Film Forming Equipment

Abstract

To realize efficient film forming.SOLUTION: There is provided a film forming device, comprising: a first forming line for carrying out a cleaning operation of transporting an object placed on a jig and cleaning the object, a bonding operation of bonding a film to the object after the cleaning operation, and a removal operation of removing a part of the film bonded to the object after the bonding operation; a second forming line disposed along the first forming line for carrying out a cleaning operation of transporting an object placed on a jig and cleaning the object, a bonding operation of bonding a film to the object after the cleaning operation, and a removal operation of removing a part of the film bonded to the object after the bonding operation; and a jig return line for returning the jig used in the first forming line and the jig used in the second forming line from an outlet of the first forming line or an outlet of the second forming line to an inlet of the first forming line or an inlet of the second forming line.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a film forming apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventional spray painting requires large facilities and equipment to process the paint mist, which requires a lot of energy. Achieving carbon neutrality requires technological innovation, and dry decoration technology using film vacuum forming technology has been attracting attention as a decoration method that can replace conventional painting. Patent Document 1 discloses a vacuum forming device that attaches sheet-shaped decorative material to a resin substrate. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-284771 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, with the technology described in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to change the jig that supports the resin substrate depending on the shape of the resin substrate. However, the jig is heavy, and moving and changing the jig is often time-consuming. As a result, it is not possible to efficiently attach the sheet-shaped decorative material to resin substrates of various shapes, which poses a problem that it is difficult to achieve efficient film formation.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide a technique for realizing efficient film molding. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, a film forming apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: a first molding line for carrying out a cleaning operation of transporting an object placed on a jig and cleaning the object, a bonding operation of bonding a film to the object after the cleaning operation, and a removal operation of removing a portion of the film bonded to the object after the bonding operation; a second molding line disposed along the first molding line for carrying an object placed on a jig, performing a cleaning operation for cleaning the object, a bonding operation for bonding a film to the object after the cleaning operation, and a removal operation for removing a portion of the film bonded to the object after the bonding operation; a jig return line for returning the jigs used in the first molding line and the jigs used in the second molding line from an outlet of the first molding line or an outlet of the second molding line to an inlet of the first molding line or an inlet of the second molding line; The present invention is characterized by comprising: [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to realize efficient film formation. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a film forming apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a control device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] 3 is a flowchart showing the procedure of a film forming process in a production line according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a film forming apparatus according to a second embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a control device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 6] 10(a) is a diagram showing an example of control of a vacuum pump according to the second embodiment (without alternating control), and FIG. 10(b) is a diagram showing an example of control of a vacuum pump according to the second embodiment (with alternating control). [Figure 7]10(a) is a diagram showing an example of heater control according to the second embodiment (without alternating control), and FIG. 10(b) is a diagram showing an example of heater control according to the second embodiment (with alternating control). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention as claimed, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the invention. Two or more of the features described in the embodiments may be combined in any desired manner. Furthermore, the same reference numerals are used to designate identical or similar components, and redundant descriptions will be omitted.

[0010] (Embodiment 1) In this embodiment, an example of the configuration of a production line in which film forming is performed by attaching a film to an object placed on a jig is described. In this embodiment, the object to which the film is attached is described as the front bumper or rear bumper of a vehicle (e.g., a four-wheeled vehicle), but the object is not limited to these, and the present invention can be applied to various objects. Decoration can be easily performed by changing the color of the film according to the vehicle color.

[0011] <Overall configuration of the production line> FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a film forming apparatus according to this embodiment. The arrows in the diagram indicate the transport direction of the target object 10 alone, the jig 20 on which the target object 10 is placed, or the jig 20 alone. The target object 10, which has been transported on a cart 30, is grasped by a transport device 101 and placed on the jig 20 at the start position (entrance) of the forming line 1. A first worker 201 checks whether the target object 10 is properly placed on the jig 20 and manually wipes and degreases the target object 10 placed on the jig 20. If the target object 10 is not properly placed, the first worker 201 adjusts its position.

[0012] Thereafter, the object 10 is placed on the jig 20 and transported along the molding line 1 to the dust removal area A where the dust removal device 102 is located. This transport can be performed automatically, for example, by a belt conveyor device and / or manually by an operator. In the dust removal area A, the dust removal device 102 performs a cleaning operation on the object 10. The dust removal device 102 is a dust removal device that performs a cleaning operation by, for example, sucking up dust. For example, a dust removal device with a wiping part like a mop wipes the surface of the object 10 while simultaneously sucking up the dust, thereby performing a cleaning operation that does not discharge dust into the space of the dust removal area A.

[0013] After the cleaning operation is performed by the dust removal device 102, the object 10 placed on the jig 20 is transported to the vacuum laminating area B where the vacuum laminating device 103 is located. The film 35 is unwound and pulled so as to cover the top of the object 10 transported into the vacuum laminating device 103, and is controlled so as to be stretched inside the vacuum laminating device 103. After the object 10 is transported into the vacuum laminating device 103 (slid in), the film 35 is unwound and set in the desired position, and then the internal space of the vacuum laminating device 103 is evacuated and a heating operation is performed, and a laminating operation is performed to attach the film 35 to the object 10. Note that the order of the vacuum operation of evacuating the internal space of the vacuum laminating device 103 and the heating operation of heating the internal space of the vacuum laminating device 103 is not limited. The heating operation may be performed after the vacuum operation, the vacuum operation may be performed after the heating operation, or the vacuum operation and the heating operation may be performed at the same time. Furthermore, the method of transporting the object 10 into the vacuum bonding device 103 is not limited to sliding it in. For example, the object 10 together with the jig 20 may be lifted by a lifter (not shown) or a gripping robot and transported into the vacuum bonding device 103. In this case, a dividing jig (not shown) separate from the jig 20 may be fixedly disposed inside the vacuum bonding device 103 in advance, and the jig 20 on which the object 10 is placed may be placed on the dividing jig.

[0014] The film 35 is used by unwinding a roll film wound like roll paper. The roll film can be replaced with various colors. For example, if the object 10 is a red car bumper, a red roll film can be used, and if the object 10 is a blue car bumper, a blue roll film can be used to decorate the object 10 in the desired color. The film color is not limited to a specific color; it can also be replaced with various films, functional films, etc., with different patterns, three-dimensional effects, etc. After the lamination operation is complete, the object 10 is transported (slide-out) out of the vacuum lamination device 103. Simultaneously with this slide-out, the next object 10 is controlled to slide in into the vacuum lamination device 103. The method of transporting the object 10 out of the vacuum lamination device 103 is not limited to slide-out. For example, the object 10 together with the jig 20 may be lifted and transported out of the vacuum lamination device 103 by a lifter (not shown) or a gripping robot. In this case, the jig 20 on which the object 10 is placed, which is on the dividing jig (not shown), may be transported to the outside of the vacuum bonding apparatus 103.

[0015] The vacuum laminating device 103 performs the laminating operation, resulting in a state in which the film 35 is adhered to the object 10, the jig 20, and their surrounding areas. The object 10 and the jig 20 are transported in this state to the removal area C. A film curing device (such as a UV device) may be provided downstream of the vacuum laminating device 103 and upstream of the removal device 104. The object 10 and the jig 20 may be configured to be transported to the removal area C after the film curing process by the film curing device. Furthermore, a film finishing device may be provided instead of the film curing device. The removal device 104 trims the object 10 in this state to remove unnecessary film. For example, the film 35 is trimmed using a CO2 laser. The object 10 is then transported to the removal device 105, where the removal device 105 collects film scraps (film scraps resulting from trimming). Here, the removal device 105 peels off the trimmed film scraps, grabs them, and places them in a waste box. In addition, a release agent is applied in advance to the jig 20 other than the object 10 and the peripheral surfaces of the object 10 and the jig 20 (the surface on which the jig 20 is placed), making them easy to peel off using the removal device 105.

[0016] Thereafter, the object 10 and jig 20 are further transported to the position of the second worker 202. The second worker 202 manually peels off any film scraps that were not completely removed by the removal device 105 to clean the area, and also checks the quality and performs repair work as necessary. Thereafter, the object 10 and jig 20 are transported outside the removal area C, where the object 10 is grasped by the transport device 106, and the object 10 with the film 35 attached thereto is placed on the cart 40.

[0017] The second worker 202 may be located in a work environment space separate from the removal devices 104 and 105. That is, the space where the removal devices 104 and 105 are located may be partitioned as a removal area C1, and the space where the second worker 202 is located may be partitioned as a removal area C2. In this case, the removal area C1 and the removal area C2 may be fluidly connected along the molding line 1. In this case, the pressure in the removal area C1 may be controlled to be lower than that in the removal area C2, so that air does not flow from the removal area C1 to the removal area C2. This isolates the second worker 202 from dust, smoke, etc. generated by the operation of the removal devices 104 and 105, thereby improving the work environment.

[0018] On the other hand, after the object 10 is grasped and moved by the conveying device 106, only the jig 20 remains. This jig 20 is returned along the jig return line 2 and reused. The jig 20 is conveyed along the jig return line 2 to the position of the third worker 203. The third worker 203 cleans up any debris remaining during trimming. The third worker 203 also applies a release agent to the jig 20. The debris cleaning operation and the release agent application operation may be configured to be performed automatically by a robot. Thereafter, the jig 20 is further conveyed along the jig return line 2 to the position of the conveying device 107. The conveying device 107 performs an exchange operation for the jig 20 according to the type of object 10. When an exchange operation is required, the conveying device 107 grasps the jig 20 and moves it from the jig return line 2 to the outside of the line, and then moves another jig from the outside of the line to the jig return line 2. Thereafter, the jig 20 is transported along the jig return line 2 to the start position (entrance) of the molding line 1 where the object 10 is placed on the jig 20. Thereafter, the same operation is repeated.

[0019] 1, a vacuum pump 301 is disposed in a pump chamber 31. The vacuum pump 301 is connected to a vacuum laminating device 103, and under the control of a control device 302, creates a vacuum in a predetermined space inside the vacuum laminating device 103. The control device 302 is disposed in a control room 32. An operator (not shown) monitors the control of the entire production line by the control device 302 in the control room 32.

[0020] 1, the air supply device 401 supplies air into the dust removal area A and the attachment area B so that the pressure therein becomes positive relative to atmospheric pressure. The exhaust device 402 exhausts air so that the pressure in the removal area C becomes negative relative to atmospheric pressure. The space where the first worker 201 is located is fluidically connected to the dust removal area A. Similarly, the dust removal area A and the attachment area B are fluidically connected, the attachment area B is fluidically connected to the removal area C, and the removal area C is fluidically connected to the space where the transport device 106 is located. The dust removal area A and the attachment area B are separated by a partition 50, but are fluidically connected spatially.

[0021] <Control device configuration> Next, an example of the configuration of the control device according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 2. The control device 302 includes a pressure control unit 3021, a bonding operation control unit 3022, a vacuum control unit 3023, a transport operation control unit 3024, a dust removal operation control unit 3025, and a removal operation control unit 3026. The control device 302 is operated by one or more central processing units (CPUs), which read and execute computer programs stored in one or more memories (not shown), thereby performing various operations. In addition, the control device 302 may include a display unit such as a liquid crystal display, an alarm unit such as a speaker, and an input unit such as a keyboard or switches. An operator in the control room 32 may be configured to monitor the status of the production line via these units and to stop the operation of the line depending on the situation.

[0022] The pressure control unit 3021 controls the operation of the air supply device 401 and / or the exhaust device 402 to control the pressure in each of the spaces of the dust removal area A, the attachment area B, and the removal area C. In this embodiment, the pressure control unit 3021 controls the air supply device 401 to supply clean air from the outside into the dust removal area A and the attachment area B, controlling the pressure in these areas to be positive. Air in the clean room is discharged along the molding line 1 from the dust removal area A to the upstream side of the line (the side of the first worker 201) through an opening (not shown) at the entrance of the dust removal area A for transporting the objects 10. Furthermore, air in the clean room is discharged along the molding line 1 from the attachment area B to the downstream side of the line (the side of the removal area C) through an opening (not shown) between the areas B and C for transporting the objects 10. This allows the interiors of the dust removal area A and the attachment area B to be formed as clean rooms.

[0023] The pressure control unit 3021 also controls the exhaust device 402 to exhaust air so that the pressure in the removal area C becomes negative relative to atmospheric pressure. Therefore, air flows along the molding line 1 from the attachment area B to the downstream side of the line (the side of the removal area C) through an opening (not shown) between areas B and C for transporting the objects 10. Air also flows along the molding line 1 from the space where the transport device 106 is located to the upstream side of the line (the side of the removal area C) through an opening (not shown) on the outlet side of area C for transporting the objects 10.

[0024] The bonding operation control unit 3022 controls the vacuum bonding device 103 to control the bonding operation of the film 35. Specifically, it performs an operation of unwinding and extending the film 35 on the object 10 that has been slid into the vacuum bonding device 103. The bonding operation control unit 3022 further controls the lowering of a chamber (not shown) with the film 35 extending outward, and the vacuum control unit 3023 creates a vacuum inside the vacuum bonding device 103 and performs a heating process. The vacuum control unit 3023 controls the vacuum pump 301 to control the pressure inside the vacuum bonding device 103 and create a vacuum. As mentioned above, the order of the vacuum operation and the heating operation is not limited. This completes the bonding operation of the film 35. The chamber is then raised, and the object 10 with the film 35 attached slides out of the vacuum bonding device 103.

[0025] The conveying operation control unit 3024 controls various conveying operations. The conveying operation control unit 3024 controls the operation of the conveying device 101 to grip the object 10 and move it to the start point of the molding line 1 (the point where the first worker 201 works = the entrance of the molding line 1). The conveying operation control unit 3024 also controls the operation of a belt conveyor device (not shown) provided in at least a part of the molding line 1 and the jig return line 2. The conveying operation control unit 3024 also controls the operations of the conveying device 106 and the conveying device 107. The dust removal operation control unit 3025 controls the operation of the dust removal device 102. The removal operation control unit 3026 controls the operations of the removal devices 104 and 105.

[0026] <Processing> Next, the procedure for the film forming process in the production line according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart in Fig. 3. It is assumed that the pressures in the dust removal area A, the attachment area B, and the removal area C are controlled as described with reference to Fig. 1.

[0027] In S301, the transport operation control unit 3024 controls the transport device 101 to grip the object 10 placed on the cart 30, move it to the start position (entrance) of the molding line 1, and place it on the jig 20 that has been transported to that position. The first worker 201 checks whether the object 10 is properly placed on the jig 20, and adjusts it if there is any misalignment. The first worker 201 also manually wipes the object 10 placed on the jig 20 to degrease it.

[0028] In S302, the transport operation control unit 3024 controls a belt conveyor device (not shown) to transport the jig 20 on which the object 10 is placed into the dust removal area A. Note that the device used here is not limited to a belt conveyor device, and may be a roller conveyor, a linear conveyor, a roller top conveyor, or the like. In S303, the dust removal operation control unit 3025 controls the dust removal device 102 to perform a cleaning operation. In S304, the transport operation control unit 3024 controls the belt conveyor device (not shown) to transport the jig 20 on which the object 10 is placed into the joining area B, and further transports it into the vacuum joining device 103 (slide-in).

[0029] In S305, the bonding operation control unit 3022 controls the vacuum bonding device 103, and the vacuum control unit 3023 controls the vacuum pump 301 to perform the bonding operation of the film 35. In S306, the transport operation control unit 3024 controls the belt conveyor device (not shown) to transport the jig 20 on which the object 10 is placed out of the vacuum bonding device 103 (slide out).

[0030] In S307, the transport operation control unit 3024 controls a belt conveyor device (not shown) to transport the jig 20 (after the film 35 has been attached) on which the object 10 is placed into the removal area C. In S308, the removal operation control unit 3026 controls the removal device 104 to trim the film 35 attached to the object 10 placed on the jig 20, thereby removing the unnecessary film.

[0031] In S309, the transport operation control unit 3024 controls a belt conveyor device (not shown) to transport the jig 2010 on which the target object 10 trimmed by the removal device 104 is placed to the removal device 105. In S310, the removal operation control unit 3026 controls the removal device 105 to perform a recovery operation of peeling off the film scraps trimmed by the removal device 104, grabbing them, and placing them in a waste box.

[0032] In S311, the transport operation control unit 3024 controls a belt conveyor device (not shown) to transport the jig 20 on which the target object 10 has been placed after removal by the removal device 104 and the removal device 105 to the position where the second worker 202 is located. The second worker 202 manually peels off any film scraps that could not be completely removed by the removal device 105 to clean the jig. The second worker 202 also visually checks the quality and performs repair work, etc., as necessary.

[0033] In S312, the transport operation control unit 3024 controls a belt conveyor device (not shown) to transport the jig 20 on which the target object 10 is placed to the outside of the removal area C. In S313, the transport operation control unit 3024 controls the transport device 106 to grip the target object 10 with the film 35 attached that has reached the end position (exit) of the molding line 1 and transport it onto the cart 40.

[0034] In S314, the transport operation control unit 3024 controls the belt conveyor device (not shown) to move the jig 20 from the molding line 1 to the jig return line 2, and transport it to the position where the third worker 203 is located. The third worker 203 cleans up the dust remaining after the removal operations by the removal device 104 and the removal device 105. The third worker 203 also applies a release agent to the jig 20. The dust cleaning operation and the release agent application operation may be configured to be performed automatically by a robot.

[0035] In S315, the transport operation control unit 3024 controls a belt conveyor device (not shown) to transport the jig 20 along the jig return line 2 to the position of the transport device 107.

[0036] In S316, the transport operation control unit 3024 controls the transport device 107 to perform an operation of replacing the jig 20 in accordance with the type of the target object 10. For example, when the target object 10 is changed from a front bumper to a rear bumper, the jig for the front bumper is replaced with a jig for the rear bumper. Note that if replacement of the jig 20 is not necessary, this step is skipped.

[0037] In S317, the transport operation control unit 3024 controls a belt conveyor device (not shown) to transport the jig 20 to the start position (entrance) of the molding line 1.

[0038] In S318, the conveying operation control unit 3024 determines whether or not to end the series of processes. For example, it can determine that the processes are to end when the film forming process for a specified number of objects 10 is completed. If this step is Yes, the processes are ended. On the other hand, if this step is No, the process returns to S301 and the processes are repeated. This completes the series of processes in FIG. 3.

[0039] As described above, according to this embodiment, a film forming apparatus is provided which includes a forming line for transporting an object placed on a jig, performing a cleaning operation to clean the object, an attachment operation to attach a film to the object after the cleaning operation, and a removal operation to remove a portion of the film attached to the object after the attachment operation, and a jig return line for returning a jig used in this forming line from the exit to the entrance of the forming line.

[0040] This makes it possible to efficiently decorate the object, and to realize efficient film formation.

[0041] [Modification of the first embodiment] In the above-described first embodiment, the dust removal device 102 has been described as a dust removal device that performs a cleaning operation by sucking in dust. However, the dust removal device 102 may also be a dust removal device that performs a cleaning operation by blowing away dust (e.g., an anti-static air blower). In this case, the dust removal area A and the attachment area B are separated by a partition 50, and the interior of the attachment area B is formed to be a clean room. An opening is provided along the molding line 1 between the dust removal area A and the attachment area B, and the interior of the attachment area B is fluidly connected along the molding line 1. The pressure in the attachment area B is controlled to be positive relative to atmospheric pressure by the operation of the air supply device 401 in the attachment area B, and a separate exhaust device (not shown) is provided in the dust removal area A to control the pressure in the dust removal area A to be negative relative to atmospheric pressure. As a result, the dust removal area A is under negative pressure, the attachment area B is under positive pressure, and the removal area C is under negative pressure, so that the interior of the attachment area B can be formed as a clean room. Alternatively, the entire area including the dust removal area A and the attachment area B in Figure 1 may be configured as one clean room (one attachment area), and the dust removal device 102 may be located outside these areas (for example, at a position further upstream in the line than the dust removal area A in Figure 1).

[0042] (Embodiment 2) In the first embodiment, a film forming apparatus including one forming line and one jig return line is described. In contrast, in the present embodiment, a film forming apparatus including two forming lines and one jig return line is described. By sharing the jig return line, space saving and cost reduction can be achieved. In this embodiment, too, the object to which the film is to be attached is described as the front bumper or rear bumper of a vehicle (e.g., a four-wheeled vehicle), but the object is similarly not limited to these, and the present invention can be applied to a variety of objects.

[0043] <Overall configuration of the production line> 4 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a film forming apparatus according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, two forming lines share one jig return line. The basic configuration is the same as that described with reference to FIG. 1 in embodiment 1. However, in this embodiment, a pump chamber 61 and a vacuum pump 601 are disposed between the first forming line 1 and the second forming line 3, and a control chamber 62 and a control device 602 are disposed between the first forming line 1 and the second forming line 3.

[0044] The jig return line 4 according to this embodiment is provided between the molding line 1 and the molding line 3, passing through a position higher than the pump chamber 61 and the control chamber 62. That is, the jig return line 4 is provided between the molding line 1 and the molding line 3, at a height higher than the height at which the molding line 1 and the molding line 3 are provided. Therefore, when the jig 20 is moved from the end position (exit) 501 of the molding line 1 to the position 503, the jig 20 is raised by an elevator device (not shown). Also, when the jig 20 is moved from the end position (exit) 502 of the molding line 3 to the position 503, the jig 20 is raised by an elevator device (not shown). The jig 20 transferred from the molding line 1 or the jig 20 transferred from the molding line 3 is raised by one elevator device.

[0045] Furthermore, the jig 20 transported to position 504 along the jig return line 4 is moved to the start position (entrance) 505 of molding line 1 or the start position (entrance) 506 of molding line 3. At this time, the jig 20 is lowered by an elevator device (not shown). One elevator device is used to lower the jig 20 to be transported to molding line 1 or the jig 20 to be transported to molding line 3.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 4, molding line 1 is provided with a conveying device 101a, a dust removal device 102a, a vacuum bonding device 103a, a remover 104a, a remover 105a, a conveying device 106a, etc. Similarly to the first embodiment, a dust removal area A, a bonding area B, and a removal area C are provided. Furthermore, molding line 3 is provided with a conveying device 101b, a dust removal device 102b, a vacuum bonding device 103b, a remover 104b, a remover 105b, a conveying device 106b, etc., so as to be symmetrical with respect to the jig return line 4. Similarly to the first embodiment, a dust removal area D, a bonding area E, and a removal area F are provided. In FIG. 4, molding line 1 and molding line 3 are configured to be symmetrical with respect to the jig return line 4, and conveying device 107 is shared between the two molding lines. Operators are also similarly arranged. Of course, a completely symmetrical arrangement is not required, and partial asymmetrical arrangement is also acceptable.

[0047] In this way, by sharing the pump chamber 61, the control chamber 62, the elevator (not shown), and the transport device 107 between the two molding lines, the manufacturing cost of the entire production line can be reduced, and space can be saved.

[0048] <Control device configuration> Next, a configuration example of the control device 602 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 5. As in the first embodiment, the control device 602 includes a pressure control unit 6021, a bonding operation control unit 6022, a vacuum control unit 6023, a conveying operation control unit 6024, a dust removal operation control unit 6025, and a removing operation control unit 6026.

[0049] The pressure control unit 6021 controls the operation of the air supply device 401a and / or the exhaust device 402a to control the pressure in each of the spaces between the dust removal area A, the attachment area B, and the removal area C. The details of the control are the same as those in embodiment 1. The pressure control unit 6021 also controls the operation of the air supply device 401b and / or the exhaust device 402b to control the pressure in each of the spaces between the dust removal area D, the attachment area E, and the removal area F. The pressures in the dust removal area D, the attachment area E, and the removal area F are controlled in the same way as the pressures in the dust removal area A, the attachment area B, and the removal area C, respectively.

[0050] The bonding operation control unit 6022 controls the vacuum bonding device 103a and the vacuum bonding device 103b to control the bonding operation of the film 35 in each of the molding lines 1 and 3. The details of the control are the same as those in embodiment 1. The vacuum control unit 6023 controls the vacuum pump 601 to create a vacuum state inside the vacuum bonding device 103a or the vacuum bonding device 103b so that the bonding operation in molding line 1 or the bonding operation in molding line 3 is performed in a vacuum state. The details of the control are the same as those in embodiment 1.

[0051] The conveying operation control unit 6024 controls various conveying operations. The conveying operation control unit 6024 controls the operation of the conveying device 101a to grip the object 10 and move it to the start point (entrance) of the molding line 1. The conveying operation control unit 6024 also controls the operation of the conveying device 101b to grip the object 10 and move it to the start point (entrance) of the molding line 3. The conveying operation control unit 6024 also controls the operation of belt conveyor devices (not shown) provided in at least a part of the molding line 1, the molding line 3, and the jig return line 4. The conveying operation control unit 6024 also controls the operations of the conveying devices 106a, 106b, and 107. The details of the control are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0052] The dust removal operation control unit 6025 controls the operations of the dust removers 102a and 102b. The details of the control are the same as those in embodiment 1. The removal operation control unit 6026 controls the operations of the removers 104a, 104b, 105a, and 105b. The details of the control are the same as those in embodiment 1.

[0053] <Production line control> In this embodiment, two molding lines (molding line 1 and molding line 3) share one vacuum pump 301. That is, the vacuum pump 601 used in the joining operation of molding line 1 is also used in the joining operation of molding line 3. Therefore, the vacuum control unit 6023 according to this embodiment controls the vacuum pump 601 so that the timing of the joining operation of molding line 1 differs from the timing of the joining operation of molding line 3. In this way, by configuring the vacuum joining device 103a and the vacuum joining device 103b to operate alternately, for example, an efficient joining operation can be achieved using one vacuum pump. Furthermore, by differing the timing of the joining operation between the molding lines, the timing at which the jig 20 is transported from each molding line to position 503 can be differentiated. This makes it possible to shorten the takt time. This also makes it possible to improve production efficiency.

[0054] Here, with reference to FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b), an example of vacuum pump control according to this embodiment will be described. FIG. 6(a) shows a control example without alternating control, and FIG. 6(b) shows a control example with alternating control. The following description will be given assuming a molding operation cycle time of 2 minutes. Also, the power consumption of one vacuum pump is assumed to be 0.75 kW. As shown in FIG. 6(a), without alternating vacuum control, a vacuum pump corresponding to each of the vacuum laminating devices 103a and 103b must be provided. In this case, the power consumption of two vacuum pumps is equivalent to 1.5 kW in total. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6(b), with alternating vacuum control as in this embodiment, one vacuum pump 601 is alternately operated for each of the vacuum laminating devices 103a and 103b. For example, the vacuum control unit 6023 controls the vacuum pump 601 to evacuate the inside of the vacuum laminating device 103a between 0 and 1 minute from the reference time, evacuate the inside of the vacuum laminating device 103b between 1 and 2 minutes, and evacuate the inside of the vacuum laminating device 103a again between 2 and 3 minutes. This reduces the power consumption of the vacuum pumps and increases their operating rate. Furthermore, the number of pumps can be reduced, resulting in cost savings.

[0055] As described above, in this embodiment, the pump chamber 61 (vacuum pump 601), control chamber 62 (control device 602), elevator (not shown), and conveying device 107 are shared between the two molding lines, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the entire production line. Furthermore, by varying the operation timing of the vacuum laminating device in each molding line, efficient laminating operations can be achieved, shortening takt time and improving production efficiency. Therefore, it becomes possible to efficiently decorate objects and realize efficient film molding.

[0056] Furthermore, by arranging the jig return line 4 above the pump chamber 61 and the control chamber 62, the required area (space) of the entire production line can be reduced. Therefore, it is possible to provide a compact production line in a limited site area.

[0057] [Modification of the second embodiment] In the second embodiment, an example has been described in which the height of the jig return line 4 is located above the height of the molding line 1 and the molding line 3, but this is not limiting. As in the first embodiment, the height of the jig return line 4 may be the same as the height of the molding line 1 and the molding line 3. In this case, for example, the jig return line 4 may be provided between the molding line 1 and the pump chamber 61 and the control chamber 62. Alternatively, the jig return line 4 may be provided between the molding line 3 and the pump chamber 61 and the control chamber 62.

[0058] In addition, in the second embodiment, an example in which a vacuum pump is shared between two molding lines has been described, but the object of sharing is not limited to a vacuum pump. A heating operation is also performed inside the vacuum laminating device, and the power source for heating the heater (not shown) inside each vacuum laminating device may be shared between the two molding lines.

[0059] Here, with reference to FIGS. 7(a) and 7(b), an example of heater control according to this embodiment will be described. FIG. 7(a) shows a control example without alternating control, and FIG. 7(b) shows a control example with alternating control. The explanation will be given for a case where the cycle time of the molding operation is 2 minutes. It is also assumed that the power consumption of one heater is 0.5 kW. As shown in FIG. 7(a), without alternating control, power must be supplied to both the heater of vacuum bonding device 103a and the heater of vacuum bonding device 103b. In this case, the power consumption of the power supply is for two devices, totaling 1.0 kW. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 7(b), with alternating control, power is supplied alternately to the heater of vacuum bonding device 103a and the heater of vacuum bonding device 103b. For example, the bonding operation control unit 6022 controls the power supply (not shown) included in the control device 602 to heat the inside of the vacuum bonding device 103a from 0 to 1 minute after the reference time, heat the inside of the vacuum bonding device 103b from 1 to 2 minutes, and heat the inside of the vacuum bonding device 103a again from 2 to 3 minutes. In this case, the power consumption of the power supply is 0.5 kW. This reduces the power consumption of the power supply while increasing the operating rate of the power supply. Furthermore, since a high-output power supply is not required, costs can be reduced.

[0060] The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 1, 3: molding line, 2, 4: jig return line, 10: object, 20: jig, 30, 40: cart, 35: film, 50: partition, 101: conveying device, 102: dust removal device, 103: vacuum laminating device, 104, 105: removal device, 106: conveying device, 107: conveying device, 301: vacuum pump, 302: control device, 3021: pressure control unit, 3022: laminating operation control unit, 3023: vacuum control unit, 3024: conveying operation control unit, 3025: dust removal operation control unit, 3026: removal operation control unit

Claims

1. a first molding line for carrying out a cleaning operation of transporting an object placed on a jig and cleaning the object, a bonding operation of bonding a film to the object after the cleaning operation, and a removal operation of removing a portion of the film bonded to the object after the bonding operation; a second molding line disposed along the first molding line for carrying an object placed on a jig and performing a cleaning operation for cleaning the object, a bonding operation for bonding a film to the object after the cleaning operation, and a removal operation for removing a portion of the film bonded to the object after the bonding operation; a jig return line for returning the jigs used in the first molding line and the jigs used in the second molding line from an outlet of the first molding line or an outlet of the second molding line to an inlet of the first molding line or an inlet of the second molding line; A film forming apparatus comprising:

2. 2. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the jig return line is disposed between the first forming line and the second forming line.

3. 3. The film forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first forming line and the second forming line are arranged symmetrically with respect to the jig return line.

4. 2. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the jig return line is disposed at a height higher than that at which the first forming line and the second forming line are disposed.

5. 2. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the jig return line is disposed at the same height as the first forming line and the second forming line.

6. 2. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising vacuum control means for controlling the joining operation of the first forming line or the joining operation of the second forming line so that the joining operation is performed in a vacuum state.

7. a first vacuum laminating device that performs the laminating operation in the first molding line; a second vacuum laminating device that performs the laminating operation in the second molding line, 7. The film forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the vacuum control means controls one of the first vacuum laminating device and the second vacuum laminating device to be in a vacuum state.

8. 2. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a vacuum pump used in the joining operation of the first forming line is also used in the joining operation of the second forming line.

9. 2. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the timing at which the joining operation is performed on the first forming line is different from the timing at which the joining operation is performed on the second forming line.

10. The film forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the timing at which the film heating operation is performed during the joining operation of the first forming line is different from the timing at which the film heating operation is performed during the joining operation of the second forming line.

Images