Spring hair implantation method and spring hair implantation system

Abstract

To provide a spring hair implantation method and a spring hair implantation system capable of shortening a transport path for drying. [Solution] The method for implanting hair into springs according to the present invention comprises the following steps: a first step of attaching a spring to a conveyor moving along a transport path; a second step of moving the spring to an adhesive application section on the transport path and applying adhesive to the spring by electrostatic coating; a third step of moving the spring to an electrostatic hair implantation section on the transport path and implanting hair into the area of ​​the spring where the adhesive has been applied by electrostatic hair implantation; a fourth step of moving the spring to a primary drying section on the transport path and performing primary drying on the implanted spring; and a fifth step of removing the spring from the conveyor, placing it in a secondary drying section, and performing secondary drying in the secondary drying section for a longer period of time than the primary drying.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a spring implantation method and a spring implantation system. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a method for implanting hair onto springs, in which adhesive is applied to the springs while they are being transported by a conveyor chain, the hair is implanted, dried, and removed, and after the hair is removed, the springs are removed from the conveyor and packaged. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2021-510359 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the hair implantation method described in the above document, the springs are dried while still attached to the conveyor. However, since it takes time to fully dry the adhesive, it is necessary to extend the conveyance path for drying. Therefore, the hair implantation method described in the above document has the problem of requiring space to ensure a conveyance path for drying.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve this problem, and aims to provide a spring hair implantation method and a spring hair implantation system that can shorten the transport path for drying. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] Item 1. A first step of attaching a spring to a conveyor that moves along a transport path; a second step of moving the spring to an adhesive application section on the transport path and applying adhesive to the spring by electrostatic coating; a third step of moving the spring to an electrostatic flocking unit on the transport path and flocking the spring in the area where the adhesive is applied by electrostatic flocking; a fourth step of moving the spring to a primary drying section on the transport path and performing primary drying of the flocked spring; a fifth step of removing the spring from the conveyor, placing the spring in a secondary drying section, and performing secondary drying in the secondary drying section for a longer time than the primary drying; A spring hair implantation method comprising:

[0007] Item 2. In the fifth step, The plurality of springs removed from the conveyor are placed on a moving device; After the moving device is placed in the secondary drying section, the secondary drying is performed while the plurality of springs remain placed in the moving device. Item 1. A method for implanting hair into a spring.

[0008] Item 3. The method further includes a sixth step of removing the spring after the secondary drying is completed from the secondary drying unit and removing hair. Item 1 or 2. A spring hair implantation method.

[0009] Item 4. In the sixth step, The excess hair attached to the spring is removed by at least one of a brush and air, and the removed hair is collected by suction. Item 3. A spring hair implantation method according to item 3.

[0010] Item 5. In the sixth step, hair removal is performed by a hair removal device, The hair removal device comprises: A cylindrical brush; a drive unit that rotates the brush around an axis; a holding portion that holds the spring so as to contact the brush; an air supply unit that blows air onto the spring held by the brush by the holding unit; Equipped with Item 3 or 4. A spring hair implantation method.

[0011] Item 6. Prior to the first step, a mounting tool is attached to the spring; In the first step, the attachment tool is attached to the conveyor. Item 6. A spring hair implantation method according to any one of items 1 to 5.

[0012] Item 7. In the first step, the attachment tool is attached to the conveyor by a first moving mechanism; In the fifth step, the second moving mechanism removes the attachment from the conveyor and places it on a moving device, and then the moving device is placed in the secondary drying section, and the secondary drying is performed with the spring still placed in the moving device. Item 7. A spring hair implantation method according to any one of items 1 to 6.

[0013] Item 8. After the fifth step, remove the transfer device from the secondary drying section; a third moving mechanism detaching the attachment from the moving device and moving it to a hair removal device; Hair removal is performed using the hair removal device. Item 7. A spring hair implantation method according to item 7.

[0014] Item 9. The adhesive application unit is provided with at least one discharge device that discharges adhesive, the dispensing device is configured to dispense the adhesive onto the spring while moving in the axial direction of the spring, and to dispense the adhesive from a plurality of positions around the axis. Item 9. A spring hair implantation method according to any one of items 1 to 8.

[0015] Item 10. After the fourth step, the seventh step of applying the paint to the spring by contacting the spring with an identification paint is further provided. Item 10. A spring hair implantation method according to any one of items 1 to 9.

[0016] Item 11. A conveyor that moves along a conveying path and conveys springs; an adhesive application unit that is disposed on the transport path and applies adhesive to the springs by electrostatic coating; an electrostatic flocking unit disposed on the transport path and configured to electrostatically flock the spring in the area where the adhesive is applied; a primary drying section disposed on the transport path for primarily drying the flocked springs; a secondary drying section that performs secondary drying on the springs removed from the transport conveyor for a longer period of time than the primary drying; Equipped with a spring hair transplant system. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the present invention, the transport path for drying can be shortened. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view showing the schematic configuration of a spring hair implantation system according to one embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a front view showing a state in which the hook is attached to the spring. [Figure 3] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an operation of placing springs on a conveyor by a spring supply unit. [Figure 4] 10A and 10B are a front view and a plan view showing an operation for applying adhesive in the adhesive application unit. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are a front view and a plan view showing an operation for applying adhesive in the adhesive application unit. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a view of the electrostatic flocking portion as seen from the direction of movement of the spring. [Figure 7] FIG. [Figure 8] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating movement of the hook and the spring from the conveyor to the transfer section. [Figure 9] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating movement of the hook and the spring from the transfer unit to the cart. [Figure 10] FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. [Figure 12] 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the operation of the spring after hair removal. FIG. [Figure 13] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating movement of the spring from the carriage to the transfer section. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a holder of the transfer unit that has transitioned to a second mode. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] <1. Overview of the hair transplant system> An embodiment of a spring hair implantation system and a spring hair implantation method according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the schematic configuration of the spring hair implantation system. As shown in FIG. 1, this hair implantation system is a system for implanting hairs on metal springs 10, and includes a spring supply unit 1, a static electricity removal and dust removal unit 2, an adhesive application unit 3, an electrostatic hair implantation unit 4, a primary drying unit 5, and a marking unit 6, as well as a conveyor 7 that circulates between these units. The conveyor 7 is configured to suspend the springs 10 at predetermined intervals along its entire length, and unprocessed springs 10 are placed on the conveyor 7 by the spring supply unit 1 just before the static electricity removal and dust removal unit 2.

[0020] Then, the springs 10 that have been processed in each section are taken down from the conveyor 7 at the transfer section 8 just before the static electricity removal and dust removal section 2. The springs 10 taken down from the conveyor 7 are transferred to a cart 9 at the transfer section 8, and then carried by an operator to the secondary drying section 110 for secondary drying. After secondary drying, the springs 10 are carried by the cart 9 to the hair removal section 120, where excess hair is removed. After hair removal, the springs 10 are inspected in the inspection section 130 and then packaged in the packaging section 140. Each section will be described in detail below.

[0021] <1-1. Conveyor> The conveyor 7 includes a conveyor line 71 extending through the static elimination and dust removal section 2, adhesive application section 3, electrostatic flocking section 4, primary drying section 5, and marking section 6, and a plurality of conveyor hooks 72 that move along the conveyor line 71. The conveyor hooks 72 are transported by a chain or the like that is provided on the conveyor line 71. As will be described later, a hook 100 attached to a spring 10 is hooked onto the conveyor hook 72. As a result, the conveyor hook 72 is configured to circulate through the static elimination and dust removal section 2, adhesive application section 3, electrostatic flocking section 4, primary drying section 5, and marking section 6 while suspending the spring 10.

[0022] <1-2. Spring supply section> The spring supply unit (first moving mechanism) 1 is provided near the static electricity removal / dust removal unit 2. Prior to supplying a spring 10 to the spring supply unit 1, an operator attaches a hook (attachment) 100 to the axial end of the spring 10, as shown in FIG. 2. U-shaped engagement portions 101 and 102 are provided at the upper and lower ends of the hook 100, respectively, and the engagement portion 101 on the lower end side is engaged with the upper end of the spring 10. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the engagement portion 102 on the upper end side is hooked onto a supply tool 11 provided on the spring supply unit 1. The supply tool 11 is formed in the shape of a rod extending horizontally, and a spiral groove is formed on its surface.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 3, when the supply tool 11 is rotated around its axis by a motor (not shown), the hook 100 hooked onto the supply tool 11 moves axially along the groove. The end of the supply tool 11 is arranged close to the conveyor line 71. As a result, when the spring 10 moves to the end of the supply tool 11 and then releases from the end of the supply tool 11, the engaging portion 102 of the hook 100 of the spring 10 is hooked onto the conveyor hook 72. In this way, the spring 10 is transferred from the spring supply unit 1 to the conveyor 7 and transported by the conveyor 7. At this time, the spring 10 is transported while suspended from the conveyor 7 with its axial direction facing vertically.

[0024] <1-3. Static elimination dust removal section> As shown in FIG. 1, springs 10 suspended from a conveyor 7 pass through a static elimination / dust removal unit 2. The static elimination / dust removal unit 2 has a processing chamber 21 and a static elimination / dust removal device 22 provided within the processing chamber 21. As the static elimination / dust removal device 22, for example, a known ionizer can be used. The ionizer sprays positive ions and negative ions onto the springs 10, thereby neutralizing the potential on the surface of the springs 10. Furthermore, dust adhering to the springs 10 is removed by spraying the ions. Note that multiple ionizers can be used to spray ions onto the springs 10 from different directions.

[0025] <1-4. Adhesive application section> As shown in FIG. 1, the adhesive application unit 3 is a processing unit for electrostatically applying adhesive to the springs 10, and includes a processing chamber 31 and a coating gun 32 provided within the processing chamber 31. Each coating gun 32 is a device that sprays adhesive onto the springs 10, and as shown in FIG. 4(b), is disposed to the side (for example, on the right) of the direction of travel of the springs 10. The coating gun 32 is configured so that its orientation relative to the springs 10 can be changed and it can reciprocate parallel to the direction of travel of the springs 10. The coating gun 32 is also configured to reciprocate up and down.

[0026] To electrostatically coat the adhesive, the spring 10 is grounded and the coating gun 32 is connected to the negative pole. That is, the spring 10 is grounded by being connected to the conveyor body 71 via the hook 100 and the conveyor hook 72. When a high voltage is applied between the two, an electrostatic field is generated. In addition, the adhesive discharged from the coating gun 32 is negatively charged, so that it adheres to the entire surface of the spring 10. The type of adhesive is not particularly limited, but examples that can be used include thermosetting acrylic adhesives, urethane adhesives, etc.

[0027] Next, a method for applying adhesive will be described. When the spring 10 enters the processing chamber 31, the coating gun 32 is moved in the direction of spring advancement at the same speed as the spring 10 while discharging adhesive. In the initial state, as shown in FIG. 4(a), the coating gun 32 is positioned near the lower end of the spring 10 and discharges adhesive upward. Next, the coating gun 32 is moved near the upper end of the spring 10 and discharges adhesive downward. The coating gun 32 then returns to near the lower end of the spring. This applies adhesive from the upper end to the lower end of the spring 10. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4(b), by changing the orientation of the coating gun 32 relative to the spring 10 after the coating gun 32 has reciprocated up and down, adhesive can be applied to the spring 10 from multiple directions.

[0028] Next, as shown in FIG. 5(b), a tool installed on the conveyor line 71 rotates the conveyor hook 72 180 degrees vertically, so that the left side, which is not coated with adhesive, faces the right side. Once the rotation of the spring 10 is complete, as shown in FIG. 5(a), the coating gun 32 is reciprocated up and down, and adhesive is applied to the uncoated portion using the procedure described above. Once the coating gun 32 moves downward, it is moved to the opposite side of the direction of travel and placed in standby at its initial position. Thereafter, when the next spring 10 enters the processing chamber 31, adhesive is applied using the process described above. Through the above process, for example, a thickness of adhesive of 10 to 150 μm can be applied to the surface of the spring.

[0029] <1-5. Electrostatic flocking section> As shown in FIG. 1, the electrostatic hair implantation unit 4 is a treatment unit for implanting hair onto springs 10 coated with adhesive. It includes a treatment chamber 41 and a pair of electrode units 42 arranged within the treatment chamber 41. As shown in FIG. 6, each electrode unit 42 is arranged on either side of the spring 10 in the direction of travel, with multiple linear electrodes extending vertically within a rectangular frame. A negative electrode is connected to the electrode of each electrode unit 42. Meanwhile, the spring 10 is connected to the conveyor body 71 as described above and is thus grounded. When a high voltage is applied between the two electrodes, an electrostatic field is generated. Hair (short fibers) for implantation are housed in a storage unit (not shown) on the bottom side of the treatment chamber 41. The storage unit has an opening on the spring side. The hair for implantation in the storage unit is scattered within the treatment chamber 41 using known techniques, such as air or a scattering electrode. As a result, the hairs housed in the storage unit 42 fly toward the spring 10 and adhere to the surface of the spring 10 coated with adhesive. It should be noted that the spring 10 can be rotated around its axis while the electrostatic flocking is being performed, thereby making the flocking more uniform.

[0030] The length of the bristles may be, for example, 0.3 to 1.2 mm, and the fineness of the bristles may be, for example, 1 to 10 dtex. There are no particular restrictions on the material of the bristles, and examples that can be used include nylon and polyester.

[0031] <1-6.Primary drying section> The spring 10, which has been electrostatically flocked, enters the primary drying unit 5. As shown in FIG. 1, the primary drying unit 5 includes a processing chamber 51 and multiple heaters (not shown) disposed within the processing chamber 51. As the spring 10 passes through the processing chamber 51, the adhesive dries and the bristles are fixed to the spring 10. However, because this processing is the primary drying, the adhesive does not completely dry; instead, the solvent contained in the adhesive is primarily evaporated. This ensures that the adhesive is dried to a degree that minimizes peeling and detachment of the bristles from the adhesive, at least until the spring 10 moves to the secondary drying unit 120. Therefore, to that extent, the heater temperature and the time the spring 10 passes through the primary drying unit 5 are not particularly limited and can be, for example, 60 to 200°C and 3 to 10 minutes. However, these are merely examples and may vary depending on the type of spring 10 and adhesive.

[0032] <1-7. Marking section> The springs 10 exiting the primary drying section 5 are cooled before reaching the marking section 6. For example, if the marking process described below were performed on the warm springs 10, the adhesive or flocking may peel off or become deformed. However, by cooling the springs in this manner, such defects can be prevented. In the marking section 6, various colors of paint are applied to identify the springs 10 to indicate their type. As shown in FIG. 7 , the marking section 6 includes a roller 61 that carries the paint and a container 62 that contains the paint. The roller 61 is rotatable by a horizontally extending rotation shaft, and a recess 611, such as a flat groove, is formed on the surface of the roller 61 and extends circumferentially. The recess 611 has an arc-shaped cross section and contains the paint. The container 62 is box-shaped with an opening at the top and contains the paint. The lower part of the roller 61 is immersed in the paint in the container 62. This allows the paint to accumulate in the recess 611 of the roller 61.

[0033] In the marking section 6, the spring 10 passes so that its lower end contacts the upper end of the roller 61. This causes paint to be applied to the lower end of the spring 10. At this time, the spring 10 passes while contacting the upper end of the roller 61, causing the roller 61 to rotate, and the recess 611 where the paint has accumulated moves upward. This allows paint to be applied to the next spring 10 to be conveyed.

[0034] <1-8. Delivery section> Next, the transfer unit (second movement mechanism) 8 will be described. As shown in FIG. 8, the spring 10 that has passed the marking unit 6 is lowered from the conveyor hook 72 of the conveyor 7 by the transfer unit 8 just before the static electricity removal and dust removal unit 2. The transfer unit 8 has a pressing unit 81 that presses the conveyor hook 72, and a transport tool 82 onto which the hook 100 of the spring 10 is hooked and which transports the spring 10 to the cart 9. The pressing unit 81 presses the conveyor hook 72 during transport, tilting the conveyor hook 72. This causes the hook 100 of the spring 10 to detach from the conveyor hook 72. The detached hook 100 is then transferred onto the transport tool 82. After the hook 100 has been removed, the conveyor hook 72 is transported along the conveyor line 71 toward the static electricity removal and dust removal unit 2.

[0035] The transport tool 82 is formed in a rod shape extending diagonally downward toward the cart 9, and has a spiral groove formed on its surface. The transport tool 82 is rotated around its axis by a motor (not shown). This causes the hook 100 to move along the groove to the end on the cart 9 side. It is also possible to have no groove on the transport tool 82, and have the hook 100 slide along the diagonally arranged transport tool 82 to move to the end on the cart 9 side.

[0036] <1-9. Dolly> As shown in FIG. 9, the cart (moving device) 9 has a base 91 and a plurality of supports 92 extending horizontally above the base 91. The supports 92 are supported by a frame (not shown). A plurality of casters 911 are provided on the underside of the base 91, allowing an operator to move the cart 9. Each support 92 is formed in a rod shape that can be hooked by a hook 100, and has a spiral groove formed on its surface. The plurality of supports 92 are also arranged at predetermined intervals in the horizontal direction (in the direction of the paper in FIG. 9). A motor 93 is provided at the end of each support 92, which allows the support 92 to rotate around its axis.

[0037] The hook 100, which has moved to the end of the conveying tool 82 of the transfer section 8 described above, is detached from the conveying tool 82 and then transferred to the support tool 92. Then, the hook 100 transferred to the support tool 92 moves in the axial direction along the groove due to the rotation of the support tool 92. As the hooks 100 are sequentially transferred to the support tool 92, a plurality of springs 10 are suspended from the support tool 92 at predetermined intervals.

[0038] Then, when a predetermined number of springs 10 have been placed on one support 92, the cart 9 is moved and the adjacent support 92 is brought close to the transport device 82 in the transfer section 8. In this manner, the springs 10 are placed on the support 92 in the manner described above. When springs 10 have been placed on all of the support devices 92, the worker moves the cart 9 to the secondary drying section 110.

[0039] <1-10.Secondary drying section> As shown in FIG. 1 , the secondary drying section 110 includes a storage section 111 that stores the carriage 9 and a heater (not shown) provided within the storage section 111. A pair of doors 112 are provided on the front of the storage section 111, and the carriage 9 is moved into the storage section 111 by opening these doors 112. Once the carriage 9 is stored within the storage section 111, the doors 112 are closed to seal the storage section 111, and the heater is activated. This allows the adhesive on the springs 10 placed on the carriage 9 to dry. The heating temperature and heating time are not particularly limited, but the heating time is at least longer than that of the primary drying. Specifically, for example, heating can be performed at 60 to 200°C for 15 to 60 minutes. However, these are merely examples and may vary depending on the type of spring 10 and adhesive. In this way, the adhesive attached to the springs 10 dries.

[0040] <1-11. Hair removal section> The springs 10 dried in the secondary drying section 110 are moved to the hair removal section 120, where hair removal is performed. At this time, the springs 10 are moved to the hair removal section (hair removal device) 120 while being placed on a cart 9, and are supplied to the hair removal section 120 via a delivery section 150 adjacent to the hair removal section 120. Below, the hair removal section 120 will be described first, and then the delivery section 150 will be described.

[0041] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the hair removal unit, and FIG. 11 is a front view of the hair removal unit. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the hair removal unit 120 is a device for removing excess hair that is attached to the spring 10 and is not sufficiently fixed to the spring 10 with adhesive. The hair removal unit 120 has a rectangular parallelepiped housing 121 that is open at the top and front, and a dust collector 122 connected to the housing 121. A table 129 is provided at the front of the housing 121 on which the spring 10 is placed after hair removal. A plurality of suction ports 123 are formed at the bottom of the housing 121 at predetermined intervals along the left-right direction. These suction ports 123 are connected to the dust collector 122. Therefore, hair removed from the spring 10 inside the housing 121 is collected in the dust collector 122 via the suction ports 123.

[0042] A brush roll 124 is provided in the lower part of the housing 121, above the suction port 123. The brush roll 124 is formed in a cylindrical shape with brushes provided on its surface, and is provided with a rotation shaft 125 extending in the left-right direction. A motor (not shown) is connected to the rotation shaft 125. Therefore, when the motor is driven, the brush roll 124 is configured to rotate around the rotation shaft 125. Furthermore, the brush roll 124 is arranged with a gap between it and a rear wall 126 of the housing 121.

[0043] A fall prevention device 127 for preventing the springs 10 is provided above the brush roll 124. The fall prevention device 127 is formed in a rod shape extending horizontally, and the springs 10 are arranged in the space between the fall prevention device 127 and the rear wall 126 of the housing 121 (hereinafter referred to as the arrangement space). That is, the springs 10 are arranged on the brush roll 124 between the fall prevention device (holding portion) 127 and the rear wall (holding portion) 126 of the housing 121 so that the axis of the springs 10 extends horizontally. As a result, when the brush roll 124 rotates, the springs 10 also rotate accordingly, and the surfaces of the springs 10 are rubbed by the brush roll 124. As a result, excess hairs adhering to the surfaces of the springs 10 are removed.

[0044] At this time, the distance between the fall prevention tool 127 and the rear wall 126 of the housing 121 and the vertical position of the fall prevention tool 127 are adjusted so that the spring 10 is held in the arrangement space and rotates.

[0045] Moreover, above the placement space, a plurality of nozzles (air supply units) 128 are provided along the horizontal direction, and air is configured to be sprayed downward from each nozzle 128. The sprayed air is blown onto spring 10, which causes excess hair to flow toward the bottom of housing 121 and be collected by dust collector 122.

[0046] 12, when hair removal is completed, the fall prevention device 127 is moved upward. In this state, when the brush roll 124 is rotated, the spring 10 moves forward with the rotation of the brush roll 124 and is placed on the table 129.

[0047] Next, the transfer section (third movement mechanism) 150 will be described. Fig. 13 is a front view of the transfer section. As described above, the carriage 9 is provided with a support 92 that suspends the spring 10, and as this rotates, the spring 10 moves in the axial direction of the support 92. Then, the spring 10 that has moved to the end of the support 92 is transferred to the transfer section 150. As shown in Fig. 13, the transfer section 150 has a support hook 151, a movement mechanism 152 that moves it, and a holder 153 that holds the spring 10.

[0048] The support hook 151 is configured to reciprocate between the support tool 92 and the holding part 153 by a moving mechanism 152. The holding part 153 is formed from a plate material with an L-shaped cross section, and a magnet (not shown) is provided on its surface. The holding part 153 is disposed above the housing 121 of the hair removal unit 120, and is configured to be able to adopt a first position extending in the vertical direction and a second position inclined obliquely from the first position. The holding part 153 is initially in the first position. Note that although the magnet of the holding part 153 can fix the spring 10 to the holding part 153, when the holding part 153 is in the second position, it does not have enough magnetic force to prevent the spring 10 from sliding downward due to the inclination.

[0049] With the above configuration, when the hook 100 of the spring 10 that has moved to the end of the support tool 92 is hooked onto the support hook 151, the support hook 151 is moved together with the spring 10 to the holder 153 by the moving mechanism 152. Then, when the spring 10 is fixed to the holder 153 by the magnet, the holder 153 transitions to the second mode, as shown in FIG. 14. As a result, the spring 10 held by the holder 153 slides downward due to the inclination and is placed in the arrangement space of the hair remover 120. Thereafter, as described above, the spring 10 is rubbed by the brush roll 124, and excess hair is removed.

[0050] <1-12. Inspection and Packaging Department> After hair removal, the spring 10 is removed from the hair removal section 120 by an operator and carried to the inspection section 130. In the inspection section 130, the operator removes the hook 100 from the spring 10 and performs an external inspection of the spring 10. In the external inspection, it is inspected whether hair is attached over the entire spring 10, whether a mark (paint) is attached, etc., and if there are no problems, the spring is carried to the packaging section 140.

[0051] In the packing section 140, workers pack the springs 10 into boxes.

[0052] <2. Operation of the hair transplant system> Next, the operation of the hair implantation system configured as described above will be explained. First, in the spring supply unit 1, an operator attaches a hook 100 to each spring 10, and then, as shown in Figure 3, the hooks 100 are hooked in turn onto the supplying tool 11 of the spring supply unit 1. As a result, the hooks 100 are moved together with the springs 10 by the supplying tool 11 toward the conveyor 7, and are then placed on the conveyor hooks 72 of the conveyor 7 (first step).

[0053] The springs 10 are transported by the conveyor 7 to the static elimination and dust removal section 2, where static electricity is removed and foreign matter is removed as described above. Next, the springs 10 are transported to the adhesive application section 3, where adhesive is electrostatically applied to the surface of the springs 10 as described above (second step). Thereafter, the springs 10 are transported to the electrostatic hair planting section 4, where hairs are attached to the adhesive as described above. That is, electrostatic hair planting is performed (third step).

[0054] After electrostatic flocking, the springs 10 enter the primary drying section 5, where they are subjected to primary drying (fourth step). After primary drying, paint is applied to the springs 10 in the marking section 6. That is, a mark corresponding to the type of spring 10 is applied to identify it (seventh step). The springs 10 are then taken off the conveyor 7 in the transfer section 8 and placed on a cart 9. Once a predetermined number of springs 10 have been placed on the cart 9, the worker moves the cart 9 to the secondary drying section 110, where secondary drying is performed (fifth step). This allows the adhesive to dry.

[0055] When the secondary drying is complete, the worker removes the cart 9 from the storage section 111 of the secondary drying section 110 and moves it to the transfer section 150 adjacent to the hair removal section 120. Then, the springs 10 on the cart 9 are placed in the hair removal section 120 via the transfer section 150, and hair removal is performed as described above (sixth step). When hair removal is complete, the worker removes the springs 10 from the hair removal section 120 and moves them to the inspection section 130. After the above-described appearance inspection of the springs 10 is performed in the inspection section 130, if there are no problems, the springs 10 are packed into boxes in the packaging section 140.

[0056] By repeating the above process, hairs are successively implanted onto the spring 10.

[0057] <3. Features> The spring hair implantation system and hair implantation method configured as above can provide the following effects. (1) For example, if secondary drying is performed on the springs 10 while they are still attached to the conveyor, the drying takes time, and therefore the transport path needs to be lengthened for the secondary drying. Therefore, space is required to ensure the transport path. In contrast, according to this embodiment, the secondary drying is performed on the implanted springs 10 in the secondary drying section 110 after they are removed from the conveyor 7. Therefore, the secondary drying of the springs 10 can be performed without the need to lengthen the transport path. Furthermore, since multiple springs 10 can be dried simultaneously in the secondary drying section 110, production efficiency can be improved and power consumption can be reduced.

[0058] In the case of conventional technology, where drying is performed during transport, the drying time is determined by the length of the transport path, which limits the types of springs that can be manufactured. In contrast, in this embodiment, the primary drying and secondary drying are separated, so as long as the adhesive can be dried in the primary drying, the time and temperature of the secondary drying can be appropriately changed depending on the shape and size of the spring and the type of adhesive. Therefore, the hair implantation system of this embodiment can be applied to implanting hair on various springs and hair implantation on materials other than springs.

[0059] (2) In the secondary drying section 110, the carts 9 are housed in the storage section 111 and are sealed to perform secondary drying. In contrast, the primary drying section 5 has an open entrance / exit for the conveyor 7, allowing outside air to enter and exit. As described above, the secondary drying in this embodiment is performed in a sealed space, which has the advantage of providing a more stable temperature than primary drying or drying in conventional techniques. Therefore, the secondary drying time can be shortened.

[0060] (3) Since the springs 10 are transported while suspended so that their axial directions are oriented vertically, only the upper ends of the springs 10 need to be fixed, making transportation easy. Therefore, the springs 10 can be easily transferred to the carriages 9.

[0061] <4. Modifications> Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The following modifications can be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, the following modifications can also be combined as appropriate with the above-described embodiment.

[0062] (1) The hair transplantation system according to the above embodiment includes the static elimination and dust removal unit 2, the adhesive application unit 3, the electrostatic hair transplantation unit 4, the primary drying unit 5, the marking unit 6, the secondary drying unit 110, the hair removal unit 120, the inspection unit 130, and the packaging unit 140. However, the hair transplantation system according to the present invention is only required to include at least the adhesive application unit 3, the electrostatic hair transplantation unit 4, the primary drying unit 5, and the secondary drying unit 110. Therefore, other units may be provided as needed.

[0063] (2) In the above embodiment, the spring supply unit 1 for placing the hooks 100 on the conveyor 7 and the transfer unit 8 for removing the hooks 100 from the conveyor 7 are provided, but the means for placing the hooks 100 on the conveyor 7 and removing the hooks 100 from the conveyor 7 are not limited to those described above, and various modifications are possible, such as adopting other mechanisms. For example, the springs 10 can be manually attached to and removed from the conveyor by an operator. The same applies to the transfer unit 150 for moving the springs 10 from the cart 9 to the hair removal unit 120, and various mechanisms or manual power can be adopted.

[0064] The transfer unit 150 that moves the springs 10 from the cart 9 to the hair removal unit 120 can also be configured as follows. For example, a plurality of parallel-arranged supports 92 are attached to a moving mechanism such as an endless chain or endless belt, and are configured to be able to move in parallel in a direction perpendicular to the supports 92 using a motor (not shown). Furthermore, the motor 93 is not attached to all supports 92, but is configured to be detachably attached only to the supports 92 that are positioned corresponding to the conveying device 82.

[0065] Then, after the movement mechanism has moved the support 92 to a position corresponding to the conveyance device 82, for example, as shown in FIG. 9 , the motor 93 is driven to move the hooks 100 of the springs 10 received from the conveyance device 82 on the conveyance device 92. Then, when a predetermined number of hooks 10 have been hung on the support 92, the motor 93 is detached from the support 92, and an endless chain or the like is driven to move the next support 92 to a position corresponding to the conveyance device 82. Next, after attaching the motor 93 to that support 92, the hooks 100 are received from the conveyance device 82 as described above. By repeating the above process, a predetermined number of springs 10 can be hung on all of the supports 92.

[0066] (3) In the above embodiment, the springs 10 are removed from the conveyor 7 by the cart 9 and moved to the secondary drying section 110. However, the configuration of the cart 9 is not particularly limited, and it is sufficient that the cart 9 is configured to be able to move at least a plurality of springs 10 to the secondary drying section 110. Also, the springs 10 can be moved to the secondary drying section 110 by an operator without using the cart 9.

[0067] (4) In the above embodiment, the adhesive is applied to the spring 10 using the paint gun 32, but the method of applying the adhesive is not particularly limited, and it is sufficient that the adhesive is applied to the spring 10 by at least electrostatic painting. Therefore, the operation of the paint gun may be other than that described above, and two or more paint guns may be used to apply the adhesive.

[0068] (5) In the above embodiment, bristles are discharged from the two storage sections 41, 42 and electrostatically implanted. However, the method is not particularly limited as long as the bristles are implanted on the spring 10 using static electricity. Therefore, the number and positions of the bristles can be changed as appropriate. In addition, known techniques using static electricity can be applied, such as those described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 4-284870 and 11-57592.

[0069] (6) The configuration of the hair remover 120 shown in the above embodiment is an example, and the means for removing excess hair from the spring 10 is not particularly limited. For example, either a brush or air blowing may be used. Furthermore, the rotation direction of the brush roll 124 of the hair remover 120 and the spring 10 is not limited to the direction shown in FIG. 12 , and the rotation direction can be set appropriately depending on the shape of the hook 100 attached to the spring 10, etc.

[0070] (7) The springs 10 being transported on the conveyor can be rotated around their axes at a predetermined timing. For example, the springs 10 can be rotated around their axes by rotating the conveyor hooks 72 around their axes using a predetermined tool. This allows the orientation of the hooks 100 to be changed so that the hooks 100 can be easily transferred to the transfer section 8,150, for example. Furthermore, by changing the orientation of the springs 10 during primary drying, the outer circumferential surface of the springs 10 can be uniformly heated.

[0071] (8) The path of the conveyor 7 and the arrangement of each part shown in FIG. 1 are examples and can be changed as appropriate.

[0072] (9) In the above embodiment, the hook 100 is attached to the spring 10, and this is then attached to the conveyor hook 72. However, as long as the spring 10 is transported by the conveyor 7 in a suspended state, the means for attaching the spring 10 to the conveyor 7 is not particularly limited, and the spring 10 can be attached to the conveyor 7 by various methods. For example, the spring 10 can be attached to the conveyor 7 by either the hook 100 or the conveyor hook 72.

[0073] (10) The configuration of the marking unit 6 described in the above embodiment is merely an example, and the means are not particularly limited as long as the configuration allows marking on the spring. For example, the recess 611 of the roller 61 may have a flat structure without any recesses, and a small amount of paint may be applied by surface tension to the surface extending in the circumferential direction of the roller 61. Therefore, this configuration is suitable for applying small amounts of paint. The roller 61 may also be configured to rotate by a motor, which allows the amount of paint applied to be adjusted. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 3: Adhesive application area 4: Electrostatic flocking section 5: Primary drying section 7: Conveyor 9: Cart (moving device) 10: Spring 100: Hook (mounting fixture) 110:Secondary drying section 120: Hair removal department

Claims

1. a first step of attaching a spring to a conveyor that moves along a transport path; a second step of moving the spring to an adhesive application section on the transport path and applying adhesive to the spring by electrostatic coating; a third step of moving the spring to an electrostatic flocking unit on the transport path and flocking the spring in the area where the adhesive is applied by electrostatic flocking; a fourth step of moving the spring to a primary drying section on the transport path and performing primary drying on the flocked spring; a fifth step of removing the spring from the conveyor, placing the spring in a secondary drying section, and performing secondary drying in the secondary drying section for a time longer than the primary drying; A spring hair implantation method comprising:

2. In the fifth step, The plurality of springs removed from the conveyor are placed on a moving device; and after the moving device is disposed in the secondary drying section, the secondary drying is performed while the plurality of springs remain disposed in the moving device. The spring hair implantation method according to claim 1.

3. The method further includes a sixth step of removing the spring after the secondary drying has been completed from the secondary drying unit and removing hair from the spring.

3. The spring hair implantation method according to claim 1 or 2.

4. In the sixth step, The excess hair attached to the spring is removed by at least one of a brush and air, and the removed hair is collected by suction. The spring hair implantation method according to claim 3.

5. In the sixth step, hair removal is performed by a hair removal device, The hair removal device comprises: A cylindrical brush; a drive unit that rotates the brush around an axis; a holding portion that holds the spring so as to contact the brush; an air supply unit that blows air onto the spring held by the brush by the holding unit; Equipped with The spring hair implantation method according to claim 3.

6. Prior to the first step, a mounting tool is attached to the spring; In the first step, the attachment tool is attached to the conveyor. The spring hair implantation method according to claim 1.

7. In the first step, the attachment tool is attached to the conveyor by a first moving mechanism; In the fifth step, the second moving mechanism removes the attachment from the conveyor and places it on a moving device, and then the moving device is placed in the secondary drying section, and the secondary drying is performed with the spring still placed in the moving device. The spring hair implantation method according to claim 6.

8. After the fifth step, the moving device is removed from the secondary drying section; a third moving mechanism detaching the attachment from the moving device and moving it to a hair removal device; Hair removal is performed using the hair removal device. The spring hair implantation method according to claim 7.

9. The adhesive application section is provided with at least one discharge device that discharges adhesive, the dispensing device is configured to dispense the adhesive onto the spring while moving in the axial direction of the spring, and to dispense the adhesive from a plurality of positions around the axis.

3. The spring hair implantation method according to claim 1 or 2.

10. After the fourth step, the method further includes a seventh step of applying an identification paint to the spring by bringing the spring into contact with the identification paint.

3. The spring hair implantation method according to claim 1 or 2.

11. a conveyor that moves along a conveying path and conveys the springs; an adhesive application unit that is disposed on the transport path and applies adhesive to the springs by electrostatic coating; an electrostatic flocking unit disposed on the transport path and configured to electrostatically flock the spring in the area where the adhesive is applied; a primary drying section disposed on the transport path for primarily drying the flocked springs; a secondary drying section that performs secondary drying on the springs removed from the transport conveyor for a longer period of time than the primary drying; Equipped with a spring hair transplant system.

Images