Coating device and method for producing coated object

Abstract

Provided is a coating device that can quickly and easily envelop contents in a coating material. A coating device 100 comprises a base part 100, a vertical hole 120 that penetrates the base part 110, and a horizontal hole 130 that penetrates the base part 110 to an upper end part of the vertical hole 120. The coating device 100 also comprises a vertical shaft 140 that is inserted into the vertical hole 120, a horizontal shaft 150 that is inserted into the horizontal hole 130, a cap part 160 that closes the upper end part of the vertical hole 120, and a drive part 170 that drives each of the horizontal shaft 150 and the vertical shaft 140 in the axial direction.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a coating apparatus and a method for producing a coating. [Background technology]

[0002] Elemental analyzers used for radiocarbon dating have been known for some time. The elemental analyzer comprises, for example, a sample combustion section and a combustion gas separation section. In the sample combustion section, the sample to be used for carbon dating is combusted by blowing high-purity oxygen into a quartz tube heated to about 900°C and containing a high-purity helium carrier gas (see the following Patent Document, paragraph 0041). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2016-519755 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] A radiocarbon dating technician must manually wrap a sample to be burned in the sample combustion unit of an elemental analyzer in tin foil using tweezers. More specifically, the technician places the sample in a container-shaped tin foil covering with an opening at the top. Next, the technician pinches the opening of the covering with the contents closed using the tweezers, and then presses the closed covering from above with the tweezers to form it into a flat shape.

[0005] The examiner then uses tweezers to fold the flattened covering material containing the contents multiple times, changing directions, and then compresses the folded covering material from both sides and from above. This series of steps to produce a covering in which the contents (sample) are wrapped in tin foil (covering material) takes a long time and requires the skill of the examiner. Furthermore, when performing elemental analysis, not just radiocarbon dating, it is necessary to produce several dozen coverings for one measurement, which requires a great deal of time and effort.

[0006] In view of the above problems, the present disclosure provides a coating device and a method for manufacturing a coating that can quickly and easily wrap contents in a coating material. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One aspect of the present disclosure is a covering device that encases contents in a container-shaped covering material having an opening at an upper end, the covering device comprising: a base portion; a vertical hole that passes vertically through the base portion; a horizontal hole that passes horizontally through the base portion to an upper end of the vertical hole; a vertical shaft that is inserted into the vertical hole from below the base portion; a horizontal shaft that is inserted into the horizontal hole from a side of the base portion; an upper lid portion that is placed on the base portion and closes the upper end of the vertical hole; and a drive portion that drives the horizontal shaft and the vertical shaft in the axial direction.

[0008] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a coating device capable of quickly and easily enveloping contents in a coating material can be provided. More specifically, with contents contained in a container-shaped coating material having an opening at its top end, the coating material is placed at the top end of the vertical hole in the base, with the bottom of the coating material facing the tip of the vertical shaft. Next, the horizontal shaft is driven axially toward the coating material placed at the top end of the vertical hole by the drive unit, crushing and closing the opening at the top end of the coating material between the tip of the horizontal shaft and the inner wall of the vertical hole, and then the horizontal shaft is driven in the reverse direction by the drive unit to return to its original position. Furthermore, the drive unit further drives the vertical shaft axially toward the coating material, compressing the coating material with the contents and the opening closed between the tip of the vertical shaft and the top cover, thereby enveloping the contents in the coating material. Therefore, according to the above aspect of the present disclosure, a coating device capable of quickly and easily enveloping contents in a coating material can be provided.

[0009] Another aspect of the present disclosure is a method for manufacturing a coated article using the coating device to manufacture a coated article in which the contents are enclosed by the coating material, the method comprising: a closing step of placing the coating material in the vertical hole, containing the contents in the coating material, and driving the horizontal shaft toward the coating material to compress the opening of the coating material between the horizontal shaft and the inner wall of the vertical hole and close the opening; and a covering step of driving the vertical shaft toward the coating material with the opening of the coating material closed, and compressing the coating material between the vertical shaft and the upper lid portion to encase the contents in the coating material.

[0010] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method for manufacturing a covering that allows contents to be quickly and easily enclosed in a covering material can be provided. More specifically, in the closing step, the container-shaped covering having an opening at its top end and containing contents is placed in the covering, and the covering is placed at the top end of the vertical hole in the base, with the bottom of the covering facing the tip of the vertical shaft. The horizontal shaft is then driven axially toward the covering placed at the top end of the vertical hole by the driving unit, crushing and closing the opening at the top end of the covering between the tip of the horizontal shaft and the inner wall of the vertical hole, and the horizontal shaft is then driven in the reverse direction by the driving unit to return to its original position. Next, in the covering step, the vertical shaft is driven axially toward the covering by the driving unit, compressing the covering with the contents contained therein and the opening closed between the tip of the vertical shaft and the upper lid, thereby enclosing the contents in the covering. Therefore, according to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method for manufacturing a covering that allows contents to be quickly and easily enclosed in a covering material can be provided. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the above-described aspects of the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a coating device and a method for manufacturing a coating that can quickly and easily encase contents in a coating material. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of a coating apparatus according to the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the coating device of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a top view of the coating apparatus of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a right side view showing the internal structure of the housing of the coating device of FIG. 1. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the base and top cover of the covering device of FIG. 1. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the coating device taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 3 . [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control unit of the coating apparatus of FIG. 1. [Figure 8]1 is a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of a method for manufacturing a coating according to the present disclosure. [Figure 9A] FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the coating device illustrating the arrangement step of FIG. 8. [Figure 9B] FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the coating apparatus illustrating the evacuation step of FIG. 8. [Figure 9C] 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the covering device illustrating the closing step of FIG. 8. [Figure 9D] 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the coating device illustrating the coating step and the air supply step of FIG. 8. [Figure 9E] FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the coating device illustrating the removal step of FIG. 8. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a front view of another embodiment of a coating apparatus according to the present disclosure. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a top view of the cleaning mechanism as seen from direction A in FIG. 10 . [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a side view of the cleaning mechanism as seen from direction B in FIG. 10 . [Figure 13] 1 is a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of a method for cleaning a coating apparatus according to the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, first, an embodiment of a coating apparatus according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 7, then an embodiment of a method for manufacturing a coated article according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 9A to 9E, further, another embodiment of a coating apparatus according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 10 to 12, and then an embodiment of a method for cleaning a coating apparatus according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figure 13.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of a coating apparatus according to the present disclosure. FIGS. 2 and 3 are a rear view and a top view, respectively, of the coating apparatus 100 of FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a right side view showing the internal structure of the housing of the coating apparatus 100 of FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the base portion 110 and the top cover portion 160 of the coating apparatus 100 of FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the coating apparatus 100 taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 3. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a control unit 190 of the coating apparatus 100 of FIG. 1.

[0015] The coating device 100 of this embodiment is a device that produces a coated object in which the contents are covered with a coating material CM (see FIG. 9A ), for example, by enveloping the contents with the coating material CM. In the following, a case will be described in which the contents are a sample to be radiocarbon dated and the coating material CM is a container-shaped tin foil with an opening at the top, but the contents and the coating material CM are not limited to this. Furthermore, the term "coating" can also be replaced with terms such as "enveloping," "embedding," "embedding," or "containing."

[0016] The covering device 100 of this embodiment has, for example, a base 110, a vertical hole 120, a horizontal hole 130, a vertical shaft 140, a horizontal shaft 150, a top cover 160, and a drive unit 170. The base 110 is, for example, a metal member having a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape, and forms the foundation of the main structure of the covering device 100 that encases the contents in the covering material CM. The vertical hole 120 passes through the base 110 in the vertical direction, and the horizontal hole 130 passes through the base 110 in the horizontal direction up to the upper end of the vertical hole 120.

[0017] In this embodiment, the longitudinal direction is generally parallel to the vertical direction, and the lateral direction is generally parallel to the horizontal direction. However, the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction may be inclined with respect to the vertical direction and the horizontal direction within a predetermined angle range, respectively. Here, the predetermined angle range of the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction inclined with respect to the vertical direction and the horizontal direction is, for example, an angle range of 45° or less.

[0018] The vertical shaft 140 is inserted into the vertical hole 120 from below the base portion 110. The vertical hole 120 is, for example, a cylindrical round hole, and the tip of the vertical shaft 140 inserted into the vertical hole 120 has, for example, a columnar shape corresponding to the shape of the vertical hole 120. The vertical shaft 140 is provided so as to be movable in the axial direction by a driving unit 170, which will be described later. For example, as shown in FIG. 6 , when the vertical shaft 140 is retracted to the lowest side in the axial direction, the vertical hole 120, together with the tip of the vertical shaft 140, forms a cylindrical or columnar space into which a cylindrical covering material CM with a bottom and an opening at its upper end can be placed.

[0019] 6, the vertical shaft 140 has a recess 141 at its tip. The inner wall surface of the recess 141 has, for example, a hemispherical shape with a circular opening at its upper end. When the vertical shaft 140 is retracted, for example, to its lowest position, the gap between the outer circumferential surface below the tip and the inner wall of the vertical hole 120 is airtightly sealed by a sealing member 117 such as an O-ring disposed in a groove 116 of the base portion 110.

[0020] The horizontal shaft 150 is inserted into the horizontal hole 130 from the side of the base portion 110. The horizontal shaft 150 has a tapered shape in which the distal end 151 facing the dressing material CM is thinner than the proximal end 152 on the opposite side of the distal end 151. More specifically, the longitudinal dimension of the distal end 151 of the horizontal shaft 150 is smaller than the longitudinal dimension of the proximal end 152 of the horizontal shaft 150. Furthermore, the longitudinal dimension of the distal end 131 of the horizontal hole 130 through which the distal end 151 of the horizontal shaft 150 is inserted is smaller than the longitudinal dimension of the proximal end 132 of the horizontal hole 130 through which the proximal end 152 of the horizontal shaft 150 is inserted.

[0021] In a cross section perpendicular to the axial direction of the horizontal shaft 150, the cross-sectional shape of the distal end 151 of the horizontal shaft 150 is, for example, a rectangle having a long horizontal side that is approximately equal to the diameter of the proximal end 152 of the horizontal shaft 150 and a short vertical side that is shorter than the diameter of the proximal end 152 of the horizontal shaft 150. Furthermore, the planar shape of the distal end of the horizontal shaft 150 as viewed in the axial direction of the vertical hole 120 and the vertical shaft 140 is, for example, a semicircular shape that is convex toward the inner wall of the vertical hole 120.

[0022] The horizontal shaft 150 has, for example, a tip surface 153 parallel to the inner wall of the vertical hole 120 and a tapered portion 154 adjacent to the tip surface 153. The tip surface 153 of the horizontal shaft 150 is, for example, a semi-cylindrical surface having a radius approximately equal to the radius of the vertical hole 120 and faces the cylindrical inner wall of the vertical hole 120. The tapered portion 154 has an inclined surface at its lower end in the vertical direction, and its vertical dimension decreases as it approaches the tip surface 153 in the horizontal direction. In other words, the distance between the lower end of the tip surface 153 and the lower end of the tip portion 151 in the vertical direction decreases as it approaches the tip surface 153 in the axial direction of the horizontal shaft 150.

[0023] The lower surface of the tapered portion 154 of the horizontal shaft 150 may be a flat inclined surface or a downwardly convex curved surface. The corners between the lower surface of the tapered portion 154 of the horizontal shaft 150 and the lower end surfaces of the distal end surface 153 and distal end portion 151 of the horizontal shaft 150 may be chamfered or rounded. The distal end portion 151 of the horizontal shaft 150 does not have to have a rectangular cross-sectional shape or a tapered portion 154. For example, the distal end portion 151 of the horizontal shaft 150 may have a cylindrical shape, and the corners of the distal end of the horizontal shaft 150 may be rounded.

[0024] The horizontal shaft 150 has a groove 156 in which a sealing member 155 such as an O-ring is disposed, for example, on the outer peripheral surface of the distal end side of the proximal end 152. As a result, for example, as shown in Figure 6, when the horizontal shaft 150 is retracted to the farthest outside of the base portion 110, the sealing member 155 provides an airtight seal between the outer peripheral surface of the proximal end 152 of the horizontal shaft 150 and the inner wall of the proximal end 132 of the horizontal hole 130.

[0025] The top cover 160 is placed on the base 110 and closes the top end of the vertical hole 120. As shown in FIG. 5, the top cover 160 is connected to one side of the top end of the base 110 via a hinge H, for example, and opens and closes the top surface of the base 110. A stopper 161 is rotatably attached to the end of the top cover 160 opposite to the end connected to the one side of the top end of the base 110 via a rotation shaft. A claw 161a, for example, is provided at the tip of the stopper 161. Meanwhile, a protrusion 111 is provided at the top end of the side surface of the base 110 opposite to the side on which the hinge H is provided. The protrusion 111 on the side surface of the base 110 has an inclined surface 111a whose height from the side surface increases downward.

[0026] Top cover 160 is closed, for example, from the open state shown in FIG. 5 , by rotating the end provided with stopper 161 downward around hinge H. At this time, claw 161a at the tip of stopper 161 is guided downward and outward from base 110 along inclined surface 111a of protrusion 111, and when it passes inclined surface 111a, it rotates toward the inside of base 110 around the rotation axis attached to top cover 160 and engages with the lower end surface of wedge-shaped protrusion 111. As a result, the lower end surface of top cover 160 faces the upper end surface of base 110, and top cover 160 is fixed to base 110 with the upper end of base 110 closed by top cover 160.

[0027] On the other hand, when opening top lid 160, stopper 161 is rotated about the rotation axis so as to lift the lower end of stopper 161 outward and upward from base 110, thereby releasing the engagement between claw 161a of stopper 161 and protrusion 111 of base 110. At the same time, top lid 160 is rotated about hinge H so as to lift the end of top lid 160 to which stopper 161 is attached upward, thereby opening top lid 160 as shown in FIG.

[0028] As shown in Fig. 6, for example, the base portion 110 has an outer peripheral support surface 112 that supports the outer peripheral surface of the upper end of a bottomed, cylindrical coating material CM (see Fig. 9A) that has an opening at its upper end, between the opening at the upper end of the vertical hole 120 and the opening of the horizontal hole 130 in the inner wall of the vertical hole 120. When the coating material CM is placed in the vertical hole 120, the height position of the upper end of the outer peripheral support surface 112 and the height position of the upper end of the coating material CM are approximately the same. It is desirable to make the height dimension of the outer peripheral support surface 112 in the vertical direction as small as possible within a range that ensures sufficient mechanical strength at the portion where the wall thickness is thinnest between the horizontal hole 130 and the upper surface of the base portion 110.

[0029] Base portion 110 has, for example, a recess 113 on the surface facing top cover portion 160. Recess 113 is provided in the center of the top surface of base portion 110, has a circular shape in plan view, and has a flat bottom surface, as shown in FIG. 5, for example. The opening of the upper end of vertical hole 120 opens, for example, at the center of the bottom surface of recess 113. Furthermore, top cover portion 160 has, for example, an annular groove 162, a circular protrusion 163, and a top cover recess 164 on the surface facing base portion 110, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

[0030] A sealing member 165 such as an O-ring is disposed in the circular groove 162 of the top lid portion 160, and provides an airtight seal between the bottom end surface of the top lid portion 160 and the top end surface of the base portion 110. The protrusion 163 of the top lid portion 160 is provided, for example, inside the circular groove 162, with a position, shape, and dimensions corresponding to the recess 113 of the base portion 110, and fits into the recess 113 of the base portion 110. The top lid recess 164 is, for example, a hemispherical recess provided in the center of the protrusion 163.

[0031] 6 and 7, the coating apparatus 100 of this embodiment further includes an exhaust port 114 that opens on the outer surface of the base portion 110 and is connected to a vacuum pump 183, an exhaust port 121 that opens on the inner wall of the vertical hole 120, and an exhaust passage 115 that connects the exhaust port 114 and the exhaust port 121. The coating apparatus 100 of this embodiment further includes, for example, an air supply port 166 that opens on the outer surface of the top lid portion 160, an air supply port 167 that opens on the surface of the top lid portion 160 facing the vertical hole 120, and an air supply passage 168 that connects the air supply port 166 and the air supply port 167. The air supply port 167 of the top lid portion 160 opens, for example, at the bottom of a hemispherical top lid recess 164.

[0032] 6, the exhaust port 121 opens into the inner wall of the vertical hole 120 so that the lower opening edge is adjacent to the upper side of the upper end of the vertical shaft 140 when the vertical shaft 140 in the vertical hole 120 is retracted to the lowermost position. Furthermore, the exhaust port 121 is located, for example, in the vertical direction, below the tip end surface 153 of the horizontal shaft 150 that abuts against the inner wall of the vertical hole 120. Note that the exhaust port 121 only needs to open below the opening of the upper end of the covering material CM in the inner wall of the vertical hole 120 when, for example, a cylindrical covering material CM with a bottom is placed in the vertical hole 120, and to open above the tip of the vertical shaft 140 when the vertical shaft 140 is retracted to the lowermost position.

[0033] The driving unit 170 drives the horizontal shaft 150 and the vertical shaft 140 in the axial direction. The driving unit 170 includes, for example, a horizontal actuator 171 that drives the horizontal shaft 150 in the axial direction, a vertical actuator 172 that drives the vertical shaft 140 in the vertical direction, and a motor driver 175. As the horizontal actuator 171 and the vertical actuator 172, for example, linear actuators manufactured by Portescap can be used.

[0034] The drive unit 170 includes, for example, a horizontal limit switch 173 and a vertical limit switch 174. The horizontal limit switch 173 is disposed, for example, facing the base end of the horizontal shaft 150 opposite the tip of the horizontal shaft 150 inserted into the horizontal hole 130, and detects contact with the base end of the horizontal shaft 150 when the horizontal shaft 150 is moved farthest back toward the outside of the base unit 110 in the axial direction. The vertical limit switch 174 is disposed, for example, facing the base end of the vertical shaft 140 opposite the tip of the vertical shaft 140 inserted into the vertical hole 120, and detects contact with the base end of the vertical shaft 140 when the vertical shaft 140 is moved farthest downward in the axial direction.

[0035] 7, the coating apparatus 100 of this embodiment also includes an air supply / exhaust system 180. The air supply / exhaust system 180 includes, for example, an exhaust pipe 181, an exhaust control valve 182, a vacuum pump 183, an air supply pipe 184, an air supply control valve 185, and a solid-state relay 186. The exhaust pipe 181 is, for example, a tube connected to an exhaust port 114 that opens on a side surface of the base unit 110. The exhaust control valve 182 is, for example, a three-way valve that is driven by a control command and can switch between a flow path connected to the vacuum pump 183 and a closed flow path.

[0036] The vacuum pump 183 is driven, for example, by a control command, and sucks air from the exhaust port 114 via the exhaust control valve 182 and the exhaust pipe 181. The air supply pipe 184 is, for example, a tube connected to the air supply port 166 that opens on the side of the top cover 160. The air supply control valve 185 is, for example, a three-way valve that is driven, for example, by a control command, and can switch between a closed flow path and a flow path that is open to the atmosphere.

[0037] 7, the coating apparatus 100 of this embodiment further includes a control unit 190 that controls the drive unit 170 and the air supply / exhaust system 180. The control unit 190 is configured, for example, with one or more microcontrollers. The control unit 190 controls the horizontal actuator 171 and the vertical actuator 172 via a motor driver 175, and also controls the vacuum pump 183, the exhaust control valve 182, and the air supply control valve 185 via a solid-state relay 186.

[0038] 1, the coating apparatus 100 of this embodiment further includes a housing 101 that supports a base unit 110, and a start switch 102 and a reset switch 103 provided on the housing 101. The housing 101 may house, for example, a vacuum pump 183. As shown in FIG. 2, the rear surface of the housing 101 is provided with, for example, an outlet 104 for the vacuum pump, a vacuum port 105, and an inlet 106 for an external power supply.

[0039] By connecting external power supply inlet 106 to, for example, a 100V AC power supply, power is supplied to drive unit 170, air supply and exhaust system 180, control unit 190, etc. Vacuum pump outlet 104 and vacuum port 105 are used, for example, when vacuum pump 183 is installed outside housing 101. Specifically, power to drive vacuum pump 183 installed outside housing 101 can be taken from vacuum pump outlet 104, and a tube of vacuum pump 183 installed outside housing 101 is connected to vacuum port 105.

[0040] 4, the housing 101 accommodates the vertical actuator 172, the vertical limit switch 174, and the like, as well as the motor driver 175, solid-state relay 186, control unit 190, and vacuum pump 183 shown in FIG. 7. The start switch 102, the reset switch 103, the horizontal limit switch 173, and the vertical limit switch 174 are each connected to the control unit 190.

[0041] 7, the control unit 190 is connected to, for example, a motor driver 175 and a solid-state relay 186. The motor driver 175 is connected to, for example, the horizontal actuator 171 and the vertical actuator 172. The solid-state relay 186 is connected to, for example, the exhaust control valve 182, the air supply control valve 185, and the vacuum pump 183.

[0042] The control unit 190 controls the drive unit 170 to drive the horizontal shaft 150 toward the covering material CM when the covering material CM is placed in the vertical hole 120 and the contents are contained in the covering material CM, thereby compressing and closing the opening of the covering material CM between it and the inner wall of the vertical hole 120. The control unit 190 also controls the drive unit 170 to drive the vertical shaft 140 toward the covering material CM when the opening of the covering material CM is closed, thereby compressing the covering material CM between it and the top cover part 160, and enveloping the contents with the covering material CM.

[0043] Next, an embodiment of a method for manufacturing a coated article according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 8 and Figs. 9A to 9E, along with the operation of the coating apparatus 100 described above. Fig. 8 is a flow chart showing an embodiment of a method for manufacturing a coated article according to the present disclosure. The coating article manufacturing method M of this embodiment is, for example, a method for manufacturing a coated article in which contents are enveloped in a coating material CM using the coating apparatus 100 described above.

[0044] 8, the method M for manufacturing a coated article of this embodiment includes at least a closing step P3 and a coating step P4. Furthermore, the method M for manufacturing a coated article may further include, for example, an exhaust step P2 and an air supply step P5. Furthermore, the method M for manufacturing a coated article may further include, for example, a placement step P1, a removal step P6, and a reset step P7.

[0045] Fig. 9A is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the coating apparatus 100 corresponding to Fig. 6, illustrating the disposing step P1 in Fig. 8. When the method M for manufacturing a coated object of this embodiment shown in Fig. 8 is started, the disposing step P1 is first carried out. In the disposing step P1, for example, as shown in Fig. 9A, with the upper cover portion 160 open to expose the upper surface of the base portion 110, the coating material CM is placed into the vertical hole 120 through the opening at the upper end of the vertical hole 120, and the coating material CM is disposed at the upper end of the vertical hole 120.

[0046] Here, the covering material CM is made of, for example, a plastic material. More specifically, the material of the covering material CM is, for example, a metal foil, which is tin foil in this embodiment. Furthermore, the covering material CM is, for example, formed into a cylindrical shape with a bottom and an opening at the top. In this embodiment, the covering material CM is shaped like a cylinder with a bottom and an opening at the top, and has a space inside for accommodating the contents.

[0047] The contents are not particularly limited as long as they are a substance that is the subject of elemental analysis, but in this embodiment, for example, they are samples such as organic matter that are the subject of radiocarbon dating. The covering material CM may be placed in the vertical hole 120 with the contents accommodated therein, or the contents may be accommodated after the covering material CM is placed in the vertical hole 120. By performing this arrangement step P1, the covering material CM can be placed in the vertical hole 120 and the contents can be accommodated in the covering material CM.

[0048] Here, the distance from the opening at the upper end of the vertical hole 120 to the tip of the vertical shaft 140 is roughly equal to the height of the covering material CM in the vertical direction. As a result, the tip of the vertical shaft 140 supports the bottom of the covering material CM, and the height position of the upper end of the covering material CM is roughly equal to the height position of the opening at the upper end of the vertical hole 120. In addition, the outer peripheral support surface 112 of the base part 110, which is the upper end of the inner wall of the vertical hole 120, supports the periphery of the opening at the upper end of the covering material CM.

[0049] As described above, the coating apparatus 100 of this embodiment also includes the exhaust port 114 that opens to the outer surface of the base portion 110 and is connected to the vacuum pump 183, the exhaust outlet 121 that opens to the inner wall of the vertical hole 120, and the exhaust passage 115 that connects the exhaust port 114 and the exhaust outlet 121. In this case, after the placement step P1 is completed, for example, the following exhaust step P2 can be performed.

[0050] 9B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the coating apparatus 100 corresponding to FIG. 6 , illustrating the exhaust step P2 of FIG. 8 . The exhaust step P2 is a step of exhausting air from the exhaust port 114 opening on the outer surface of the base portion 110 through the exhaust passage 115 connecting the exhaust port 114 to the exhaust outlet 121 opening on the inner wall of the vertical hole 120, prior to the closing step P3. In the exhaust step P2, for example, first, the top cover 160 is closed, and the stopper 161 is engaged with the protrusion 111 of the base portion 110. This presses the seal member 165 disposed in the groove 162 of the top cover 160 against the top surface of the base portion 110, thereby airtightly sealing the gap between the bottom surface of the top cover 160 and the top surface of the base portion 110.

[0051] The gap between the outer circumferential surface of the horizontal shaft 150 and the inner wall of the horizontal hole 130 is airtightly sealed by a seal member 155 disposed in a recessed groove 156 of the horizontal shaft 150. The gap between the outer circumferential surface of the vertical shaft 140 and the inner wall of the vertical hole 120 is airtightly sealed by a seal member 117 disposed in a groove 116 of the base portion 110. The opening at the lower end of the upper cover recess 164 of the upper cover portion 160 and the opening at the upper end of the vertical hole 120 are connected flush with each other without any steps.

[0052] Furthermore, an exhaust port 121 connected to the exhaust port 114 via an exhaust passage 115 opens into the inner wall of the vertical hole 120 at a position lower than the opening at the upper end of the covering material CM. Also, as shown in Fig. 7, an air supply control valve 185 connected to the air supply port 166 via an air supply pipe 184 closes the flow path open to the atmosphere, and an exhaust control valve 182 connected to the exhaust port 114 via an exhaust pipe 181 opens the flow path connected to a vacuum pump 183.

[0053] In this state, for example, when a user of the coating apparatus 100 presses the start switch 102, a signal is input from the start switch 102 to the control unit 190. For example, when a signal is input from the start switch 102, the control unit 190 outputs a signal to the solid-state relay 186, and drives the vacuum pump 183 via the solid-state relay 186. As a result, air is exhausted from the exhaust port 114, and a vacuum is created inside the vertical hole 120 in which the coating material CM is placed, and the inside of the coating material CM containing the contents can be created in a vacuum state.

[0054] Thereafter, the control unit 190 outputs a signal to, for example, the solid-state relay 186 to stop the vacuum pump 183, and also operates the exhaust control valve 182 to close the flow path connected to the vacuum pump 183 and open the closed flow path, thereby maintaining the vacuum state within the vertical hole 120. When the exhaust step P2 is completed, the control unit 190 performs, for example, the closing step P3 shown in FIG.

[0055] Fig. 9C is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the covering device 100 corresponding to Fig. 6, illustrating the closing step P3 of Fig. 8. In the closing step P3, with the covering material CM placed in the vertical hole 120 and the contents contained in the covering material CM, the horizontal shaft 150 is driven toward the covering material CM to compress and close the opening at the upper end of the covering material CM between itself and the inner wall of the vertical hole 120. When the closing step P3 is started, the control unit 190 outputs a signal to the motor driver 175, which drives the horizontal actuator 171 via the motor driver 175, thereby driving the horizontal shaft 150 toward the covering material CM.

[0056] As a result, the opening at the upper end of the covering material CM is compressed between the tip of the horizontal shaft 150 and the inner wall of the vertical hole 120, and the opening of the covering material CM is crushed and closed. Thereafter, the control unit 190 controls the horizontal actuator 171, for example, via the motor driver 175, to cause the horizontal shaft 150 to retract toward the outside of the base unit 110. When the horizontal shaft 150 retracts and its rear end comes into contact with the horizontal limit switch 173, a signal is output from the horizontal limit switch 173 to the control unit 190.

[0057] When a signal is input from the lateral limit switch 173, the control unit 190 stops driving the lateral actuator 171 via the motor driver 175. This causes the lateral shaft 150 to return to the initial position before the start of the closing step P3. After the closing step P3 is completed, the control unit 190 performs, for example, the covering step P4.

[0058] 9D is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the coating device 100 corresponding to FIG. 6, illustrating the coating step P4 and the air supply step P5 of FIG. 8. The coating step P4 is a step in which, with the opening of the coating material CM closed, the vertical shaft 140 is driven toward the coating material CM to compress the coating material CM between the upper cover part 160 and the coating material CM, thereby enveloping the contents in the coating material CM. In the coating step P4, the control unit 190 outputs a signal to the motor driver 175, for example, to control the vertical actuator 172 via the motor driver 175, and drives the vertical shaft 140 toward the coating material CM.

[0059] As a result, the covering material CM, which has contained the contents and whose upper opening is closed, is compressed between the tip of the vertical shaft 140 and the top cover portion 160, and a covering CP is produced in which the contents are wrapped in the covering material CM. After the covering step P4 is completed, the control unit 190 performs, for example, an air supply step P5. The air supply step P5 is a step of supplying air from an air supply port 166 opening on the outer surface of the top cover portion 160 through an air supply passage 168 that connects the air supply port 166 to an air supply opening 167 opening on the surface of the top cover portion 160 facing the vertical hole 120.

[0060] In the air supply step P5, the control unit 190 operates the air supply control valve 185, for example, via the solid-state relay 186, to open the flow path open to the atmosphere. This causes air to be supplied from the air supply control valve 185 to the vertical hole 120 via the air supply pipe 184, the air supply port 166, the air supply passage 168, and the air supply opening 167, thereby releasing the vacuum state in the vertical hole 120. Thereafter, the user of the coating apparatus 100 performs, for example, the removal step P6.

[0061] Fig. 9E is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the covering device 100 corresponding to Fig. 6, illustrating the removal step P6 of Fig. 8. In the removal step P6, the user of the covering device 100, for example, as described above, releases the engagement between the stopper 161 of the top cover part 160 and the protrusion 111 of the base part 110, and rotates the top cover part 160 about the hinge H so as to lift it up, thereby opening the top cover part 160 and exposing the top surface of the base part 110.

[0062] Furthermore, the user of the coating apparatus 100 uses, for example, tweezers to remove the coating CP exposed on the upper surface of the base portion 110. In this embodiment, the control unit 190 maintains the position of the vertical shaft 140 after, for example, the coating step P4. Thereafter, the user of the coating apparatus 100 performs, for example, a reset step P7.

[0063] In the reset step P7, when a user of the coating apparatus 100 presses, for example, a reset switch 103 provided on the housing 101, a signal is output from the reset switch 103 to the control unit 190. When the control unit 190 receives a signal from the reset switch 103, for example, the control unit 190 drives the vertical actuator 172 via the motor driver 175 to retract the vertical shaft 140 downward.

[0064] When the vertical shaft 140 moves backward and its rear end comes into contact with the vertical limit switch 174, a signal is output from the vertical limit switch 174 to the control unit 190. When the control unit 190 receives the signal from the vertical limit switch 174, it stops driving the vertical actuator 172 via the motor driver 175. This causes the vertical shaft 140 to return to its initial position before the covering step P4 was performed.

[0065] The control unit 190 also operates the air supply control valve 185 via, for example, the solid-state relay 186 to close the flow path open to the atmosphere and open the flow path with a closed end. The control unit 190 also operates the exhaust control valve 182 via, for example, the solid-state relay 186 to close the flow path with a closed end and open the flow path connected to the vacuum pump 183. This returns the air supply and exhaust system 180 to its initial state before the exhaust step P2 was performed. This completes the reset step P7, and the process flow of the coated material manufacturing method M shown in FIG. 8 is completed.

[0066] The operation of the coating apparatus 100 and the method M for producing a coated object according to this embodiment will be described below.

[0067] The coating device 100 of this embodiment is an apparatus for encasing contents in a container-shaped coating material CM having an opening at its upper end. The coating device 100 includes a base 110, a vertical hole 120 that penetrates the base 110 in the vertical direction, and a horizontal hole 130 that penetrates the base 110 in the horizontal direction to the upper end of the vertical hole 120. The coating device 100 also includes a vertical shaft 140 that is inserted into the vertical hole 120 from below the base 110, a horizontal shaft 150 that is inserted into the horizontal hole 130 from the side of the base 110, and a top lid 160 that is placed on the base 110 and closes the upper end of the vertical hole 120. The coating device 100 also includes a drive unit 170 that drives the horizontal shaft 150 and the vertical shaft 140 in the axial direction.

[0068] This configuration provides a coating device 100 that can quickly and easily encase contents in a coating material CM. More specifically, with contents housed in a container-shaped coating material CM having an opening at its top, the coating material CM is placed at the top end of the vertical hole 120 in the base 110, with the bottom of the coating material CM facing the tip of the vertical shaft 140. Next, the driver 170 drives the horizontal shaft 150 axially toward the coating material CM placed at the top end of the vertical hole 120, crushing and closing the opening at the top end of the coating material CM between the tip 131 of the horizontal shaft 150 and the inner wall of the vertical hole 120, and the driver 170 drives the horizontal shaft 150 in the opposite direction to return it to its original position.

[0069] This prevents the contents contained in the covering material CM from leaking out through the opening at the top end when the contents are wrapped in the covering material CM. Furthermore, the vertical shaft 140 is driven axially toward the covering material CM by the drive unit 170, and the covering material CM, with the contents contained therein and the opening closed, is compressed between the tip of the vertical shaft 140 and the top cover unit 160, thereby wrapping the contents in the covering material CM. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a covering device 100 that has a simple device configuration and is capable of quickly and easily wrapping contents in the covering material CM.

[0070] Furthermore, in the covering device 100 of this embodiment, the horizontal shaft 150 has a tip surface 153 that is parallel to the inner wall of the vertical hole 120, and a tapered portion 154 that has an inclined surface at its lower end in the vertical direction and whose vertical dimension decreases horizontally as it approaches the tip surface 153. That is, in the tapered portion 154, the distance between the lower end of the tip surface 153 in the vertical direction and the lower end of the horizontal shaft 150 decreases horizontally as it approaches the tip surface 153.

[0071] 9C, the opening at the upper end of the dressing material CM is crushed between the tip surface 153 of the horizontal shaft 150 and the inner wall of the vertical hole 120, which are parallel to each other, and the opening at the upper end of the dressing material CM can be tightly closed without damaging the dressing material CM. Furthermore, since the horizontal shaft 150 has the tapered portion 154, the deformation amount of the part below the closed part of the dressing material CM changes gradually, avoiding stress concentration and more reliably preventing damage to the dressing material CM.

[0072] In the coating device 100 of this embodiment, the vertical shaft 140 has a recess 141 at the tip thereof facing the coating material CM.

[0073] As a result, in the coating step P4, the coating material CM can be formed into the shape of the recess 141. For example, as shown in Fig. 9D, when the recess 141 has a hemispherical shape, the lower half of the coating object CP can be formed into a hemispherical shape. In addition, the formed coating object CP can be held by the recess 141.

[0074] As described above, the coating apparatus 100 of this embodiment also includes an exhaust port 114 that opens onto the outer surface of the base portion 110 and is connected to the vacuum pump 183, an exhaust outlet 121 that opens onto the inner wall of the vertical hole 120, and an exhaust passage 115 that connects the exhaust port 114 and the exhaust outlet 121.

[0075] With this configuration, as described above, the inside of the covering material CM before the opening at the top end is closed can be made into a vacuum state by driving the vacuum pump 183 and creating a vacuum inside the vertical hole 120 via the exhaust port 114, the exhaust passage 115, and the exhaust outlet 121. Therefore, when the covering material CM with the closed opening at the top end is compressed between the tip of the vertical shaft 140 and the upper cover portion 160 to encase the contents with the covering material CM, it is possible to prevent air from getting into the inside of the covering material CM.

[0076] Furthermore, in the coating device 100 of this embodiment, the exhaust port 121 opening into the inner wall of the vertical hole 120 is located above the tip of the vertical shaft 140 and below the opening of the coating material CM when the coating material CM is placed in the vertical hole 120 and the tip of the vertical shaft 140 faces the lower end of the coating material CM.

[0077] With this configuration, when air is discharged from the vertical hole 120 through the exhaust port 121, the contents contained in the covering material CM are prevented from being sucked up or sucked into the exhaust port 121. This makes it possible to prevent contamination of the covering device 100 by the contents contained in the covering material CM.

[0078] Furthermore, as described above, the covering device 100 of this embodiment is provided with an air intake port 166 that opens onto the outer surface of the top cover portion 160, an air intake port 167 that opens onto the surface of the top cover portion 160 facing the vertical hole 120, and an air intake passage 168 that connects the air intake port 166 and the air intake port 167.

[0079] With this configuration, after producing the covering object CP in which the contents are wrapped in the covering material CM, air can be supplied from the air supply port 166 through the air supply passage 168 and the air supply opening 167 to the vertical hole 120, thereby releasing the vacuum state in the vertical hole 120. In addition, by allowing air to pass between the covering object CP and the upper lid portion 160, it is possible to prevent the covering object CP from adhering to the upper lid portion 160 when the upper lid portion 160 is opened.

[0080] In addition, in the coating device 100 of this embodiment, the base portion 110 has an outer peripheral support surface 112 between the opening at the upper end of the vertical hole 120 and the opening of the horizontal hole 130 in the inner wall of the vertical hole 120, which supports the outer peripheral surface of the upper end of the coating material CM.

[0081] 9C, when the opening at the upper end of the covering material CM is crushed and closed between the horizontal shaft 150 and the inner wall of the vertical hole 120, the upper end of the covering material CM located above the tip 151 of the horizontal shaft 150 is supported by the surrounding outer peripheral support surface 112. This makes it possible to prevent burrs from occurring at the upper end of the covering material CM with the opening closed.

[0082] In the coating apparatus 100 of this embodiment, the exhaust port 121 is provided below the tip surface 153 of the horizontal shaft 150 that abuts against the inner wall of the vertical hole 120 in the vertical direction.

[0083] 9C, when the opening at the upper end of the covering material CM is crushed and closed between the horizontal shaft 150 and the inner wall of the vertical hole 120, this configuration prevents the covering material CM from being pushed into the exhaust port 121. This prevents the covering material CM from getting caught on the exhaust port 121 when the vertical shaft 140 is driven upward to compress the covering material CM, thereby preventing damage to the covering material CM.

[0084] In the coating device 100 of this embodiment, the base portion 110 has a recess 113 on the surface facing the upper cover portion 160. The opening at the upper end of the vertical hole 120 opens into the bottom surface of the recess 113.

[0085] With this configuration, the height of the outer peripheral support surface 112 at the upper end of the vertical hole 120 can be easily adjusted by adjusting the depth of the recess 113. This makes it possible to adjust the height of the outer peripheral support surface 112 to a height that most effectively prevents the formation of burrs at the upper end of the covering material CM with the opening closed. In addition, the recess 113 can prevent the covering object CP from falling off the upper surface of the base portion 110 when the manufactured covering object CP is removed from the vertical hole 120.

[0086] In the covering device 100 of this embodiment, the vertical dimension of the distal end 151 of the horizontal shaft 150 facing the covering material CM is smaller than the vertical dimension of the proximal end 152 of the horizontal shaft 150 opposite the distal end 151. In addition, the vertical dimension of the distal end 131 of the horizontal hole 130 through which the distal end 151 of the horizontal shaft 150 is inserted is smaller than the vertical dimension of the proximal end 132 of the horizontal hole 130 through which the proximal end 152 of the horizontal shaft 150 is inserted.

[0087] With this configuration, the dimensions of the tip end 151 of the horizontal shaft 150 can be made suitable for closing the opening at the upper end of the dressing material CM while ensuring the mechanical strength of the base end 152 of the horizontal shaft 150. Furthermore, when a recess 113 is provided in the base portion 110, the tip end 131 of the horizontal hole 130 can be opened on the inner wall of the vertical hole 120 below the bottom surface of the recess 113, ensuring sufficient height for the outer circumferential support surface 112.

[0088] In the coating device 100 of this embodiment, the upper lid portion 160 has an upper lid recess 164 on the surface facing the base portion 110. An air supply port 167 opens at the bottom of the upper lid recess 164.

[0089] With this configuration, as shown in FIG. 9D , the upper half of the coating material CM can be formed into the shape of the top-lid recess 164. For example, by forming the top-lid recess 164 into a hemispherical shape, the upper half of the coating material CP can be formed into a hemispherical shape, and together with the hemispherical recess 141 at the tip of the vertical shaft 140, the coating material CP can be formed into a spherical shape. This prevents the coating material CP from getting caught or clogging the inside of the pipe when, for example, feeding the coating material CP into an elemental analyzer. Furthermore, by supplying air from the air inlet 167 opening at the bottom of the top-lid recess 164 to the vertical hole 120, which is in a vacuum state, the coating material CP can be prevented from adhering to the top-lid recess 164. This prevents the coating material CP adhering to the top-lid portion 160 from falling and rolling off.

[0090] The coating device 100 of this embodiment further includes a control unit 190 that controls the drive unit 170. The control unit 190 controls the drive unit 170 so that, with the coating material CM placed in the vertical hole 120 and the contents contained in the coating material CM, the horizontal shaft 150 is driven toward the coating material CM to compress and close the opening of the coating material CM between itself and the inner wall of the vertical hole 120. The control unit 190 also controls the drive unit 170 so that, with the opening of the coating material CM closed, the vertical shaft 140 is driven toward the coating material CM to compress the coating material CM between itself and the top cover 160, thereby enveloping the contents in the coating material CM.

[0091] With this configuration, it is possible to automatically perform the following operations: driving the horizontal shaft 150 to close the opening at the top end of the covering material CM containing the contents, and further driving the vertical shaft 140 to compress the covering material CM and wrap the contents in the covering material CM. Therefore, the covering device 100 of this embodiment makes it possible to quickly and easily wrap the contents in the covering material CM.

[0092] The coating apparatus 100 of this embodiment also includes a vacuum pump 183 connected to the exhaust port 114 , and a housing 101 that houses the vacuum pump 183 and supports the base portion 110 .

[0093] With this configuration, the vacuum pump 183 can be housed inside the housing 101, thereby making it possible to miniaturize the coating apparatus 100. Furthermore, by supporting the base unit 110 with the housing 101, the components of the coating apparatus 100 can be integrated together, making it easy to carry. Furthermore, by providing the housing 101 with the outlet 104, port 105, and inlet 106, it becomes possible to attach the vacuum pump 183 externally, ensuring flexibility in the configuration of the apparatus.

[0094] The coated product manufacturing method M of this embodiment is a method for manufacturing a coated product CP in which contents are wrapped in a coating material CM using the above-described coating device 100, and includes a closing step P3 and a coating step P4. The closing step P3 is a step in which, with the coating material CM placed in the vertical hole 120 and the contents contained in the coating material CM, the horizontal shaft 150 is driven toward the coating material CM to compress and close the opening of the coating material CM between itself and the inner wall of the vertical hole 120. The coating step P4 is a step in which, with the opening of the coating material CM closed, the vertical shaft 140 is driven toward the coating material CM to compress the coating material CM between itself and the upper cover portion 160, thereby wrapping the contents in the coating material CM.

[0095] With this configuration, it is possible to provide a method M for manufacturing a covering that can quickly and easily encase the contents in the covering material CM. More specifically, with the contents contained in the container-shaped covering material CM having an opening at the top end, the covering material CM is placed at the top end of the vertical hole 120 in the base 110, and the bottom of the covering material CM faces the tip of the vertical shaft 140.

[0096] Then, in the closing step P3, the driving unit 170 drives the horizontal shaft 150 axially toward the covering material CM placed at the upper end of the vertical hole 120, and the opening at the upper end of the covering material CM is crushed and closed between the tip 151 of the horizontal shaft 150 and the inner wall of the vertical hole 120, and the driving unit 170 drives the horizontal shaft 150 in the opposite direction to return it to its original position.

[0097] Next, in the covering step P4, the vertical shaft 140 is driven axially toward the covering material CM by the driving unit 170, and the covering material CM, which contains the contents and has its opening closed, is compressed between the tip of the vertical shaft 140 and the upper cover part 160, thereby encasing the contents in the covering material CM. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, a method M for manufacturing a covering that can quickly and easily encase the contents in the covering material CM can be provided.

[0098] In addition, the manufacturing method M of the coating of this embodiment further includes, before the closing step P3, an exhaust step P2 in which air is exhausted from the exhaust port 114 opening on the outer surface of the base portion 110 through an exhaust passage 115 connecting the exhaust port 114 and an exhaust outlet 121 opening on the inner wall of the vertical hole 120.

[0099] In this way, by performing the exhaust step P2 before the closing step P3, the opening of the covering material CM can be closed in the closing step P3 with the air inside the covering material CM containing the contents exhausted. Therefore, when the covering material CM with the upper end opening closed is compressed between the tip of the vertical shaft 140 and the upper cover portion 160 to encase the contents with the covering material CM, it is possible to prevent air from getting inside the covering material CM.

[0100] In addition, the manufacturing method M of the coated object of this embodiment further includes, after the coating process P4, an air supply process P5 in which air is supplied from an air supply port 166 opening on the outer surface of the top cover portion 160 through an air supply passage 168 connecting the air supply port 166 and an air supply port 167 opening on the surface of the top cover portion 160 opposite the vertical hole 120.

[0101] With this configuration, after producing the covering object CP in which the contents are wrapped in the covering material CM, air can be supplied from the air supply port 166 through the air supply passage 168 and the air supply opening 167 to the vertical hole 120, thereby releasing the vacuum state in the vertical hole 120. In addition, by allowing air to pass between the covering object CP and the upper lid portion 160, it is possible to prevent the covering object CP from adhering to the upper lid portion 160 when the upper lid portion 160 is opened.

[0102] Furthermore, in the method M for manufacturing a coated object of this embodiment, after the coating step P4, the position of the vertical shaft 140 is maintained. This allows the tip of the vertical shaft 140 to support the coated object CP from below, making it easier to remove the coated object CP from the vertical hole 120 opening on the upper surface of the base part 110.

[0103] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a coating device 100 that can quickly and easily wrap contents in a coating material CM, and a method M for manufacturing a coated object using the coating device 100.

[0104] Next, another embodiment of the coating apparatus according to the present disclosure will be described. Note that the same reference numerals will be used to designate the same components as those in the above-described embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0105] FIG. 10 is a front view of another embodiment of a coating apparatus according to the present disclosure.

[0106] The coating device 200 of this embodiment is equipped with a cleaning mechanism 210 that can easily clean the inside of the coating device 200 even if the contents get mixed into the coating device 200 for some reason, such as when the contents leak from the coating material CM into the coating device 200 during the production of the coated object.

[0107] The coating apparatus 200 shown in FIG. 10 differs from the coating apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 1 mainly in that a start switch 203 for the vacuum pump 183 and a cleaning mechanism 210 are added. The manufacturing method M using the coating apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 1 does not include the cleaning step P23 described below. Therefore, the coating apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 1 did not need to have a separate start switch for the vacuum pump 183. However, in this embodiment, the inside of the coating apparatus 200 is cleaned by utilizing the vacuum pumping function of the vacuum pump 183. Accordingly, the coating apparatus 200 shown in FIG. 10 is provided with a start switch 203 that starts the vacuum pump 183 separately.

[0108] Adding a start switch 203 for the vacuum pump 183 to the coating apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 1 would increase the number of switches, leading to increased costs. Therefore, the coating apparatus 200 shown in FIG. 10 includes a switch 202 that functions as both the start switch 102 and the reset switch 103, instead of the start switch 102 and the reset switch 103, thereby suppressing the increase in the number of switches. When the switch 202 is pressed once, the coating apparatus 200 starts producing a coated object, performs the exhaust process P2 to the air supply process P5 shown in FIG. 8, and then stops (first operation). When the switch 202 is pressed again, the coating apparatus 200 performs the reset process P7 in which the vertical shaft 140 returns to its initial position (second operation). The switch 202 and the start switch 203 may be provided on the front of the housing 101.

[0109] Fig. 11 is a top view of the cleaning mechanism 210 as seen from direction A in Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a side view of the cleaning mechanism 210 as seen from direction B in Fig. 10. Direction A shown in Fig. 10 is the direction from the top side of the coating apparatus 200 toward the cleaning mechanism 210. Direction B shown in Fig. 10 is the direction from the side side of the coating apparatus 200 toward the cleaning mechanism 210.

[0110] The cleaning mechanism 210 mainly comprises a base portion 211 connected to the side of the housing 101 of the coating device 200, a trap portion 220 that collects cleaning liquid and the like used in the cleaning process P23, tubes 214a to 214c that connect the vacuum pump 183 or the exhaust port 114 to the trap portion 220, a speed controller 215 that controls the exhaust speed by vacuum drawing, a trap holding portion 213 that is supported by the base portion 211 and holds the trap portion 220, and a protrusion 212 that protrudes from the base portion 211 and holds the speed controller 215.

[0111] In this embodiment, the base portion 211 is formed in a plate shape along the side surface of the housing 101. The base portion 211 is connected to the side surface of the housing 101 by screws 230. The protrusion portion 212 is formed in a plate shape that protrudes from the surface of the upper part of the base portion 211 along the normal direction of the surface. The trap holding portion 212 is formed in a plate shape that protrudes from the surface of the center of the base portion 211 along the normal direction of the surface.

[0112] From the viewpoint of installation of the cleaning mechanism 210, it is preferable that the base portion 211, the protrusion 212, and the trap holder 213 are integrally formed, but this is not particularly limited. In this embodiment, the base portion 211 and the protrusion 212 are integrally formed. In this embodiment, the trap holder 213 is formed as separate bodies such as a base portion side member 213a and a clamping member 213b, as shown in FIG. 11 . The base portion side member 213a and the clamping member 213b are connected to each other so as to be integral with each other by a screw 230. Note that the base portion side member 213a and the clamping member 213b may also be connected to each other by a hinge member or the like.

[0113] The trap unit 220 is composed of a lid 220a, an inlet port 220b, an outlet port 220c, and a bottle 220d. The trap unit 220 stores the collected cleaning liquid and the like inside a bottle 220d, the opening of which is sealed at the top by a screw-type lid 220a. In this embodiment, the lid 220a is clamped between a base-side member 213a and a clamping member 213b of the trap holder 213. This allows the cleaning liquid and the like to be discarded by removing only the bottle 220d when the cleaning liquid and the like have accumulated in the bottle 220d. As a result, the maintainability of the coating device 200 is improved.

[0114] Lid 220a is provided with inlet port 220b for introducing cleaning liquid and the like into bottle 220d. Tube 214a, connected to exhaust port 114, is inserted into inlet port 220b so as to reach the interior of bottle 220d. Lid 220a is also provided with outlet port 220c for discharging gas from inside bottle 200d to the outside of bottle 200d. Tubes 214b and 214c, connected to vacuum pump 183, are inserted into outlet port 220c. Speed ​​controller 215, which has valve 215a for controlling the exhaust speed, is disposed between tube 214b and tube 214c. Speed ​​controller 215 is fixed to the upper surface of protrusion 212.

[0115] The above is the configuration of the cleaning mechanism 210. The cleaning mechanism 210 is detachably attached to the side surface of the housing 101 of the coating device 200, and has a configuration that allows anyone to easily clean the inside of the coating device 200. In this embodiment, the cleaning mechanism 210 is attached with screws 230. It goes without saying that the cleaning mechanism 210 can be attached by any known means (such as adhesive) other than the screws 230.

[0116] In this embodiment, the cleaning mechanism 210 is attached to the side surface of the housing 101 of the coating apparatus 200. The location where the cleaning mechanism 210 is attached is not particularly limited as long as it is a location where the cleaning mechanism 210 can be easily handled and does not interfere with other components of the coating apparatus 200. However, a switch 202 and a start switch 203 are provided on the front surface of the housing 101, and an outlet 104 for a vacuum pump, a vacuum port 105, and an inlet 10 for an external power supply are provided on the rear surface of the housing 101. Therefore, in consideration of workability, it is preferable that the cleaning mechanism 210 be attached to the side surface of the housing 101.

[0117] Next, a cleaning method W for the coating apparatus 200 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 13. Fig. 13 is a flow chart showing an embodiment of the cleaning method for the coating apparatus according to the present disclosure. The cleaning method W for the coating apparatus 200 of this embodiment is a method for cleaning the inside of the coating apparatus 200 using the cleaning mechanism 210 described above.

[0118] As shown in FIG. 13, the cleaning method W for the coating apparatus 200 of this embodiment includes a release step P21, a cleaning liquid injection step P22, a cleaning step P23, and a reset step P24.

[0119] In the cleaning method W, an opening step P21 is first performed. The opening step P21 is a step of opening the upper cover portion 160 of the covering device 200 and opening the vertical hole 120.

[0120] After the opening step P21, the cleaning method W performs a cleaning liquid injection step P22. The cleaning liquid injection step P22 is a step of injecting a cleaning liquid into the vertical hole 120 using a wash bottle or the like. The cleaning liquid may be, for example, ethanol or ultrapure water, and any known cleaning liquid suitable for the contents may be used. From the viewpoint of maintenance, it is preferable that the cleaning liquid be a quick-drying cleaning liquid such as alcohol. If the cleaning liquid is ultrapure water, it is necessary to thoroughly dry the cleaning liquid using a known air blowing means such as an electric fan.

[0121] After the cleaning liquid injection step P22, the cleaning method W performs a cleaning step P23. The cleaning step P23 is a step in which the start switch 203 of the vacuum pump 183 is pressed to start the vacuum pump 183 and vacuum is drawn for a predetermined period of time. In the cleaning step P23, it is also possible to add a cleaning liquid to more thoroughly clean the portion where the coating is to be produced, as shown in FIG.

[0122] After cleaning the portion where the coating is to be produced, the start switch 203 of the vacuum pump 183 is pressed to stop the vacuum pump 183, thereby completing the cleaning step P23. In addition, in the cleaning method W, a reset step P24 is performed as necessary. The reset step P24 is a step of returning the vertical shaft 140 and other components to their initial positions so that the coating production method M shown in FIG. 8 can be performed when the switch 202 is pressed. The cleaning step P23 is performed when the top cover 160 shown in FIG. 6 is open and the cleaning liquid can be discharged via the exhaust port 114. Therefore, the positions of the shafts are usually in their initial positions, and the reset step P24 is unnecessary. However, if, for example, the vertical shaft 140 is not in its initial position, the switch 202 is pressed to perform the reset step P24. This completes the reset step P24, and the processing flow of the cleaning method W for the coating apparatus 200 shown in FIG. 13 is completed.

[0123] In the cleaning method W, the vacuum pump 183 is operated for a certain period of time after the cleaning liquid is discharged, so that the vacuum pump 183 can not only discharge the cleaning liquid but also dry the inside of the coating apparatus 200 .

[0124] As described above, the coating device 200 performs a first operation (performing the exhaust step P2 to the air supply step P5 shown in FIG. 8 and then stopping) when the switch 202 is pressed once, and performs a second operation (performing the reset step P7 shown in FIG. 8) when the switch 202 is pressed again. However, the coating device 200 may perform a third operation between the first operation and the second operation. The third operation is an operation in which the vertical shaft 140 is driven until the recess 141 at the tip of the vertical shaft 140 protrudes upward from the vertical hole 120, and then the vertical shaft 140 is stopped for a predetermined time.

[0125] In the coating manufacturing method M, the addition of the third operation makes it easier to remove the manufactured coating CP, and also makes it possible to clean the portion of the vertical shaft 140 protruding from the vertical hole 120 by wiping.

[0126] In addition, when the third operation is added in manufacturing method M, coating device 200 performs the first operation when switch 202 is pressed once, performs the third operation when switch 202 is pressed again, and performs the second operation when switch 202 is pressed yet again.

[0127] Furthermore, the third operation may be added between the cleaning step P23 and the reset step P24 in the cleaning method W of the coating apparatus 200. This allows the cleaning method W to promote drying of the vertical shaft 140.

[0128] When the third operation is added to the cleaning method W, the coating apparatus 200 performs the third operation by pressing the start switch 203 of the vacuum pump 183 to stop the vacuum pump 183, and then pressing the switch 202 after the cleaning step P23 is completed. Thereafter, by pressing the switch 202, the vertical shaft 140 protruding from the vertical hole 120 is returned to its initial position, and the reset step P24 is performed.

[0129] The important point of this embodiment is that by utilizing the vacuum pump 183, which is one component of the coating apparatus 200 that produces the coated material CP, to clean the coating apparatus 200, the user can easily clean the coating apparatus 200 without adding a large number of parts to the cleaning mechanism 210.

[0130] Furthermore, the coating apparatus 200 can be cleaned internally without requiring large-scale maintenance such as removing some of the components, and therefore maintainability can be dramatically improved.

[0131] Furthermore, since the cleaning mechanism 210 has a simple structure in which the trap unit 220 is interposed between the exhaust port 114 and the vacuum pump 183, the cleaning mechanism 210 itself does not need to be removed from the coating apparatus 200 during the performance of the coating material manufacturing method M. Therefore, the coating apparatus 200 has a structure that does not impede its primary function of manufacturing a coated material.

[0132] The above has described in detail embodiments of the coating device, the method for manufacturing a coated object, and the method for cleaning the coating device according to the present disclosure using the drawings. However, the specific configurations are not limited to these embodiments, and even if there are design changes and the like within the scope of the present disclosure, they are included in the present disclosure.

[0133] For example, by providing a single housing with multiple bases, vertical holes, horizontal holes, vertical shafts, horizontal shafts, top covers, and drive units, it is possible to simultaneously produce multiple coated objects. A common switch may also be used as the start switch and reset switch. In this case, the control unit may start the production of a coated object by pressing the switch a first time, and perform a reset operation by pressing the switch a second time, retracting the vertical shaft to its initial position. It goes without saying that the coating device according to the present disclosure can also be used in technical fields that require highly efficient coating of contents other than those subject to elemental analysis. [Explanation of symbols]

[0134] 100 Coating device 101 Case 110 Base 112 Peripheral support surface 113 Recess 114 Exhaust port 115 Exhaust passage 120 Vertical hole 121 Exhaust port 130 Horizontal hole 131 Tip 132 Proximal end 140 Vertical shaft 141 recess 150 horizontal shaft 151 Tip 152 Proximal end 153 Tip surface 154 Tapered section 160 Top lid 164 Upper cover recess 166 Air supply port 167 Air supply port 168 Air supply passage 170 Drive unit 183 Vacuum Pump 184 Air intake pipe 190 Control Unit 200 Coating equipment 210 Cleaning mechanism CM coating material CP coating M. Manufacturing method of coated material P2 Exhaust process P3 Closing process P4 Coating process P5 Air supply process W coating equipment cleaning method

Claims

1. A covering device that encases contents in a container-shaped covering material having an opening at the top end, A base portion; a vertical hole that penetrates the base portion in a vertical direction; a horizontal hole that passes laterally through the base portion to an upper end of the vertical hole; a vertical shaft inserted into the vertical hole from below the base portion; a horizontal shaft inserted into the horizontal hole from the side of the base portion; an upper cover portion placed on the base portion and closing an upper end portion of the vertical hole; a drive unit that drives the horizontal shaft and the vertical shaft in the axial direction; A coating device comprising:

2. 2. The covering device according to claim 1, wherein the horizontal shaft has a tip surface parallel to the inner wall of the vertical hole, and a tapered portion having an inclined surface at a lower end in the vertical direction, the vertical dimension of which decreases as the horizontal shaft approaches the tip surface in the horizontal direction.

3. 2. The coating device according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal shaft has a recess at a tip thereof facing the coating material.

4. 2. The coating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an exhaust port that opens to an outer surface of the base portion and is connected to a vacuum pump; an exhaust port that opens to an inner wall of the vertical hole; and an exhaust passage that connects the exhaust port and the exhaust port.

5. The coating device according to claim 4, characterized in that the exhaust port is located above the tip of the vertical shaft and below the opening of the coating material when the coating material is placed in the vertical hole and the tip of the vertical shaft faces the lower end of the coating material.

6. 5. The coating device according to claim 4, further comprising: an air supply port opening on an outer surface of the top cover portion; an air supply inlet opening on a surface of the top cover portion facing the vertical hole; and an air supply passage connecting the air supply port and the air supply inlet.

7. 5. The coating device according to claim 4, wherein the exhaust port is provided below a tip end surface of the horizontal shaft that abuts against an inner wall of the vertical hole in the vertical direction.

8. The coating device according to claim 1, characterized in that the base portion has an outer peripheral support surface that supports the outer peripheral surface of the upper end of the coating material between the opening at the upper end of the vertical hole and the opening of the horizontal hole in the inner wall of the vertical hole.

9. the base portion has a recess on a surface facing the upper cover portion, 9. The coating device according to claim 8, wherein the opening at the upper end of the vertical hole is open to the bottom surface of the recess.

10. 9. The covering device according to claim 8, wherein the longitudinal dimension of the distal end of the horizontal shaft facing the covering material is smaller than the longitudinal dimension of the proximal end of the horizontal shaft opposite the distal end, and the longitudinal dimension of the distal end of the horizontal hole through which the distal end of the horizontal shaft is inserted is smaller than the longitudinal dimension of the proximal end of the horizontal hole through which the proximal end of the horizontal shaft is inserted.

11. the top cover portion has a top cover recess on a surface facing the base portion, 7. The coating device according to claim 6, wherein the air inlet is open to the bottom of the upper cover recess.

12. Further, a control unit is provided to control the drive unit.

2. The covering device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the drive unit to: drive the horizontal shaft toward the covering material when the covering material is placed in the vertical hole and the contents are contained in the covering material, compressing the opening of the covering material between the horizontal shaft and the vertical hole and closing the opening; and drive the vertical shaft toward the covering material when the opening of the covering material is closed, compressing the covering material between the vertical shaft and the upper lid portion and enveloping the contents in the covering material.

13. a vacuum pump connected to the exhaust port; a housing that houses the vacuum pump and supports the base portion; The coating apparatus of claim 4 further comprising:

14. A method for manufacturing a coated article, in which the coated article is manufactured by using the coating apparatus according to claim 1, in which the contents are enclosed by the coating material, a closing step of driving the horizontal shaft toward the covering material while the covering material is placed in the vertical hole and the contents are contained in the covering material, thereby compressing the opening of the covering material between the horizontal shaft and the inner wall of the vertical hole and closing the opening; a covering step of driving the vertical shaft toward the covering material with the opening of the covering material closed, thereby compressing the covering material between the covering material and the upper lid portion and enveloping the contents with the covering material.

15. 15. The method for manufacturing a coating according to claim 14, further comprising, before the closing step, an exhaust step of exhausting air from an exhaust port opening on an outer surface of the base portion through an exhaust passage connecting the exhaust port and an exhaust outlet opening on the inner wall of the vertical hole.

16. 15. The method for manufacturing a coated object according to claim 14, further comprising, after the covering step, an air supply step of supplying air from an air supply port opening on an outer surface of the top cover portion through an air supply passage connecting the air supply port and an air supply port opening on a surface of the top cover portion opposite the vertical hole.

17. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the position of the longitudinal shaft is maintained after the coating step.

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