Painting device

Abstract

To provide a coating apparatus that can appropriately measure a three-dimensional shape of an object to be measured, with a simple structure.SOLUTION: A coating apparatus 10 is provided with: a conveyor 12 that conveys an object 40 to be coated, horizontally; a coating gun 13 that jets a coating material to the object 40 to be coated, while moving relatively with respect to the object 40 to be coated; three-dimensional shape identifying means 21 that identifies a three-dimensional shape of the object 40 to be coated, by measuring a distance up to a surface 41 to be coated of the object 40 to be coated; and a control device 34 that sets or changes a coating condition for coating the surface 41 to be coated with a coating material, on the basis of the distance measured by the three-dimensional shape identifying means 21, and controls movement to the object 40 to be coated of the coating gun 13. The three-dimensional shape identifying means 21 constitutes a three-dimensional shape recognizing part 20 arranged in series in accordance with a height dimension of the object 40 to be coated.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a coating device.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a distance measurement device using a ToF sensor and a plurality of cameras. This distance measurement device calculates an output value of the distance from the ToF sensor to the subject based on the distance image obtained by the ToF sensor and the distance images obtained by the plurality of cameras.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] This distance measurement device can be applied to a coating device that coats an object to be coated conveyed by a conveyor using a movable coating gun. By doing so, a configuration can be realized in which the coating gun is moved according to the three-dimensional shape of the object to be coated being conveyed without presetting (teaching) the movement of the coating gun. However, the device of Patent Document 1 uses a plurality of cameras in addition to the ToF sensor, and the configuration is complicated.

[0005] The present invention has been completed based on the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a coating device that can measure the three-dimensional shape of an object to be measured with a simple configuration.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The coating device of the present invention is a conveyor that horizontally conveys an object to be measured, A painting gun that sprays paint on the object to be measured while moving relative to the object to be measured, Three-dimensional shape specifying means for measuring the distance to the painted surface of the object to be measured and specifying the three-dimensional shape of the object to be measured, A control device that sets or changes the painting conditions when applying paint to the painted surface based on the distance measured by the three-dimensional shape specifying means and controls the movement of the painting gun relative to the object to be measured, Comprising, A plurality of the three-dimensional shape specifying means constitute a three-dimensional shape recognition unit arranged in series according to the height dimension of the object to be measured.

Advantages of the Invention

[0007] In this painting apparatus, since a plurality of three-dimensional shape specifying means are arranged according to the height dimension of the object to be measured, the three-dimensional shape in the height direction of the object to be measured can be measured well.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] The control device of the present invention may synthesize a plurality of shape data regarding the object to be measured specified by a plurality of three-dimensional shape specifying means, and generate three-dimensional shape data for the entire height direction of the object to be measured. According to this configuration, regardless of the size of the object to be measured, the three-dimensional shape of the entire height direction of the object to be measured can be specified.

[0010] The three-dimensional shape specifying means of the present invention may be a length measuring sensor using a laser beam. According to this configuration, the three-dimensional shape of the object to be measured can be accurately measured.

[0011] In the three-dimensional shape recognition unit of the present invention, in a section where the three-dimensional shape data of the object to be measured by a plurality of three-dimensional shape specifying means is repeatedly specified, the three-dimensional shape data may be synthesized by adopting a small value for the distance from the object to be measured. According to this configuration, in the section where the specification is repeated, by adopting a smaller value and synthesizing the maximum three-dimensional shape data of the object to be measured, the chance that the moving painting gun hits the object to be measured can be reduced.

[0012] <Example 1> Hereinafter, Example 1 embodying the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6. In the following description, regarding the front-rear direction, the left side in FIG. 1 is defined as the front, the right side as the rear, regarding the up-down direction, the direction shown in FIG. 1 is directly defined as the up and down, and regarding the left-right direction, the direction shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 is directly defined as the left and right. Regarding the moving direction of the painting gun 13, it is parallel to the direction in which the arm 14A of the reciprocator 14 moves in the up-down direction, and with reference to the reference line CC passing through the center in the left-right direction of the conveyor 12, the direction in which the painting gun 13 approaches the object to be painted 40 is defined as the forward direction F, and the direction away from the object to be painted 40 is defined as the backward direction R (see FIG. 4).

[0013] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 6, the coating apparatus 10 of the first embodiment includes a coating booth 11, a conveyor 12, a coating gun 13, a reciprocator 14, a three-dimensional shape recognition unit 20, and a control device 34. The coating booth 11 has a box shape. The coating booth 11 has a left side portion 11A and a right side portion 11B that are spaced apart and arranged side by side left and right (see FIG. 2). Each of the left side portion 11A and the right side portion 11B is disposed on the left and right sides of the conveyor 12 (see FIG. 2). The conveyor 12 horizontally conveys the object to be coated 40, which is the object to be measured, in a state of being suspended at a predetermined interval in the coating booth 11 in the rearward direction (hereinafter also referred to as the conveying direction Tr). The conveying speed at which the conveyor 12 conveys the object to be coated 40 is, for example, from 0.1 m / min to 6 m / min. The object to be coated 40 suspended from the conveyor 12 passes between the left side portion 11A and the right side portion 11B in the conveying direction Tr.

[0014] The coating gun 13 is attached to the tip of the arm 14A of the reciprocator 14 installed outside the coating booth 11, and sprays paint toward the coated surface 41 of the object to be coated 40. A slit 11C is formed by opening in the left surface of the left side portion 11A of the coating booth 11 and extends in the vertical direction (see FIG. 2). The arm 14A of the reciprocator 14 is inserted through the slit 11C (see FIG. 2). The coating gun 13 is disposed in the coating booth 11 (see FIG. 2). The reciprocator 14 moves the coating gun 13 in a two-dimensional direction (vertical direction, and forward direction F and backward direction R (see FIG. 4)) intersecting the conveying direction Tr (see FIG. 1) of the object to be coated 40. That is, the coating gun 13 sprays paint on the object to be coated 40 while relatively moving with respect to the object to be coated 40.

[0015] The three-dimensional shape recognition unit 20 is arranged on the upstream side in the conveying direction Tr of the object to be coated 40 with respect to the reciprocator 14 and the coating gun 13 in the coating booth 11 (see FIG. 1). The three-dimensional shape recognition unit 20 measures the three-dimensional shape of the coated surface 41 of the object to be coated 40 being conveyed. The three-dimensional shape recognition unit 20 includes a plurality of three-dimensional shape specifying means 21.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 6, each three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 includes a motor 22, a light projecting / receiving mirror 23 that is rotationally driven by the motor 22, a rotational position detector 24, a light projector 25, a light receiver 26, and a distance calculation unit 27 connected to the light receiver 26. Each three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 is a so-called ToF (Time Of Flight) sensor. The ToF sensor can measure the distance between itself and an object based on the time required for the laser light emitted from itself to irradiate the object and the reflected light reflected from the object to return to itself. That is, the three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 is a length measuring sensor using laser light. The specifications of each three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 are the same as each other. Each three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 specifies the three-dimensional shape of the coated object 40 by measuring the distance between an arbitrary point on the coated surface 41 of the coated object 40 and itself (that is, the distance to the coated surface 41).

[0017] The rotation center axis 28 of the motor 22 is oriented in a direction parallel to the conveyance direction Tr of the coated object 40 (see FIG. 1). In this embodiment, the rotation center axis 28 of the motor 22 and the rotation center axis 28 of the three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 are used synonymously. The rotation speed of the motor 22 is, for example, 2400 rpm. The light projecting / receiving mirror 23 is inclined at an angle of 45° with respect to the rotation center axis 28 of the motor 22. The rotational position detector 24 detects the circumferential position around the rotation center axis 28 of the light projecting / receiving mirror 23. For example, the light projecting / receiving mirror 23 rotates once around the rotation center axis 28 by the motor 22 in 0.025 seconds. Thereby, each three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 can measure the three-dimensional shape of the coated surface 41 of the coated object 40 every 0.025 seconds. Here, when the conveyance speed of the conveyor 12 is 6 m / min, the distance by which the coated object 40 is conveyed by the conveyor 12 in 0.025 seconds is 2.5 mm. Therefore, in this case, each three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 can measure the three-dimensional shape of the coated surface 41 every 2.5 mm in the lateral direction. The lateral direction mentioned here is the conveyance direction Tr of the conveyor 12.

[0018] The projector 25 horizontally irradiates infrared laser light as the detection light DL. The detection light DL emitted from the projector 25 is reflected by the light transmitting and receiving mirror 23 rotated by the motor 22, and is radiated outward in the radial direction perpendicular to the rotation center axis 28 toward the outside of the three-dimensional shape specifying means 21. At a location 10 m away from the rotation center axis 28, the infrared laser reflected by the light transmitting and receiving mirror 23 spreads approximately 160 mm in the direction perpendicular to the rotation center axis 28 and approximately 25 mm in the direction parallel to the rotation center axis 28. That is, the radiation locus of the infrared laser reflected by the light transmitting and receiving mirror 23 forms a target range 29 (see FIG. 5) whose dimension spreads in the direction parallel to the rotation center axis 28 as it moves away from the rotation center axis 28.

[0019] The three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 configured in this way has a plurality of them arranged in series in the vertical direction to form the three-dimensional shape recognition unit 20. Specifically, the rotation center axes 28 of the respective three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 are parallel to each other. The dimension between the rotation center axes 28 of the three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 adjacent to each other in the vertical direction is made the same. The plurality of three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 are arranged in series in the vertical direction according to the height dimension of the object to be coated 40 to form the three-dimensional shape recognition unit 20.

[0020] A part of the detection light DL emitted from each three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 is directly irradiated onto the coated surface 41 of the object to be coated 40. Then, the detection light DL reflected from the coated surface 41 enters the three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 that emitted the detection light DL and is received by the light receiver 26. The light receiver 26 of each three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 is configured to be able to receive the detection light DL within a predetermined range R within the target range 29. For example, this predetermined range R is a range from an angle where the infrared laser reflected by the light transmitting and receiving mirror 23 is inclined 35° upward to an angle where it is inclined 35° downward with respect to the horizontal direction with the state where the infrared laser is emitted horizontally toward the object to be coated 40 as the center. That is, the predetermined range R is a range of ±35° with the state where the infrared laser reflected by the light transmitting and receiving mirror 23 is emitted horizontally toward the object to be coated 40 as the center.

[0021] The light receiver 26 receives only the detection light DL that has passed through the target range 29 and entered the three-dimensional shape specifying means 21, and is reflected by the light transmitting / receiving mirror 23. The distance calculation unit 27 receives the phase information of the detection light DL received by the light receiver 26 and the rotation position information of the light transmitting / receiving mirror 23 from the rotation position detector 24. The rotation position information of the light transmitting / receiving mirror 23 is processed as information on the emission angle of the infrared laser (detection light DL) in the target range 29.

[0022] In the distance calculation unit 27, calculations are performed based on the input information, and data on the three-dimensional shape of the coated surface 41 (coated object 40) in the target range 29 of the detection light DL is obtained. Signals of high level and low level are alternately input to the distance calculation unit 27 from the speed sensor 30 at a predetermined period according to the conveyance speed of the conveyor 12 (relative displacement speed of the coated object 40 with respect to the three-dimensional shape specifying means 21). For example, the speed sensor 30 is configured to alternately output two signals of high level and low level once each time the conveyor 12 moves 10 mm.

[0023] The distance calculation unit 27 sequentially generates data on the three-dimensional shape at predetermined intervals in the lateral direction of the coated surface 41 of the coated object 40 by associating the thus obtained data on the three-dimensional shape with the signals input from the speed sensor 30. When the light receiver 26 does not receive the detection light DL despite the light emitter 25 emitting the detection light DL, the distance calculation unit 27 outputs a value (for example, 65533) indicating that it has not been received.

[0024] The control device 34 is mainly composed of, for example, a microcomputer, and has a configuration including an arithmetic device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a memory such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) or a RAM (Random Access Memory), an A / D converter, etc. The control device 34 is based on the three-dimensional shape data generated in the distance calculation unit 27 (that is, the information on the distance to the painted surface 41 of the object to be painted 40 measured by the three-dimensional shape specifying means 21), and controls the operations of the conveyor 12, the reciprocator 14, the painting gun 13, etc., to set or change the painting conditions when painting the paint on the painted surface 41, and is configured to be able to control the movement of the painting gun 13 relative to the object to be painted 40.

[0025] Next, a procedure for the painting apparatus 10 to measure the shape of the painted surface 41 on the surface side of the outer surface of the object to be painted 40 that faces the three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 will be described.

[0026] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the object to be painted 40 has a plate shape with the plate surface facing in the vertical direction as a whole. An upper protrusion 42 protruding in a rib shape to the left is formed at the upper edge portion of the painted surface 41 of the object to be painted 40, a central protrusion 43 protruding in a rib shape to the left is formed at the central portion in the height direction of the painted surface 41, and a lower protrusion 44 protruding in a rib shape to the left is formed at the lower edge portion of the painted surface 41.

[0027] The three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 located above (hereinafter also referred to as the upper three-dimensional shape specifying means 21) is disposed at a position slightly above the upper protrusion 42. The three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 located at the upper and lower center (hereinafter also referred to as the central three-dimensional shape specifying means 21) is disposed at a position slightly below the central protrusion 43. The three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 located below (hereinafter also referred to as the lower three-dimensional shape specifying means 21) is disposed at a position slightly below the lower protrusion 44.

[0028] For example, point A shown in FIG. 3 is located within the range that can be measured by the central three-dimensional shape specifying means 21. The vertical distance H between point A and the rotation center axis 28, and the distance L in the direction in which the painting gun 13 moves forward and backward can be obtained as H = a×sinθ and L = a×cosθ. That is, the vertical distance H between an arbitrary point in the vertical direction on the surface to be painted 41 and the rotation center axis 28, and the distance L in the direction in which the painting gun 13 moves forward and backward can be obtained based on the distance a measured by the three-dimensional shape specifying means 21. Each three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 measures the distance a from itself at predetermined intervals (for example, every 1 cm) in the vertical direction of the surface to be painted 41. The three-dimensional shape recognition unit 20 can measure the distance a from itself, for example, every 1 cm in the vertical direction of the surface to be painted 41.

[0029] In region B1, the detection light DL from the central three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 is blocked by the central protrusion 43. Therefore, the central three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 cannot measure the distance from itself in region B1. On the other hand, the upper three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 can irradiate the detection light DL to region B1. Therefore, the upper three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 can measure the distance from itself in region B1.

[0030] In region B2, the detection light DL from the lower three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 is blocked by the lower protrusion 44. Therefore, the lower three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 cannot measure the distance from itself in region B2. On the other hand, the central three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 can irradiate the detection light DL to region B2. Therefore, the central three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 can measure the distance from itself in region B2. The control device 34 acquires the data of the distance from itself on the surface to be painted 41 calculated in the distance calculation unit 27 of each three-dimensional shape specifying means 21, and supplements the distance data in regions B1 and B2 using the distance data obtained from any one of the three-dimensional shape specifying means 21.

[0031] Region D1 can measure the distance from each of the central three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 and the upper three-dimensional shape specifying means 21. Region D2 can measure the distance from both the central three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 and the lower three-dimensional shape specifying means 21. That is, in regions D1 and D2, distance data is measured repeatedly by the three-dimensional shape recognition unit 20, and it is an interval in which the three-dimensional shape data of the object to be painted 40 is specified repeatedly by a plurality of three-dimensional shape specifying means 21. The control device 34 acquires the distance data calculated in the distance calculation unit 27 of each three-dimensional shape specifying means 21, and selects one of the distance data in regions D1 and D2 acquired from each three-dimensional shape specifying means 21. Specifically, the control device 34 adopts the smaller value among the two distance data measured repeatedly at a predetermined point Dx in regions D1 and D2 in the vertical direction. In this way, the control device 34 synthesizes a plurality of three-dimensional shape data regarding the object to be painted 40 specified by a plurality of three-dimensional shape specifying means 21, and generates three-dimensional shape data for the entire height direction from the upper end to the lower end of the painted surface 41 of the object to be painted 40.

[0032] The control device 34 determines whether the distance data of the painted surface 41 of the workpiece 40 synthesized in this way is within a predetermined region. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, with reference to the rotation center axis 28 of the three-dimensional shape specifying means 21, a reference line SC that passes through the rotation center axis 28, is parallel to the direction in which the arm 14A of the reciprocator 14 moves in the vertical direction, and is parallel to the reference line CC of the conveyor 12. From this reference line SC to the reference line CC of the conveyor 12, the dimension in the direction in which the painting gun 13 moves forward and backward (the left-right direction in FIG. 4) is defined as LC, the dimension in the direction in which the painting gun 13 moves forward and backward from the tip of the painting gun 13 at the position where the painting gun 13 has retreated the most to the reference line CC of the conveyor 12 is defined as LF, and the dimension in the direction in which the painting gun 13 moves forward and backward from the reference line CC of the conveyor 12 to the tip of the painting gun 13 at the position where the painting gun 13 has advanced the most is defined as LB. In this case, it is determined whether the distance data Dt of the painted surface 41 satisfies the following formula. Dt is the straight-line distance from the rotation center axis 28 to an arbitrary position on the painted surface 41 (that is, the distance data measured by the three-dimensional shape specifying means 21). θ is an angle between -35° and +35° with respect to the reference line extending in the direction in which the painting gun 13 moves forward and backward from the rotation center axis 28. Dt that satisfies this formula is the fan-shaped region F in FIG. 4. This fan-shaped region F is a part of a predetermined range R. Here, the dimension LC is preferably from 1500 mm to 2000 mm.

[0033]

Number

[0034] The three-dimensional shape recognition unit 20 measures the three-dimensional shape at every predetermined distance (for example, every 1 cm) also in the lateral direction (the conveyance direction Tr of the conveyor 12) of the workpiece 40. The workpiece 40 is conveyed by the conveyor 12 at a predetermined conveyance speed. For this reason, the measurement of the three-dimensional shape in the lateral direction of the workpiece 40 is performed by the three-dimensional shape recognition unit 20 for the measurement of the three-dimensional shape in the above-described vertical direction every time the workpiece 40 is conveyed a predetermined distance.

[0035] For example, when the conveyance speed of the conveyor 12 is 6 m / min, the time required for the conveyor 12 to move the object to be coated 40 by 1 cm is 0.1 second. In contrast, the three-dimensional shape recognition unit 20 can measure the three-dimensional shape four times in 0.1 second. The control device 34 calculates the average value of four sets of data of the three-dimensional shape continuously and repeatedly measured by the three-dimensional shape recognition unit 20, and stores this data as the data of the three-dimensional shape at a predetermined position in the lateral direction of the object to be coated 40. In this way, every time the object to be coated 40 is conveyed 1 cm in the conveyance direction Tr, the control device 34 continuously stores the data obtained by executing the measurement of the three-dimensional shape in the vertical direction by the three-dimensional shape recognition unit 20, thereby generating the data of the three-dimensional shape of the coated surface 41 of the object to be coated 40 in the vertical and lateral directions.

[0036] Also, when the conveyance speed of the conveyor 12 is 3 m / min, the time required for the conveyor 12 to move the object to be coated 40 by 1 cm is 0.2 second. The three-dimensional shape recognition unit 20 can measure the three-dimensional shape eight times in 0.2 second. In this case, the three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 can measure the three-dimensional shape of the coated surface 41 every 1 cm÷8 = 0.125 cm.

[0037] Also, when the conveyance speed of the conveyor 12 is 1.5 m / min, the time required for the conveyor 12 to move the object to be coated 40 by 1 cm is 0.4 second. The three-dimensional shape recognition unit 20 can measure the three-dimensional shape 16 times in 0.4 second. In this case, the three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 can measure the three-dimensional shape of the coated surface 41 every 1 cm÷16 = 0.0625 cm.

[0038] When performing painting, the conveyor 12 is operated, and the object to be painted 40 is appropriately placed on the conveyor 12 and suspended to convey the object to be painted 40 to the painting booth 11. In the process of this conveyance, every time the object to be painted 40 is conveyed by 2.5 mm, the three-dimensional shape recognition unit 20 measures the three-dimensional shape and outputs the data of the three-dimensional shape to the control device 34. The control device 34 calculates the average value of four sets of data of the three-dimensional shape continuously measured by the three-dimensional shape recognition unit 20, and stores this data as the data of the three-dimensional shape at a predetermined position in the lateral direction of the object to be painted 40.

[0039] Here, the distance in the conveyance direction Tr between the three-dimensional shape recognition unit 20 and the painting gun 13 of the reciprocator 14 is set to a predetermined value. The conveyance speed of the conveyor 12 is also set to a predetermined value. Therefore, the time T until an arbitrary point on the object to be painted 40 reaches the position facing the painting gun 13 from the position facing the three-dimensional shape recognition unit 20 can be obtained by dividing the distance in the conveyance direction Tr between the three-dimensional shape recognition unit 20 and the painting gun 13 by the conveyance speed of the conveyor 12. That is, the control device 34 stores the data of the three-dimensional shape of the object to be painted 40 currently measured, and after the time T has elapsed, based on the stored data, the control device 34 outputs a painting control signal.

[0040] Then, by this painting control signal, as shown by the solid line and the imaginary line in FIG. 2, the reciprocator 14 appropriately moves the painting gun 13 in accordance with the three-dimensional shape of the painted surface 41, and the painting gun 13 performs appropriate paint spraying. The control device 34 outputs a painting control signal based on the data of the three-dimensional shape corresponding to the position currently facing the painting gun 13 in accordance with the object to be painted 40 being conveyed. Thereby, the painting apparatus 10 can uniformly apply paint to the painted surface 41 of the object to be painted 40.

[0041] According to the first embodiment configured as described above, the following effects are achieved.

[0042] This painting apparatus 10 includes a conveyor 12 that horizontally conveys a workpiece 40, a painting gun 13 that ejects paint onto the workpiece 40 while relatively moving with respect to the workpiece 40, a three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 that measures the distance to the painted surface 41 of the workpiece 40 to specify the three-dimensional shape of the workpiece 40, and a control device 34 that sets or changes the painting conditions when applying paint to the painted surface 41 and controls the movement of the painting gun 13 with respect to the workpiece 40 based on the distance measured by the three-dimensional shape specifying means 21. A plurality of three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 constitute a three-dimensional shape recognition unit 20 arranged in series according to the height dimension of the workpiece 40. According to this configuration, since the plurality of three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 of the painting apparatus 10 are arranged according to the height dimension of the workpiece 40, the three-dimensional shape in the height direction of the workpiece 40 can be measured well.

[0043] The control device 34 synthesizes a plurality of shape data regarding the workpiece 40 specified by the plurality of three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 and generates three-dimensional shape data for the entire height direction of the workpiece 40. According to this configuration, regardless of the size of the workpiece 40, the three-dimensional shape of the entire height direction of the workpiece 40 can be specified.

[0044] The three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 is a length measuring sensor using laser light. According to this configuration, the three-dimensional shape of the workpiece 40 can be measured accurately.

[0045] In the three-dimensional shape recognition unit 20, in a section where the three-dimensional shape data of the workpiece 40 by the plurality of three-dimensional shape specifying means 21 is specified repeatedly, the three-dimensional shape data is synthesized by adopting a small value for the distance to the workpiece 40. According to this configuration, in the repeatedly specified section, by adopting a smaller value and synthesizing the maximum three-dimensional shape data of the workpiece 40, the chance that the moving painting gun 13 collides with the workpiece 40 can be reduced.

[0046] <Other embodiments> The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described by the above description and drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. (1) In the above embodiment, three three-dimensional shape specifying means are used, but the number of the three-dimensional shape specifying means is not limited to this. Also, the three-dimensional shape specifying means may be arranged in series so as to be inclined in the conveying direction. Further, according to the height dimension of the object to be coated, the position of the three-dimensional shape specifying means may be adjusted by separating or approaching the dimension between the rotation center axes of the three-dimensional shape specifying means adjacent in the vertical direction. That is, the three-dimensional shape specifying means may be arranged in series according to the height dimension of the object to be coated. (2) In the above embodiment, the outer shapes of the objects to be coated suspended from the conveyor are the same, but objects to be coated with different outer shapes may be arranged side by side and suspended from the conveyor. (3) In the above embodiment, the control device calculates the average value of four sets of three-dimensional shape data measured by the three-dimensional shape recognition unit and stores this data as the three-dimensional shape data at a predetermined position in the lateral direction of the object to be coated. However, it is not limited to this, and among the three-dimensional shape data measured by the three-dimensional shape recognition unit every 0.025 seconds, the data measured every four times may be treated as the three-dimensional shape data at a predetermined position in the lateral direction of the object to be coated. (4) In the above embodiment, the control device acquires the distance data calculated by the distance calculation unit of each three-dimensional shape specifying means and selects one of the distance data in the overlapping measurement regions acquired from each three-dimensional shape specifying means. However, it is not limited to this, and the average value of the two data may be adopted as the distance data. (5) In the above embodiment, only the shape of the surface side of the outer surface of the object to be coated that faces the three-dimensional shape specifying means is measured. However, in addition to the shape of the surface side of the object to be coated, the shape of the back side may also be measured. In this case, the installation position and the number of installations of the three-dimensional shape specifying means may be set appropriately. (6) In the above embodiment, the three-dimensional shape specifying means is of a type that rotates the detection light around the rotation center axis. However, as the three-dimensional shape specifying means, those of a type that irradiate the detection light in one direction may be arranged in a large number in the vertical direction with a predetermined interval (for example, 1 cm). (7) In the above embodiment, infrared laser light is used as the measurement medium, but ultrasonic waves or the like may also be used.

Explanation of Signs

[0047] 10…Painting device 12…Conveyor 13…Painting gun 20…Three-dimensional shape recognition unit 21…Three-dimensional shape specifying means 34…Control device 40…Object to be painted (object to be measured) 41…Surface to be painted

Claims

[Claim 1] A conveyor that transports the object to be measured horizontally; a paint gun that sprays paint onto the object to be measured while moving relative to the object to be measured; a three-dimensional shape determining means for determining a three-dimensional shape of the object by measuring a distance to a surface of the object to be measured; a control device that sets or changes coating conditions when applying paint to the surface to be coated based on the distance measured by the three-dimensional shape specifying means, and controls movement of the coating gun relative to the object to be measured; Equipped with a plurality of the three-dimensional shape specifying means constitute a three-dimensional shape recognition unit that is arranged in series according to a height dimension of the object to be measured, the control device synthesizes a plurality of shape data related to the object to be measured that are identified by the plurality of three-dimensional shape identifying means, and generates three-dimensional shape data of the object to be measured in the entire height direction; The three-dimensional shape recognition unit is a coating device that synthesizes three-dimensional shape data by adopting the value with the smallest distance from the measured object among two pieces of data measured in an overlapping manner at a specified point on the surface of the object to be coated in a section where the three-dimensional shape data of the measured object is identified in an overlapping manner by multiple three-dimensional shape identification means.

Images