaped foam 100, the cone-shaped foam 100 can be lifted using a common push-up member 52 regardless of the inner diameter of the through hole 106 of the cone-shaped foam 100, making it possible to transport and manufacture the cone-shaped foam 100 inexpensively and efficiently.

[0053] (Modifications) The configuration is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and may be, for example, the following: (1) In the embodiment, the outer peripheral surface of the cone-shaped foam 100 is formed in a stepped shape with a plurality of cylindrical portions 100a and annular grooves 100b having different diameters alternately arranged in the longitudinal direction, so that the outer peripheral surface tapers from one end to the other end in the longitudinal direction, but the embodiment is not limited to this, and the outer peripheral surface may be tapered by continuously reducing the diameter from one end to the other end in the longitudinal direction. (2) In the embodiment, the cone-shaped foam 100 is formed in a cone shape, but it may be formed in a pyramidal shape. [Explanation of symbols]

[0054] 10 molding die, 10a cavity, 20 alignment conveying section (alignment conveying means), 22 storage section, 24 conveying chute, 28 movement restricting member (movement restricting means), 32 conveying belt, 40 stopper (restricting means), 50 lifting section (lifting means), 44 detection sensor (detection means), 60 holding conveying section (holding means), 52 push-up member, 100 cone-shaped foam, 102 large diameter section, 104 small diameter section, 106 through hole

Claims

[Claim 1] A method for producing a cone-shaped foam formed to taper from one end to the other end in a longitudinal direction, comprising: A foam raw material is injected into a cavity formed in a mold, and the foam raw material is foamed and cured to form a tapered cone-shaped foam having a large diameter portion at one end in a longitudinal direction and a small diameter portion at the other end, Vibrating the cone-shaped foam stored in the storage section by the alignment and conveyance means, aligning and conveying the cone-shaped foam so that the foam is in a horizontal position on the conveyance chute with its longitudinal direction facing the conveyance direction; A method for manufacturing a cone-shaped foam, characterized in that the cone-shaped foam in a lying position is dropped from the end of the conveying chute onto a pair of conveying belts spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction at a distance sufficient to receive the large diameter portion, and the cone-shaped foam is changed in position by its own weight to a hanging position in which the small diameter portion is positioned between the conveying belts, and the cone-shaped foam in the hanging position is conveyed by the pair of conveying belts.

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